I provide a "personal touch" to my customers, I'm not just a voice on a phone. My customers are always satisfied with their installations because it's always installed exactly the way they want it done (when it's possible). Sure, there may be additional charges to the customers for a custom install, but they would much rather pay a little more to have it installed the way they want vs. the way the installer says it has to be done. Also, as long as it doesn't (and sometimes even if it does) cut into my profit margin, I'll give the customer the best possible offer that I can. The ones that the DirecTV rep on the phone wont even bother to offer or even mention unless you practically beg for it. People like having a local guy that they can turn to if they have any questions or problems.
Like anything else, there are pros and cons to being a dealer. Charge backs suck, but if your churn is low, it's really not a big deal. I make it a point to explain EVERYTHING to a potential customer before they ever see a contract. This way people understand exactly what they are getting into. Last year we had around a 3.5% churn rate. That's miles under the national average. Being honest and having good customer service goes a long way in a business like this. There is potential for huge profits if you know what you're doing.