Recent Dish CS experience

[Joe Satellite Fan]

Just an interesting interaction with a couple of Dish CS agents. Background: My Hopper2000 recently started not responding and doing random reboots. First CS agent realized I had done all of the normal "fixes" quickly and suggested they would replace the Hopper. I asked if we could do an upgrade to a Hopper w/sling while we doing this and he said sure. (This was last Friday). Later that day, I checked online to see if everything was going ok and noticed it showed the replacement was a 2000, not sling unit. Called again and original agent was not available, so got a different agent. Told him what I saw online. He agreed that was wrong, so added a sling Hopper to the shipping list. He told me to just return the 2000 when it arrived. He "felt bad" that I had this problem and gave me 3 months of Stars so I would be happy. I don't watch a lot of movies, but thought "what the heck" and accepted. When I returned to the website later, I noticed that there was a Hopper sling on the return list. I ignored that and figured I'd get that worked on later.

Monday: New 2000 shows up, I change out the return label and send it back.
Wednesday: New sling Hopper shows up, I disconnect the old 2000, hook up the sling one and all goes well, ready to activate in about 15 minutes. When I call in to activate, third CS says this is not possible. Not only do I have to send back this Hopper w/sling, but have to talk to a different division because I have 3 Hoppers and all upgrades for those customers have to go through a special "tech" division. That call went well, except that because it's a 3 Hopper system, a dish tech must come up and do the upgrade. I explained that I had already just installed the Hopper w/sling with no problem and he says it doesn't matter, I have to schedule a service call. So, instead of having this one working right now, I have to send it back and wait until Sunday for a tech to come out. Have to do it this way because I have to give the tech back the old 2000 Hopper at the same time.

Just an FYI for anyone trying to swap out a bad Hopper 2000 for a Hopper w/sling at the same time.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Next time: DIRT!!

 

[Scherrman]

Next time: DIRT!!

I agree. Why deal with CSR's when you don't have to.

 

[KAB]

Not next time, contact DIRT NOW!!! Might not have to wait for a service call.

 

[satnewb]

Also, the system will allow for a HWS for H2000 swap. I did it many a time for customers, and also for myself when my h2000 went bad. If you do end up with a tech visit, explain this to him, he may not be aware. He will need to use the phone IVR to do the swap, not the mobile tablet.

Dish probably doesn't want to swap it for you because technically it's considered an upgrade and would require an additional 2 yr commitment.

 

[SomeDishGuy]

Also, the system will allow for a HWS for H2000 swap. I did it many a time for customers, and also for myself when my h2000 went bad. If you do end up with a tech visit, explain this to him, he may not be aware. He will need to use the phone IVR to do the swap, not the mobile tablet.

Dish probably doesn't want to swap it for you because technically it's considered an upgrade and would require an additional 2 yr commitment.

Really? (remember, I am in the call center environment) I can go to "Change Receiver" to do so (change to a Hopper/Sling), but that is going to cause it to be considered a lease upgrade, with the corresponding 24 month commit. When I do a return auth on a Hopper 2000, it's not specifying a Hopper/Sling as a replacement.

I don't know what techs do or do not have available at their disposal, but I do know that a CSR either has to replace from the same "family" or it will be considered an upgrade. Hopper2000 and Hopper/Sling aren't the same in the system.

 

[lucky86]

I'm sure if a tech contacts the work order modification team they can accomplish whatever is needed to satisfy a customers need. I'm sure CS agents follow business rules and have restrictions but I'm sure a tech can get whatever handled that they need to, in regards to equipment etc.

 

[satnewb]

Really? (remember, I am in the call center environment) I can go to "Change Receiver" to do so (change to a Hopper/Sling), but that is going to cause it to be considered a lease upgrade, with the corresponding 24 month commit. When I do a return auth on a Hopper 2000, it's not specifying a Hopper/Sling as a replacement.

I don't know what techs do or do not have available at their disposal, but I do know that a CSR either has to replace from the same "family" or it will be considered an upgrade. Hopper2000 and Hopper/Sling aren't the same in the system.

Yep. If you use eta it gives the model mismatch error. Calling dash and manually entering the r/s #s will activate. I quit a week ago but it was working up until then.

 

[Joe Satellite Fan]

I've had DIRT fix a lot of things for me and know they can get things done. The last time I had a Hopper's hard drive failing, the CS just wouldn't listen to me. I hung up. Contacted DIRT and "BAM", it was done. So, when the CS rep understood what I was explaining, I thought all was good. Guess I leaned my lesson.
And, for those wondering, they are considering it an upgrade. Additional two year commitment and an increase of $5 from Hopper 2000 to Hopper w/sling.
I'm bummed.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I've had DIRT fix a lot of things for me and know they can get things done. The last time I had a Hopper's hard drive failing, the CS just wouldn't listen to me. I hung up. Contacted DIRT and "BAM", it was done. So, when the CS rep understood what I was explaining, I thought all was good. Guess I leaned my lesson.
And, for those wondering, they are considering it an upgrade. Additional two year commitment and an increase of $5 from Hopper 2000 to Hopper w/sling.
I'm bummed.

I get the commitment part, but there's not a fee increase also, is there??

 

[Bobby]

Not between the Hoppers....

 

[KAB]

Not between the Hoppers....

Second time....contact DIRT. There is no $5.00 difference between the two.

 

[dare2be]

No, but any changes to equipment after the start of the grandfathering period that isn't a swap out for the same model will end the grandfathering. I think that is what is happening here.

 

[KAB]

No, but any changes to equipment after the start of the grandfathering period that isn't a swap out for the same model will end the grandfathering. I think that is what is happening here.

What would have been grandfathered?

 

[dare2be]

The $7 Hopper fee...

oh, reading back, he doesn't have a 2nd Hopper...my bad. I misread when he said he had 2 hoppers sent and 1 sent back making 3 hoppers, thinking he started with 2 hoppers.

 

[Joe Satellite Fan]

I have 3 Hoppers and 3 Joeys. But, one Hopper 2K and Joey are in a 5th wheel. But the 3rd CS said that they are considered different. Hopper 2K is $7 month and Hopper sling is $12 month. All so confusing to me.

She said nothing about the Grandfathering thing.

 

[dare2be]

I have 3 Hoppers and 3 Joeys. But, one Hopper 2K and Joey are in a 5th wheel. But the 3rd CS said that they are considered different. Hopper 2K is $7 month and Hopper sling is $12 month. All so confusing to me.

She said nothing about the Grandfathering thing.

So, I was right. When she said that Hopper 2K is $7, that meant that your existing 2K was $7 (grandfathered), and now that you replaced it, it is now $12 (since you upgraded, breaking the grandfathering status).

 

[sparc]

I have 3 Hoppers and 3 Joeys. But, one Hopper 2K and Joey are in a 5th wheel. But the 3rd CS said that they are considered different. Hopper 2K is $7 month and Hopper sling is $12 month. All so confusing to me.

She said nothing about the Grandfathering thing.

I think part of what you're missing is that there was a price increase recently for additional hoppers. It went from $7 per month to $12 per month for additional hoppers.

With that price increase, Dish is giving additional hoppers a $5 per month credit for 18 months. It sounds like you might have lost that $5 credit on the hopper you upgraded. I would still check with DIRT to confirm that's the case. There's no simple swap to different equipment as it almost always involves Dish's upgrade process.

thread on price increase: http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/326459-Price-increases-in-February-2014-(UPDATED!)