Need some help- Equipment Return Issue with DirecTV

[AriesGodofWar]

I understand DirecTV reads these forums, so I am hoping that someone might find this and assist me, as I am beating my head against the wall out of frustration. Here is the story. Previously had an HR24 and 3x H24s. I did the mover deal when I purchased a new house. I kept the HR24 and they swapped the 3 H24s for 2 C31s and a HR34. I asked the installer, "Hey, how do I return these boxes (the 3x H24s)?" He said that he would just take them with him, and I said "Sure" thinking all was well. This was December 1st I think.

Fast forward to the first week of February, Fed-Ex or UPS drops some return empty boxes off from DTV. Completely confused, I call DTV and ask them about the boxes that were just delivered. I tell the Rep about the installer taking them. The Rep then checks (or says he does) and says, oh yes, the shipment those were in is in the warehouse, they just have not been checked in yet.....No worries, we have them, you will not be charged the non return fees. Thinking all was well, I then log into my DTV internet account yesterday to find that I have been invoiced $318 bucks for the 3 of them. I then call again, speak to a nice woman for whom English was not a first language and was likely in Bangalore, who I explained the situation to. She put me on hold, and then came back and said, "Rest assured, these will be reversed. Give it 48 hours." The fact she said "Rest assured" to me means yet again, this will likely not be fixed.

My concern is the fact I have auto draft and do not want to fight and wait to get reimbursed. Pre-emptively, when this is still not corrected tomorrow what should I do? Anyone had this occur before?

 

[texasbrit]

Write to DirecTV ("snail mail") with complete details. You need to get something from them in writing to clear this up - a phone conversation with a CSR won't necessarily do the job.

 

[raoul5788]

Maybe better, write an email here: ellen.filipiak@directv.com That's the office of the president. They are very good about fixing issues like this.

 

[jim_isham]

I agree with Raoul. Contact Ellen. I had a similar problem. Sent her office an e-mail and about 48 hours later I had a reply telling me the problem would be taken care of and it was.

 

[iceturkee]

I agree with Raoul. Contact Ellen. I had a similar problem. Sent her office an e-mail and about 48 hours later I had a reply telling me the problem would be taken care of and it was.

his name is chip, not raoul.

 

[raoul5788]

his name is chip, not raoul.

 

[AriesGodofWar]

Thanks all, e-mail to Ms. Ellen Filipiak sent. Lets hope it works. So what happened, the installer took my boxes and then failed to check them in? Hopefully they did not "grow feet". Just frustrating. Was I not supposed to let them take them? DTV was never really clear in any instructions they provided during the Mover's Deal. Did I do something wrong in the process?

 

[Jimbo]

I agree with Raoul. Contact Ellen. I had a similar problem. Sent her office an e-mail and about 48 hours later I had a reply telling me the problem would be taken care of and it was.

Welcome to the Site Jim !

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks all, e-mail to Ms. Ellen Filipiak sent. Lets hope it works. So what happened, the installer took my boxes and then failed to check them in? Hopefully they did not "grow feet". Just frustrating. Was I not supposed to let them take them? DTV was never really clear in any instructions they provided during the Mover's Deal. Did I do something wrong in the process?

Not sure about the Movers Process, but I have never given boxes to the installer, usually they say they can't take them, I always wait to get the boxes from D*, sometimes I have to call again and have them sent, the transaction seems to get lost in the computer shuffle from time to time.
That said, once I send them back, it's always accounted for.

 

[Hutch1814]

Thanks all, e-mail to Ms. Ellen Filipiak sent. Lets hope it works. So what happened, the installer took my boxes and then failed to check them in? Hopefully they did not "grow feet". Just frustrating. Was I not supposed to let them take them? DTV was never really clear in any instructions they provided during the Mover's Deal. Did I do something wrong in the process?

Yes, if the tech deactivates a receiver he's suppose to return the receiver. We drop them off once a week at my location at our warehouse. The ONLY way you can be held responsible for them is if you signed off on the work order saying you was going to send them back yourself. Once the receiver is deactivated its now added to a techs inventory and removed once the access card is scanned in at the warehouse. Why or how it didn't get sent back is beyond me but they won't stay active very long if at all once its been deactivated so "growing feet" doesn't happen anymore

 

[Jimbo]

Yes, if the tech deactivates a receiver he's suppose to return the receiver. We drop them off once a week at my location at our warehouse. The ONLY way you can be held responsible for them is if you signed off on the work order saying you was going to send them back yourself. Once the receiver is deactivated its now added to a techs inventory and removed once the access card is scanned in at the warehouse. Why or how it didn't get sent back is beyond me but they won't stay active very long if at all once its been deactivated so "growing feet" doesn't happen anymore

Did this change in the last few years ?
I've always sent my recvrs back myself.

That said, they could have been recvrs that D* drop shipped to me, where no installer was required to come out.

 

[Hutch1814]

Did this change in the last few years ?
I've always sent my recvrs back myself.

That said, they could have been recvrs that D* drop shipped to me, where no installer was required to come out.

It's been this way for about 3 years now for HSP. Not sure about O&O and private subs. Once the box is deactivated our warehouse has 14 days to get it scanned, boxed, and shipped out or we fall out of compliance. (Only reason I know this is because of the last audit we had this was a huge ordeal about making sure we're getting all old receivers off the trucks)

 

[dishcomm]

I understand DirecTV reads these forums, so I am hoping that someone might find this and assist me, as I am beating my head against the wall out of frustration. Here is the story. Previously had an HR24 and 3x H24s. I did the mover deal when I purchased a new house. I kept the HR24 and they swapped the 3 H24s for 2 C31s and a HR34. I asked the installer, "Hey, how do I return these boxes (the 3x H24s)?" He said that he would just take them with him, and I said "Sure" thinking all was well. This was December 1st I think.

Fast forward to the first week of February, Fed-Ex or UPS drops some return empty boxes off from DTV. Completely confused, I call DTV and ask them about the boxes that were just delivered. I tell the Rep about the installer taking them. The Rep then checks (or says he does) and says, oh yes, the shipment those were in is in the warehouse, they just have not been checked in yet.....No worries, we have them, you will not be charged the non return fees. Thinking all was well, I then log into my DTV internet account yesterday to find that I have been invoiced $318 bucks for the 3 of them. I then call again, speak to a nice woman for whom English was not a first language and was likely in Bangalore, who I explained the situation to. She put me on hold, and then came back and said, "Rest assured, these will be reversed. Give it 48 hours." The fact she said "Rest assured" to me means yet again, this will likely not be fixed.

My concern is the fact I have auto draft and do not want to fight and wait to get reimbursed. Pre-emptively, when this is still not corrected tomorrow what should I do? Anyone had this occur before?

I would put an end to auto pay right away. In fact I'd call my back and put a hold on my account just to make sure Directv does not make their problem your problem.
When companies make errors of this type, most times the error end up being in their favor. By doing this, they make you chase them for your money. So if you hit them with a preemptive shot, they can't steal your money and go "oops, sorry. you'll see a credit for our mistake in three months."..Or some bullspit like that.
Yes, this looks cynical. I have every right to be cynical after the crap that I have read about and have happened to me.

 

[Jimbo]

I would put an end to auto pay right away. In fact I'd call my back and put a hold on my account just to make sure Directv does not make their problem your problem.
When companies make errors of this type, most times the error end up being in their favor. By doing this, they make you chase them for your money. So if you hit them with a preemptive shot, they can't steal your money and go "oops, sorry. you'll see a credit for our mistake in three months."..Or some bullspit like that.
Yes, this looks cynical. I have every right to be cynical after the crap that I have read about and have happened to me.

I agree with your post here entirely.

 

[dishcomm]

Thanks all, e-mail to Ms. Ellen Filipiak sent. Lets hope it works. So what happened, the installer took my boxes and then failed to check them in? Hopefully they did not "grow feet". Just frustrating. Was I not supposed to let them take them? DTV was never really clear in any instructions they provided during the Mover's Deal. Did I do something wrong in the process?

Here's some 20-20 hind sight....Always get a receipt...The tech should have written down the Receiver ID, Serial and Smart Card numbers of each of the receivers he removed from your home.
I used to work for a Dish fulfillment contractor. We HAD to do this and the customer signed off on the work and the pick up of equipment. We were required to take it back to our warehouse. The warehouse guy checked it in and then in order for the company to be paid for the work, we had to send the equipment back to Dish.
Hopefully, you will get this resolved.

 

[Aridon]

Hope you get this fixed. I've never given boxes to an installer although if they offered to take them I'd likely let them. We recently deactivated a crappy old box and they sent us the return box via mail. I made sure to take pictures of everything I stuck in there plus the USPS sticker on the front for tracking should it get lost or not checked in.

 

[Mr Tony]

I know I'm a little late here but when I did the movers connection (thats what they put it under to get the HR34/Genie for free a year ago) I was removing my 2 R22's and a H23 from the account. The installer said I had to call Directv to get a return kit and that he can't take the receivers unless they were broke

 

[Jimbo]

I know I'm a little late here but when I did the movers connection (thats what they put it under to get the HR34/Genie for free a year ago) I was removing my 2 R22's and a H23 from the account. The installer said I had to call Directv to get a return kit and that he can't take the receivers unless they were broke

You had to call ?

The Installers work order placing your new equipment should generate a ticket for a bos) to be sent out, it shouldn't be YOUR responsibility to call them..

Whenever I've returned units, they have always sent boxes, I have had to call before to remind them though, about 2-3 weeks later, didn't want to get a Non return fee when they were the ones that didn't send it.

 

[Mr Tony]

You had to call ?

The Installers work order placing your new equipment should generate a ticket for a bos) to be sent out, it shouldn't be YOUR responsibility to call them..

The workorder said I was ADDING a HR34 to the account, not replacing a receiver. Thats where the confusion lied
It was no biggie as one of the R22's I had stuff to watch first

 

[acostapimps]

his name is chip, not raoul.

Well I have to squint my eyes just to see the sig in the app, not so much on the website, I'll just change the font size

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