Well... even though I'm still getting a great deal, I'm not terribly happy with DirecTV or their local installer for Maine, DirecTech.
I got my deal on Sunday 8/14 299.00 for the HD TIVO + 150.00 discount + 100.00 MIR + $20/mo off TC Premiere for 6 mos + $5/mo off HD Pack for 6 mos + installation and 3 LNB dish.
I was set up to be installed Friday 8/19 between 8 and 12. I even called DirecTech on Tuesday 8/16 to ensure that they had my job number in their system and that I was set up for the install on Friday 8/19 (which is today). I was assured everything was set up correctly and the installation would happen without any hitches. So, I preceded to take today off from work in order to be home to meet the installer. I also had some work scheduled on my truck so I could just take one day and kill two birds with one stone.
Well, I called DirecTech this morning and I was told that they couldn't do the install because my order had been cancelled by someone from the DirecTV offices. Okay, by this point I'm a little frustrated. So, I call the DirecTV customer retention line and I get to a retention supervisor who called DirecTech to find out what was going on. She told me that it looked like the order had been cancelled by mistake most likely due to another customer with a similar order number calling to cancel their order. So, she replace the order, but this time told me that she had to change the deal that I was given and I could either have the $150 discount or the programming credits, but not both. I was definitely frustrated during this phone call, but still polite as always. I chose the $150 discount. She replaced my order and scheduled me for Tuesday 8/23 for the install, and gave me a contact for DirecTech named Claire and told me that DirecTech was still going to try for today, but there were no promises. She gave me Claires phone number, my order number and the job number. So, I then get on the phone with Claire who tells me that if my unit ships today, they will install it today. I try Clair back an hour after that and she tells me that my unit arrived and that she needed to speak with Daryl about arranging it so that I can get installed today. Another hour goes by and I call Daryl as she never called me back. Daryl tells me that he will look into it and call me back. He doesn't. I call Claire back an hour after that and she tells me that she was supposed to call me, but forgot. She tells me that the unit which came in was meant for another customer and she is sorry. I then call DirecTV retention and talk to a retention supervisor who calls Clair and tells me that the unit which DirecTech had received was meant for an escalation for another customer and that my unit would ship midweek sometime. So, now it looks like they might not be able to meet the Tuesday install either. She advised me to keep calling DirecTech. I called DirecTech and Claire tells me that she thinks the units will be in on Thurday. I am still polite but SO FRUSTRATED right now that if the red button to nuke the entire world were in front of me right now, I'd push it no questions asked.
I think I'm still going to haggle with them on the programming credits at this point whether it is noted on my account. I will play CSR roulette a billion times if I have to. I'm like a bulldog that way. I think I deserve it due to all of the frustration.