Directv Protection Plan is a joke.

[lefatman]

I have 3 receivers.all HD, and after experiencing major problems with the one in my living room,I contacted the tech who had installed my dish and he came to my house and after checking out the receiver,said it was dead and I needed a new one. Directv will not send a replacement unless I spend a half hour or better on the phone with a tech troubleshooting the problem. The receiver is DEAD,I can not get it to do anything.How do they expect me to troubleshoot a receiver that will not work ? At the very least, I will be cancelling the so-called "Protection Plan" and even though I am a die hard sports freak, I am seriously considering the dreaded switch to DISH. I know many on these forums use DISH and was wondering what problems I might encounter with that service.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I know many on these forums use DISH and was wondering what problems I might encounter with that service.

The same! Its still satellite TV service With receivers,Dishes and CSR'S.
The Protection plan is for Techs to come to your house for Free for service call, as well a realine your dish if needed,and Avoid adding time on your commitment if your receivers need replacements. Trouble Shooting over the Phone is a standard process for both provides, and doesn't require the protection plan.

 

[joed32]

I don't think it will take a half hour if you tell them it's dead. Just say it won't turn on.

 

[Jimbo]

lefatman,
Is simply calling them and having you run a few test for them THAT much to ask ?

If your really that sure that it's dead ... when they call and tell you to do a reset, the first thing they do everytime, tell them it won't turn on.

You want a free rec. (deservedly so, with PP) but won't give them the time of day to verify it ?

Jimbo

 

[lefatman]

Jimbo, I have been through the automated phone service with D* on many occasions for various problems. My point is simply that the technician has been to my house twice in the last week for this receiver and any time spent with a D* tech on the phone would be useless. I am not trying to get anything for free, but I do not want to waste my time or the techs time diagnosing a problem which a trained person has already diagnosed. I have said many times that if it were not for the sports packages, I would be gone in a nano-second from D*. I must admit,that when I haved actually pressed all the right buttons or answered the questions asked by the machine, most of the CSR have been very helpful. I guess that being an old man (62) I just get aggrevated by the supposed improvements that have been made in our society. Irregardless of how I finally rectify this situation,I am definitely cancelling the Protection Plan and in the future will deal directly with the local technician, who has been extremely helpful.

 

[dslate69]

... The receiver is DEAD,I can not get it to do anything.How do they expect me to troubleshoot a receiver that will not work ?

It shouldn't take very long to troubleshoot will it? Probably take longer to confirm your information so why the premature rant?

At the very least, I will be cancelling the so-called "Protection Plan" and even though I am a die hard sports freak, I am seriously considering the dreaded switch to DISH. I know many on these forums use DISH and was wondering what problems I might encounter with that service.

Really you expect DELL to send you a replacement PC without trying to troubleshoot the old one over the phone? How about any product by any company?
Do us a favor call D* and cancel your Protection Plan. Than call back to get the replacement D* receiver as we all know you aren't going to leave over this. Then post here on how much you had to pay out of pocket and if you changed your mind on whether the Protection Plan is worth it or not.

 

[lefatman]

dslate69, I will cancel my plan AFTER this has been taken care of and yes I know that I will have to go to Best Buy and buy a receiver,which my local guy will have to activate. Money isn't the question here,self satisfaction is. You are correct that I won't cancel in all probability because of the sports packages. I pay these guys an average of $180 to $200 a month and after 7 years I would expect that they step up their service a little bit.You guys can rank on me all you want, but it's my serviced and my money.

 

[Blueridge66]

I don't have the PP but typically don't you contact D*** first? Then the determination is made to send out a tech?
Maybe all you have to do is give the details of the tech's findings?
Seems like it should be straight-forward plus your only option to get a replacement.

 

[dslate69]

My point is simply that the technician has been to my house twice in the last week for this receiver...
... in the future will deal directly with the local technician, who has been extremely helpful.

As helpful as this local tech is if it took him 2 visits to diagnose a receiver that won't turn on as dead, you would be faster and better served keeping the PP and calling D* directly.
I know you said money isn't an issue but you are paying the local tech for service calls unnecessarily. When you call D* if needed a tech will be sent out for FREE and at that point the tech wouldn't say "Yep, it's dead, call D*." He would replace it then and there. When anyone has a D* problem the only correct First step is to call D*, not the local retailer.

 

[lefatman]

All I am paying the local tech is a couple of beers after he is done. On the first visit he determined that the HDMI port was bad and put on the other cords.Thought that would correct problem, but next day it was the same thing.The only way to get any response from the receiver was to hit the reset button and that was hit and miss.

 

[dslate69]

All I am paying the local tech is a couple of beers after he is done. On the first visit he determined that the HDMI port was bad and put on the other cords.Thought that would correct problem, but next day it was the same thing.The only way to get any response from the receiver was to hit the reset button and that was hit and miss.

I wonder if all obese French men get such cheap service calls.
Well if you only paid him a couple of beers he obviously wasn't on the clock with D*. So rationally you can't blame D* for wanting to verify the diagnosis. Just like if you call Dell for your dead PC and say my neighbor that works on computers says it's dead, you would expect them to run a few checks.
Good luck with your current delima. And if you do end up just buying a new receiver at BB, activation is only done over the phone so calling the local tech will do you no good.

 

[sonydude1966]

I'm not understanding why the tech can't replace the box. They don't trust their techs?

Why take the word of what the tech tells you about a half an hour or more on the phone? Directv doesn't even trust him enough to take his word for anything. Why should you?

Sorry, I don't see the big deal in calling and getting it over with. Do you have hard times with everything you pay for in your life when something goes wrong? Just jump through the stupid hoops and be done with it like the rest of us would. You are taking this way too personal.

 

[sonydude1966]

,and Avoid adding time on your commitment if your receivers need replacements.

I wonder what justification is used for extending your commitment if you need a new box and you DON'T have the protection plan? An addition to your commitment because of a defective piece of equipment just doesn't sound right. Not saying it isn't. A lot of things aren't right in this world.

 

[iwc5893]

I'm not understanding why the tech can't replace the box. They don't trust their techs?

Because the tech was there off the clock and had no work order to justify using a receiver off his truck.

 

[lefatman]

What the hell does Dell ave to do with this ?

 

[talos4]

Jimbo, I have been through the automated phone service with D* on many occasions for various problems. My point is simply that the technician has been to my house twice in the last week for this receiver and any time spent with a D* tech on the phone would be useless. I am not trying to get anything for free, but I do not want to waste my time or the techs time diagnosing a problem which a trained person has already diagnosed. I have said many times that if it were not for the sports packages, I would be gone in a nano-second from D*. I must admit,that when I haved actually pressed all the right buttons or answered the questions asked by the machine, most of the CSR have been very helpful. I guess that being an old man (62) I just get aggrevated by the supposed improvements that have been made in our society. Irregardless of how I finally rectify this situation,I am definitely cancelling the Protection Plan and in the future will deal directly with the local technician, who has been extremely helpful.

Well, as a 52 year old man let me say I think you should re-think your position.

About 2 hrs ago I called D* to report my DVR is DEAD. Stuck in a contiuous boot scan re-boot loop.

When it came time to try all the different resets etc. I hit "0" and spoke to a real live person in Georgia.

I explained the problem, told her the box is not hooked up any more. She ordered a replacement DVR AT NO COST and I got to listen to her wonderful accent.

Total time on the phone 10 mins. Cost Nothing, I have the protection plan.

I once had a local installer I dealt with, he was great, left me his cell number to call if I ever had any problems. The only problem... he quit.

I'm a 12 yr sub, I've had the protection plan for years. I've never had a problem.

 

[dslate69]

What the hell does Dell ave to do with this ?

Feel free to disregard DELL and insert Samsung, Toshiba, DISH, GE, HP, Apple, TWC, or any company for that matter.
I was trying to dumb it down for you. Your rant was directed at Directv as if they are the irrational one in your current situation. My point is ANY business would take steps to confirm you needed a swap out before doing so, even if you tell them your drinking buddy concurs.

 

[lefatman]

ds, Go have another pork Barbeque.I'll handle this situation in my own manner and don't need anymore of your condescending comments.

 

[ChrisK114]

D* will take care of you, but you do have to go thru some steps. You would not believe how many calls they get about problems that turn out to be something as simple as the unit not being plugged in. These steps just ensure that reps aren't tied up with this type of problem instead of helping people such as yourself who really need it. I would not cancel the PP if I were you, as there have been times it has really come in handy for me. I have had lightning strikes and a couple of receivers that needed replacing, but do what you feel you must do. Just try to be respectful to the rep. They listen to people yelling at them all day, so when someone is pleasant with them, they tend to go the extra mile to help that person.

 

[dslate69]

ds, Go have another pork Barbeque.I'll handle this situation in my own manner and don't need anymore of your condescending comments.

Not getting the pork Barbeque, is that what joke burns us NC folk?
It looks like you have the situation well in hand for someone that didn't know what Dell had to do with anything. :up