new sales frustration

[skierrob]

I have had Dish Network for years and love it, but ran into a pretty unpleasant situation today.

After telling my friend how great Dish is, she decided to order it so I was trying to help her out. So we went to the Dish Network website to order for her, but saw that Dish still had the old prices listed even though all the prices are going up tomorrow on Feb. 1.

So, we called to ask a salesperson about pricing given that we knew the prices would be going up and a salesperson told us the old prices also and didn't mention anything about a price increase until he was asked by us. We said we read that prices were going up tomorrow on Feb. 1 and asked if she would still get the old prices being quoted to her right then by the salesperson or if the price would have increased tomorrow anyways. And we were told the price would go up tomorrow. But he wouldn't give an explanation of why he didn't tell us the new pricing since there wouldn't be a single day that we would have gotten the old pricing! He also wouldn't tell us why the website still had old outdated pricing on it.

Needless to say, my friend flipped out and decided to not order service. She said that it was horrible that Dish Network would not list the new prices today for new orders since the prices go up tomorrow. She felt that she should have been either guaranteed the old price or that the new price should have been listed.

I have to say I kind of agree with her. Now she doesn't trust Dish because she feels she was being misled.... she said it was like a used car salesman promising one price when you look at a car and then bumping it up after the test drive.

I wonder how many other people ordered Dish in the next week that will be upset like my friend was today. *shrug*

I guess I am just thinking there has to be a better way to treat new potential customers!

 

[Slamminc11]

The prices are correct until they change. They don't change until Feb. 1. As of right now, it's Jan. 31. If you knew that the price changed on Feb. 1, why didn't you just wait until Feb. 1 to order?

 

[skierrob]

I wasn't sure if she would get the old price or the new price if she ordered today. After finding out she wouldn't, it is just stupid customer service for sales to not mention the new pricing for people that order the day before the price goes up, though.

"Yesterday, you were told you would pay $39.99 for this package. But, we decided to raise the price in the past 24 hours and it is now $45.00 and you have to pay it because you are under a contract". Does that sound reasonable to you?

 

[DishDave]

Programming pricing is not under contract you pay the monthly current rate whatever it is that month.

 

[skierrob]

right... and I get that if she had signed up two months ago and then the price changed. What I don't get is why Dish wouldn't warn the new customer that "your price WILL go up in 24 hours". Just seems like good customer service to me. They know the price is going up. Why not warn the new customer?

 

[Claude Greiner]

Its good you did not order when you did. Your better off ordering on 2/1 since the new promotions start with $25 off for 6 months or $35 off for 6 months if your getting HD.

 

[KE4EST]

Maybe you can explain it to her and tell her about the new promos and how things work and then maybe she will order it. She will love it.

 

[yaz96]

And have her call Dishstore. They'll give her the best deal.

 

[Laddyboy]

I know D* has been advertising rate freezes for new subs. Do they always do that or is this year an exception. I remember back in the early days when E* did the same. I think I went a couple years or more with the same rates. Ever since though it's been a steady upward increase.

 

[Slamminc11]

I wasn't sure if she would get the old price or the new price if she ordered today. After finding out she wouldn't, it is just stupid customer service for sales to not mention the new pricing for people that order the day before the price goes up, though.

"Yesterday, you were told you would pay $39.99 for this package. But, we decided to raise the price in the past 24 hours and it is now $45.00 and you have to pay it because you are under a contract". Does that sound reasonable to you?

When I pull up to a gas station they don't tell me that the price I am paying is going to change within 24 hours giving me the option to buy later or buy now...
When I go to the grocery store they don't tell me if the price of milk, cheese, or hamburger meat is going to change in the next 24 hours giving me the option to wait or buy now...
By your own admission, you and your friend knew about the price change before you had your friend call, but you couldn't wait less than 24 hours to do so, again knowing of the price increase... and now your pissed...please.

 

[Jim S.]

Wow, what a bogus argument! When you buy gas or groceries, you're not locked in to paying that same price for 24 months!

 

[KAB]

Wow, what a bogus argument! When you buy gas or groceries, you're not locked in to paying that same price for 24 months!

If you'd start at the beginning, the OP is upset that there was and upcoming price increase the CSR did not mention.

 

[Stargazer]

What are you going to do? Have her look into getting DirecTv instead? They are raising their prices in March so you better warn her about that one too.

 

[Slamminc11]

If you'd start at the beginning, the OP is upset that there was and upcoming price increase the CSR did not mention.

But the guy already knew there was going to be a price increase before he called whether it was disclosed or not. He said it in his post. He called knowing what was coming within 24 hours. He's upset because he called hoping to get the new deals a day early and when they didn't give it to him he started complaining...

 

[brisimon]

Yup OP knew about the price increase and is just complaining since he couldn't lock in the price. If you have had dish for years you should know how the prices work etc. Pointless thread...

 

[texasal]

I believe the OP is dissapointed with the lack of common courtesy from the cust. serv. rep to tell them that the prices where going to go up. His friend felt it was dishonest, and perhaps shady. Yes, he knew the prices where going up, but did not let them know. It would have been much more honest of the cust. serv. rep. to let them know what to expect.
I left Directv because they have sub contractors that rip people off when installing/ upgrading equiptment. This happened to me with two different installers. I came on this forum, and I found out that it is "common practive" because these "poor guys" don't make enough money. That is bull. Charging a loyal customer $250-$350 for a tripod, $40 for two "flat wires" ($5.00 online for both) , $20 for an HDMI cable (that already comes in the box) and "perhaps" an extra charge for cable is wrong when the install can be done without these items. Directv knows about it, and they continue to keep the same company to do their installations. Directv is guilty by not doing anything about it. I was disappointed with Directv's lack of action with this problem.

In this situation, the customer rep. was guilty of not being upfront and honest with the customer. Don't rip on the guy because he has principles and is upset at the lack of inegrity from that cust. serv. rep.
-Al

 

[Stargazer]

Wow $250-350 for a tripod? You can get them for as cheap as $20. That is a HUGE markup. Flat wires can be had for a few bucks.

 

[Agonizing Fury]

You know I had the same problem a few years ago when I leased a car. I got stuck in a 2 year lease agreement, and would you believe that the dirty car salesman didn't tell me that the price of gas might increase the next day?? The nerve of that guy! The very day after my right to cancel the agreement gas shot up by $0.03 per gallon increasing my monthly gas costs by $10, and the bastards wouldn't let me out of my 2 year contract. I would much rather just complain that sometimes the costs of things increase, and since I didn't graduate high school I have no clue how economics work, so I want everything to always stay the same price forever. Why can't everyone just understand that?

</sarcasm>

I just like to put things into perspective for people. For some reason, people think anything having to do with Pay TV should be given to them, and that Pay TV companies have no right to actually make a profit. Yet in other industries with the exact same practices, it's commonplace and excepted. Ohh well, what can you.

 

[mikethedishguy]

I believe the OP is dissapointed with the lack of common courtesy from the cust. serv. rep to tell them that the prices where going to go up. His friend felt it was dishonest, and perhaps shady. Yes, he knew the prices where going up, but did not let them know. It would have been much more honest of the cust. serv. rep. to let them know what to expect.
I left Directv because they have sub contractors that rip people off when installing/ upgrading equiptment. This happened to me with two different installers. I came on this forum, and I found out that it is "common practive" because these "poor guys" don't make enough money. That is bull. Charging a loyal customer $250-$350 for a tripod, $40 for two "flat wires" ($5.00 online for both) , $20 for an HDMI cable (that already comes in the box) and "perhaps" an extra charge for cable is wrong when the install can be done without these items. Directv knows about it, and they continue to keep the same company to do their installations. Directv is guilty by not doing anything about it. I was disappointed with Directv's lack of action with this problem.

In this situation, the customer rep. was guilty of not being upfront and honest with the customer. Don't rip on the guy because he has principles and is upset at the lack of inegrity from that cust. serv. rep.
-Al

The customer service rep most likely had his hands tied. He may have known that the prices are going up but Dish my have told him not to mention this if I were the CSR I might have made it hard for you to order the system today hoping you would call back tomorrow when the price increase was in effect and the CSR could tell you current price.

Though the prices you are quoting are very high (even more then $20.00 from a major retailer for a part I buy for $1.10) the practice will continue largely in part because of the hiring practices which the company's employ. Over the last 7yrs I have had my income slowly reduced to the point that At times I would be better flipping burgers at McD's, It is not enough to support a family and is in fact below the poverty level in the county and state I live in. So in a large part the persons that are new Installers have only had a minimal training and are only looking at this as a job to get as much as they can and not establishing any customer loyalty.

 

[texasal]

You know I had the same problem a few years ago when I leased a car. I got stuck in a 2 year lease agreement, and would you believe that the dirty car salesman didn't tell me that the price of gas might increase the next day?? The nerve of that guy! The very day after my right to cancel the agreement gas shot up by $0.03 per gallon increasing my monthly gas costs by $10, and the bastards wouldn't let me out of my 2 year contract. I would much rather just complain that sometimes the costs of things increase, and since I didn't graduate high school I have no clue how economics work, so I want everything to always stay the same price forever. Why can't everyone just understand that?

</sarcasm>

I just like to put things into perspective for people. For some reason, people think anything having to do with Pay TV should be given to them, and that Pay TV companies have no right to actually make a profit. Yet in other industries with the exact same practices, it's commonplace and excepted. Ohh well, what can you.

I understand what you are trying to say, but it is not the same. A better example would be to say that the Car salesman (f)leases you the car for $250 today. You now have a 2 year contract. By the time you get your first months bill, your payment went up to $260 per month. You call and ask, and they tell you that the prices where sheduled to go up the day after you (f)leased the car. Does that seem ethical to you? That is exactly what they where planning to do to this new customer. No matter how you slice it, it is still WRONG.

I have no problem with the raising their prices. What I do have a problem with it lack of inegrity. Yes, you are correct. It might make it harder for the customer to place the order then, and perhaps they might wait until the next day, but it is still wrong to withhold that information from the customer, when they know it is going to happen. When I was looking to get service a few days ago, I asked if the prices where going to change soon, and the rep told me "Not that I know of". That is BULL. It is either bull from the cust. ser. rep or from Dish. If they are so concerened about losing the sale, then they should lock it in if they ordered before Feb. 1st.

-Al