Dish installers cost me 2 referrals

[bigthrust]

I have 2 friends that signed up for Dish service only to end up with no satisfaction with installers and no service. I referred 2 friends to Dish (one friend is even switching from Directv) only to have lazy installers screw up attempts to complete a successful install. One friend has had a technician out 3 times only to be told that he cannot get a signal. The friend has done all required (remove trees, etc.) to get this install to work. My friend says that the 2nd installer was dumber than the first two. The third tech bolted the dish on top of his house (with a very clear line-of-sight to the satellites) but failed to use a level or any other tool for positioning. When the tech did not get a signal the first attempt, the tech just gave up. My friend friend really wants Dish Network because of the local channels. I may have to step in and help him. My second friend said that his installer wanted to run wire loosely over his roof and was bitching about doing any real work at all. My second friend told the tech to go home and stop wasting his time. So, does Dish not pay the installers enough? or are there just that many lazy, stupid installers in my area in Central Virginia?

 

[Sapient]

My friend says that the 2rd installer was dumber than the first two.

The typo makes for a funny sentence.

I know how your friends feel. My first installer didn't bring his own tools, would not do the most basic things, left about 20 feet of my cable feeds coiled on the ground, almost tore some of my siding off just beause he didn't want to bend over to access a port I had running through a wall, and so on. When I called his boss to ask what I was supposed to do with the extra long cables laying there, he told me to dig a hole in the ground. On the bright side, he had to come back to actually tighten the dish to my house, which gave me a chance to get my tools back.

When I moved, I got some official Dish installers, and they did everything just right.

 

[shadowwalker]

Do you know if the installers were contractor or DNSC

 

[Pyrophoric]

Bah, I hope I dont run into any problems ...

I am getting my install done tomorrow by some company 100 miles away?

I checked the BBB and saw that they have two complaints within 12 months, both resolved. Dunno, most people dont go to the BBB to report so I am wondering if they have even more complaints/problems than that.

Just hoping I dont get some lazy, know nothing installer out tomorrow... really looking forward to a clean install and quick service.

 

[bigthrust]

The typo makes for a funny sentence.

I know how your friends feel. My first installer didn't bring his own tools, would not do the most basic things, left about 20 feet of my cable feeds coiled on the ground, almost tore some of my siding off just beause he didn't want to bend over to access a port I had running through a wall, and so on. When I called his boss to ask what I was supposed to do with the extra long cables laying there, he told me to dig a hole in the ground. On the bright side, he had to come back to actually tighten the dish to my house, which gave me a chance to get my tools back.

When I moved, I got some official Dish installers, and they did everything just right.

What typo? hee hee

 

[boba]

ceo@echostar.com is where your complaint will do the most good. DISH "Notwerk" is not noted for how well they pay.

 

[Stargazer]

If it is a retailer that you are going through then Dish Network pays that retailer then the retailer pays the installer. The installations are guaranteed for six months after activation and the retailer may get charged back if the installation is not done correctly and another installer has to come out to fix it.

 

[bcshields]

So, does Dish not pay the installers enough? or are there just that many lazy, stupid installers in my area in Central Virginia?

To be honest, the company I work for had an office in Richmond, and probably covered your area... but Dish didn't listen to us about the level of competence we were getting out of the local labor market... thought they could do better, so we pulled out.

I see they really pulled it off.

 

[Stargazer]

I imagine there is a high turnover rate at DNSC.

 

[DieHard]

On pay:

I donno how much the average E* installer gets paid, but my rates are $80+$20 for each additional rcvr.

It would be reasonable except we aren't allowed to charge for custom work, and the area we are assigned is older housing and low income... That means no pre-wired houses... tons of stucco (spend a day drilling into stucco and see what it costs in terms of time and sanity) and loads of old growth trees (pole mounts)! Not to mention apartments where you gotta use non-pen mounts and/or can't find a ground.

It's a hustle to make a living where I'm at.


To address the first post. I'm sorry for you that you got such idiot installers. If it's me, I do the job right, or else I find a reason not to do it. I just wish I could get paid enough to take the time to do the job like a true tradesman/craftsman should and would.

 

[jlhugh]

If you wanna get paid for custom work start installing D*. Those installers get paid for every little thing. I got a friend that charges if he has to stick his head in the attic to look around.

 

[DieHard]

If you wanna get paid for custom work start installing D*. Those installers get paid for every little thing. I got a friend that charges if he has to stick his head in the attic to look around.

Actually I do... a little...

Most of my living comes from E* fulfillment work, but I have a few retailer D* jobs a week.

I'm only a year into this industry, and already I can see that the real future (for satellite installers) lies in learning and mastering the commercial market.

I still got a long way to go baby (but fortunately I have customer relation skills and a 130 IQ )