942 lease request - was I too nice?

[gbs]

As suggested in previous threads, I emailed ceo@echostar.com and requested to be able to lease a 942. I cited my tenure with Dish (2 years), that I paid bill on time on-line and my programming level (120, HD pack and VOOM Pack). I told them started with a leased 811 and then bought a 921 that I had replaced once under warranty and that I wanted the 942 for the three tuners and the digital camera use of the USB port.

The reply (in about 12 hours) thanked me for my interest but said that the leases were available only to new customers because of limited supplies of the 942. They futher stated that that because of the switch to MPEG 4, the leases to upgrade existing customers would not be available until then.

Was I not forceful enough in my request or is this the latest response from Dish for these requests?

 

[its4us2think]

As suggested in previous threads, I emailed ceo@echostar.com and requested to be able to lease a 942. I cited my tenure with Dish (2 years), that I paid bill on time on-line and my programming level (120, HD pack and VOOM Pack). I told them started with a leased 811 and then bought a 921 that I had replaced once under warranty and that I wanted the 942 for the three tuners and the digital camera use of the USB port.

The reply (in about 12 hours) thanked me for my interest but said that the leases were available only to new customers because of limited supplies of the 942. They futher stated that that because of the switch to MPEG 4, the leases to upgrade existing customers would not be available until then.

Was I not forceful enough in my request or is this the latest response from Dish for these requests?

To me, customer service rep said that I do not qualify. I asked him what is the criteria and he said he does not know how it is determined, but if I am allowed to get it it would appear on my account otherwise it does not show up as an option for me.

I did go through ceo@dish.. for last two months with no avail. I dont know how they consider someone is worthy of lease.

Anyway, I saw a comcast promotion, which mentioned about 12 month discounted rate for satellite subscribers with HBO+HD+DVR. No upfront fees. Deciding to take it and check them out.

All dish rep told me was that cable does not provide "true digital" and I will come back to satellite. Only hard part for me was letting go an international channel that is not available in cable. But, I did not feel that shelling out so much money in comparision was justified.

 

[gbs]

I guess I thought it would be just a matter of writing the email. I may consider buying a new one online. I dont think the MPEG 4 is going to be here any time soon and realyy want the extra tuner for the DVR.

 

[dont24]

It's hard to figure out what the criteria is. I wrote a "nice" email to CEO@echostar.com and received a call 24hrs later, offering me the lease option. Unfortunately, it shouldn't come to this. They should offer it to all existing customers. It should take an email to the CEO address to make it happen.

 

[DVDDAD]

Maybe we've reached the day that the e-mail won't work at all, because the date is getting closer to the mpeg4 rollout?

 

[Bosco]

I just emailed them last week and got a phone call the next day, offering me the lease option. The lady I spoke with was very nice and seemed to have no problem in offering this option to me. All I told them in the email was that I have been a customer for over 6 years and have the 180 and the HD package. I also mentioned that I have leased the 811 for over a year and wanted to upgrade to the 942 because I wanted the recording feature. No problem, install is scheduled for this weekend.
I did ask about the reason behind having a phone line connected to the 942 and she explained the reason. I then stated that I do not have a phone jack anywhere near where the receiver would be, she then offered me a free wireless phone jack. Ok, I'll take it.
Maybe the deal is only offered to customers who have been with them a certain length of time. That's the only thing I can think of. I still pay my bill via mail, so I don't think that fits into their criteria.

 

[gbs]

Here is the reply that got via email this morning, I wonder how long "SHORTLY" is?:
Thank you for your recent e-mail and interest in the 942 HD DVR receiver. Currently the lease promotion is only available to new customer due to limited stock. We are going to be upgrade to MPEG 4 shortly after we launch another one of our satellites. When this has been concluded then we will offer lease promotions to our existing customers. I am sorry there is nothing we can do right now, but I will let you know when I here anything more.
Thank you
Matt Kliewer
CEO Escalations
Phone—xxx-xxx-xxxx
E-mail:

 

[rdinkel]

Here is the reply that got via email this morning, I wonder how long "SHORTLY" is?:
Thank you for your recent e-mail and interest in the 942 HD DVR receiver. Currently the lease promotion is only available to new customer due to limited stock. We are going to be upgrade to MPEG 4 shortly after we launch another one of our satellites. When this has been concluded then we will offer lease promotions to our existing customers. I am sorry there is nothing we can do right now, but I will let you know when I here anything more.
Thank you
Matt Kliewer
CEO Escalations
Phone—xxx-xxx-xxxx
E-mail:

Good insight. Sounds like they will be rolling out "962" or whatever it will be called next summer.

 

[BrettTRay]

I don't see how they can "have limited supplies of 942's" and not let someone lease it but they can let someone buy it. They just quoted as having limited supplies so how does that make a difference on their decision. You would think that if they had limited supplies then they would only let new customers get the 942 and not let existing customers lease or buy it.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

As discussed before on many threads, Dish takes a financial hit on a new subscriber package. They also take a hit on a 942 lease, as that box definitely costs them more than $250 to produce.

I suspect they do not want to make the 942 lease available to all customers, but to those who have repaid the initial hit and are valuable, long-term customers, they are willing to make exceptions.

In my case I got one in November by pointing out that I have been a subscriber for over 7 years and my monthly bill is close to $100. They offered me one immediately.

This is not an unreasonable business model. If you are a high volume, long term customer of almost any business, they will cut you breaks that they do not give to "typical" customers. For one thing, the probabilities of recovering all of the cost of the offer and making a buck over the long haul is very good with an established customer.

 

[its4us2think]

As discussed before on many threads, Dish takes a financial hit on a new subscriber package. They also take a hit on a 942 lease, as that box definitely costs them more than $250 to produce.

I suspect they do not want to make the 942 lease available to all customers, but to those who have repaid the initial hit and are valuable, long-term customers, they are willing to make exceptions.

In my case I got one in November by pointing out that I have been a subscriber for over 7 years and my monthly bill is close to $100. They offered me one immediately.

This is not an unreasonable business model. If you are a high volume, long term customer of almost any business, they will cut you breaks that they do not give to "typical" customers. For one thing, the probabilities of recovering all of the cost of the offer and making a buck over the long haul is very good with an established customer.

It is OK as long as it is clear to a customer. Does that mean that those customers who are paying $99 per month is worth nothing compared to those who pay $100 per mont (if $100 was cut off, hypothetically speaking).

I dont see any need to justify this business model. Instead, they could just issue points to each bill we pay or each receivers we buy and then have a consistent price for all the customers and ask us to use the points to reduce our bill.

No, they got to make it complex, they'd like customers to shop around the providers, give free things if you are a new customers, make sure equipments used with one provider is useless when you switch to others, allow the old equipment into land fill (if new customers are getting things free, who'd buy the old equipment, more applicable to cell phones).

I know if I could have gotten the OK for lease, I would have been little more charitable on Dish!! ;-)

 

[Tom in TX]

I'm a Happy Camper!

I emailed "ceo@dishnetwork.com" yesterday to ask if I could lease a 942. I got a call back from a very nice rep. They will allow me to lease the 942. It will be my second 942! I purchased my first one last April. I enjoy the heck out of my first one, and hope the second one is just as good. I have been a customer for about 7 years, and have the top 120, and HD Pack.
Tom in TX

 

[its4us2think]

I emailed "ceo@dishnetwork.com" yesterday to ask if I could lease a 942. I got a call back from a very nice rep. They will allow me to lease the 942. It will be my second 942! I purchased my first one last April. I enjoy the heck out of my first one, and hope the second one is just as good. I have been a customer for about 7 years, and have the top 120, and HD Pack.
Tom in TX

Well, I guess this shows that the statement from Dish's rep (as mentioned in msg#7) that "Currently the lease promotion is only available to new customer due to limited stock" is outright lie.

I dont have a problem with treating their top notch customers differently, but let them be clear about it and tell us how they determine their "top notch".

 

[Tom in TX]

I dont have a problem with treating their top notch customers differently, but let them be clear about it and tell us how they determine their "top notch".

I wouldn't consider myself "top notch". I only have the Top 120 + HD Pack. No movie channels, no Voom, etc. Maybe since I have been with them for many years, never missed a payment (CC Autopay), so they value me. There are many people who spend alot more per month than I do!
Tom in TX

 

[MI_GTO]

I e-mailed them 2 days ago and haven't heard a thing back yet. I think i will resend it and hope a different rep reads it this time.

 

[BrettTRay]

People should get the truth as to why they are not being allowed to lease the 942 instead of some lie about they "DO NOT lease the 942 to existing customers" when we all know good and well that they do.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Technically their official policy is that they do not lease the 942 to existing customers. However the CEO office reserves the right to make exceptions. That really isn't much different than any company's policies. Whether it is getting an extension on a warranty, or a refund after the return period, or whatever. Any existing customer contacting a CSR or attempting to add a leased 942 via the Dish web page, will be denied.

I don't think anyone is ever going to get a letter from any company's CEO office stating that their official policy is to only grant XXX to special customers, and you aren't one, so the answer is no.

 

[its4us2think]

.....

I don't think anyone is ever going to get a letter from any company's CEO office stating that their official policy is to only grant XXX to special customers, and you aren't one, so the answer is no.

I would be curious to know how you'd have reacted, if you did not make the cut, would you have given us the same lecture about how companies can do what ever they want for their special customers (suppose they defined the special as being someone buying PPV fights all the time or some criteria that you did not know!!)

I know it is pointless as each of us would have justified and kissed E* like this, if we could make the cut!!

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I have "not made the cut" in the past from Dish and other companies. It's just the way it goes. I can't expect every company to treat me like I'm special and deserving of their "most favored customer" deals. Usually I only get special deals when I've been a long-time regular customer.

 

[gbs]

After reading all the responses to my original post, it appears that longevity with Dish is the key. Although my bill is $100 a month, I have only been a customer for two years. I think I going to stick with my 921 until the dust settles on the MPEG 4 issue. In the meantime, I'm going to install an external tuner for additional OTA HDTV input to my Mits wide screen. I don't have to email DISH for that.