I've been trying to get Voom for 1 MONTH!!!

[DragonLips]

Sean, please do not move this post over to the other installations posts. I've been reading in this forum now for a few days and I have recommended this forum to several people interested in Voom. It's the VERY BEST spot for Voom information. Some of you may not want to hear my Voom story, but Voom doesn't seem to care either.

Where do I start!??

I've been waiting to get Voom installed at my house now for about 1 month. I must be a glutton for punishment, because I can honestly say I have NO IDEA why I'm still even considering the service with the treatment I've had. I already have 12 HD channels through cable.....

I was first scheduled for an installation through Installs Inc on March 26. In order for me to perform an install, I need to take time off from work to get it done. Installs Inc doesn't understand this. I'm guessing they're expecting June Cleaver to answer the door at any hour of the day, especially while Wally and Beav are at school. Perhaps they need to be reminded that spouses work and we cannot wait around all day for them.

"You'll have an 8am to 12pm window for installation.." Famous last words. 12pm passes, no phone call. I get a call from an installer at about 1:30(while I'm on my WAY into work) saying that he won't be able to come by until 6pm at the earliest. No apology.......nothing..

I called Installs Inc, they said that workers will get backed up at times, this happens. Essentially, their dispatch sup said they CANNOT gaurantee installation times - PERIOD!

I rescheduled for the following Saturday, since I was not able to take any more time off from work on this, I figured Sat would work. 12pm passes, AGAIN no call. Install Inc called me at 2pm to say they've fired that installer and they will not be out to install today. "fired that installer". Firstly, you NEVER air your dirty laundry to the customer, it's bad business(not that I'm surprised). Secondly, at least apologzie for WASTING MY TIME!! Nothing.

I called Voom, IRRATE!! Rep was helpless because VOOM and other Sat carriers are at the MERCY of their installers. There is NO Quality control. I was horrified to see on this forum that there are pages and pages of install horror stories. I was further nausiated by the fact that people expect this kind of service. We EXPECT it will take 3 appointments before you system is installed. WHAT!!!!???

I wrote and email to Voom. I received all call 3 days later saying that my installation was handed over to another local company. Great! Maybe this will work. No more Installs, Inc. As it turns out that new company needed to schedule my installation 10 days later because they didn't get the equipment from VOOM!! MORE WAITING!!! "why am I even going through all of this hell for sat service that I may not even like"

I was in contact with this install company the whole time. They're really local to me and they seemed very polite and understood my previous concerns. They never asked me about my dwelling or any installation questions at all (which I'll get to), but seemed nice none the less.

Today rolls around. I'm up at 9 am(and I work nights people - this is killing me). 10:30 rolls around and no phone call. Excuse me while I puke... "Here we go again..". I called them at about 10:30, and they politely said they'll be there within the hour.

1 hour later a DODGE CARAVAN pulls up with 2 guys in it. I'm thinking to myself.."hmm, awfully tough to get a ladder in a smaller van like that?!" My wife even commented (and I love her to death). "Well maybe they bought one of those QVC collapsable ladders that people are falling off of!!?"

For those following along... you guessed it. No LADDER!!
How in the bloody heck do you come out to an installation WITHOUT A LADDER TALLER THAN 3 FT?!??!??!?? The installer said, "had we known the roof was 40ft high, we would have gotten another truck with a ladder!!"" Are you kidding me. I said, "genious, you never even ASKED about my property, or prepared for the installation!!?""

BOTTOM LINE - NO VOOM INSTALLATION AGAIN!! I've been waiting a MONTH!! Who in here has gone through as much hell. I'm surrounded by incompetance...

Someone please convince me why I should give Voom another shot!? There is no quality control over installations! These companies have lost countless customers due to the fact that these installers (at least in my area) are incompetent!! I have no future install date set, NOTHING!! Is there anyone out there from Voom that can take ownership of my issue so that I'd be able to get there service!?!?? It's killing me!

 

[seandudley]

As Bill Clinton would say, "I feel your pain". I went through over a month of nightmares trying to get installed, too. My equipment was sent to Ohio instead of Tennessee, there was a problem with the initial install company, so it got transferred to another that couldn't do it for a while. When they did come out, they said I need a better antenna and they would have to order it. When I called about it, I found the antenna had not been ordered, and that Installs, Inc. was waiting on an ok for the upgrade from Voom which wasn't happening very fast at all. Anyway, this is the short version. It took my over a month with lots of phone calls to actually get my install done. Was a real pain in the neck, but I'm glad I stuck it out because the service now that I actually have it is great! I'm very happy to have Voom, I just wish the install process didn't have so many problems.

Good luck!

 

[Walter L.]

My advise:

1) send a mail to the VOOM representaives at Yahoo group Wilt Hildenbrand [wilth@optonline.net] and dragonldy_mom [dragonldy_mom@YAHOO.COM]

2) Escalate the issue. Call both VOOM and Installs Inc and ask the CSR to transfer you to their boss. I know of a guy that did this and got compensated (2 months free)

3) Don't give up. You won't be disappointed when you finally get VOOM

 

[n0qcu]

send an email to "Joe Harkins" <jharkins@installs.com> with your story.

...........

 

[vurbano]

one appointment here. 30 minutes. on time. Installs gets an A+. As for me i would have let them do it at 6pm and not leave until I was completely satisfied.

 

[FunkyBoss]

The first guy that came out to install my Voom system showed up with an 18 foot ladder that he said wasn't tall enough for my two story house. So he cancelled the appointment and I had to reschedule a custom install with two guys that bring a 40 foot ladder. That really bummed me out because I was so looking forward to it. And I had to pay for that extra service.

A week later, they came back out. Luckily, the two guys that showed up for the rescheduled install were great and I've been Vooming for over a week now and I love it.

I would try emailing Joe Harkins (Installs Inc.) like others have suggested. He helped me with some things and was great to work with.

 

[Ask a Cableguy]

Im glad VOOM installed you when they said they would. I had an appt with them, and NO SHOW! I called, and was told the installer took it upon himself to reschedule it for another day after I took time off from work. No calls, no nothing! I am a CATV installer for 27 years and would be fired if I didnt install as scheduled! (yah, Ill make him park out back) I wish they would allow a self install.........Im still waiting....Guess who....Installs Inc.
Update 1 week later, Voom is installed. Im not thrilled so far

 

[rang1995]

Cable service calls is regulated. Sat is not.

 

[satInstaller]

seems like you fellows might be the exception... you know how it is...it's the few who make the most noise. Fact is most installs are done by very experienced installers who are committed to their work (It's their livelyhood)
Most installers carry a 24 or 28 foot ladder which is what a standard install requires. Anything taller ie. 48 foot ladder is not standard, it normally requires a two man crew and additional charges. It will probably involve a reschedule.
As far as VOOM, other than the local channels which are carried off-air for which a tech can not guarantee the signal strenght, we have seen some very happy and impressed customers with the quality of their HDTV reception. It's a new system...it can only get better...just watch!!!

 

[DragonLips]

UPDATE::: After my first post and start of this thread, I took someone's advice and emailed Joe Harkins. Installs Inc was out to my house the very next day and the service was installed to my satisfaction. The installer was everything I had hoped for. I got the tool belt, 40ft ladder, professionalism...etc. John did a great job! See, they're not ALL bad!