My First Experience with DTV Customer Service........

[RichManitoba]

........SUCKED! I've only been a customer for 2 months (switched from DISH). I have 1-HR24-100 and 3-H25-700 and 1-D12-100. The D12 was a mistake (either by me or DTV, not sure) but I accepted it at install time b/c I had a regular TV in our rec room that didn't need an H25. They were all no charge b/c of a promo at the time. Installer told me it wouldn't be a problem, I could upgrade anytime.
Recently, I bought a new TV for the room and needed a receiver upgrade. I called last week and DTV said "Awesome, we'll send you one for $100". I explained the situation to a rep and was coldly told "sorry, $100." I tried her supervisor, same result.
Today I called another rep, got the same answer, and asked for retention group. Same frickin' answer. At that time, I started cancelling movie channels and I will downgrade my programming soon.
I know some of you think I'm being a turd, but I didn't add a room, I didn't add a receiver, I was simply replacing a receiver, and yes I know it's SD to HD. Being new, I thought they'd say you betcha! Am I being a turd?

 

[Claude Greiner]

........SUCKED! I've only been a customer for 2 months (switched from DISH). I have 1-HR24-100 and 3-H25-700 and 1-D12-100. The D12 was a mistake (either by me or DTV, not sure) but I accepted it at install time b/c I had a regular TV in our rec room that didn't need an H25. They were all no charge b/c of a promo at the time. Installer told me it wouldn't be a problem, I could upgrade anytime.

Recently, I bought a new TV for the room and needed a receiver upgrade. I called last week and DTV said "Awesome, we'll send you one for $100". I explained the situation to a rep and was coldly told "sorry, $100." I tried her supervisor, same result.

Today I called another rep, got the same answer, and asked for retention group. Same frickin' answer. At that time, I started cancelling movie channels and I will downgrade my programming soon.

I know some of you think I'm being a turd, but I didn't add a room, I didn't add a receiver, I was simply replacing a receiver, and yes I know it's SD to HD. Being new, I thought they'd say you betcha! Am I being a turd?

You have 5 televisions. The first 4 can be High Definition at no additonal charge. The 5th TV can be a Free Standard Definition receiver. If you want HD in the 5th room, you would have been required to pay a $99 upgrade fee at the time of installaton.

The deal the rep offered you was exactly the same as if you had signed up as a new customer. They would have also charged you $99 for the 5th HD Receiver.

They are not doing anything wrong, your just asking for something beyond what they are susposed to give you for Free.

Either pay the $99 or wait several more months and with a good payment history they may let you do an upgrade program to get the 5th receiver for free

 

[RichManitoba]

You have 5 televisions. The first 4 can be High Definition at no additonal charge. The 5th TV can be a Free Standard Definition receiver. If you want HD in the 5th room, you would have been required to pay a $99 upgrade fee at the time of installaton.

The deal the rep offered you was exactly the same as if you had signed up as a new customer. They would have also charged you $99 for the 5th HD Receiver.

They are not doing anything wrong, your just asking for something beyond what they are susposed to give you for Free.

Either pay the $99 or wait several more months and with a good payment history they may let you do an upgrade program to get the 5th receiver for free

Thanks Claude. That's more information than THEY gave me.

 

[harshness]

You accepted what you got and now your needs have changed. DIRECTV offers an upgrade path for a time but that time has passed.

Because (a) you don't know whether the D12 was your mistake or theirs and (b) you accepted it anyway, you've got what you're going to get.

When you do upgrade (perhaps in another 10 months), they'll reward you with an extended commitment. In the interim, how they treat you will depend largely on how much you spend on programming and it appears that you intend to severely curtail that to spite them so don't expect any miracles.

Lastly, make sure any freebies have run out before you cancel them or you'll be spiting yourself.

 

[harshness]

Claude,

Aren't they going to charge installation now going from a non-DECA to a DECA box?

 

[RichManitoba]

You accepted what you got and now your needs have changed. DIRECTV offers an upgrade path for a time but that time has passed.

Because (a) you don't know whether the D12 was your mistake or theirs and (b) you accepted it anyway, you've got what you're going to get.

When you do upgrade (perhaps in another 10 months), they'll reward you with an extended commitment. In the interim, how they treat you will depend largely on how much you spend on programming and it appears that you intend to severely curtail that to spite them so don't expect any miracles.

Lastly, make sure any freebies have run out before you cancel them or you'll be spiting yourself.

The freebies end soon, so no big deal. However, I was going to extend them until the issue came up.

I fired the first scud, so I don't expect them to do me any favors in the future. I was pleasant to them, they were pleasant, but cool, to me. I just thought they would do a noob a favor for a lousy C note.

Live and learn; it's the 21st century.

 

[RichManitoba]

I received an e-mail on Tuesday (12-18-2012) in response to my survey I took after my DirecTv customer service experience. They wanted more info on why I wasn't happy with the result. They also wanted to know if I wanted to be contacted and I said "Yes".

Let's see...Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday...............