I’m genuinely outraged at this moment and there is no better way for a blogger to express his disdain than to blog his feelings. I’ve just spent almost two hours on the phone with DirecTV playing the hot potato game. Apparently, no one at this company feels the necessary ownership of their customers issues to solve the problem!
Several weeks ago, I ordered DirecTV service because they were the only ones licensed to carry the NFL Sunday Ticket in the United States. I did this with fear and trembling because I have had previous bad customer experiences with the company but I went ahead as those experiences were several years ago. Services improve, right? Wrong!
The problem lied in the fact that I had no “normal” phone line. My wife and I made the decision several years ago that we would rely on our cell phones solely and to be honest, we haven’t looked back. The technology in DirecTV requires a phone line which I did not have at the time of ordering. So we couldn’t get our now-required DVR. See, by the time we have a chance to sit down and watch television, it’s sometimes 9 o’clock at night. So we like to record our shows to watch them when we can. We had this service with Comcast, and now we need it with DirecTV.
At the time of ordering, I was originally told that there was a $99 fee for the DVR which would be rebated back to our account 8 days after the account was active. Then the rep realized we didn’t have a phone line so he told us to call back after getting the phone line and as long as it was 8 days after the account was active, we would not be charged for the DVR.
Fair enough, right? Not so fast.
I ordered the phone line but had not had a chance to call DirecTV until today. Which I did. I sat on hold for a long time waiting to get through to customer service who then transferred me to installation who then transferred me to sales who then transferred me back to customer service where I got hung up on.
Not cool.
All I want is my DVR at no charge which was what I was promised. I don’t want to be the proverbial hot potato. I want my account dealt with accordingly. I don’t want to sit on hold forever while the incompetent people at DirecTV figure out what my problem is and get me to the right person. If you want to know, just ask me. Or better yet, read this blog along with the other 2k people per day and 200 RSS subscribers that do.
I’ve sent this email to their customer service department as I refuse to sit on hold. They have my phone number and they can call me, or return my email. However, this will be dealt with, between me and them or between the blogosphere and them. It matters not to me. I’m your customer and I pay you to help me. Now help me.
Dear Sirs:
I am in a very unfortunate position of being given the run around by DirecTV. A few weeks ago, I ordered DirecTV service and was informed that when I established a landline, I could order DVR service (which I currently have with Comcast). I’ve established that phone line and called into DirecTV for a system upgrade. I waited on hold with customer service for 45 minutes at which point the representative transferred me to installations. Because they wanted to charge me $99 and the original thing I was told was that I would get a rebated system (back when I signed up - I wouldn’t have signed up otherwise) when I called back in with my new phone number, I was transferred to sales. Again, because I’m not a new customer, I was referred back to customer service where I was promptly hung up on.
This is not good customer service and as a well-read blogger, I’m tempted to expose this stuff on my blog (technosailor.com).
The item I’m concerned with, of course, is this $99 charge for a DVR when I was told originally that I would only have to pay that when I signed up and then I would get a $99 rebate after 8 days with an active account, however if I called back after the account was open 8 days, I wouldn’t have to pay this.
At the very least this is deceptive marketing. At the very worst, it’s outright lying and shoddy customer service.
Please let me know when I can get my DVR installed and what DirecTV plans to do about this problem.
Thanks,
Aaron Brazell
Try that on for size.
UPDATE: Within 4 hours of sending the email, I recieved an email from DirecTV:
Dear Mr. Brazell,
Thanks for taking the time to write us and let us know your concerns about your DIRECTV equipment costs. You are important to us and we certainly want to keep you as a customer.
A service specialist will call you in the next few days to discuss what we can do to meet your needs.Thank you for your patience, and for giving us the chance to respond to your concerns.
Sincerely,
Lisa J
ID #10004328
DIRECTV Customer ServiceNo waiting. No hold times. Register online at directv.com or use our automated phone system to pay your bills, change services, get technical assistance and much more! Our automated systems are easy to use and you’ll avoid most transaction fees.
What’s with the tagline? No Waiting? No hold time? Come on…
So Saturday, I sent another email blasting the lack of response since then.
Where it stands now is DirecTV called me and left me a voicemail with an 800 number to call with a PIN. The 800 number has been busy and I have not been able to get through.
The saga continues.
Stumble it!
About the Author: Aaron Brazell is the lead editor of Technosailor.com and a social media expert. His passion is to see companies and individuals use the internet and web technologies wisely and effectively to promote their brands and companies. He served as Director of Technology at b5media from 2005-2008 and is currently an independent consultant.
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I had Directv installed in June 2006 bundled with a small discount through my Verizon phone service. About two weeks ago, our DVR reciever started to freeze up, stop recording, or go to a blank screen. We would have to reset, wait, and then it might work for awhile. The problem progressively worsened until we got nothing.
I called customer service on November 24th and spent at least a half hour on hold waiting to speak to anyone. After finally getting someone on the line, I was walked through a troubleshooting process which I had already done numerous times since I had read the owner's manual.
After the rep confirmed I did indeed have a problem, she transferred me to someone to schedule a repair tech. This person told me that there would be a $70 service call, or I could sign up for the protection plan for $5.99 per month. I was speechless. I asked if the DVR was under warranty. I was told it was only 90 days. I thought that to only have a 90 day warranty on any electronic device these days was silly at the least. I then asked if I owned the reicever, or if Directv did. I was told that Directv owned it and that I only leased it. So I asked the lady why I should pay Directv to come out and repair their own equipment? I told her that I would not pay the charge and would have to think about it and call back. As I was hanging up, I could hear her yelling to get my attention. She then told me they could waive the fee this one time as a courtesy. How nice of them!
The repair tech was supposed to be here today, December 3rd, between 10 and 12. They called and apologized saying they were overbooked. I now have to wait another week until December 9th.
After looking at other forums, I see that the standard line is that if they replace any equipment, they try to get you to sign on for another year. If you refuse, you have to pay full price for the receiver. I will do neither, as I will be dumping Directv as soon as the year is up. Worst customer service and policies ever. If I wanted that kind of abuse, I would have went to Time Warner.
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To Whom It May Concern:
Re: Account # 4814866
I have been a subscriber to your satellite TV service for the past eight years and have been very satisfied with the service. I think if you check my account records you will find that I have paid your statements fully and on a timely basis. The following is a more or less accurate description of my recent experience with your Customer Service department which I encountered while trying to upgrade my service.
On the 21st of November I logged on to your website for the purpose of upgrading my service to High Definition. I processed all of the respective pages to accomplish the upgrade. On one of the pages I noticed that the service address on record with you was inaccurate as it had been modified by the U.S. Postal Service. As there was no means by which I could enter the correct address I sent an email to your "Contact Us" with the correct address. The installation date agreed on was Friday, December 1st, between 1: p.m. and 5: p.m. The service address is not my primary domicile so a special trip had to be made to meet the technician. I arrived at the service address at 11: a.m. and was there continuously the rest of the day. By 4:15 p.m. there was no sign of the technician and no phone contacts were received, either at the service or billing address. At that time, I contacted your Customer Service and after being handed off to two or three people was finally informed that the technician had been in the area to make the installation but could not find the address (the old one.) I told her that I had sent an email with the address correction. She told me that that was not the proper way to do it. How was I to know that? (That email was sent eleven days before the installation date. Does anyone read those emails?)
At this point I was given a direct line phone number to the installer in Houston. After about 20 minutes on hold I was able to talk to a woman who took the correct address and informed me that a representative would contact me that same evening and set up a time for the installaton on the following day (Saturday, Dec. 2)
As of about 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning I had received no call from anyone so I tried three times to contact the installer in Houston, holding 25 to 30 minutes each time. Finally, on the fourth try (35 min hold) about noon on Saturday I was able to talk to a representative who informed me that the installation had been cancelled and that there was nothing he could do about it and that I should contact Customer Service.
So, I contacted Customer Service again and after again being handed off a couple of times and being put on hold I did talk to one of your representatives who informed me that the reason for the cancellation was that there was no equipment available and that it would be the 18th of December before it would be available. I then pointed out that the installer had apparently been in my area the day before and surely he must have had the equipment then. She had no answer to that so I asked to speak to her superior. After waiting another 5 or 10 minutes on hold I gave up.
Finally, sometime later, I decided to give it one more try and made contact with a different person in your office and was told that the original work order for December 1st had been cancelled but a new work order had been issued and the installation had been set up for Monday, December 4th, between 1: p.m. and 5 : p.m. Why didn't some one call me and tell me that? I needed to return to my home in Houston that evening but decided to stay over until Monday and get the installation done. (Hopefully!) On Monday, the technician did arrive at 2: p.m. and made the installation. After he had everything connected I asked him why he didn't use the HDMI cable that I had provided and he told me that unless I as really picky I didn't need it.
About a week later when I returned to the service address I decided to install the HDMI cable to see if it would make any difference. It did. However, as I was watching the TV the picture began to go off and on at irregular intervals. This continued for several minutes so I called Technical Support. After telling the rep the problem she was finally able to diagnose it as a problem with the new receiver and that a software solution was being worked on and would be installed "sometime next year." She told me to reinstall the "Component (Y Pb Pr) video cables" and leave the HDMI able connected so that when the problem is fixed I would automatically receive the proper signals from the satellite. After reinstalling the "Component cables' I turned the TV on and had the same problem so I disconnected the HDMI cable and solved it. So, now I have a $99 receiver that is faulty until "sometime next year."
Now, another problem has arisen. I noticed a few days ago that the new HD satellite dish is not grounded. We do have a fair amount of lightning strikes at this location and I was concerned about the potential for damage to the dish and TVset.
I made contact with your Customer Service about the problem and was informed that it definitely should be grounded so, a date was set up to have that done (Tuesday, December 26, between 1: p.m and 5 :00 p.m. I arrived at the service address at 11:30 a.m. and was there all day and no one showed up or called. After again contacting your Customer Service about 5:30 p.m. I was informed (after 55 minutes on hold) that the installer was running late but would be there about 8:p.m.
I told her that was unsatisfactory and that he could come the next day as I would be there all day. She said that was not possible but they could come on the 28th. I had other obligations for that date so I told her to cancel the work order completely and I that I would do it myself.
All in all, I am of the opinion that this "service" is outrageous and simply unacceptable.
I guess my question to you now is: "Can you give me one good reason why I should continue using your service?"
Cecil Rives
547 Three Corners Dr.
Houston, Texas 77024
713-467-9894
979-289-3081
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sometimes just won't work.
worst technology ever. wait, what about cell phones or CD's or...
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I was with Directv for 6 years had decent service and was generally good. Got a HD TV and wanted HD service. Found out I had too many trees in my back yard. Cancelled my Directv service nad went to Comcast to get HD service. Now Directv is saying I never returned my equipment and I verbally signed a 2 year commitment. I told them to stick it. Now my account is with a collection agenty and I am fighting this. anyone have any helpful hints...
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i just wanna let you know that we are trying our best to resolve each and every problem our customers have. at times maybe your calls are routed to (for the lack of a better term) incompetent reps. but i still assure you that there are reps that are concerned bout your situations/issues/problems.