I have been trying to get DirectTv at my second home for past month. It is located on an Island which you need to get a ferry to. My 1st attempt was scheduled and I met the ferry at the dock @ 8am to meet the local installer who was a no show, install was scheduled for 8am to 12 noon and the only ferry to the Island was an 8am one. Called DirectTv and they rescheduled the install for 2 days later, local installer was still a no show. Now I am really upset. Came back home and had several messages from the installer telling me that the 1st time the install was scheduled his guy called in sick and the 2nd time he could not find me. I told the "call line CSR" that the only way to contact me was on my cell phone which I provided atleast 10 times to make sure that they understanded that, was the only contact number where I could be contacted while at my vacation property, and they stated that would be the primary contact phone number. I guess they dropped the ball on that, as I said when I got home I had several messages from the installer. I re-scheduled my install again for the 21st of June, had set my alarm to meet the ferry at 8am and at 630am on the morning of the install I get a call from the installer asking me if I had made ferry arrangements and paid for the ferry. I told him that the ferry leaves in an hour and they do not accept credit cards and that their office is on the mainland so there was no way that I could get him over in the next hour. I had no contact from the local installer or DirectTV even though they were both aware that a ferry was need to get to my property for the install. There is a real breakdown between DirectTv and the local installers. I asked the installer to have his office call me so we could get on the same page with ferry arrangements but the only call I got was from DirectTV asking to have the appt re-scheduled. Told them the whole story and they were NO HELP. This is my 1st dealing with DirectTv and of course I would NOT RECCOMEND DIRECT TO ANYONE! Can someone point me in the right direction to resolve this issue?
Problems with DirectTv installation
- Thread starter Maddog1646
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I would c all D* back and ask them who the "Local Installers are (company wise) and for a number to contact them directly.
Next option would be to hire a Local to do the job, however, if you do that, you would pay Thier rates, probably Not a free install or whatever deal D* gave you.
Look in the phone book.
This might be painfully obvious, but it's clear to me that the 3-hour window that DirecTV provides for an installer to show up clearly does not match the window of opportunity for ferry availability. That's not DirecTV's fault -- it's likely an issue that any company you'd deal with would have to make special arrangements for.
This is really the main issue that you have to deal with, likely via Jimbo's suggestion.
Is your house the only house on the island? If it's not, one would think that the locals could reference an installer for you.
This is really the main issue that you have to deal with, likely via Jimbo's suggestion.
Is your house the only house on the island? If it's not, one would think that the locals could reference an installer for you.
What time does the ferry go back to the mainland? I'm surprised that they didn't tell you that they don't provide service on your first call.
same... so let's say the installer finishes early.. is he stuck at your house till the fairy returns? or what happens when he's running late on the job and misses the fairy to get home?
also as stated your install WINDOW was from 8-12. your installer is permitted to arrive any time between these hours. you are not the only job of that timeframe in most cases. sounds to me like you are not going to be getting an inhouse directv tech to do this for you. your scheduling needs do not match ours. although honestly this is the first time I ever heard of anyone trying to get service on an island. not saying it's not done... but your gonna have to hire someone private.
my suggestion.... when you finally get a phone call from the local installer.. or if he answers your calls if you call him back.. which he is not required to... ask him when his day off is. offer to pay him a salary for the day to come out on his own. and just for reference I would do something like this for no less than 300.. and that's before seeing the house. be prepared to accommodate him since he needs to TRY to work around a ferry schedule. which again realistically you cannot expect him to do.
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I usually charge (in my profession) 1/2 of what the company would charge, but expect it to start at $50 and go up from there.
Not worth my time to get up early on a Saturday, my day off, for any less ...
No, I'm not a late sleeper, just saying ... I'm typically up by 7:30.
just having to deal with that ferry bs and the chance I might be stranded for a few hours would cost the cm 100.. before I even saw the house...
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Well, ferry times should be available, you would think they run on a regular schedule.
I would also think that when a cx is told 8-12.. they would understand that means any time between 8 and 12. what happens when the job dispatches at like 1030? does she plan on renting me a hellicopter to get all my gear there?
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so it's settled then... maddog.. Jimbo and myself will come out personally to do your install for a fee of 5000 usd each plus two hellicopter rides. I'll even call off on a Saturday to help Jimbo out.. and since I'm just assuming Jimbo is ok with this I'll come by myself for 10k.. if he can't make it. don't worry about potential LOS.. I WILL make it work lol.
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The OP never stated what Island it is. If it is something like Mackinac. They would just load the gear on a horse trailer, to be placed on the ferry. Then deliver the installer & equipment by horse & trailer to the house.
Of course if the OP just ordered the equipment from Solid Signal. Then would just have to have the tech there to install the dish and adjust.
It always does help if people give enough details, then just stating that the install fell through. I know that Mackinac Island has one company that handles the island for this stuff. It is fun watching the UPS guy on the horse trailer with the driver, and all of the deliveries for the island. They pretty much spend the whole day on there.
Of course if the OP just ordered the equipment from Solid Signal. Then would just have to have the tech there to install the dish and adjust.
It always does help if people give enough details, then just stating that the install fell through. I know that Mackinac Island has one company that handles the island for this stuff. It is fun watching the UPS guy on the horse trailer with the driver, and all of the deliveries for the island. They pretty much spend the whole day on there.
Sure, you can come as well.What about me?
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This is gonna cost this guy PLENTY !
No word yet as to where this remote Island is located ...
it's Bois Blanc Island Michigan....Well there are at least 3 round trips a day by the ferry in June and 7 a day in July and August. I counted in 1 afternoon over 200 homes that had either DIRECTV or Dish so I don’t think that I asked for the impossible. I certainly am not blaming the installer. I think that the problem is the lack of communication between DIRECTV and the local installer and the CSRs that you talk with are failing to get the needed information to the installer.
My point to all of this is the DTV is the one dropping the ball between themselves and the installers who are expected to do all the leg work to make things happen. If they would allow direct communication between the installer and the end customer life would be easier for both the installer and end user! I blame the whole issue on DTV! I understand the issues for the installer and I would hope they could encourage DTV to allow communication with the customer and themselves to facilitate the communication process. If the installer doesn’t want or can’t do the install just tell me. I can understand that, just don’t let DTV make promises to customers they can’t keep. AGAIN I PUT THIS WHOLE ISSUE DIRECTLY ON THE SHOULDERS OF DIRECTV NOT THE INSTALLERS !!!!!!
My point to all of this is the DTV is the one dropping the ball between themselves and the installers who are expected to do all the leg work to make things happen. If they would allow direct communication between the installer and the end customer life would be easier for both the installer and end user! I blame the whole issue on DTV! I understand the issues for the installer and I would hope they could encourage DTV to allow communication with the customer and themselves to facilitate the communication process. If the installer doesn’t want or can’t do the install just tell me. I can understand that, just don’t let DTV make promises to customers they can’t keep. AGAIN I PUT THIS WHOLE ISSUE DIRECTLY ON THE SHOULDERS OF DIRECTV NOT THE INSTALLERS !!!!!!
The problem is where your located and the fact you need a ferry to get there.
Send me a pm. I may have an installer north of the bridge that may be willing to do this job.
Send me a pm. I may have an installer north of the bridge that may be willing to do this job.
I agree with your frustration. There are a lot of lazy installers. It took me a couple of installers to do an install because they claimed they couldn't get line of sight. I could clearly see they could and the installer who did end up doing it said that some installers "Aren't worth the ladder they won't climb." There are posts on here about installers refusing to use a pole or charging for it. All of that is hogwash, according to the guy who works around my complex a lot. He told me that when he was re-installing Directv for my neighbors, and was disconnecting that apartment's connection to my dish. The previous installer piggybacked on mine instead of getting their own dish. The long run was causing signal issues. Lazy.
Take up Claude's offere. There ARE great installers on D* and you'll find them (or hear about them) here. CLEARLY you can get D* on your island, they are just being stupid. They can get on a ferry like everyone else.
I would think this install would go 8ndwr the "special" catagory seeing the commute is potentially a problem .... I can see it being done, however it may be when the install company can afford to lose an installer for a better part of a day.
This may have already been said but if any of the thread starter's neighbors are thinking of getting Directv, perhaps if 3 or 4 people were getting installed on the island on the same day, it would be more worth an installer's time.
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Yea, thats a possibility. But you shouldn't have to be a Directv sales person to get an installer to come and hook up your system.
For a local retailer there is more than enough profit to have to deal with a ferry to get 1 customer installed
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