Wow terrible service with Dish moving to Directv
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No matter how annoying the audit department seems to be, if they are willing to allow you to call back in to do the audit and everything passes and they dont agitate you more than once every couple of years, then I would rather deal with that than do without the Hopper and dealing with the Genie. I've had a few issues with them in the past but made sure phone / internet lines got connected to the receivers and they have left me alone. Been years since I heard back from them.
Add $14.99 for TiVo and cable card fee. Cable DVR's suck the TiVo rocksplus the TiVo has Netflix
I have used the Tivo the past few years on cable (last one having 5 tuners) but any current Dish DVR is better and simpler to operate. Even the latest Tivo seems sluggish and not as user friendly to me. At least it had Netflix built in and let you stream Youtube from your phones, tablets and computers to the Tivo.
Add $14.99 for TiVo and cable card fee. Cable DVR's suck the TiVo rocks
I really really like tivo, they are great dvr's but they are by no means perfect, they have problems and quirks like any other.
I just agree with how dish runs their business as they see fit. You think it was an accident Charlie Ergen became a billionaire, while everyone else struggles to work their whole life to pay back their college debt? Throw up the unethical card... It's not unethical, it's the sign of a great and successful business man protecting his revenue. Different companies have different practices, but it is amazing how many of the most successful, people want to botch the most about and call ruthless. Damn right they are ruthless, they fight for their money.Hey Chad, is your last name Ergen? Is Charlie really your Daddy?
Great example. Everyone hates Walmart, yet the Walton family is the richest American family, combined. It's not because they went off what you thought, but they did what was necessary to make their business the most successful business. They are ruthless with their vendors and employees and consumers, and it works out for them. They took no hit when people decided not to shop at Walmart anymore, after the big news release a few years ago. Explain that.
I know. We have actually been on the same side of most arguments. I was just making a case... And you are probably right about the audit team, but it's a combination of all those small things to make up his large paycheck. The man is a genius, in the business game. Splitting echostar and dish network to operate "sesperately" was one of his smartest moves. Use two seperate incomes, to make up what he needs to buy all the things for the other. Buying blockbuster, sling, HughesNet... It's great. Lol. If it helps, I'm working on a business degree currently and will be following up with MBA in international business, and do hope to model some of my decisions on him as a role model per se.
While everything you say is absolutely true, it's still sad that your ideal business is selfish ruthless approach. But I agree, the most selfish ruthless people in the world are usually great business men. As the old saying goes "A good person makes a for terrible businessman"
It's a mix. When I say ruthless, I mean, they cannot be afraid to do what is best for their business. Being kind and trusting that nobody lies, will out someone out of business. Making a policy, and sticking to it, will make sure that there is continuity.
Back to the original point, anyone who doesn't like the audit, has the ability to seek service from any provider who diesnt, but there must be some reason dish is still adding customers or even in the bad times, remaining level. If I was your employee, and you had a policy that says you cannot miss more then 3 days of work, in a certain period of time, and I agreed to that, then I missed 4 days, for my own personal reasons, would you fire me, or let me keep doing it? Maybe you'll try and figure out why?(audit me), and if I don't tell you why, do I still get to work there? There is a policy that is agreed upon by both parties, so when enacted, it shouldn't be "I'm gonna go to the AG and play the victim". It sucks, yes, but it is what is best to protect their investments.
Back to the original point, anyone who doesn't like the audit, has the ability to seek service from any provider who diesnt, but there must be some reason dish is still adding customers or even in the bad times, remaining level. If I was your employee, and you had a policy that says you cannot miss more then 3 days of work, in a certain period of time, and I agreed to that, then I missed 4 days, for my own personal reasons, would you fire me, or let me keep doing it? Maybe you'll try and figure out why?(audit me), and if I don't tell you why, do I still get to work there? There is a policy that is agreed upon by both parties, so when enacted, it shouldn't be "I'm gonna go to the AG and play the victim". It sucks, yes, but it is what is best to protect their investments.
If stacking wasn't a big enough problem DISH wouldn't pay for and have the audit team. It's like anything else, after a period of time you see the signs of stacking, it's what separates everyone getting a call and only certain people. Of course that does not always mean there is stacking happening, but more often it probably does mean that. We have no idea what wording was used by the OP when calling retention, or if what appears to be at least a second call for a reduction in cost after already having one raised flags, or the fact he has Hopper/Joey receivers all not installed by DISH including a 211 contributed.
Turning off all receivers but one is probably the best way to get the immediate attention of those who are stacking. If it happened to me it would not be pleasant for sure, and might mean losing shows that did not record. At least being a poster here I know about it so should it happen I won't be totally unaware.
I still am a little surprised they audited a Hopper set up, but again, so few probably have that many Hopper/Joey receivers and a 211 all not installed by DISH.
Turning off all receivers but one is probably the best way to get the immediate attention of those who are stacking. If it happened to me it would not be pleasant for sure, and might mean losing shows that did not record. At least being a poster here I know about it so should it happen I won't be totally unaware.
I still am a little surprised they audited a Hopper set up, but again, so few probably have that many Hopper/Joey receivers and a 211 all not installed by DISH.
The audits are likely NOT random. I work for Dish, have no contact with that department, but I do believe they have ways and methods to pick the audits they do. Also, having a list of receiver numbers will NOT let you pass an audit. You have to pull information from the system info screen, and the number you give to the agent is a number that changes, so you can't write that number down and take it with you.
Here is an update and clarification
First I owe my receivers since I hate being under contract
2 hoppers
2 joey
211k for tailgating
I moved to different state because I was transferred at work.
I let dishnetwork know I moved to a different location via chat also I mentioned that I was interested in getting Directv since they have some great offers and if they could match it since I love the hopper. I got some credit since I have been a good customer with no late payments the past 2 years.
I like setting up my own equipment since it's like a hobby for me, a week later they called me while i was at work i couldn't answer since I was busy.
When I got home I noticed all my receivers where desactivated except the main hopper
I finally got a hold of the verification team and this happened:
First i spent about 45 minutes with an agent then i got disconnected
Got another rep and spent another 30 minutes verifying everything.
Finally I was done the rep says BTW you will need to send us a utility bill so we can activate all your receivers again
that's fine but I just moved in and will take 2-3 weeks before I get a bill.
This is definitely the worst customer service ever.
I prefer the dish hopper receiver over what Directv has to offer.
But treating me the way they did draws the line.
I'm getting Directv since I'm not waiting 2-3 weeks.
Once I get my bill I'll send it to them so I can sell my equipment on ebay or craiglist since I dont want to do business with them ever again.
I am going on the assumption that you're completely telling the truth. I have no reason to think otherwise. But, with that said, I can understand why Dish would be suspicious. Multiple Hoppers, you move, and when you move, you do not let Dish show up to re-install the system, which is a free service. Even if you installed your own cabling, perhaps a board in the basement with a central location for switches, etc, one would often let Dish show up to install an antenna...don't know many people who enjoy doing that.
Again, I am fully aware that the "power users" here often follow a path much like yours...but it is admittedly rare, and I'd hope you would understand why all this would raise the suspicions of Dish.
Lots of discussion on the topic calling Dish "nazis" and other foul names...but this is all in the original residential service agreement a customer agrees to, and Dish services are totally voluntary.
Also, a lot of discussion how this either is, will, or has hurt Dish, but as Chad commented, Charlie Ergen seems to do pretty well financially from it. Easy to question his motives and methods, but I doubt he's worried much about it. And court threats...Charlie lives for those. The article from a few years ago shows Charlie lives for court, and has even had one law firm sue a former law firm that worked for Dish.
I'm a Dish employee, but I have no inside info about the audit teams. We're a huge company, and the company sees no reason to share information with my group. One thing worth noting, perhaps the audit thing isn't a way to get income back, but is meant to be a deterrent. There could be some serious money involved, I would guess. If Dish has 14 million customers, and it's 1 in a thousand (0.1%), that would be 14,000 customers costing the company maybe $1.1 million a month (assuming $80/month). As others have said, it's not so much about recovering that income, but deterring people from stealing isn't about that, for the most part.
If they are not all connected to the same broadband/phone connection then that could be a red flag particularly for more than 3 rooms. Having two hoppers instead of one plus the 211 would also give a red flag. Whenever they contact you, they dont tell you what they are doing. They try to keep it a secret. Probably best to not let them know what they are doing and just play along with them based upon an experience I had with them.
While Dish certainly audits accounts that may raise a red flag, I also think Dish also audits accounts that have no suspicious attributes but ONLY because there are more boxes on the account than a few. Again, I was audited for NO GOOD REASON. I just had 6 boxes, and I ALWAYS checked to make sure the boxes were calling in (those ViP's were connected to POTS lines) and they ALWAYS did without fail, but I STILL got audited. As others have pointed out, any boxes or a Hopper system connected to the internet should have the same IP when all boxes reporting to the servers at the same time or in a very short period.
Right, but my point is that they DO also audit some accounts ONLY because there are more than a few boxes on the account EVEN THOUGH all those boxes call in--without fail--from the same telephone number and or report in with the same IP address and absolutely NO RED FLAGS IN THE LEAST or nothing to lead them to think such an account may be Account Stacking. So, to some extent, it is ARBITRARY. In other words, if one has more than a few boxes on their account, Dish presumes that you may be Account Stacking. Not a good way to treat a HIGH paying customer pays for upgrades, VOD's, etc. This is ALL about Charlie's personality who would rather risk offending good, well paying customers running to DirecTV because he just can't stand the thought of one single person out there not giving him his 10 cents he is owed. Frankly, Dish has improved in many ways since Joe has taken over as CEO. Perhaps Dish management and employees are treated as adults now and Charlie is no longer obsessed with his salaried management swiping is at TWO MINUTES past 8 AM.
Charles is something of a genius and deserves great credit for his success and Dish's success and THE man who really made DBS a real competitor bringing more choice and better tech to consumers , but the company got too big for his casual, unprofessional management style and attitude that only leads to lawsuits and in some ways impeded Dish. He is best now focused as chairman planning and taking Dish & Echostar to the next level and handling those crucial retransmission rights. He has been wise to otherwise stay out of Joe's way. Dish has improved since.
Unless the boxes called in at different times. This is not as strong a defense, but one none the less and may be because of a system limitation, but if the boxes call in on different days through out the month, it's reasonable to assume someone trying to trick the system might be moving their boxes around. It may be unlikely, but if y look at the first call out and the last callout, then that could explain that. I don't know their parameters or your situation, just offering a reason.
For the record, while I do not agree with how Dish goes about trying to catch Account Stacking, I do not agree with Account Stacking, and I think the person who is Account Stacking among 5 people is a pig who is clearly guilty of theft. I would go even further and personally report him to Dish. Account Stacking is WRONG. The way Dish goes about trying to stop it, along with its attitude, is also wrong. Risk losing customers whose accounts raise red flags, not those who a most likely good customers.
Based on that one situation, that one account, dish is losing $879.96 per month. That's $10,559.52 per year, and that's just one single account. This is why there is such a hard charge for it. But they cannot prove a customer is innocent, until after the grinder.
