New Coax Run...Why Do I Have to Bury it Myself?

[dishcomm]

Newsflash #3 - It's not a job if you do the work and don't get paid for it. If it was, slavery would have been considered a job.

Customer service is part of the job, but a company can "customer service" itself right out of business by providing free things to customers.

As far as burying the cable goes, you can take a shovel and slit trench it to bury it down a few inches. I did a 110 foot run like this and it took all of 20 minutes. I was able to push the cable into the slit and then walked on top of the slit line. The grass didn't even die.

Newsflash..Read the OP's post. He stated very clearly that is was over 200 feet over hills rocks and tree roots. so based on your 20 minute 110 foot burial ,you'd have this done over hills rocks and tree roots in 40 minutes. Have at it.
I like how some people on here are so very charitable with....other people' stime and efforts.

 

[dishcomm]

I have no interest in an installer (contractor) spending time at my house and not getting paid. Of course the contractor should get paid for his work. It's a question of who pays him! Me or the company. And I think the company should pay, since we're talking about getting their network to the place where I pay my bill from: the house!

Here's the rub. Dish DOES NOT pay us for these extra serivces. The money has to come from somewhere. That somewhere is the customer.

 

[dishcomm]

I appreciate your answer. Again, I'm not whining or complaining that a sub-contractor for Dish should spend unpaid time at my house burying cable. I think the company should pay the installer to do this work, plain and simple. Or they should simply never install a Dish further from the home than the distance they're willing to bury the coax for no additional charge.

Presuming I do the work myself, any thoughts on navigating around the existing, good buried coax? I did get the installer to leave me a decent length, so I suppose I could "swing wide" of where I recall the original run as having been buried. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Ok now you're talking my language. In the beggining of this thread it seemed as though you wanted to get a free burial and that 's that.
Ok..Here's what I normally do on these..If a customer does not wish to pay for the extra burial, I will discuss situations such as yours that may arise. I would have even tested the cable for you then showed you the best path to take.

 

[msa6]

Last post...then I'm moving on! Enjoyed the back and forth.

Last time: I think Dish should pay to bury my cable. Why? Because I doubt they have a whole lot of customers who have been with them for 10+ years (since the days when they had only Echo I in orbit). I wouldn't argue that they should pay to bury anyone's 200' run, but the number one business risk Dish faces today is churn. That's the reality, and churn is a much bigger issue today than it used to be, because cable is better, and AT&T and Verizon are out seeking video subs as well.

I'm a golden customer for the company: I've probably called them half a dozen times (maybe less) in my 10+ years, always pay the bill on time. Okay, I don't have any premiums, but we've had DVRs from day one, two sets, etc. And we haven't disconnected...even as we've moved several times. I may be the best customer they'll every have! And when I call them up to tell them I've lost service on one receiver, in my opinion (and I do know a bit about business), they should fall all over themselves to make sure I'm satisfied, within reason. Because if they keep me happy, I'm going to keep paying the bill on time, and most likely won't go anywhere for another 10 years.

Dish currently pays north of $600 to add a new customer. That customer is totally unproven, and certainly is not expected to remain a customer for ten years (customers churning at 2% per month last an average of 50 months; newer customers are most likely disconnecting at a higher rate). Why shouldn't Dish pay one of you installers $1.50 per foot to bury my 200' of coax? That would cost them less than half what adding an unproven new sub costs to add. And I pay my bill on time, and have proven that if I'm happy, I'll remain a customer forever (or a very long time).

I know, this is the old complaint from existing customers: why do the new connects get all the subsidies, while existing customers have to scratch to get anything from the company. But come on...I think my record with Dish says that I'm not the average existing subscriber. Where's the company's $300 to pay one of you guys to bury my coax? It would be money well spent...another 10 years!

By the way...the coax is fully underground. Only problem: the puppy saw me bury it, and dug it up a couple of times behind where I was working. Hopefully my loud "NO!'s" will do the trick.

 

[msa6]

Ok now you're talking my language. In the beggining of this thread it seemed as though you wanted to get a free burial and that 's that.
Ok..Here's what I normally do on these..If a customer does not wish to pay for the extra burial, I will discuss situations such as yours that may arise. I would have even tested the cable for you then showed you the best path to take.

No way did I intend to suggest that I wanted a "free" burial...as in a burial done for no pay by the installer. I work for a living, and I know you installers do as well. My point has always been (though not so clearly stated at the beginning) that the company should pay the installer (or someone else) to bury the cable, and that I shouldn't have to pay for it. Believe me, if I learned that an installer wasn't being paid by the company for a "free" burial I'd pay him myself, no question about it. I don't want something for nothing...I just want Dish to pay for it, given my longevity as a customer, etc.

 

[iwc5893]

My point has always been (though not so clearly stated at the beginning) that the company should pay the installer (or someone else) to bury the cable, and that I shouldn't have to pay for it. Believe me, if I learned that an installer wasn't being paid by the company for a "free" burial I'd pay him myself, no question about it. I don't want something for nothing...I just want Dish to pay for it, given my longevity as a customer, etc.

And if Dish pays for it, they will pass the cost on to EVERY customer they have in the form of increased bills. While it may not be much per account, consider how many customers they have and how much it would cost Dish to pay for all of that non-standard work. On a side note, why should any other customer pay for your install just because you've been a customer from the beginning?

 

[vegassatellite]

To the OP:

Do you honestly think that even if DISH eats this service visit that you won't ever see it on your bill in the form of higher monthly costs for your programming?

Doing things like sending technicians out to bury people's excessive cable runs are costs that get put under the "Overhead" or "Operational Expenses" category. In order to remain profitable after incurring those overheads, they have to charge enough to stay above that figure. In other words, rate hike! So, you can have DISH eat it and you can eat it on your bill for however long you are a customer, or you can do it and not have all the other customers subsidize your demands or you subsidizing other customers' demands.

My question to you is, how many customers' free burial installs have you subsidized in your 8-10 years of being a customer?

For an investor I would think you would have a grasp of this concept.

 

[Van]

By the way...the coax is fully underground. Only problem: the puppy saw me bury it, and dug it up a couple of times behind where I was working. Hopefully my loud "NO!'s" will do the trick.

Chilli pepper sprinkled on the ground where its been buried will do the trick

To the OP:

Do you honestly think that even if DISH eats this service visit that you won't ever see it on your bill in the form of higher monthly costs for your programming?

DVR fee, external hard drive enabling fee, phone line not connected fee, hd enabling fee, need I go on?

I can see the OPs point and its a valid one, towards the end of my time working for Chucky I came across two customers that had been with dish since inception. Some companies usually smaller ones will take care of customers that have been long term pay on time spend more than the minimum patrons but dish isnt one of them generaly. Sure dish will toss dish'n it ups but there are times when they do need to go further to take care of a good customer.

 

[vegassatellite]

Sure dish will toss dish'n it ups but there are times when they do need to go further to take care of a good customer.

I wasn't commenting on whether they should or should not. If they do, it goes against their bottom line and the customer will end up paying for it one way or another. The thing is, price increases are rarely limited-time offers. He'll pay for that free service visit for as long as he is a customer and he'll pay for all the other customers who demanded long burial installs for free.

No such thing as free, only subsidies paid for by fees collected from consumers.

The OP did mention the $600 acquisition costs of new customers. He subsidizes that too.

 

[msa6]

To the OP:

Do you honestly think that even if DISH eats this service visit that you won't ever see it on your bill in the form of higher monthly costs for your programming?

Doing things like sending technicians out to bury people's excessive cable runs are costs that get put under the "Overhead" or "Operational Expenses" category. In order to remain profitable after incurring those overheads, they have to charge enough to stay above that figure. In other words, rate hike! So, you can have DISH eat it and you can eat it on your bill for however long you are a customer, or you can do it and not have all the other customers subsidize your demands or you subsidizing other customers' demands.

My question to you is, how many customers' free burial installs have you subsidized in your 8-10 years of being a customer?

For an investor I would think you would have a grasp of this concept.

You're overlooking the fact that by spending $300 to keep me happy, Dish would insure that I'm a happy customer, and one who will likely remain with them for many more years. In fact, they could have asked for another 12 or 24 month commitment from me in return for doing the burial. The knowledge that I'm a 10 year customer would have made this an easy decision: keep this guy happy (or at least be sure not to upset him) and he'll stay with us for years. By setting up a situation where I'm at risk of being unhappy (and they have to know that leaving a customer with 200' of coax to bury runs that risk), they face the prospect of losing me...and then having to spend $600+ to replace me with what will most likely be an inferior (not as long lasting) customer.

As an investor, and business person, I can tell you that I'm happy to see the company spend $300 all day long to keep its best customers happy (especially if the company can get a commitment equal to that for which they spend a lot more for unknown new customers). That's not money that will have to be collected from other customers in the form of higher fees; that's money well spent!

 

[585960]

You're overlooking the fact that by spending $300 to keep me happy, Dish would insure that I'm a happy customer, and one who will likely remain with them for many more years. In fact, they could have asked for another 12 or 24 month commitment from me in return for doing the burial. The knowledge that I'm a 10 year customer would have made this an easy decision: keep this guy happy (or at least be sure not to upset him) and he'll stay with us for years. By setting up a situation where I'm at risk of being unhappy (and they have to know that leaving a customer with 200' of coax to bury runs that risk), they face the prospect of losing me...and then having to spend $600+ to replace me with what will most likely be an inferior (not as long lasting) customer.

As an investor, and business person, I can tell you that I'm happy to see the company spend $300 all day long to keep its best customers happy (especially if the company can get a commitment equal to that for which they spend a lot more for unknown new customers). That's not money that will have to be collected from other customers in the form of higher fees; that's money well spent!

wow, what a jerk. I have bought GM cars my whole life, about 6. Thats over $100K, the last 14 years. Hmmm, if my tires blow out, GM should just buy them for me, right, or whatever? Please do what you say, last post and move on. I feel NO pain for clowns like this. Dish OWES you for being a customer? ha ha ha ha ha . They will pay you back by trenching the first 50'. I would have told you that on the onset of the job. And if you would have declined, I would have politely said, "ok, thank you, have a nice day, and let you watch whatever you already were watching!" But your attitude, just because you're a customer, stinks. To all who roll up on that job, THEY don't owe you because you're a loyal customer. Please, be that loyal customer, and either bury the rest yourself, have someone else bury the cable, or jump ship.

 

[tempVAdish]

I'll speak my peace & leave it at that:

When I installed years ago, C-Band & Direct, I carried a little $500 trencher on the truck. It only went 4" deep & had a 5HP motor. We would charge $0.50 /ft to run it and cover it over w/ a rake. Most people didn't mind the extra charge if you told them up front. It was worth it to them to have the job finished & look decent. I worked D installs when they first came out, so I know the terror of having too many to do in one day (it was so early in the D days that I even had to get the RCA Certified Installer card & had to give the ID each time I activated a system). There were many times that I had to have the office call people on the list and say I'm just not getting there today. They were upset, but when I got to them, they were happy to have a quality install & soon forgot they were mad. I guess they felt like it was worth waiting to get it done right instead of half a$$. If people nowadays are looking to get Dish or Direct and research around the net & see the way some of you installers talk, no wonder they want to try DIY's. Installer's are the first 'personal' contact to Dish, or Direct, & having a rushed, incomplete, or crappy install gives them determination to keep trying to find other things that are wrong and make themselves unhappy with something they're paying good money for. Thankfully, my local Dish dealer knew me, who I used to work for, & the quality of my work well enough to let me do my own virgin install myself (hell, he even asked if I would consider part time work w/ him). The only time I wasn't able to do a DIY was when I upgraded to the Superdish when my locals first came on line. Even then, the installers did a bang up job, in the cold rain, even after I told them not to worry that day, to wait for better weather. They had to call & postpone a couple of later jobs because I needed the pole to support it (I had a 4x4 post holding the D500). They weren't worried about how many to get done, just about getting me on & happy.

/end rant

Rob

 

[LJALLEN97]

Time to bury this 'Thread." Please

 

[gpat]

Ever thought of covering the cable up with some dirt instead of burying it?
A truckload of dirt should be alot cheaper and you can taper the mound off to look natural.

 

[tempVAdish]

Time to bury this 'Thread." Please

I like that, very punny

 

[OoTLink]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to cut the offending tree down than to bury a 250' long cable? XD

 

[wmi]

You're overlooking the fact that by spending $300 to keep me happy, Dish would insure that I'm a happy customer, and one who will likely remain with them for many more years. In fact, they could have asked for another 12 or 24 month commitment from me in return for doing the burial. The knowledge that I'm a 10 year customer would have made this an easy decision: keep this guy happy (or at least be sure not to upset him) and he'll stay with us for years. By setting up a situation where I'm at risk of being unhappy (and they have to know that leaving a customer with 200' of coax to bury runs that risk), they face the prospect of losing me...and then having to spend $600+ to replace me with what will most likely be an inferior (not as long lasting) customer.

As an investor, and business person, I can tell you that I'm happy to see the company spend $300 all day long to keep its best customers happy (especially if the company can get a commitment equal to that for which they spend a lot more for unknown new customers). That's not money that will have to be collected from other customers in the form of higher fees; that's money well spent!

So, going by your "theory", Dish should spend $300 on it's best customers.

Well, let say by "best" you JUST mean the "top" 1 million since Dish is approaching 15 million.

Let me do the math for you: 1,000,000 x $300 = $300 million.

Hell, even just the top 100,000 = $30 million.

Do you get the BIG picture now??

That's why Charlie has Free "Standard" Installation, not Free "anything you want" installation.

 

[AriesGodofWar]

At the risk of kicking you when you're down, but that must be one heck of a dog you have. I have yet to see a dog chew on any coax...or anything else carrying a current. I don't think you're giving your dog enough credit. Most seem to have the ability to sense electrical current, and as such, won't mess with it.

Gonna be a Johnny come lately here, but I have 3 American Pit Bull Terriers and had a buried phone line to the box on the side of my house. I had a 4 month old pup chew straight through it no problems whatsoever. Thankfully, I have cable based phone that comes from an aerial drop, otherwise, I would be minus a phone line.