Should Dish Quit Talking to Customers?

[BFG]

Well What do you guys think?

It seems must of the problems dish has gotten into with customers is promising them things, stringing them along and then breaking that promise.

So should dish stop talking to customers and end the Charlie and tech chats? Would keeping their mouth shut and not telling customers things on the fly on these chats and then breaking them help?

DirecTV does not hold these kinds of chats, so I'm beginning to wonder if the dish chats are hurting them more than helping.

 

[rad]

Bryan, I agree with you and have said so in the past. E* could have put the 1394 ports on the 921, not said a word about them and saved themselves a bunch of ill will. But no, they said that a future software release would allow you to copy to select D-VHS decks.

D*'s had USB ports on the Tivo's but have never said what, if anything, they would be used for. So if D* never activates them I'm not upset since they never said they would.

I prefer D*'s way of doing things, don't announce anything until it's actually up and running. No annoucement yet about FOX-HD but it's up and running, and if it went away again it's really not a problem since D* never announced that it's now available. It's nice to get these little surprises every now and then.

 

[caesar gdi]

wait D* has foxHD?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I personally would end the tech chats and Charlie Chats, or would change them so they are prerecorded and highly polished.

Charlie getting on the air and talking about things he does not know about makes him and his company look bad.

 

[James Long]

I wonder who is watching. Everyone seems to think that THEY are the typical viewers, so we probably can predict that most viewers are enthsiasts or issue concerned subscribers. For our purposes, running the chats like a public commission meeting with an agenda including old business, new business, and opening the floor to the public. Not taking questions until the end would be a step in that direction. A little scripting to go along with the agenda, and reports from the various departments would help. Then when question time came let the peanuts take the calls.

One complaint I've heard in the chat chats is that they are not taking questions. That would not be solved directly by saving the questions until the end, but answering the questions before they are asked without a lot of marketing hype package videos would be good.

For the sake of people like "us", making sure issues are continued from show to show until they are solved or dropped would be good. But are we the typical viewers? Or would typical viewers see these continuing updates to be the "same old same old" much in the way that we often see the chats.

Not raising past issues also allows E* to get away with not lying until being called on. They don't have to say they are "in negotiations" with every channel they don't carry until someone names the channel. (Even though in reality they have stalled the negotiations by turning down the channel, and the only "negotiations" - if any - would be the programmer's pleas to be added.)

Chats seemed better a year ago. Each month they seem to get worse. Is it us or them? Truthfully. If we go back to a year old chat would we find better quality or worse? I'll have to pull a tape.

One major event a year ago that seemed to start the slide was the promise of new HD that awaited 105's addition to dish. That was a major disapointment that seemed to set the tone for this year ... broken "promises". Or is that just our perception?

JL

 

[tonyp56]

I could care less if they do the CC's and tech forums, if they had receivers that just worked like many customers expect them then I wouldn't have any problems with them. Having to update my receiver so that they can fix a problem that they created the last time, (i.e. P282-P284) every once in a while is ok, but what is it now three, four, I lost count on the 811 and I've only had it since March.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know what a receiver should do, it shouldn't lock up every five minutes, you should be able to switch between OTA and SAT without lockups, you should be able to have full access to Dish Home, you should be able to store more than 120 channels between all four favorite lists, shouldn't have any dark video period, and etc... I know, everyone don't look at the Fav list like I do, but really if the Manual says "unlimited" and both of my 301's allow me to store more than enough in their fav lists (every channel in each of the four lists), then why can't my 811! Perhaps your right if they never said anything about the firewire ports maybe no one would be upset, but, really if there is a chance that you are not going to use something why make it visable by the customer. Read my post on my e-mail that I sent CC, asking them why they even bother when they talk about a clock, and Dr. DVR, when they have customers with reall concerns being egnored. I think if they were to take off the CC's and Tech Forums now they would see their customer base disapear, because many customers look at these shows for answers, and suddenly won't be getting any answers. Even if they waste our time now, it's a comfort for some.

 

[caesar gdi]

I believe that many companies are able to communicate their intentions without breaking a promise. I think Charlie jumps the gun and tells us about features that have not even been developed yet let alone tested. Personally I would feel better if Charlie would wait to announce a new feature until a beta version was release. I do not want to know about any concept features.

 

[rad]

wait D* has foxHD?

Yes, the NYC and LA feeds were turned up this week, channels 88 and 89. Rules for getting it like the CBS and NBC rules.

 

[NightRyder]

Well if I were making the decisions....

1. End both the Charlie and Tech chats and replace with a polished program that covers any added features or channels during the past month. Maybe answer the most frequently asked customer questions, no future looking announcements at all.

2. Make it a strictly enforced rule that anyone caught leaking non-approved information to the general public will be terminated immediately and subject to legal action.

3. All product literature will contain a disclaimer that states "all features are subject to change without notice."



NightRyder

 

[long_time_DNC]

I don't mind seeing either chats. However, I don't like being promised something that doesn't get delivered and then gets delayed - namely more HD programming in 2004. Please deliver on your promises, or don't promise it at all.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I don't mind seeing either chats. However, I don't like being promised something that doesn't get delivered and then gets delayed - namely more HD programming in 2004. Please deliver on your promises, or don't promise it at all.

Or the promise recited on most of the tech chats and a few Charlie Chats All of this year, that name based recording features were coming to ALL DISH DVRS.

 

[Bill R]

It seems that lately the Charlie Chats, and to some extent, the Tech Forums "cause" more harm (for DISH) than benefit. Maybe it IS time for DISH to discontinue them and take the "DirecTV approach" (no information until AFTER a product or service is released).

 

[Horsnuts]

I watched my first CC in 98'. Back then they seemed to care about a customer. It was actually fun to watch. Charlie and Co. appeared happy and excited about dish network. They made me feel important and involved as a customer.

Now when you tune in, the tone is different. Alot of BS. Charlie appears worn out and tired. Snake Eyes is always in negotiations. And Jim still laughs at anything.

I'd hate to see the CC go, but I don't see a reason to keep it going. Just my 2 pennies

 

[ocnier]

wait D* has foxHD?

Ya, it officially went online yesterday. It's definitely casting a bad light on Dish due to falling behind, "compelling content" statements, and a pitch "that we're the HD leaders".

 

[bavaria72]

Well, I am one of those folks what want CC to continue. BUT with a large caveat. Charlie, what are the demographics of the folks who actually watch CC? I would say, more than likely, the same folks that participate in forums like this one and others. We are fairly "sophisticated" users so please don't insult us with things like the "Clock Channel." It was probably pretty funny in a staff meeting but unfortunately you insulted your Customer base. Please learn for this. We want frank, serious discussion. Discuss your plan to convert to MPEG4, or your plan to go pure box leasing, or your plan for the 2 "birds" you just launched. If you can't answer the questions because you are afraid of damaging your competitiveness with D*, we understand. But say so and don't plead the "5th" on everything. We are not users that are in awe of "CC pay" OK? Play straight. You have a lot of fan that want you to succeed, help us to help you!

 

[boba]

I think the big problem is DISH does not listen to their customers complaints and try to solve them. I terminated my subscription 12/15/04 today I got a call from the RETENTION DEPT. all they wanted to do was tell me how perfect their equipment was and how much programming they offered. They had no intention of listening to their problems, in fact I really don't believe how BRAINWASHED this CSR was.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Dish does more bad than good by opening their mouth!

They need to shut up for a change and just release the product when they are ready for it.

Im sick of it.....

When the 4700 was top of the line, people would call me and say "I could you get your 4700, but im waiting for the Dishplayer to be released"

When the Dishplayer was top of the line, people who where ready to buy would call and say "Im waiting for the 501"

When the 501 was available, people would call and say "Im waiting for the 508"

When the 508 was available, people would call and say "Im waiting for the 721"

When the 721 was available, people would call and say "im waiting for the 921"

Now that the 921 is available, people call me and say they "im waiting for the 942"

Since when have we already had a model which was "Top of the line" Everytime we have something available there is talk about something better, and nobody buys anything and continues to wait!

Hell the 921 is dead! Lets just focus on a 522 that nobody really cares about because they can't purchase it and a 942 which is still vaporware!

 

[earth station]

goof chat

They can get rid of the charlie chats as far as i'm concerned. It's just an hour for them to goof off with their dumb jokes.

Jim DeFranco has got to have the worst laugh in the world! There is nothing "compelling" about that show.

 

[nicholassjenkins]

Every relationship dies when communication ceases. Intentionally terminating a communication pathway that one party at least clings to the notion of it holding value sends a powerfully negative message.

I think to sum up the points of this discussion thread (and add my own perspective):
*) Dish needs to do what they say they will do, even when painful. Honor is its own reward, but is also often rewarded by those who recognize it.
*) Dish needs to listen to its customers and acknowledge that it listened.
*) Since "You can never go home", I don't think the CC should try to return to what they were, but we all agree that they should be making efforts to improve them to more than they are. I like the recommendation that they be run like a business meeting with intelligent/informed participants. Cut/Dry. Here's the Dish info. Questions Now. Done.

 

[Stargazer]

Im sure Charlie has thought about quitting the chats especially lately.