Dishnetwork's Customer Service is Broken

Sharper

SatelliteGuys Family
Original poster
Jun 17, 2005
49
0
I'm sure this comes as no surprise to the other long-time Dishnetwork customers out there, but their customer service process is broken.

I'm not even talking about foreign CSRs that you can't understand, or having to play CSR roulette sometimes to find a CSR with the right piece of knowledge to add a particular channel or package to your account.

No, what I'm talking about is when after a 45 minute phone call, the only answer anyone you can speak to at Dishnetwork is "Please call back in another week to see if it's fixed or not", which is the exact same answer they gave you 8 days before, the last time you called.

I did the 921 for 622 exchange back when it first became available, April 1st. The 622 was installed on April 12th. I was told at that time to wait 7-10 days for the box to send the 921 back in, after which they'd credit my account the $200.

This is where the nightmare begins.

Knowing that there was a deadline for sending the 921 back in, and knowing that they take a while to credit your account, and wanting my credit, I became concerned when the box hadn't showed up after three weeks, so I called Dishnetwork.

The CSR I spoke to said that the box had been shipped, and to wait 7-10 days more for it to arrive.

A few weeks later, after the box still hadn't arrived, I called Dishnetwork back again. The second time they said the box hadn't even been sent yet because of a mistake and that they'd have it sent, so wait a couple more weeks again.

One June 12th (two months after the install, now), I was told that a mistake was made, but they gave me an RMA number (#13825979)and again told me to expect shipping stuff in the next 7 to 10 days at the most.

On June 30th (after still nothing), I sent an email to ceo@dishnetwork.com recounting the whole thing.

On July 17th, not having heard anything, I sent a follow-up email asking about it and copying the original email.

After a few more days of waiting, I called again. This time a CSR generated a shipping label (no box to ship it back in, but at least I'd have an address and UPS label to ship it with) and sent it to me. This CSR mentioned that once the 921 was returned, the executive office would have to process the credit because it was likely going to be past their original return time-frame, but that she'd make a note in my account to that effect so that it would get done.

On July 23rd, I finally got the shipping label and shipped the box back on July 24th. UPS has Dishnetwork's facility receiving the box on July 27th (UPS Tracking number 1Z 72V 759 06 7075 089 8). Included in the box was a brief accounting of the problem, all the relevent account/RMA/etc... numbers and a request to expedite the $200 account credit.

On August 21st, having allowed Dishnetwork plenty of time to credit my account, but seeing that they hadn't yet, I called and spoke to yet another CSR. This CSR said that they would refer it to the Executive Office and that I should call back in a week to find out the status, since they won't contact me.

So I called again today(the 29th), which resulted in the before mentioned 45 minute call, speaking to a CSR and then a supervisor (you know, the regular routine), who concluded that nothing had been done in the last week, but today they managed after a long hold period to have the executive office refer the matter to the promotions department.

Will they have someone in either department call me to let me know when it's taken care of? No. Can I call anyone in the executive office or the promotions department to ask them directly about it? No.

What am I supposed to do next, if the credit still isn't applied? Of course I am told that the only thing I can do is to call back again in 7-10 days.

Can the CSR or the CSR supervisor do anything to help me get an actual resolution, within Dishnetwork's current process? It doesn't appear so.

At what point do you file a small claims court lawsuit, just so that their legal department will tell them to give me my credit?

I live close enough to Colorado to be able to drive there and back in about 12 hours, do I need to go in person to Dishnetwork's offices in order to get past their broken customer service process?

This isn't the first time I've gotten the "call back in 7-10 days" runaround on an issue, although granted it's now my personal new record for calling back about the same issue over and over again.

At some point a CSR supervisor needs to have a process with which they can take an issue that has taken over 4 months and get someone who has the authority to deal with it to actually deal with it immediately.

That process apparently doesn't currently exist and it's a major reason why Dishnetwork's customer service doesn't work properly. Think of the amount of employee time they are wasting by dragging people's issues out over multiple 7-10 day cycles?

Anyone have a better solution?
 
When ever I have a problem like this and can't get anywhere with the floor supervisor, I ask to talk with an account specialist. When I had my 1000+ upgrade done, I noticed that they charged me for $60.00, but when I placed the order I was told that since the dish was required to get the local channels, I would get it free with an 12 month commitment. No problem since I have about that much left on the 622. When the floor supervisor said the best he could do was credit half, I asked for an account specialist, and two minutes later I had full credit. I used them too to take care of my 622 order fiasco.
 
I'd talk to the supervisor and let them know that this is your last phone call. If it can't be resolved immediately, you will file a grievance with the BBB. You can file your claim online. I had an issue with Wild Blue which lasted 2 months. A week after filing my BBB claim, everything was resolved (including a credit to my credit card, which, prior to my BBB Claim, they said couldn't be done).

I've played the "missing box" game with Dish a couple of times. Either their return department needs an overhaul or they are counting on subs forgetting about it and just accepting the loss of $200.00. I suspect it is more the latter as these problems have been going on for several years.
 
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Sharper - Probably not an issue, but you may want to delete the tracking number.

I think the offices in Colorado are virtual offices - virtually not there.
 
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There is always a filing fee for small claims court, often referred to as court costs.
 
My state has a wonderful Attorney General's Office.
You can file a Consumer Protection Complaint form online and they follow through.
 
Gotta love those new posters. Start a thread then disappear....

Best bet is BBB. Results will be had within 30 days and there are no court costs. Many companies take their BBB status seriously. Dish Network is one of them.
 
The problem is not that by sitting on hold long enough, I can't get the CSR or their supervisor to understand the issue and do what they can about it. I can. They end up very sympathetic and trying everything they are allowed to do about it.

The problem is that ultimately they can't do anything about it except refer it to someone else and tell the customer to call back in 7-10 days in the hopes that the issue has been handled by then.

Over and over again, rinse and repeat.

To fix (this part of) their customer service, they need to have some method for a CSR supervisor to be able to be sure and get someone on the phone or at least to contact the customer via phone within 24-48 hours about the issue.

I may try the suggested BBB route. At least that should get someone's attention at Dishnetwork.
 
In all fairness, the company that contracts for CSR's have so many different packages and programs it's impossible for a CSR to know them all, especially when the word does not get passed down to the CSR from the parent company.
That's understandable, but the reason for playing "CSR Roulette". If we knew their watch rotation, we would have more options.

But like everything else, there are good days, and there are days that are not as good. :D
 
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Sharper said:
I'm sure this comes as no surprise to the other long-time Dishnetwork customers out there, but their customer service process is broken.

I'm not even talking about foreign CSRs that you can't understand, or having to play CSR roulette sometimes to find a CSR with the right piece of knowledge to add a particular channel or package to your account.

No, what I'm talking about is when after a 45 minute phone call, the only answer anyone you can speak to at Dishnetwork is "Please call back in another week to see if it's fixed or not", which is the exact same answer they gave you 8 days before, the last time you called.

I did the 921 for 622 exchange back when it first became available, April 1st. The 622 was installed on April 12th. I was told at that time to wait 7-10 days for the box to send the 921 back in, after which they'd credit my account the $200.

This is where the nightmare begins.

Knowing that there was a deadline for sending the 921 back in, and knowing that they take a while to credit your account, and wanting my credit, I became concerned when the box hadn't showed up after three weeks, so I called Dishnetwork.

The CSR I spoke to said that the box had been shipped, and to wait 7-10 days more for it to arrive.

A few weeks later, after the box still hadn't arrived, I called Dishnetwork back again. The second time they said the box hadn't even been sent yet because of a mistake and that they'd have it sent, so wait a couple more weeks again.

One June 12th (two months after the install, now), I was told that a mistake was made, but they gave me an RMA number (#13825979)and again told me to expect shipping stuff in the next 7 to 10 days at the most.

On June 30th (after still nothing), I sent an email to ceo@dishnetwork.com recounting the whole thing.

On July 17th, not having heard anything, I sent a follow-up email asking about it and copying the original email.

After a few more days of waiting, I called again. This time a CSR generated a shipping label (no box to ship it back in, but at least I'd have an address and UPS label to ship it with) and sent it to me. This CSR mentioned that once the 921 was returned, the executive office would have to process the credit because it was likely going to be past their original return time-frame, but that she'd make a note in my account to that effect so that it would get done.

On July 23rd, I finally got the shipping label and shipped the box back on July 24th. UPS has Dishnetwork's facility receiving the box on July 27th (UPS Tracking number 1Z 72V 759 06 7075 089 8). Included in the box was a brief accounting of the problem, all the relevent account/RMA/etc... numbers and a request to expedite the $200 account credit.

On August 21st, having allowed Dishnetwork plenty of time to credit my account, but seeing that they hadn't yet, I called and spoke to yet another CSR. This CSR said that they would refer it to the Executive Office and that I should call back in a week to find out the status, since they won't contact me.

So I called again today(the 29th), which resulted in the before mentioned 45 minute call, speaking to a CSR and then a supervisor (you know, the regular routine), who concluded that nothing had been done in the last week, but today they managed after a long hold period to have the executive office refer the matter to the promotions department.

Will they have someone in either department call me to let me know when it's taken care of? No. Can I call anyone in the executive office or the promotions department to ask them directly about it? No.

What am I supposed to do next, if the credit still isn't applied? Of course I am told that the only thing I can do is to call back again in 7-10 days.

Can the CSR or the CSR supervisor do anything to help me get an actual resolution, within Dishnetwork's current process? It doesn't appear so.

At what point do you file a small claims court lawsuit, just so that their legal department will tell them to give me my credit?

I live close enough to Colorado to be able to drive there and back in about 12 hours, do I need to go in person to Dishnetwork's offices in order to get past their broken customer service process?

This isn't the first time I've gotten the "call back in 7-10 days" runaround on an issue, although granted it's now my personal new record for calling back about the same issue over and over again.

At some point a CSR supervisor needs to have a process with which they can take an issue that has taken over 4 months and get someone who has the authority to deal with it to actually deal with it immediately.

That process apparently doesn't currently exist and it's a major reason why Dishnetwork's customer service doesn't work properly. Think of the amount of employee time they are wasting by dragging people's issues out over multiple 7-10 day cycles?

Anyone have a better solution?

CAll back..tell the CSR you DEMAND to speak to the Executive Resolution Dept Immediately!..If the CSR balks tell them you want a supervisor..Tell the supervisor the same thing.....ABove all..MAke sure you record the phone call.....
If you do not get any satisfaction,,,seek legal advice.....I would file a small claims lawsuit anyway just to rattle their cage...
Note..... if a customner demands to speak to execive resolutions ,the request MUST be honored.......
they have YOUR money and they owe it to you..Time for them to pay up....
It is my understanding that in some states a plaintiff in a case such as this can be awarded treble(3X) damages.....Throw your weight around a s consumer..You have rights....plus here's another little thorn for them..Let the CSR know you will be documenting each and every communication and are happy to submit that infor to the BBB, your local or state dept of consumer affairs and you will be contacting the local media .......If that doesn't work...nothing will..Good luck
 
Robert NTSC Archivist said:
I leaned that Dish Network / AT&T have several call centers

Beckley West Virginia services the state of California plus most of Nevada

Charleston West Virginia services some where else I have no idea what part of the country

there are at least 4 CRS centers in Canada

North Bay has 2 call centers dont know which province that is.

Toronto, Ontario

and Saint Catherines province unknown but its probably in Ontario.

Well at least there in an English speaking country


AT&T and Dish give us three weeks of classroom education before we go out on the floor then we get to listen in on live calls for a week and after that we get on the phones and are under direct supervision for a week before we are on our own for the most part.

it used to be AT&T and Dish Network gave us one week of training and then put on the phones to sink or swim. We will as of tomorrow had 4 days exclusive training on AT&T and I will assume Dish Network comes next tweek.

There is an ONLINE system called BOSS that we are required to log into and make notes as we talk to the customer. We keep a record of the customers tone, attitude and what he calls about be it good or bad. We also keep a record of any 4 letter words or uxtreemley rude calls that we recieve from customer. We cant complete the service call wityh out making those entries

This call center also records all incoming calls so if one of the CSR say the wrong thing there is a record of it. It is also used to show Dish Network and mainly AT&T that the customer called in screaming at the CSR. It was also strongly noted that the person calling is NOT personaly attacking the CSR but is mainly mad at the company AT&T more than Dish Network.

Most of the CSR's are good at what they do....Some stink at it..They are uncooperative and sometimes combative...there have been several occasions when a CSR told me 'I can't do that"...Fine , then get me someone who can...".oh' no, I can't do that either"..
I just demand to speak to their coach and do not take no for an answer.....As far as I am concerned the CSR's work for me..I am in the custs home performing a service adding a new customer to the ranks...I expect total devotion to a simple request....
99 out of 100 calls i make go smoothly...It's the 1% that can make this occupation(tech) miserable......
It seems the call centers are experiencing high turnover...Low pay rates probabaly contribute..But it is my understanding that most call centers are located in economically depressed areas..So really, what's the alterantive..Work for a little money or sit home and vegitate?. Based on that, if one expects the paycheck they have to accept the responsibilty that goes along with the paycheck...
 
I thought most of CSRs are in India. No?

When I call in, a lot of them have American first names but
I can hear them have thick Indian accent.

No problem as long as they can help me and I tried to speak slowly as possible too.
 
Robert NTSC Archivist said:
One thing I learned is today during training is that while there may be 35 people answering the phones be it for AT&T / Dish Network there are only one or two supervisors avaialble at a time. The CSR is not very popular with the employer if he takes something to the Supervisor that should have been handeled at a lower level.

Another thing that I learned is that there are free services at least on the AT&T side of the house that as a contract CSR I cant tell you about. They wont even tell us contract CRS's about it but if you get threw to an actual AT&T employee they are free to talk about it. Makes me sick some CRS are authorized to do every thing but contractor CSR's are limited by what we can do based on the contract between AT&T / Dish Network and the CSR management. The local managmenet does not like this approach but cant do anything about it either.


Another stupid thing about the SBC/ AT&T merger is that if your like myself and were a long time AT&T long distance customer and call the WRONG AT&T customer service number you will get a CSR from the wrong AT&T. Apparently the old AT&T accounts are seperate from the new AT&T that was created so if your on hold with the "wrong" AT&T for 45 minutes and you get threw all they can do is transfer you to the "right" AT&T where you will have to wait again. We cant even look at the accounts for the old AT&T


They have not merged computer systems as ofd yet.

Bob

Thats normal for any newly merged company, it takes time to bring that info over, shoot it took chase 2 years to finaly bring all the bank one acconts into their system.

give it time edventualy the "mother ship" will create a new system for the "new att" and will start to bring both old att and sbc info into that one database, and this i know from trusted sources, just be pacient
 
Robert

Robert NTSC Archivist said:
I leaned that Dish Network / AT&T have several call centers

Beckley West Virginia services the state of California plus most of Nevada

Charleston West Virginia services some where else I have no idea what part of the country

there are at least 4 CRS centers in Canada

North Bay has 2 call centers dont know which province that is.

Toronto, Ontario

and Saint Catherines province unknown but its probably in Ontario.

Well at least there in an English speaking country


AT&T and Dish give us three weeks of classroom education before we go out on the floor then we get to listen in on live calls for a week and after that we get on the phones and are under direct supervision for a week before we are on our own for the most part.

it used to be AT&T and Dish Network gave us one week of training and then put on the phones to sink or swim. We will as of tomorrow had 4 days exclusive training on AT&T and I will assume Dish Network comes next tweek.

There is an ONLINE system called BOSS that we are required to log into and make notes as we talk to the customer. We keep a record of the customers tone, attitude and what he calls about be it good or bad. We also keep a record of any 4 letter words or uxtreemley rude calls that we recieve from customer. We cant complete the service call wityh out making those entries

This call center also records all incoming calls so if one of the CSR say the wrong thing there is a record of it. It is also used to show Dish Network and mainly AT&T that the customer called in screaming at the CSR. It was also strongly noted that the person calling is NOT personaly attacking the CSR but is mainly mad at the company AT&T more than Dish Network.


Your work for a 3rd party company called Telespectrum not Dish, (Trust me i have been a Call center Manager for Both) Dish call centers are not located in thoose areas Telespectrums are.

There is a Big differance :
 
Be carefull what you say in a public forum. I have heard horror stories of Dish employees (and other companies) whos people are on chat boards.

:)


Robert NTSC Archivist said:
Well today we started learning about Dish Network products but first a recap on Dish Network Call centers

Charleston West Virginia, Beckley West Virginia , Toronto, Ontario. North Bay (2 sites) and St. Catherines all of which I believe are now in Ontario Canada are for new customers only. . . .

Dish also has a contracted mega call center in New Jersey that is exclusivly for new customers only.

Charelston and Beckley West Virginia support California and Nevada exclusivley

If you like me are a current customer of Dish Network you are talking to Dish Network EXCLUSIVELY directly and not a contract center when you call for any readon. Just learned that from the Vice President of the call center who came in and said hello and was open to take any and all questions

Basically this was an old AT&T contracted call center and after SBC which was Southwestern Bell and Pacific Bell Bought out the old AT&T (IE the baby bells swallowed MA BELL) they got nervous as cable tv was starting to offer phone service with lotds of fun stuff that the baby Bells did not like including video.

So already owning 60% of Cingular wireless they cut a deal with Dish Network and they are now an "affiliate" company of AT&T . . . .

What this means is that when AT&T customers call in we can offer them Dish Network and Cingular wireless and offer it to them.....

Now the catch when you deal with AT&T you deal with the devil. When an AT&T customer calls in we log into his account and get his credit history displayed on the screen (the customers AT&T credit history not the overall credit picture) and if the AT&T customer has ***any*** blemishes currently on there record or a lot of late payments we cant offer them any services other than to change there existing AT&T accounts.

Today I sat in and listend to two hours of calls as part of training and 99% of it were stuff like "I mailed my check today as the bill is due today I want my account credited to reflect I maied the check today. . . ." which we cant do as its not recieved.

Next I will add some more interesting tid bits about the CSR industry that I leaned today that will make interesting reading but as its late I am going to go watch the end of the Los Angeles Dodgers game on FSN Prime Ticket via the MLB Extra Innings Package.


Bob
 
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