Extra Discounts by talking to a CSR retention specialist

[ScottChez]

Extra Discounts by talking to a CSR retention specialist

I have been a Dish Customer for 4 years. My 501 keeps locking up and I have an Old Dish 500 with SW21 switches. My equipment is outdated and I always like the newer stuff. I am under NO contracts. I have refered many other customers.

If I call and say I am leaving dish for Direct TV so I can buy the Direct Tivos for $39, the deal That is for new customers- and the free two more receviers and the free Direct TV Super Dish ect . . .

Will the CSR let me buy the New 510 PVR and also an 811 or 921 and give me a New Switch to hock 3 receivers up AT THE SAME PRICE as a NEW CUSTOMER would get, which is almost free.

Or do they still treat long time existing customers with no real discounts.

In other words, I can switch to direct TV and get all New equipement for pennys on the dollar with a contract OR if I threaten to leave will Dish bend and give me some majors discounts to stay also with a new contract.

Any one else have any luck like this talking to Retention specialists at Dish? If so what?

 

[MikeHDTulsa]

Yes Dish will put in new switches and wiring for free if you buy the 510 and 811 and most likely they will switch you over to dishpro equipment.

 

[Unthinkable]

This thread needs to be renamed to "Does anyone here mind if I blatantly lie to Dish in the attempts of taking advantage of a companies good will retention policy, because I want to be a new customer again even though I'm not."

Everyone wants the red carpet treatment these days.

 

[James Long]

This thread needs to be renamed to "Does anyone here mind if I blatantly lie to Dish in the attempts of taking advantage of a companies good will retention policy, because I want to be a new customer again even though I'm not."

Everyone wants the red carpet treatment these days.

Perhaps E* should give the same treatment to loyal customers as they do to new customers.

My cellphone company will give me new customer deals as long as the promise I made has been kept in full. IE: I get a free or deep discount phone for signing a one year contract and as soon as that year is up I can get another free or deep discount phone. I become a new customer every time I satisfy the contract I made in the beginning.

Perhaps E* is losing too much on "New Customer" deals ...

JL

 

[AndyMon]

Anecdotal evidence suggests that E* is nowhere near as aggressive as D* is when it comes to offering deals to retain existing subs. They sometimes say "See ya! But remember, it'll cost you $25 if you ever want to come back to E*."

 

[gpflepsen]

510s are $99, the 811 is $149. That's a hell of a discount from what some pay.

If you're worried about money, get a few $49 301s.

If you try the retention spoil me routine, be prepared for a "Thank you for being a Dish customer, It'll be $25 when you want to come back".

 

[Unthinkable]

This thread needs to be renamed to "Does anyone here mind if I blatantly lie to Dish in the attempts of taking advantage of a companies good will retention policy, because I want to be a new customer again even though I'm not."

Everyone wants the red carpet treatment these days.

Perhaps E* should give the same treatment to loyal customers as they do to new customers.

My cellphone company will give me new customer deals as long as the promise I made has been kept in full. IE: I get a free or deep discount phone for signing a one year contract and as soon as that year is up I can get another free or deep discount phone. I become a new customer every time I satisfy the contract I made in the beginning.

Perhaps E* is losing too much on "New Customer" deals ...

JL

I just cant imagine that Dish can really prosper and grow as a company to the same degree it would otherwise if existing subscribers all take the position of routinely demanding free or almost free hardware everytime new receivers come out. Your cell phone example is a good one as I heard just yesterday that T Mobile will allow existing customers to change plans to short term promotional ones providing they dont mind having their contracts start over again as day one and I think they try and work with folks who want the latest and greatest phones as well.

I have to figure though that Dish would stand to lose a lot more $$$ from folks pulling the "Give me this, this, and this or I'm outta here threat" over a cell phone company trading out new phones once a year. In a perfect world the companies make their money back through the programming and cell phone monthly plans in return for ones loyalty, but if folks switch providers once a year or threaten to jump ship or else everytime a bad experience happens, doesn't this end up costing everyone more in the long term? I think its one of those mentalities that will drive our bills up faster then they should go if everyone subscribes to the what have you done for me lately approach. It seems to me that customer loyalty towards business providers has become more and more disposable the older I get which kind of saddens me a bit.

 

[Stargazer]

Just as gpflepson stated above there are deals for existing subscribers for the 301 at $49, 510 at $99, even the 811 for $149 or $199. I have even seen posted where some got the 510 for free if you was a preferred customer but not sure if that promotion is still going on. All of these new promotions had just started recently this year whereas before there were not nearly as many available as there are now.

 

[dlsnyder]

I just cant imagine that Dish can really prosper and grow as a company to the same degree it would otherwise if existing subscribers all take the position of routinely demanding free or almost free hardware everytime new receivers come out. Your cell phone example is a good one as I heard just yesterday that T Mobile will allow existing customers to change plans to short term promotional ones providing they dont mind having their contracts start over again as day one and I think they try and work with folks who want the latest and greatest phones as well.

I have to figure though that Dish would stand to lose a lot more $$$ from folks pulling the "Give me this, this, and this or I'm outta here threat" over a cell phone company trading out new phones once a year. In a perfect world the companies make their money back through the programming and cell phone monthly plans in return for ones loyalty, but if folks switch providers once a year or threaten to jump ship or else everytime a bad experience happens, doesn't this end up costing everyone more in the long term? I think its one of those mentalities that will drive our bills up faster then they should go if everyone subscribes to the what have you done for me lately approach. It seems to me that customer loyalty towards business providers has become more and more disposable the older I get which kind of saddens me a bit.

Cellphone companies have at least two alterior motives to giving away (or steeply discounting) new phones for renewing customers. Of course one is that retaining a customer is cheaper than getting a new one to replace him. A happy customer is a loyal customer. The other is that the new phones will have new gizmos that, if used, will result in increased revenue per subscriber. A good example of this is the current picture phone fad. While it would be nice to have a new receiver every year there isn't a compelling business reason for Dish to upgrade their customers. My 2700 that I purchased 3 years ago can still receive all of the channels that Dish currently offers except HDTV. True, it doesn't offer OpenTV support so I can't subscribe to the games. I doubt that is a major revenue source for them. The two devices that could potentially get their subscribers to increase their spending are the DVRs and HDTV receivers. Obviously if you are in the market for an 811 you probably also want to subscribe to HDTV. With DVRs though I suspect that they have found that those subscribers that have them tend to spend more on programming. If it will bring in an extra 10-15 dollars a month long term from existing subs (not including the VOD fee) it is well worth it for them to discount the 811 and 510.

 

[James Long]

One benefit I can see to the cellphone companies for changing out equipment is that it is so easy - the customer brings old equipment in, if needed, and walks out with the new equipment. No $100 install trips.

Plus the FCC has set requirements for upgrading phones to meet E911 and other standards. E* doesn't have to replace their equipment unless they want to. Keeping people on older equipment costs them less than new stuff. The only reason to give out new receivers is if they can sell new services on it. There is no FCC push to replace old receivers.

I'd love to get new receivers every year ... but I know I won't get that with E* because E* doesn't have to do that to stay in business. Cellphone companies do.

JL

 

[Stargazer]

Perhaps there will be once everything goes digital in 2007 but I have heard that since the signal is digital that it may not be required, although the output ends up being analog from the receiver since it converts it from a digital signal to an analog picture.

 

[James Long]

If I was designing the 301 receiver, I would have built in a CATV/OTA tuner - and probably would have had it pulled out to save $5 in parts. Then again, if one could get locals tuned on an E* receiver it would cut into locals via satellite sales. But that's another story.

The proposed 111 receiver is interesting, with no AV outputs. I suspect that by 2005 all E* receivers will have HDTV outputs. It is just a matter of time.

JL

 

[Stargazer]

The 111 receivers is made that way to save money as it is an economical receiver.

 

[ScottChez]

So if I order and 921 and a 510 for $99 to go with my existing 501 (replacing just my 4700)

I shoudl expect a Free upgrade to DishPo and the Dispro DP34 or will they try to charge me for the dishpro upgrades?