Tips on getting installer to complete install

[msingh]

OK, I'm a very frustrated potential D*tv customer. While my property has a number of trees, I know that I can get all sats clearly, except maybe 119. Problem is, I've had an installer out and he immediately says "LOS issue!" and tells me his supervisor will come out to confirm.

Three days and multiple phone calls later, the supervisor says he can't guarantee 119 but can everything else. I tell him to go ahead and come out.... he misses the first appointment, then the second, and the third time the office tells me they don't come back out after LOS issues have been declared.

Irritated, I called D*tv who had me schedule a new appointment which I've done. Unfortunately there appears to be only one installation company in my area, so more than likely I have the same people come out again. So now the big question is, how do I make sure that this installer actually climbs up on the roof before declaring "LOS issue!"?

I recognize these guys don't get paid unless the installation is completed and account activated, but seriously it seems like they hardly try!

Any tips from installers out there??

 

[Van]

Ok so what your doing is asking someone to put in a satellite system that may or may not get all of the sats wich after a while you'll be upset about that and within the year call and cancel resulting in a charge back on the technician and his office right? Any self respecting tech wont put in a dish if your not going to get all of the sats on it and theres no other way to put in a seperate dish in a diferent location to get the one the main dish cant see.

 

[charper1]

You could try a self install seeing you said you know you can get them.

 

[iwc5893]

OK, I'm a very frustrated potential D*tv customer. While my property has a number of trees, I know that I can get all sats clearly, except maybe 119. Problem is, I've had an installer out and he immediately says "LOS issue!" and tells me his supervisor will come out to confirm.

Three days and multiple phone calls later, the supervisor says he can't guarantee 119 but can everything else. I tell him to go ahead and come out.... he misses the first appointment, then the second, and the third time the office tells me they don't come back out after LOS issues have been declared.

Irritated, I called D*tv who had me schedule a new appointment which I've done. Unfortunately there appears to be only one installation company in my area, so more than likely I have the same people come out again. So now the big question is, how do I make sure that this installer actually climbs up on the roof before declaring "LOS issue!"?

I recognize these guys don't get paid unless the installation is completed and account activated, but seriously it seems like they hardly try!

Any tips from installers out there??

I agree with what Van posted, but if you're serious about getting DirecTV then maybe you should consider firing up the ole chainsaw and take care of the offending trees. No installer worth a dime is going to install any system where they can not ensure signal from all applicable sats. If they do, even if you sign off on the work order authorizing it, you can change your mind later and the installer will have to come back out for ZERO pay and try to get the remaining sats.

 

[msingh]

Ok so what your doing is asking someone to put in a satellite system that may or may not get all of the sats wich after a while you'll be upset about that and within the year call and cancel resulting in a charge back on the technician and his office right? Any self respecting tech wont put in a dish if your not going to get all of the sats on it and theres no other way to put in a seperate dish in a diferent location to get the one the main dish cant see.

Well yeah, but the 119 sat has only three channels I'm even remotely interested in and I'm okay not getting those. Besides, everything I've read says that those channels are moving to the main sats, so I can pick them up then.

In the meantime I wouldn't be upset not getting those channels.

 

[msingh]

You could try a self install seeing you said you know you can get them.

Probably what I'm going to do if I can't get the next installer to give it a shot. The other thing I might try is to offer them $40 no matter what the outcome.

 

[chadzx11]

I'm okay not getting those.

Only until you (or your wife) change your mind. It almost always comes back to bite us in the ass. No offense, it is what it is.

 

[dishcomm]

Well yeah, but the 119 sat has only three channels I'm even remotely interested in and I'm okay not getting those. Besides, everything I've read says that those channels are moving to the main sats, so I can pick them up then.

In the meantime I wouldn't be upset not getting those channels.

Doesn't matter. Channels get moved from one sat to another all the time..SO while you believe there are only three channels on the 119 you can do withoput, Supppose they move channels to that satellite that you like. Then you call Directv to complain. They in turn backcharge the company that employs the tech who in turn back charges the tech for the install. So you thinking only of yourself, get what you want and the tech gets screwed twice.
Cut the tress or forget about HD.

 

[dishcomm]

Probably what I'm going to do if I can't get the next installer to give it a shot. The other thing I might try is to offer them $40 no matter what the outcome.

What the hell is $40 going to do?
Time to waive the white flag.

 

[boba]

Instead of dealing through Directv look for an independent dealer who will be able to sell and install the system. If he dosen't install he makes nothing so he is definitely interested in getting you a signal and if he says NO you can bet your location is not for D*.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Most techs can find a LOS if there is one from a map and a drive by. No amount of checking will move the trees. I do a sight survey before knocking on the door. Sometimes it is just to say Hi & Bye but will not spend hours finding holes in trees.

CATV = Community Antenna Television...(Cable TV). DTV didn't plant your trees and will not stop you from cutting them.

Joe

 

[dishcomm]

Most techs can find a LOS if there is one from a map and a drive by. No amount of checking will move the trees. I do a sight survey before knocking on the door. Sometimes it is just to say Hi & Bye but will not spend hours finding holes in trees.

CATV = Community Antenna Television...(Cable TV). DTV didn't plant your trees and will not stop you from cutting them.

Joe

same here.....if it isn't gonna work, it just isn't going to work....

 

[William1]

When I had my slimline install done, I had the same situation. Installer showed, looked (did not even use an inclinometer) and stated 'LOS, can't do'. I bitched a lot to DTV. Finally, the VP of the local install company got involved. Finally set a senior/Supervisor tech out. He had the dish mounted and receiving all sat's in the upper 90's to 100's in 20 minutes.

That said, it may be there is no LOS. But the install company needs to send a senior tech to confirm. It is too easy for a regular tech to just not want to do the job and use 'No LOS' as an excuse.

 

[dilbuck]

It's not an excuse. The tech doesn't get paid if he doesn't do the job. It's covering his own butt from getting back charged. When I was an installer if it was close to being a LOS issue I shied away from it. Last thing I want to do is to dig a hole, fill it with concrete, pop my dish on top of the pole, plug in my sat meter, get the 101, but then the 119 doesn't work because a tree was "close" and now I can't get a signal. Or better yet, in the winter when the trees do not have leaves cutting it close so that spring when the leaves come out they have no signal. If it's a close-call most techs will be saying goodbye in a hurry.

 

[dishcomm]

When I had my slimline install done, I had the same situation. Installer showed, looked (did not even use an inclinometer) and stated 'LOS, can't do'. I bitched a lot to DTV. Finally, the VP of the local install company got involved. Finally set a senior/Supervisor tech out. He had the dish mounted and receiving all sat's in the upper 90's to 100's in 20 minutes.

That said, it may be there is no LOS. But the install company needs to send a senior tech to confirm. It is too easy for a regular tech to just not want to do the job and use 'No LOS' as an excuse.

Yes second opinions are a customers option.
Excuse? WHAT?!! Look genius, if the job doesn't go in, we don't earn. Ya got that?
To be fair, not using an inclonmeter/compass is inexcusable... When I do a site survey, I survey the entire property.
Now, to be brutally frank, if I have a customer who hovers over me and asks questions like"can you put it in my neighbor's yard"? Or the constant "how about over here( underneath the trees)?..Or "my neighbor has it Why can't I get it"?..These questions will not work in their favor. Because if someone is going to be a pain in the ass before I have started work, is most certainly going to be a nightmare during the work... That makes that person not worth the headache. And I might decide that I just don't want your business....A lot of these types forget that we are people just trying opt make a living like everyone else. But to those people we are just the hired help for the day. Or their personal indentured servant..
95% of all customers are generally nice people. Thgey want the service and I bend over backwards to give them an A-1 class job. But the other 5% create just enough misery to put an edge on things.
Bottom line, be nice. It is easier to attract bees with honey than with vinegar..

 

[dishcomm]

It's not an excuse. The tech doesn't get paid if he doesn't do the job. It's covering his own butt from getting back charged. When I was an installer if it was close to being a LOS issue I shied away from it. Last thing I want to do is to dig a hole, fill it with concrete, pop my dish on top of the pole, plug in my sat meter, get the 101, but then the 119 doesn't work because a tree was "close" and now I can't get a signal. Or better yet, in the winter when the trees do not have leaves cutting it close so that spring when the leaves come out they have no signal. If it's a close-call most techs will be saying goodbye in a hurry.

Correct..What customers do not understand is we are responsible not only for the job that day, but for at least a year and sometimes beyond.
Too often techs allow themnselves to be bullied by an insistent customer. They go ahead and put the thing in and in a year, the customer loses signal. And then the customer calls to complain and trashes the tech.
My rule..If it's too tight. It does not go in. I hate NLOS....Hate it...But I am not going to take the risk of getting hammered with a backcharge because a cusomer wants to squeeze the system in that little hole between the trees. Because that little sliver of dayligh will be no more very shortly.
In fact our company has a rule that is sacrosanct. If it doesn't look like a good line of sight for the forseeable future, don not put it there....
That doesn't mean walk away. It means try to find another placing.

 

[Joe Diamond]

This should not be such a big deal!

In any other trade contractors look at work and decide to bid. They offer a price and are prepared to walk away unless their price is accepted. They sign a contract stating that the work will be done according to a specification and expect to fix any problems.

Here we need a second and third opinion on a simple issue. When a customer living in the forest tells me "that is just what the last guy said...can you do better?"....I just walk away.

Old story!

Joe

 

[dishcomm]

This should not be such a big deal!

In any other trade contractors look at work and decide to bid. They offer a price and are prepared to walk away unless their price is accepted. They sign a contract stating that the work will be done according to a specification and expect to fix any problems.

Here we need a second and third opinion on a simple issue. When a customer living in the forest tells me "that is just what the last guy said...can you do better?"....I just walk away.

Old story!

Joe

as far as trades go, we operate under a comletely alien set of guidelines.
If I could charge for stuff the way every other trade charges, I could make a very good living.
Fulfillment work is garbage. But until I can find a busy retailer( or three) to do stuff for, this is what it is...Smell the odor.

 

[Joe Diamond]

I have one going in right now. The customer called DTV and asked for me. DTV referred him to the local HSP. We are now working on appointment #2. I have ben there and it is clearly a NLOS situation.
The customer will keep the HSP appointment in order to get his equipment charges back.

Then I am going to do an alternative installation that will work. No, I am not giving the HSP wonk any lessons. A neighbor has a clear line of sight and a dish in place..see where this is going; dig it?

Then I am going to sell a land line phone installation..after the DTV is running.

More later.

Joe

 

[dishcomm]

I have one going in right now. The customer called DTV and asked for me. DTV referred him to the local HSP. We are now working on appointment #2. I have ben there and it is clearly a NLOS situation.
The customer will keep the HSP appointment in order to get his equipment charges back.

Then I am going to do an alternative installation that will work. No, I am not giving the HSP wonk any lessons. A neighbor has a clear line of sight and a dish in place..see where this is going; dig it?

Then I am going to sell a land line phone installation..after the DTV is running.

More later.

Joe

better keep that one under your hat. Using a neighbor's dish( if think this is what you are doing) can open a big fat can of worms.