2 Weeks and I'm done with Voom.

[Lem52]

The best thing to do if you feel that you were wronged, is to file a BBB report with your local BBB. Most of the time they can get a solution or a good explanation of what happened from the company.

Lem52

 

[jened]

oh well. they did say they made a mistake. i'm sure it was an IT problem and what more can they really say besides it was sent out to the wrong email list (all subscribers instead of charter subscribers). they have no obligation to make it write and that email did not influence your decision to buy voom in the first place. if it did, then i could see your problem. i'm sure you were disappointed but come on!

 

[RickyMac]

Remember Why We Left the Old Cablevision?

I don't think he should cancel Voom but Kidd Supreme has a point about "Customer Service." It was the way Voom handled the problem.

If they had said "sorry" and then sent hm a Voom hat, he would have been a happy customer.

Those that remember the old cablevision bills, how they went up all the time, how you could never get a service call, and when you did some time they came and some time they did not. We were at their mercy.

Beware the future.

Example:

I just received my first Voom bill and it reads as follows:

79.90 VaVa Voom Service (a 109.50 value)
9.50 Voom Equipment Charge (a14.00 value)
8.00 Sales tax

______

97.40 Total

Does this mean that in the near future VaVa Voom is going to $109.50 and rental is going to 14.00 and I don't even understand the 8.00 sales tax (I don't think the sale tax charge is actually sales tax, if it is, I don't think it's legal)

I do know that when I signed up, I was told that VaVa Voom was the best package to buy because they would be adding more packs later and that they would be included in the VaVa Voom price.

So, Playboy HD will arrive on Monday, will it be included in VaVa Voom or are they going to tell me that it is something special and that I have to pay 14.90 for the new pack.

Oh, that would be another MINOR mistake.

Remember, Voom owes US a "service" and they make a profit. We do not owe them anything. I hope Voom remember that.

 

[RickyMac]

Remember Why We Left the Old Cablevision

I don't think he should cancel Voom but Kidd Supreme has a point about "Customer Service." It was the way Voom handled the problem.

If they had said "sorry" and then sent hm a Voom hat, he would have been a happy customer.

Those that remember the old cablevision bills, how they went up all the time, how you could never get a service call, and when you did some time they came and some time they did not. We were at their mercy.

Beware the future.

Example:

I just received my first Voom bill and it reads as follows:

79.90 VaVa Voom Service (a 109.50 value)
9.50 Voom Equipment Charge (a14.00 value)
8.00 Sales tax

______

97.40 Total

Does this mean that in the near future VaVa Voom is going to $109.50 and rental is going to 14.00 and I don't even understand the 8.00 sales tax (I don't think the sale tax charge is actually sales tax, if it is, I don't think it's legal)

I do know that when I signed up, I was told that VaVa Voom was the best package to buy because they would be adding more packs later and that they would be included in the VaVa Voom price.

So, Playboy HD will arrive on Monday, will it be included in VaVa Voom or are they going to tell me that it is something special and that I have to pay 14.90 for the new pack.

Oh, that would be another MINOR mistake.

Remember, Voom owes US a "service" and they make a profit. We do not owe them anything. I hope Voom remembers that.

 

[babyj]

there's no point of arguing with people here. most are in love with voom and are never gonna change their opinions. so they are willin to pay anythign to get some hd channels. most probably paid coupla thousand for hdtv sets. and they would rather pay some money for a service that offers somethin than watch SD channels.

i used to work at cirucit city and ig ot my tv for half the price. so i only paid 1200 for my 36" sony hdtv. and for now i will just go to blockbuster and signup for the freedom pass and get some movies. stuff i wannna see!

 

[rudolpht]

Most of us are just not petulant. There is a difference between being an apologist vs pragmitist. It's a free country (for the most part), people feeling they are wronged should not let the sat dish hit them on the way out. Those willing to live with email mistakes (horrors), or real challenges facing a major venture startup, can judge the value or just mot buy. Simple.

 

[madpoet]

What really amuses me is those of us who recently bought from Sears are going through our own free plus pack battle. The lit. clearly says we get a free plus pack. Voom says "Oh, that's a mistake." So how would all of you that think that the email mistake was forgiveable deal with the "mistake" in the brochure? Voom seems to be making a whole lot of "mistakes" lately with their offers.

-MP

 

[Ken F]

What really amuses me is those of us who recently bought from Sears are going through our own free plus pack battle. The lit. clearly says we get a free plus pack. Voom says "Oh, that's a mistake." So how would all of you that think that the email mistake was forgiveable deal with the "mistake" in the brochure? Voom seems to be making a whole lot of "mistakes" lately with their offers.

People who purchased their equipment from Sears were told they would get the choice of a plus pack. At some point, VOOM changed the basic package so that it included Marquee instead. Some Sears customers who thought they were going to get their choice of plus pack were told over the phone that was no longer an option --- that the Sears information was out of date.

People complained, so VOOM tries to make it right. They send an email out to Sears customers, and notify their customer service representatives, that indeed those customers will have their choice of plus pack. But while trying to make this right, they accidentally send the email out to everyone.

And now those customers who know they aren't entitled to this offer--they didn't buy their box at Sears--suddenly threaten cancellation of service, despite the fact that they're not losing anything they already have, nor anything they understood they would get at signup.

That's why I find this thread so absurd.

 

[madpoet]

I think you are confusing the different offers Ken. The people who are getting emails and phone calls are Charter members (i.e. people who bought the receiver at the $750-$800 price from Sears). Those of us who bought the receivers at the $400 price point were STILL told we would get a free plus pack (both in the brochures and by Voom CSR) until one day they changed their minds and said "Sorry, no you won't." To this point Voom has NOT made it right. Granted none of us have had to challenge it yet, since we got free programming through the end of May. But we've been told it's not going to happen.

So again, there are really three different cases here. People who bought from Sears at the original price that Voom has offered the free plus pack to. People who bought from Sears at the current price, who were told that they would get a free PP but now are told they won't, and people who rent. Sadly, I am one of the middle group.

-MP

 

[mike123abc]

The defenders of VOOM are jumping up and down saying that the email was a mistake. What if you went and opened your mailbox and the same offer was in there in a letter. What would your opinion be then? VOOM made a major mistake with this mailing, they would probably lose the battle in court. This could be a serious black eye for them. The mailing did not say anything about only being available to people buying VOOM from Sears.

What if you got a letter from Dishnetwork saying that you have been a loyal customer for so long you would get a year of free movie package of your choice (what this really is) only to call Dish up and have them say sorry, you do not qualify since you did not buy your equipment at Sears. People would never forgive Charlie for not honoring the deal.

How does the average customer "KNOW" they are not entitled for an offer that comes in the mail that does not have ANY indication that there might be some qualifications to it?

 

[Lobstah]

"Remember, Voom owes US a "service" and they make a profit. We do not owe them anything. I hope Voom remembers that."

Actually, my understanding is they're quite a ways away from making a profit. And yes, you DO owe them something...that being paying your bill in full, and on time...but that's not really the issue here.
If you read threads over on HomeTheaterSpot, you'll find tons of folks who are PO'd at D*, and that company has been in business for a lot longer than VOOM. I can't count the number of posts from people who were told they'd get the Superbowl in HD, only to find out the waivers were never filed, or they didn't know they had to request a waiver, etc.
And that's only ONE issue that people had with them. So it's not so much a VOOM issue, in that regard, but it's an industry issue. Cable reps have always been notorious for poor service and their lack of understanding their own product. VOOM didn't get to clone their reps from some pristine CSR source They all come from the same pool of US, and they all make mistakes. If you think you were treated unfairly, then by all means, you should leave. But if you're leaving because you think that the "CSR grass" is greener somewhere else, or you're somehow teaching them a lesson, I'd do a little research first.

Anyway, I'm done.

Enjoy!

Lob

 

[Ken F]

mike123,

VOOM made a major mistake with this mailing, they would probably lose the battle in court. This could be a serious black eye for them. The mailing did not say anything about only being available to people buying VOOM from Sears.

Courts have already ruled on this issue. Companies are not responsible for errors in their offers, regardless of whether they be sent through the email or posted on a web site. An offer is not a binding contract until the two parties have consumated the transaction. Companies like Amazon.com and Buy.com have faced these issues in courts. If you follow the bargain web sites, or Internet bargain message boards, you'd see that it is very common for major companies to post or email prices that they refuse to honor.

How does the average customer "KNOW" they are not entitled for an offer that comes in the mail that does not have ANY indication that there might be some qualifications to it?

Certainly, any lease customer receiving this email should know they were not receiving free service. But regardless, when a customer calls to discuss their account, as instructed by the email, they are told whether or not they qualify.

When I was a Dish Network customer, I would occasionally receive promotional content in the mail advertising free or heavily discounted equipment. Of course, this promotional information was meant for new customers, for when I would call, I was told I did not qualify. Does this mean I would call and cancel service because I could not get these discounts? Of course not.

 

[Kidd Supreme]

Wow, go to sleep for a night, and thread starts blowing up. Interesting. First of Ken F, no I didn't know I wasn't a charter member or not. I read about the thing about 5 weeks ago. From threads here this service started sometime in October. I don't ever remember being told you are a charter member or your not a charter member. I find it amazing how people are accusing me of lying saying I knew something, and tried to supposedly "Stick it to the man." Bottom line is I had no previous knowledge of what qualified as a charter member or not. I didn't even know what a charter member was until I made the phone call to VOOM yesterday. No where in my packet I received did it say, You are not a charter member. How am I suppose to know? Never once did the CSR who sold me the service say You are not a charter member. And now you guys are trying to stone me to death because you say I'm either a liar or and idiot? Sorry, I am neither.

And for the argument that I'm not hurting them with cancelling, I honestly don't care. I did it on principle. Maybe people here are so enamored (as one previous posted put) to have HD programming that they'll let whatever said company is doing to them keep on happening. And that's cool, that's your choice. But I believe in customer service. Your telling me you can't keep your emailing system straight with only 1600 subscribers??? D* has millions of subscribers. I could have understood if they screwed up sending a email out like that, but a little over 1600 subs? Pathetic. Like I said, the email, coupled with the way the CSR and her supervisor handled the phone call just didn't give me a good feeling during the phone call, and I decided to cut my losses there before something else would happen that they couldn't rememdy with a "Sorry, tough luck pal" statement.

-KS

 

[Ken F]

KS,

VOOM supposedly passed 5000 customers earlier this month, while averaging 150+ new subscribers per day, and they are pushing to get 25,000 in the next few months.

Maybe people here are so enamored (as one previous posted put) to have HD programming that they'll let whatever said company is doing to them keep on happening. And that's cool, that's your choice. But I believe in customer service.

If you think VOOM customer service is bad, you're in for a real surprise with Dish, DirecTV, and cable. VOOM has the best customer service of any multichannel provider I've tried, by far. Admittedly, this probably has something to do with their low subscriber count, and may change as they grow larger.

It's been said before, but I'll say it again. You're only hurting yourself. You didn't subscribe to VOOM for their benefit. You subscribed to VOOM for your own benefit. You subscribed to get more HDTV programming. Now you are throwing that programming away.

VOOM won't miss you. Nor will they have any idea why you cancelled. You're just another face in the crowd. But I'm betting you will miss their HDTV programming. I know I would.

 

[Mr. Biggles]

The defenders of VOOM are jumping up and down saying that the email was a mistake. What if you went and opened your mailbox and the same offer was in there in a letter. What would your opinion be then?

What if I went to take money out of my checking account and found out that the bank mistakenly deposited 3 billion dollars. Would I be entitled to it? I mean, they did put it into my account so it should be mine now. Right?

Bottom line is I had no previous knowledge of what qualified as a charter member or not. I didn't even know what a charter member was until I made the phone call to VOOM yesterday

I'm not sure how your conversation transacted on the phone, but when they told you you were not a Charter Member and hopefully explained why, didn't you then feel you weren't entitled? I'm making a supposition here, but how much did the attitude of the CSR play into you deciding the hell with it?

 

[RickyMac]

Just Received GREAT Customer Service froom Voom

I still think if Voom just offered the poor guy a Voom hat that he would have been happy and I would not keep finding myself drawn to this thread.

Great Customer Service: I just got off the phone with Voom and Tech Support. My Voom box was working great as far as I was concerned, no lockups, blackout or the like. I just had the one problem: No Info in the PG regarding my locals.

I even went to Sears today and saw that they had the same channels listed that I do. All channels are digital and the info was correct in the PG.

When I explained all this to the Voom Rep, she kindly asked me all the normal stuff, reboot and factory reset. Then this lady connected me with Tech Support. This was another nice young man and went out of his way to solve my problem. His final solution was to have my box replaced. I explained that my box did not have the problems that others had mentioned on the Voom Forum and that I hated to have it repalced. He told me that was the only way to correct the problem and that he would schedule me for the service call.

I have to admit, every time I have talked with anyone from Voom/Installs, they have been Great to me.

Also, I think I have been very nice to them. I do appriciate good customer service and I also expect good customer service. As long as I am polite and so a little patience, my problems normally get solved.

By the way, while taking with the lady at Voom, I asked her if she had any info about Playboy HD. She stated that she did, but could not release it yet.

 

[red ufo]

Seems like if you going to quit 30 HD channels over a petty issue like this, shows you have other problems.

 

[zaxxon2000]

I'm glad you quit. The only people who want Voom to exist at this point are those that have $700 invested. Direct Tv and Dish have better customer support than Voom. Look out folks, the S.S. Voom is taking on water.

 

[Sean Mota]

I'm glad you quit. The only people who want Voom to exist at this point are those that have $700 invested. Direct Tv and Dish have better customer support than Voom. Look out folks, the S.S. Voom is taking on water.

How so? The $700 means nothing as it is money in the bank that anyone can get back at anytime by switching to lease plan until 4/30/04. I think that everyone that has an interest in HD content and has invested in a HDTV has an interest in VOOM survivor. How blind can anyone be? VOOM success is good even for D* or E*. D* or E* will have to start looking at VOOM and stop from given us subs their lame excuse for not adding more HD channels.

VOOM existance will drive competition which in turn will be good for everyone who has invested heavily in a HDTV.

 

[scott5626]

I'm glad you quit. The only people who want Voom to exist at this point are those that have $700 invested. Direct Tv and Dish have better customer support than Voom. Look out folks, the S.S. Voom is taking on water.

I want Voom to do well just because it's nice to have a choice, and I did not spend $700 dollars. Vooms customer service may not be that well managed right now but they are real New and growing fast. Dish has been around for years and they suck. (customer service) I have been with them for a while now and Im leaving because their PQ is not what it used to be.