I'm in a condo... no exterior walls other than the interior patio and my front door.
DirecTV Installation I'M LIVID!
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I'm in a condo... no exterior walls other than the interior patio and my front door.
Two threads going on the forum with 2 folks that think installers work for free, have all day to spend on each install, parts grow free on trees and want everything done their way (and for free).
No wonder that turnover among installers is so high (even with the Hatian dudes).
Bit of advise - you want it all free, they do it their way. This ain't Burger King. You want something special or your whole house rewired - then you pay for the extra work. End of story.
By the way, I do not work for either company or any HSP - but I've done a ton of installs (DTV, DN, WB, DW, FTA) and repairs for my neighbors and friends. Parts & a case of beer is my usual rate. Never had one fail or rain-fade unless the hardware took a dump (thank the dudes in China for those).
Get a grip - suck it up - you are "entitled" to a standard install only - pay for it if you want it your way or stay with cable.
No wonder that turnover among installers is so high (even with the Hatian dudes).
Bit of advise - you want it all free, they do it their way. This ain't Burger King. You want something special or your whole house rewired - then you pay for the extra work. End of story.
By the way, I do not work for either company or any HSP - but I've done a ton of installs (DTV, DN, WB, DW, FTA) and repairs for my neighbors and friends. Parts & a case of beer is my usual rate. Never had one fail or rain-fade unless the hardware took a dump (thank the dudes in China for those).
Get a grip - suck it up - you are "entitled" to a standard install only - pay for it if you want it your way or stay with cable.
You should have signed up with a retailer, especially for custom work. You can deal with someone locally.
People think by calling directly they can get better service & that retail installers are not professionals like the company has. Well some probably are not. I can and do installations that most company installers won't, cannot or allowed to do.
Here is a couple examples. House boats, company installers will not do them. Does that mean you should not have service on your boat? We do charge a service call to re tune if needed.
Driveway bores, had one a couple of weeks ago I done by hand underneath a 12' wide asphalt driveway because we could not get a machine in there. I charged the customer $220.00 for that & they did not complain.
Installers for the most part are professional and take the job seriously, but there is also quite a few on both sides that do not. Custom work is always chargeable and can be negotiable. Every situation is different and the free mentality will get you nowhere fast & will not gain you any brownie points with either a company or retail installer just because somebody else said different.
People think by calling directly they can get better service & that retail installers are not professionals like the company has. Well some probably are not. I can and do installations that most company installers won't, cannot or allowed to do.
Here is a couple examples. House boats, company installers will not do them. Does that mean you should not have service on your boat? We do charge a service call to re tune if needed.
Driveway bores, had one a couple of weeks ago I done by hand underneath a 12' wide asphalt driveway because we could not get a machine in there. I charged the customer $220.00 for that & they did not complain.
Installers for the most part are professional and take the job seriously, but there is also quite a few on both sides that do not. Custom work is always chargeable and can be negotiable. Every situation is different and the free mentality will get you nowhere fast & will not gain you any brownie points with either a company or retail installer just because somebody else said different.
There is no haggling prices for installation. You either pay it or you don't get the service. HSP's are allowed to set their own rates for custom work, and the wall fish is considered customer work. DirecTV can not dictate what rates the HSP's charge for non-standard work...they only thing they can do is credit your bill after you've paid the installer.
Actually, DirecTV is purchasing a lot of the HSP's and bringing it in house, but I'm not sure that is the case here.
See my earlier comments about HSP's setting their own prices. Unfortunately, CSR's have NO CLUE what is actually involved in getting a system installed, so they are more than willing to say "Yes, it's included in the free installation." Since they aren't held accountable for this, and it gets you off the phone while giving them a sale leaving the installer to deal with it at a later date I don't think it's ever going to change. This sucks for the customer and the installer. The customer because of experiences like yours, and the installers because of customers like you. (Quote " I blew up")
1. I never took any of this against the installer.
2. When companies like Time Warner and Dish Network do not charge for fishing, or running new wires with the install, or jacks, or fancy splitters it's only fair to expect this same service from their competitors.
3. When I go over everything in advance with the sales person I don't expect to be deceived. I actually feel bad that the installer showed up and I had to send him away. I be DirecTV won't be paying for his time either.
4. DirecTV needs to re-analyze their installation program. I am hiring DirecTV to do a job. If they are leaving me to haggle my pricing (and yes I mean haggle because when you have a document on your site stating prices and the CSRs tell you that you're suppose to negotiate your pricing with an installer... that's haggling) And when an installer comes in and tells you in one breath that he's not a sub contractor and can't do attic installs, and in a second breath says "we can work something out, I'll charge you 160 dollars to run the wiring" that's being paid out of pocket, and according to quotes I've heard... overly paid out of pocket. If I have to pay for the service I want a choice of professionals, I want to be able to shop around for the best price to get the job done right. I don't want someone coming in to my house, seeing what I have in my house, and basing a price off of work by what I have. I'm a professional and I have set rates for my services (and in most instances I don't charge for half the stuff I do because I Love what I do and I do what needs to be done and not just what's asked.)
My beef is not with the installers, my beef is with DirecTV, their shadiness and decptiveness. I have 4 emails from them telling me what to do to get ready for the install and not a single one of them goes over what is "Custom" work. To the average Joe, running a down the wall to the outlet seems pretty standard to me. I guess if they were more up front with what was really included with their install people wouldn't go with them. Maybe that's why they call their installs "Standard" and their competitors call their installs "Professional"
The bad part about this is from what I've been told, I'm not the only one going through all of this and that once I get the service this will all be a thing of the past. Not sure I like that concept.
2. When companies like Time Warner and Dish Network do not charge for fishing, or running new wires with the install, or jacks, or fancy splitters it's only fair to expect this same service from their competitors.
3. When I go over everything in advance with the sales person I don't expect to be deceived. I actually feel bad that the installer showed up and I had to send him away. I be DirecTV won't be paying for his time either.
4. DirecTV needs to re-analyze their installation program. I am hiring DirecTV to do a job. If they are leaving me to haggle my pricing (and yes I mean haggle because when you have a document on your site stating prices and the CSRs tell you that you're suppose to negotiate your pricing with an installer... that's haggling) And when an installer comes in and tells you in one breath that he's not a sub contractor and can't do attic installs, and in a second breath says "we can work something out, I'll charge you 160 dollars to run the wiring" that's being paid out of pocket, and according to quotes I've heard... overly paid out of pocket. If I have to pay for the service I want a choice of professionals, I want to be able to shop around for the best price to get the job done right. I don't want someone coming in to my house, seeing what I have in my house, and basing a price off of work by what I have. I'm a professional and I have set rates for my services (and in most instances I don't charge for half the stuff I do because I Love what I do and I do what needs to be done and not just what's asked.)
My beef is not with the installers, my beef is with DirecTV, their shadiness and decptiveness. I have 4 emails from them telling me what to do to get ready for the install and not a single one of them goes over what is "Custom" work. To the average Joe, running a down the wall to the outlet seems pretty standard to me. I guess if they were more up front with what was really included with their install people wouldn't go with them. Maybe that's why they call their installs "Standard" and their competitors call their installs "Professional"
The bad part about this is from what I've been told, I'm not the only one going through all of this and that once I get the service this will all be a thing of the past. Not sure I like that concept.
I try to stay out of threads like this, but dude cut the crap. You knew it was a charge deep down inside, that why you went over this with them before hand. No providers does custom work for free unless some previous issue. I see your plan, and I know what it's outcome is going to be. Complain till you get it for free.
Then those subcontractors should NOT be allowed to wear D* logos, clothing or drive D* trucks. It is misrepresentation. Frankly I look at it as a contractural matter and D* is the prime contractor. As the owner on millions of dollars of projects every year I do not deal with or pay subcontractors. I DO NOT HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM! Its the same thing here. If a subcontractor charges more than D*'s rates then D* needs to pony up the cash. Frankly I do all the work myslef. I havent had a competent D* installer in 7 years at my house. I usually end up spedning hundreds fixing their work anyway:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/attachment.php?attachmentid=27035&d=1216747399
There are too many weekend warriors working as installers. The prequalification is truck ownership and a mirror fog test.
Why do you want Directv when the other providers will do it for free? Why not just use one of them and save yourself the hassle.
As an installer this story makes me want to cancel the installation and let the original salesman to come out and do all the stuff he promised. No problem, right?
What a mess!
The customer should not be led down this path.
Joe
What a mess!
The customer should not be led down this path.
Joe
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If that second thread reference was directed at me, I'm trying to figure out what IS included and what ISN'T so I know how much I am going to be charged. I've lurked this forum quite enough to know that the install is hardly ever free.
Done... Dish Network is coming out this week to do the install.
I felt like an idiot when I asked the install company "is fishing the wall jack included" they told me "how else do you think we get cable to your TV"
Enjoy E*:up
I know for a fact your install will go much better with them. However, the way the company was being ran in regards to everything excluding installation scared me away.
Probably the same installation company .....
Toyz,
Let us know how it goes and what they end up charging ... when it's done.
Guys, the fact is, that both Dish and Direct sub out their installations for much of the country. What works with one company in your area may not work in another area.
I've worked as an installer for an independent dealer, who did both Dish and Direct. Also, I've worked for the HSP's in my state for both companies. What each HSP provides for free varies greatly.
Toyz, I hope you get what you want, and wish you the best of luck.
I've worked as an installer for an independent dealer, who did both Dish and Direct. Also, I've worked for the HSP's in my state for both companies. What each HSP provides for free varies greatly.
Toyz, I hope you get what you want, and wish you the best of luck.
NO YOU DONT need a phone line for DVR... but to d/l on Demand you would need an ethernet internet connection!!
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