Site Survey?
- Thread starter viggen61
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As a consumer, I see no issue giving Dish the opportunity to check and see if they can get thousands of dollars in income from me. It is a trivial gesture to earn my business.
I would never call if I knew there was no line of site, but wouldn't hesitate if I thought there was a fair chance. At my last house I was concerned, but thought I had an angle. The installer came up with a much better placement. Conservatively, that visit turned into $7K of revenue for Dish while I lived there. Conversely at my current house, I didn't think there would be a problem, but turned out there was really only one placement that would work. What company in their right mind would not take 30 minutes for the opportunity to confirm it themselves?
Hate to seem cold about it, but the installer's issues with reimbursement are not my concern. I do not research pay practices for every company I will ever hire.
I think it would be fair to find a local retailer and just slip a tech a tip to slide by and check rather than draw up a installation and have them get it by it when you already know it happens. Dish is evil - pure EVIL when it comes to punishing the tech for EVERYTHING from no LOS hits that you can't do the install, cancels are the same thing...return visits or RC12's because the customer is stupid and changes something or drops the remote and puts batteries back in backwards (yes happened to me a few times)...or if you are putting in hoppers and you don't have internet then it also counts against them (no fault of their own at all).. perhaps you got the survey call after they left and you didn't press all 0's well that also will really hammer them in the eyes of Dish and its all perfect or nothing.
No need to say you hate to seem cold about it but you already know the issues and concerns a tech has to deal with. If you could do it yourself then you wouldn't be calling a professional in the first place so why not cut them some slack since you know the truth and the research is now done for you.
Good luck finding one. There aren't any store-front retailers around here.
Are you still working for them? If so, why?
Often no choice. Expecting anyone to jump through hoops just to see if they can get service is unreasonable. If a tech feels the overall compensation is unfair, they will move on. How that overall compensation is calculated is a problem for Dish and the tech. The occasional LOS issue or problem customer is just part of the game and figures into the average.
I will likely tip if warranted. I never take surveys unless the service is exceptional or truly awful. If exceptional the tech will get the highest marks across the board - and I have likely already called or emailed about it.
Well I'm sure if you looked hard enough you would find one or a tech to come by on his own time to take a look for a quick tip.
Also no I left them because of many reasons some of which I mentioned
If a tech feels the overall compensation is unfair then move on?? Well apparently you don't know how a trap job works and in some area's just having the job is enough for some to stay. This isn't a job you walk into an office to do and can just walk out of if you don't wish to do it no more. You normally get a van/truck that is setup with tons of tools you own and so on that has to be sorted and removed - it took me 2 hours to clean my truck out when I quit - its not a easy task but still one that I did rather enjoy! The issue isn't the "occasional" issues that you speak of, it only takes 1 to push you over that so called average too which can really make or break a techs pay grade for an entire pay period normally 1 month to 3 months. Many people just have no idea what it takes to do this line of work, you put up with people's pets they refuse to put up or many many other instances. The phone notices tell people to clear the wall and pull TV's away from them to allow the tech to do work - VERY RARE!! I may have seen this done for me 10 times in a whole year. I've been in homes so horrid filled with urine and feces yet if you don't do the job you don't get paid, they have no LOS you don't get paid and get hit for the completion percentage, they don't have internet so you get hit again, they give you a bad survey just because you GET HIT AGAIN! People just have no idea so until you walk in the shoes of a tech in this field for at least a month then perhaps you should consider giving them some slack if you know what does and does not work against them.
Again, I'm sure you can find one that will slip by for a small tip to check out the property. I did this many times to not only save me the trouble and the possible hit but other techs that may have gotten the route.
This is a pet peeve of mine. IMHO, its a waste of time to send out someone to perform a site survey. Just schedule the installation!
When the installer comes out he will do the site survey right then and there. If there is Line of Site, then he does the install and everyone is happy. No line of site, he leaves.
Its not like we are getting a new roof, or new windows. Its TV!
One of my biggest issues on site surveys is that when only 50% of the customers these days pass credit, why would I want to go out and spend my time and gas when im not even 100% sure I can even get the customer to pass credit to close the sale?
Granted we could run the credit check before we went out, but im going to send out a technician, why not install it on the spot?
We used to do site surveys 15 years ago, but that was back when there was no credit score requirements, everyone qualified and I had to convince you to spend $500 on a new system.
When the installer comes out he will do the site survey right then and there. If there is Line of Site, then he does the install and everyone is happy. No line of site, he leaves.
Its not like we are getting a new roof, or new windows. Its TV!
One of my biggest issues on site surveys is that when only 50% of the customers these days pass credit, why would I want to go out and spend my time and gas when im not even 100% sure I can even get the customer to pass credit to close the sale?
Granted we could run the credit check before we went out, but im going to send out a technician, why not install it on the spot?
We used to do site surveys 15 years ago, but that was back when there was no credit score requirements, everyone qualified and I had to convince you to spend $500 on a new system.
Perhaps, but Dish wouldn't get my business if I had to work that hard. I personally would be ok with some sort of appointment/assessment fee, but that is probably bad business practice and would turn off too many potential customers. At the end of the day, I am contracting with Dish, not the tech.
Long term, any job is a choice. Short term, sacrifices may have to be made and things may suck, but not doing anything about it is a choice.
As a retailer I will do a free site survey if it is in a reasonable distance, reason? because I live in a very rural area that is saturated with satellite tv and work is really slow so if we can get a new customer out of the deal we are happy. it takes 5 - 10 minutes to do a survey well worth it to get the install. We have to do what we can to get customers since Dish is cutting back on everything they pay retailers. 10.00 for service calls sucks.
Dish is Dish and of course they will screw the tech first thing to get a signed on customer and its a shame people gotta be like that to get everything for free these days.
Just order Dish and schedule the install, Everything gets canceled and refunded if there's no LOS
Don't know why installers in this forum get so sensitive about free install,
It's not like every WO have NLOS, there's plenty good ones.
It's not just about getting paid, but helping out potential customers that aren't sure about LOS,
give them a tip for their trouble if it makes them feel better.
Don't know why installers in this forum get so sensitive about free install,
It's not like every WO have NLOS, there's plenty good ones.
It's not just about getting paid, but helping out potential customers that aren't sure about LOS,
give them a tip for their trouble if it makes them feel better.
I'm sorry I read enough of this. My opinion is simple, in order to get something like Dish installed the customer needs to know for sure it can be installed. Dish has no way of knowing if there is LOS at the location, nor are the majority of the potential subscribers capable of determining LOS with certainty. Thus the need for someone trained for this procedure and has the proper tools to do such are needed.
That being said, if Dish wants subscribers they need to assure a potential customer that what the sign up for is possible. By allowing a free assessment of the location it will garner more good will with customers. As for the installers, your problem is with Dish, not the potential customer. Dish should have a site survey payment to the installer if no LOS is possible.
After all,isn't Dish's hope to gain as many subscribers as possible. And to you installers, the more subscribers the more money you make.
If Dish is as evil as you and others have said, my question is why do you continue to work for them??? If nobody will work as installers/techs for them it sends them a message and you don't have to put up with their policies.
Again, it's not a potential customer's responsibility to know if they have line-of-sight. How many even know what that means ? If you're reading this, your answer doesn't count... Ask your spouse what LOS or line-of-sight means.
As for Dish not paying a tech when a job can't be done because of this, it's beyond me how they can get away with it. That is NOT the customer's problem though....
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As for Dish not paying a tech when a job can't be done because of this, it's beyond me how they can get away with it. That is NOT the customer's problem though....
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Agree somewhat; however, in this case it is pretty clear that OP does in fact know there is an issue and was/is looking for a freebee. That is what started the discussion ... wanting something off the back of the tech if the service can not be provided instead of paying for it.
In this case I think I am also hearing that the dish needs to be 30' up too .... maybe the install, if possible from hell.
I'm not referring to the general public or common joe, I"m referring to those that have some sorta concept of what is going on. You post here asking questions then get the answers, don't just turn around and then play stupid to get what you want. I'm talking to the savvy people that know what a LOS means, that know what a DVR means and won't turn around and ask a tech where the tape goes after they put the box in Lolz.
Not wanting to argue about it but you see my point I hope. Being a tech in this industry for many is a good job but it can be very frustrating when Dish/Direct do nothing but work against you in every aspect of the job then you have to deal with customers and every pit fall they can come up with in a home that you could and couldn't imagin...I could go make a huge list but that would start to make some people vomit I'm sure.
Seriously, just sign up for Dish and go about getting it installed like anyone else. If there is no line of site then it can't be done and the installer moves on and you don't have to worry about anything. Sometimes we will do a site survey if it's not out of our way otherwise we just go about signing them up and try to do the install. I prefer not to send my tech to a location twice.
Absolutely not. I was simply asking a question.
The only issue I am aware of is that there is no LOS from the ground, so the only possible option is to mount the dish up on the side of the house at the north end, looking south along the peak of the roof looking over - I hope - the trees to the south. An option that could be worth $1,200 plus a year to Dish.
So 30' is too far up? This is a two-story house with an attic, and the first floor is a few feet above grade. My estimate is 30' to the peak of the roof, though it is likely less.
From there, it should not be a problem for a tech to attach the dish to the side of the house, and go straight into the attic (or down to the basement) with cables.
It seems as though the "rules" on roof-mounting changes weekly, based on what techs indicate, but you might be told "no roof mounts are allowed" or "I don't have a tall enough ladder".
At our old house, the techs walked around and pointed to the front corner of our porch, in the flower bed, and said "this is the best spot". I think dishes in the front yard are pathetic and told them, "Sorry, it can't go there." They ended up putting it on the roof (20-25' up), but on the outside edge or overhang. That was a "rule" - can't be over living space (in case of leaks). I was perfectly okay with it. He had a tall enough ladder and didn't have to go on the roof (can't do that without tying themselves off to something).
At our old house, the techs walked around and pointed to the front corner of our porch, in the flower bed, and said "this is the best spot". I think dishes in the front yard are pathetic and told them, "Sorry, it can't go there." They ended up putting it on the roof (20-25' up), but on the outside edge or overhang. That was a "rule" - can't be over living space (in case of leaks). I was perfectly okay with it. He had a tall enough ladder and didn't have to go on the roof (can't do that without tying themselves off to something).
