10 year Directv customer almost cancels service

[mower2]

Long time reader and new member here. To give a little background. I have been with D* for over 10 years. Other than for a Tivo bought in 2004 I have never upgraded equipment during this time. I also have never called in asking for a reduction in my bill. Over the past couple of years I have bought 2 hi def TVs to replace older sets. I decided I wanted to upgrade to hi def service either with D* or someone else. I read all of the older threads on here about existing customers and what they recieved from the retention department of D*.

I decided to call the retention department to see if I qualified for anything. Over a 2 day period last week I made 5 such calls with the same offer: 1 HD DVR, 2 HD receivers and new dish for no charge and a small amount off of my bill for 12 months. Not good enough, so I started researching my other options. Being a new customer with another company will leverage me a better deal than sticking around. I called one last time to cancel my service, I got a confirmation # and was told a refund would be due to me. Service was to be shut off by the next day. Three hours later a supervisor called from D* asking why I cancelled service. I told her the previous deals offered were not acceptable and I am switching to my local phone co. Before she made her last ditch offer I ask for her employee# and name. After a half hour on the phone with her, she obviously had more"juice" than the other reps and won me back. I got a nice discount for the next 12 months and another discount for the following year. All install costs and equipment at no charge for HD upgrade. She also threw in Starz and Showtime for free for 1 year. I checked my account on-line and all of my discounts were in place.

I recieved my upgrade yesterday and to say the least I am very happy with my new setup. The wireless media kit and whole home DVR are nice. I may cancel Netflix on my PS3.

[gigahurtz]

Sounds like DTV made the right move in calling you one last time before allowing you to cancel. Those incentives they gave you will go a long way in saving you. I'm not as experienced with DTV as many on this forum are, but I do know that more reps don't have too much power as far as giving you deals but the retention department (and the further up you go in the retention department) have a lot to offer.

[Jimbo]

So, you got Showtime and Starz and a discount and that was enough to make you stay ?
Sounds like the equipment was covered from the start ....

[mower2]

The discount I got at the end was very similar to what a new customer would get, which is what I wanted. During the final 12 months of the contract I will get about $20 discounted from the bill. It is a shame I had to go up the foodchain to get it.

[Jimbo]

The discount I got at the end was very similar to what a new customer would get, which is what I wanted. During the final 12 months of the contract I will get about $20 discounted from the bill. It is a shame I had to go up the foodchain to get it.

Of course thier thoughts are " You already got your New Sub Discounts" back when you subbed originally.

[Bogy]

They really start to take you seriously when you actually cancel. I got great offers from Dish three months ago after I cancelled, but my situation had changed over the years and Directv suited my current needs better.

[StanUbankit]

I'm glad Direct contacted your BEFORE the Dish installation was done, offered you an acceptable deal and kept you as a customer. I figger they've made enough off you over 10 years that they recouped their original investment many time over and now you get a loyal customer rebate. Good for you & Direct~

[The Fat Man]

Of course thier thoughts are " You already got your New Sub Discounts" back when you subbed originally.

That's the problem with every provider, satellite and cable. They think that they can just tell the existing customers to screw. They don't realize that giving a little thank you present to loyal subs not only keeps them, but they tell their friends and so on.

[Islandguy43]

That's the problem with every provider, satellite and cable. They think that they can just tell the existing customers to screw. They don't realize that giving a little thank you present to loyal subs not only keeps them, but they tell their friends and so on.

You got that right. I had extract n little thank you present from TWC last fall (two year prize guarantee on their part - no signed contract on my part - and free home dvr for the 2 years); however this MSG situation is really pushing it to limits right. The only reason I am staying is because I got a paid NHL Center Ice subscription and no one from Directv can give me a true expiration date of the contract Directv has with MSG before I switch and end up in another situation without my local hockey team games.

[mower2]

It has been almost a week since my HD upgrade was installed. I am very satisfied so far with the entire system. It even improved the picture quality on my one older TV. But, I do agree that existing customers are not treated well for their loyality. By offering these sweetheart deals to new customers these service providers have to accept that some customers are going to jump ship. I also understand you can be only a first customer once. But when I signed up for D* over 10 years ago, many of these new sub. perks were not available. For example a new customer with a Costco membership(which I have) can get a $120 gift card and a decent discount for 24 months of service. This is on top of the $100 referral program. All I got when I signed up was some free programming and a small discount for 12 months. I even remember having to go to Circuit City and buying all of my equipment. There may of been a rebate to cover some of the costs. It is all about market share if a company has to lose a customer to gain a few more that is the way it is going to be.