Question for Dish Installers: 2nd Repair trip - Tip or no tip?

md_paul

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Oct 3, 2003
578
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Maryland
2nd Repair trip - Tip or no tip?

I've been a Dish customer since '98. I've been having a problem since November that only occurs when the outside temperature is below freezing. Dish phone troubleshooting multiple times didn't help, and they finally determined that the problem was most likely a bad FSS LNB. I decided to opt for a repair person in December. The person came out spent about 30 mins, replaced the DP34 switch, ground blocks, and put new connectors on the ends of all outside cables. He said that should solve my problem. I thanked him and gave him a $10 tip over the repair call fee. Now it's January, and the temperature dropped into the 20's for the first time since the repair. The problem is still here. I have a (warranty) repair call for tomorrow to try to resolve the problem again. It will probably be a different person than the last time.
I'm staying home from work (again) to meet the repair person. Should I tip the guy coming out tomorrow? If you were coming out for a 2nd call on the same issue, would you expect a tip? I'm not trying to be bitter, I just don't know, and would like your opinion. (My wife doesn't think I should have tipped the first guy since she see's the repair bill as payment)
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More about the problem (if you're interested): When the temperature drops below freezing, my 721 loses and cannot lock on sat 105. At this point, my 811 is still fine. If the temp continues to drop into the mid 20's, my other receiver (811) loses 105 too. As soon as the outside temperature warms up, the reception returns. Sat's 110 and 119 are unaffected. The weird thing is the signal strength stays normal (mid 50's to upper 60's depending on the TP) until the point where the temp causes signal lock loss. The signal then drops down and bounces between 0 and 20. When the first repair person came out and unscrewed the connectors from the switch, the copper center "stinger" was so corroded on the 110 and 105 connections, that it broke off in the switch. He said this was most likely the problem, and that the metal contracting when cold broke the connection, while the warm temps re-established the connection. Perhaps I shouldn't have tipped this guy since he didn't do what the Dish support had requested, and replace the LNB, but his theory sounded reasonable to me. The temperature was in the high 30's, and we had 105 before and after he left. All was good until this weekend when the temps got cold again, and we found the problem wasn't fixed.
 
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nitstalker said:
I would give them a tip alright.... But it wouldnt have anything to do with money LOL


I offered my installer 10 bucks. He wouldn't take it.

I hired him later on the side to install my starband. I'll trust a guy like that anyday.



BTW- When dish sent one of "their" installers out to put on my 2nd dish, he was meth'd out of his gourd and said he lost his tools. He looked at the horizon and said I didn't have Line of Site anyway to put the other dish on. :eek:
 
shill said:
I offered my installer 10 bucks. He wouldn't take it.
Does anyone know if there is a Dish policy against accepting tips? I seem to remember posts by installers on this board that indicated they expected them...
- Paul
 
I've always operated on the assumption don't expect a tip and don't ask for one no matter how big the job is. Its nice when you do get one because you have some certainty that the customer approves of the work you did.

But as far as Dish Policy, I don't think there is one. There might be local office policy's though.

As for your problem. It defiantly sounds like an internal circuit issue in the FSS LNB itself. Something along the lines that when the cold hits it cause something to contract inside the LNB taking it out. I've seen it before with the printed circuit boards inside the metal casing. I've got one in my garage that does the same thing.
 
On a side note...

If I were the tech that had gone out to the original call, and found what was described. I also would have thought that was the problem. Finding corroded connections is a system waiting to fail. So you can't really blame the first tech when he found all that wrong with it.

Also more than likely it will be the same tech returning. This would be considered a Trouble Call now from dish and it should go back to that same tech.
 
In general, tip a service person when they give good service. If the guy did high quality work for you, a $10 tip is appropriate.

The biggest tip I've ever gotten is $100. Yeah a hundred. :)

Smallest was that I got to keep $2.60 in change from selling a $37.40 surge protector. :cool:

Of course, often there's NO tip - sometimes from selfish b@$#@rd$, sometimes from people that just can't afford it.

And for the record, I have turned down a couple of tips - from people that could make better use of the money than me. I DID thank them though. ;)

The derivation of "TIPS" is To Insure Prompt Service.
 
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