Install Questions?

[iafirebuff]

I am setup for a VIP622 and Dish 1000 upgrade Saturday, and the forecast calls for rain. Just wondering, do they still install in the rain? And, do you think it would be possible for me to ask the installer to leave the dish and receiver, so that I can do the upgrade? I had a local installer tell me last week, that people don't like the company that will be doing my install, and that most people tell the installer to leave the equipment and that they then call him to install it. He said I will know more than they do. This guy was kinda odd, he has a booth at a local fair every year, and he just started bashing this company out of the blue. But anyway, I would sure like to do my own install. Do you think if I ask them to leave it I have a chance of doing it myself? Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Jared Twomey]

as an installer... i would work in the rain somewhat... it just depends on how much rain there is... i dont know if they will let you do the install yourself... kinda doubt it. Because any job that they're name is on, they are responsible for... if a month from now the thing stops working because it isnt lined up right, installed right, ect... then they have to come back out for free and fix it... even if it isnt something that they did

and as far as the guy you were talking to... i never do business with people like that, to me it is very low to sit there and bash your compitition. I think your skill and professionalism should be how you build your business and get work, not how much you rip on other companies. Its not very professional to me

 

[iafirebuff]

Thanks for the input!

I totally agree about professionalism or lack thereof! Here is what I couldn't believe:

I stopped at his booth, showed my wife the 622 we have coming. He started to tell me about it. I told him we have an upgrade coming, and he said we will love the 622. He then said, "I feel sorry for you. XXXXX Comapnay (name left out) will be doing your install? ", I said yes. He says "those kids don't have a clue what they are doing, and will have it all screwed up. People hate XXXXX Company, and everyone always tells them to leave the equipment, then they call me and have me install it". He then hands me his card. He is from a town about 50 miles away, and is not the install company for this area. I then tell him I have installed lots of dishes, etc, so I am going to have it all ready and they will just have to do very little. He then continued to bash them. And he wanted to sell me a Pocket Dish, which I am going to get, but not from him. We walked away, and commented about how unprofessional that is. I never would bad talk a competitor.

 

[webbydude]

There's always going to some degree and measure of complaining from competitors. More than likely the person you spoke to at the booth is a direct competitor for the company/group doing your installation. As Birddoggy already stated, I let my work speak for itself and not try to bash any competitors. I liken it to parking an average car next to a junk car...just to make your car look better.

As to installing in the rain, most installers will do the best they can, given the hand they're dealt with. If it is raining, try to accomodate the installer by either laying out some floor mats for him to walk on, or at least give him an area he can quickly get his boots on or off.

 

[iafirebuff]

I am going to have everything wired up, and the old Dish 500 removed, so all he will need to do outside is pop on the Dish 1000 and connect the coax to the combiner, then inside the old 510 DVR will already me removed, and he will just need to connect the coax, and video cables, which are all labeled and plug it in, authorize etc. So I would hope it doesn't take too long Oh, and he will need to run a coax from the 2nd port on the Dish 1000 to the ground block where it enters my house, and I will bury it later.

 

[Jim5506]

Make sure that mounting post is absolutely vertical or you'll have trouble peaking all three sats.

 

[iafirebuff]

I am using the existing mount from the Dish 500. got eveerything all ready

 

[Fredinva]

I WILL occasionally bad-talk a competitor!!!
Once, a customer called and complained they lost signal. This is at a multi unit assisted living complex.
I get there, and believe it or not, a new dish was installed directly in front of MINE.


Now, the manager/customers ONLY call us for new installs.
fred

 

[iafirebuff]

That installer must not like you

I WILL occasionally bad-talk a competitor!!!
Once, a customer called and complained they lost signal. This is at a multi unit assisted living complex.
I get there, and believe it or not, a new dish was installed directly in front of MINE.


Now, the manager/customers ONLY call us for new installs.
fred

 

[Jared Twomey]

I WILL occasionally bad-talk a competitor!!!
Once, a customer called and complained they lost signal. This is at a multi unit assisted living complex.
I get there, and believe it or not, a new dish was installed directly in front of MINE.


Now, the manager/customers ONLY call us for new installs.
fred

again, i wouldnt really consider that badtalking your compitition... if you just showed the manager of the complex the problem that was created by the other guy, that should have showed the manager how much of an ass the other installer was.
that in itself is probably why they would only call your company now.
it's not like you were badtalking them by making stuff up or slandering them... just showing your customer how they really are.

 

[chadzx11]

again, i wouldnt really consider that badtalking your compitition... if you just showed the manager of the complex the problem that was created by the other guy, that should have showed the manager how much of an ass the other installer was.
that in itself is probably why they would only call your company now.
it's not like you were badtalking them by making stuff up or slandering them... just showing your customer how they really are.

I had a job at an apartment once where the management decided they would allow no more poles. The customer wanted me to take someone else's dish down and put hers up. I walked. However, that did explain the 4x4 post I saw while pulling in that had 6 or 7 dishes installed on it.

 

[Jared Twomey]

I had a job at an apartment once where the management decided they would allow no more poles. The customer wanted me to take someone else's dish down and put hers up. I walked. However, that did explain the 4x4 post I saw while pulling in that had 6 or 7 dishes installed on it.

i usually get around the landlord by talking some sense into them... First I show them that there is not much they can do about stopping a renter from putting up a satellite.... but there is an alternative...
let me put up one or two dishes, and run DP34 or DP44's cascaded to hook up the entire building... I usually provide the dishes and equipment for free in return for them recommended our company to new renters considering satellite

 

[chadzx11]

i usually get around the landlord by talking some sense into them... First I show them that there is not much they can do about stopping a renter from putting up a satellite....

That's not true, the landlord does NOT have to allow them to put up a satellite in a common area.

 

[Jared Twomey]

That's not true, the landlord does NOT have to allow them to put up a satellite in a common area.

true... but, at least in this area, there is almost always a balcony or private use area that can be used... and in my opinion... some rigged up balcony mount on every balcony looks worse than one dish on the back of the building

 

[Stargazer]

I have been badmouthed by one of my biggest competetors about my installs. Its kinda funny how I hear complains about him and I do an install right next to his apartment and look at his dish that he put up and wires are hanging EVERYWHERE whereas mine is all nice neat and tucked away. This was a dishmover I did for the customer where they moved to a different part of town. They said he was a drunk (heard this from many people), was told that he charged for things that were their fault (bad connectors, etc within only months of original installation) and he wanted $150 to connect a wire into his DP-34 switch that is hooked up to his SuperDish. I put up a new SuperDish for $24.95 as part of the DishMover promotion.

One is to ALWAYS expect competition and always someone to badmouth them no matter how good of a job that is done. Everybody does make mistakes from time to time and people are always known for the bad things that they do a lot more than the good things that they do. News that you hear most of the time is bad news instead of good news.

I would pitty anybody that had to put in a Dish1000 during rain as 129 seems to be suspectible to rain expecially if you cannot get it peaked out well when it is not raining. I have put systems in if it started raining after I showed up, even in the pouring rain and got 90's but that was with a Dish500. Dish1000 is a different story particularly with 129. I do not try to put it in during a downpour any longer since my pay has dropped and it is harder to tune in 129 during a storm, if at all.

 

[ZandarKoad]

Heck, I don't even badmouth TIME WARNER, and I'm an E* tech. I just tell it like it is. It's easy as a subcontractor. Timewarner owns all in the area of internet (unless you are going for economy and don't care about high up/down rates - then DSL is the way to go). Dishnetwork and DirectTV are pretty much the same, but have different promotions, prices, packages, etc. I have been told that Dish is a bit cheaper with their dual tuner/phone line setups compaired to Direct. So I do mention that.

As far as compairing E* techs to E* techs... There are some horrible guys I've personally known, but they are never in the business for too long. My office is pretty good at dropping them quick. And that doesn't mean that they suck in life. Just at installing satellite dishes, which is a rather small (and can be insignificant) part of life. Better luck elsewhere I say!

And if I do have a service call where something was done horribly wrong, I always focus on explaining the problem to the customer, rather than the person that was the cause of the problem. I don't know what his/her situation was at the time of the install.

 

[sksatellite]

again, i wouldnt really consider that badtalking your compitition... if you just showed the manager of the complex the problem that was created by the other guy, that should have showed the manager how much of an ass the other installer was.
that in itself is probably why they would only call your company now.
it's not like you were badtalking them by making stuff up or slandering them... just showing your customer how they really are.

I would talk to customer about the bad installation he/she has before with my competitors when they called me for service, showed them why and what the bad part they got from last installs, this, make me a new account and reference from this customer. Because my competitor really done bad work.