I had an experience last night (5-21-15) that has everything to do with my work and Dish. I work for a local, family owned Dish retailer that has been selling, installing and servicing our customers for almost 20 years now, I have been there for over 15 years.
Two door to door salesmen were canvasing my neighborhood. I saw them talking to a neighbor of mine I have known for over 5 years, and I thought I overheard them mention Dish Network and Comcast. When they left I asked my neighbor what had happened, he told me he thought he got a good deal and had bought a 3 TV Hopper system from them... He knows what I do and he mentioned me to the salesmen, they said they knew me well and we were all part of the same team (after my neighbor mentioned my name, they said, oh ya, Brad is a great guy, we know him). That is a bold face lie, they are our competition and we had never met, let alone know each other. They also lied to the customer about the monthly cost and a number of other things, including not mentioning the 2 year commitment (they implied it was 1 year).
Not that I was really surprised, but when I found out that they had lied to my friends to get the sale, I was pissed and tracked them down a block away. I told them where they could go for lying to get the sale and that the customer was cancelling with them and getting it through me. They got in my face and by the end actually physically threatened me.
NEVER buy (satellite TV) from a door to door salesman or telemarketer. They will lie and say anything they want to get the sale, and you will never see them again after it is installed. Buy from a local retailer, preferably one who does their own installs and service work. My company has been a local company in the same spot for nearly 20 years. Some areas don't have local, honest dealers, but a lot do. Look, and if you can't find a local dealer, go straight through Dish (800-333-3474), at least you will know who you are buying from. Don't trust the yellow pages add that says it is at some random local address, commonly that is a made up address with a local phone #, from some out of state company. The yellow pages in our area has an add that the address is for a down town parking lot, the company is actually over 1000 miles away (a violation of the retailer contract).
We see so many people that are lied to by telemarketers and door to door salesmen, they don't realize it till the system is installed, they get their 1st bill, and they are stuck in a 2 year contract. Then they come to us for help when it is to late.
The biggest issue with these door to door salesmen is they are breaking state law (in our state anyway) and Dish's retailer agreement. They lie and screw the customer over, it is what gives us all a bad name. State Law and Dish says they have to be actual employees, hired and paid with a W-2, they CAN NOT be paid with a 1099 (The employer isn't responsible for damage caused by 1099 "employees" and isn't paying the taxes, like medicare, that the honest companies are paying). That is a direct violation of the retailer agreement with Dish, but it is how all the big door to door outfits do it. Dish looks the other way because they sell lots of systems, while the honest retailers are screwed.
It pisses us off to no end that we follow all the rules, and then see a company come into our state/area, break all the rules, get real big, and sell lots of systems. Then we are left holding the bag (so to speak) with their pissed off customers that then come to our (actual) store for help, when they can't get any help from whoever they bought it from.
I would LOVE to see a DIRT member comment on this, but I know they won't, it is the dark underside of how Dish sells (a lot of) their systems. The more you break the rules and the law the better you do and the more Dish loves you for it. Some times it sucks having a conscience, at least when being a Dish retailer...
Two door to door salesmen were canvasing my neighborhood. I saw them talking to a neighbor of mine I have known for over 5 years, and I thought I overheard them mention Dish Network and Comcast. When they left I asked my neighbor what had happened, he told me he thought he got a good deal and had bought a 3 TV Hopper system from them... He knows what I do and he mentioned me to the salesmen, they said they knew me well and we were all part of the same team (after my neighbor mentioned my name, they said, oh ya, Brad is a great guy, we know him). That is a bold face lie, they are our competition and we had never met, let alone know each other. They also lied to the customer about the monthly cost and a number of other things, including not mentioning the 2 year commitment (they implied it was 1 year).
Not that I was really surprised, but when I found out that they had lied to my friends to get the sale, I was pissed and tracked them down a block away. I told them where they could go for lying to get the sale and that the customer was cancelling with them and getting it through me. They got in my face and by the end actually physically threatened me.
NEVER buy (satellite TV) from a door to door salesman or telemarketer. They will lie and say anything they want to get the sale, and you will never see them again after it is installed. Buy from a local retailer, preferably one who does their own installs and service work. My company has been a local company in the same spot for nearly 20 years. Some areas don't have local, honest dealers, but a lot do. Look, and if you can't find a local dealer, go straight through Dish (800-333-3474), at least you will know who you are buying from. Don't trust the yellow pages add that says it is at some random local address, commonly that is a made up address with a local phone #, from some out of state company. The yellow pages in our area has an add that the address is for a down town parking lot, the company is actually over 1000 miles away (a violation of the retailer contract).
We see so many people that are lied to by telemarketers and door to door salesmen, they don't realize it till the system is installed, they get their 1st bill, and they are stuck in a 2 year contract. Then they come to us for help when it is to late.
The biggest issue with these door to door salesmen is they are breaking state law (in our state anyway) and Dish's retailer agreement. They lie and screw the customer over, it is what gives us all a bad name. State Law and Dish says they have to be actual employees, hired and paid with a W-2, they CAN NOT be paid with a 1099 (The employer isn't responsible for damage caused by 1099 "employees" and isn't paying the taxes, like medicare, that the honest companies are paying). That is a direct violation of the retailer agreement with Dish, but it is how all the big door to door outfits do it. Dish looks the other way because they sell lots of systems, while the honest retailers are screwed.
It pisses us off to no end that we follow all the rules, and then see a company come into our state/area, break all the rules, get real big, and sell lots of systems. Then we are left holding the bag (so to speak) with their pissed off customers that then come to our (actual) store for help, when they can't get any help from whoever they bought it from.
I would LOVE to see a DIRT member comment on this, but I know they won't, it is the dark underside of how Dish sells (a lot of) their systems. The more you break the rules and the law the better you do and the more Dish loves you for it. Some times it sucks having a conscience, at least when being a Dish retailer...
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