Document your agreement

[Rhinoman]

(The following tirade is not debating whether I got a good deal but how to make sure you get the deal you are promised)

When I moved, I called Directv and asked them for their best deal to retain me as a customer. They offered me a free HD-DVR, free HD for two years, free Starz and Showtime for 6 months, $10 off my package for a year and they let me keep my old select choice package.

Well, my first bill came, and lo and behold, they were charging me for the HD DVR, the HD access and they charged me for an extra remote that they sent me (for free, they originally said) because my first remote was not working well.

Long story short- I've had to make five phone calls and three emails to finally get everything that was promised to me. I strongly urge anyone who is signing up for new service or moving, to do these things: 1) Write down the customer service person's name, 2) The date and time of the call, 3) The exact deal that they are being given, and 4) Tell the customer service person to put all of the details in their phone notes. Heck, if there is a way for you to legally record the conversation- I'd suggest that too!

Save yourself some grief- document, document, document. It sounds like a no brainer, but lots of people forget to do it.

 

[charper1]

I have never had these issues from DirecTV or most places, BUT that being said this is ALWAYS a best practice regardless of whom you are dealing with. In fact I always ask if I can get everything in writing before agreeing to anything. Great reminder

 

[Claude Greiner]

You could probably legally record the conversation if Directv or whoeever you calls makes you aware that they are recording the conversation.

"Your call may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance purposes"

At this point they are putting you on notice that your being recorded, they know they are being recorded, so whats the difference if you make a copy for yourself.

As far as the credits your getting now, I can almost guarantee your NOT getting them because they where promised to you. If your getting credits at all, its because your calling to complain and they would rather make you happy than loose you as a customer.

I have had many customers who I have proved wrong, but have issued credits to anyways just to make them happy.

Im not saying you don't deserve these credits, but alot of credits are issued to customers simply to keep them happy.

 

[stonecold]

You could probably legally record the conversation if Directv or whoeever you calls makes you aware that they are recording the conversation.

"Your call may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance purposes"

At this point they are putting you on notice that your being recorded, they know they are being recorded, so whats the difference if you make a copy for yourself.

As far as the credits your getting now, I can almost guarantee your NOT getting them because they where promised to you. If your getting credits at all, its because your calling to complain and they would rather make you happy than loose you as a customer.

I have had many customers who I have proved wrong, but have issued credits to anyways just to make them happy.

Im not saying you don't deserve these credits, but alot of credits are issued to customers simply to keep them happy.

In most states they still have to say they also will be recording the call.

 

[Jimbo]

I think EVERYTIME I have called in, somewhere the conversation is :


"Your call may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance purposes"

So, ALL of your calls are being recorded.

That said, chances of calling back and getting ahold of the same CSR is nearly impossible.

I would think that having the CSR's name and ID would help, but i think thats so they can look back at your account and see whats being mentioned.
Ithink the TIME and date you call could be important as IF you knew that they would have a referance point if they were to look up your call to the call center.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I think EVERYTIME I have called in, somewhere the conversation is :


"Your call may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance purposes"

So, ALL of your calls are being recorded.

That said, chances of calling back and getting ahold of the same CSR is nearly impossible.

I would think that having the CSR's name and ID would help, but i think thats so they can look back at your account and see whats being mentioned.
Ithink the TIME and date you call could be important as IF you knew that they would have a referance point if they were to look up your call to the call center.

They usually can look up your call by your caller ID number. Once they put your phone number into the system it will usually bring up all the calls associated with your phone number.

Some of the more advance systems will reference your call with your account number, reguardless what number you called from.

There is alot of tools available to look up a recorded call.

 

[stonecold]

yeah but always get employee id number all notes that get entered into our system show our id numbers. If i get a call because someone wants to file a complaint against a agent. I need the id number as then it a mater of is the person in my office or another office. If another office i can tell by the id number and foward it on to the right people.

 

[tigerfan33]

Yea. I nearly got burned yesterday. My first bill was due yesterday and I set up my electronic withdrawal the day of my install (3 weeks ago) even though it says it will take 6 weeks to go through, I called Direct last week to see if I need to mail in my first bill or will it be taken out electronically. I was told no need to mail it in that it was all set. Since yesterday was Sunday I checked my card and it still was not taken out so I called Direct. I was told that it will not be taken out until September!!! Got online and paid. I will have all my calls add notes to my account from now on.

 

[cfb]

Good advice. About 75% of the time with directv and 100% of the time with comcast, I dont get the deal I was offered and have to call in at least once or twice to get it resolved.

The last time with directv, a little over 2 years ago, I wrote down everything she said and read it back to her twice, got her name and employee number. When I got my first bill, it was short one of the $10/mo credits. When I called they looked it up and said they saw what I had written down in the notes, but the system didnt let it happen. "I think I see what she was trying to do there, but the system wont allow it". Eventually they just gave me a one time credit in the same amount.

 

[jaj1701]

Yea. I nearly got burned yesterday. My first bill was due yesterday and I set up my electronic withdrawal the day of my install (3 weeks ago) even though it says it will take 6 weeks to go through, I called Direct last week to see if I need to mail in my first bill or will it be taken out electronically. I was told no need to mail it in that it was all set. Since yesterday was Sunday I checked my card and it still was not taken out so I called Direct. I was told that it will not be taken out until September!!! Got online and paid. I will have all my calls add notes to my account from now on.

lol... My first bill with autobill pay went like this.

Install started July 1st, finished and receivers activated July 2nd. Credit Card charged July 2nd.

They certainly wasted no time with me!

 

[cfb]

Could be worse. I had signed up for auto bill pay. When the next months bill came due, I think it was the 30th, they billed my card the next day and then charged me a $5 late fee. Because...they charged my card late. I spent 15 minutes on the phone going over this with "Bob" from India. He never did understand that they really cant charge me a late fee because they charged my card late. He eventually gave me a $5 bill credit to "make me happy".

Gee, thanks "Bob".

 

[ranmic]

I have a silly question. Other than using a handheld digital recorder and holding it up to the ear piece (I can only imagine the quality would suck).........how would the average person record a conversation?

 

[tigerfan33]

Some answering machines will record with a push of a button.

 

[tigerfan33]

Some answering machines will record with a push of a button.

And even cell phones.
http://www.diamondvoice.com/CellPhoneCallRecordingLP.php?gclid=CIrY9ZPFiqMCFQlhswodaD42dA

 

[stonecold]

Only NY and Texas are allowed to have recordings with out notifying the other person . in ny and tx at least one person has to know your recording even if it your self

So I guess only make calls from tx or ny if you want to record us with out permission.

 

[cfb]

So...basically you're afraid that customers will record their discussions with directv, and are only okay with it as required by law?

What happened to that super tight customer service auditing that you thought would reduce mistakes and misunderstandings to a minimum?

As far as I'm concerned, any vendor that isnt 100% a-okay with anyone recording anything needs to reconsider their morals. If a CSR says something wrong or screws up a customer, wouldnt you WANT a customer to record that and get what they were promised? Wouldnt you want to address that with the CSR rather than have them say "Doh! I never said that! They're lying!!'

Those stupid customers strike again!!! :

 

[stonecold]

So...basically you're afraid that customers will record their discussions with directv, and are only okay with it as required by law?

What happened to that super tight customer service auditing that you thought would reduce mistakes and misunderstandings to a minimum?

As far as I'm concerned, any vendor that isnt 100% a-okay with anyone recording anything needs to reconsider their morals. If a CSR says something wrong or screws up a customer, wouldnt you WANT a customer to record that and get what they were promised? Wouldnt you want to address that with the CSR rather than have them say "Doh! I never said that! They're lying!!'

Those stupid customers strike again!!! :

No as I have had customer record me. But again I knew about it.

We have no problem being recorded as long as you do proper disclosure before hand.

I am just saying if you dont do proper disclosure make sure you in ny or texas or your records are not admissable.


P.S. Get a life we fire people all the time for not giving disclosures or saying something wrong. So I do find it laughable that you think we take things lightly.

 

[Greg Mueller]

There is a little suction cup mic available that you can plug into anything with a 1/8" jack.
Moisten the suction cup and stick it on the hand set on the back side of the ear piece. Plug it into a little cassette recorder or any other type of recording device


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Suction-Pickup-Phone-Mic-Microphone/dp/B002P9RSYU"]Amazon.com: Suction Pickup Phone Mic - Telephone Spy Recording Microphone: Everything Else@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31l4bauekiL.@@AMEPARAM@@31l4bauekiL[/ame]

 

[cfb]

I am just saying if you dont do proper disclosure make sure you in ny or texas or your records are not admissable.

So someone would have to take you to court to get what the CSR promised them, that they've got recorded on tape? I'd think that just playing the tape for a supervisor would do.

I would think that the most important thing would be getting the customer what was promised to them, not whether the recording met the requirements to be used as evidence in a court of law.

 

[stonecold]

So someone would have to take you to court to get what the CSR promised them, that they've got recorded on tape? I'd think that just playing the tape for a supervisor would do.

I would think that the most important thing would be getting the customer what was promised to them, not whether the recording met the requirements to be used as evidence in a court of law.

it allso about what legal.

if I recorded a call with sprint ( who drive me nuts from time to time )

and I did not tell them i am recording this I could be arrest in FL.

Not saying dtv would call the cops.


The reason why I mention making it legal for court is you can get somone who promises you 5 hr24/ I have no way of giving that to you. DTV policy is to apologize and do what you can. But a recording you play to me I have to pull from an archive and fine as I have no idea if that call is real. Customer have played recordings for me zi had to tell them i need to verify the tape against our own recordings . I do pull the time and date and if the match we will do everything in my power to make it right but even supervisors and there bosses operation mangers can only do so much . so if you not happy with what I can do then you would probably go with oop ( office of the pres) and they would mostly likely the the same if not a little better. But if you not happy means you going to and trash us but newspapers , tv on your side people , bbb , will not be able to play or use that tape to help you if it is not properly reocred that both sides they notifed of the recording unless you live in ny or tx.


I am trying to help you out dont know why your being so stubborn about notifing the other person.