Terrible D* Customer Service...

[willx45x]

I had an install scheduled today from 8-12. The guy calls me at 12:15 and is an hour away. I told him don't bother. I then call D* to reschedule and they tell me they can't reschedule until November 3rd. I told them don't bother, I'll stick with cable and give me the $200 I spent on the extra DVR back. For some reason the install guys schedule way too many appointments in way too short a time space and I have no reason to believe this won't happen again and again if I did reschedule.

I can't see how D* can get new customers if this is the way they handle these things. They must lose a lot of folks like me. Do they not even have a system in place to prioritize reschedules when it is no fault of the customer? If not, that's absurd. I would rather have Satellite, but honestly cable's customer service is better.

w

 

[Rey]

i would've just waited the extra hour

 

[jokeworm]

Yup - a few years ago i'd have probably reacted like you .. i'm much older and less volatile nowadays to let anything like this bother me .... an hour is an hour ... you wait one hour or three weeks ....

I'd have bit the bullet with the installer .. called directv to complain that you now have to take the afternoon off work too .. and taken the $100 or so compensation that they would have offered (probably)

I agree - if they say that they will be there at a certain time - then they should be there at a certain time ... sure stuff happens - but a call a little earlier than 15 mins after your alloted time runs out is NOT acceptable ... the guy would have know that he was running late at least an hour or two earlier ...

my guess is that a pre-emptive "i might be an hour late as i'm stuck on a difficult job waiting for someone to drop off a spare part" would have been much better received than a phone call after the alloted timeframe saying that he'd be another hour late ...

Does Directv limit the number of installation companies in any one service are ... ? If so - i guess the laid back attitude is because they couldn't care less if they get to you or not ... they are the only gig in town ... what are you going to do ?

Maybe a little more competition would result in more on-time installations.

As to the problem at hand ... have you tried calling a "local" installer to see if he can come out and install a setup for you ... i'm sure that a local retailer will be more accommodating and will be grateful for the business ... rather than relying on Directv sales and whoever they contract out to to do their installs for your area.

 

[Ronnie-]

I also would have waited the extra hour, but I do understand where you are coming from. Companies should try harder to keep appointments if at all possible. That said, things do happen outside of the control of the people involved. At the very least he should have called earlier than he did.

Hope everything works out for you if you decide to give it another shot. :up

 

[BigStein]

If you had something scheduled for the afternoon then I guess there was nothing that could be done, otherwise the wait would have been worth it. For what it is worth, the last time the cable company set up an appt. with me it went the same way, they called when they were already late and re-scheduled and then were late for that one as well. That's the way it goes sometimes, both cable and satellite installers/techs run into unforeseen delays. what can you do? If you had the time to wait I am sure you could have contacted DTV after the install and let them know of your unhappiness and gotten some money off your programming.

 

[iwc5893]

At the very least he should have called earlier than he did.

Hope everything works out for you if you decide to give it another shot. :up

Agreed....provided he was even in an area where he could get cell phone signal.

 

[sundude90]

It's not all Directv's Fault. Directv sub contracts to other companies to do service calls and installations. I would call that company that does the installs for Directv. I had the same problems when I had an install done, and they were 3 hours late because they ran into problems at another residence house.

 

[Zynergi]

Well as an installer I can definitely feel your pain, but to be fair here it is not the installers fault. We dont pick or choose our routes, someone does that generally has no clue where cities are or speed limits on roads or even distances between. To start things off yes, he should have called you the moment he knew he would be running behind and told you, Im running late, I do not have an exact time yet, but it will definitely be between 2:00-3:30, if that changes I will update you and I will give you a call when I am 30 minutes away.

Now With the NFLST Special and the Hurricane Clean up D* is generally backlogged 3-5 weeks, but Mr. Customer doesn't want to hear his install will be 1 month out, he wants it yesterday. Unfortunately in this situation D*'s CSR's back down and push a job closer, or pressure the install company's to push it closer. This causes the techs that eventually get the jobs to be overwhelmed. D* has Zero consideration for hold ups, problematic installs and drive times. Which comes down to you getting upset with the only face you see of D*, the Tech who is overworked and stressed trying his hardest to make his windows. So you threaten him with Belligerency, Cancels, Calls or even letters. Pissing him off even further.

To give you an idea, my day on Wednesday, I work in a very Rural Area.

8 Jobs..(times given are assuming all goes well)

AM (8-12)

3 HD Rec Install, 1 HDDVR (3 hours)
Service Call (30 minutes)
4 Standard With International Dish (3 hours)
HDDVR Upgrade with SWM5 Dish (1 hour)

PM (12-4)

Service Call (30 minutes)
3 Basic Rec (1.5 hours)
Wildblue Upgrade w/ HD Upgrade (4 hours)

Late (4-8)

2 HD, 1 HDDVR, 2 Standards (4 hours)

These don't even count the drive times.

Now I also had to get some extra equipment from our warehouse which is 2 hours from where I work. We don't get our Jobs till 6am, so I get to the warehouse at 8 am, spend an hour waiting for equipment and finally get to my first job around 11am... But I am the bad guy. I finished my last job at 11:45pm, not a single person was willing to reschedule, and I am not a prick enough to blow off a job on Line of sight or some other excuse, but boy did I get hammered by pretty much each and every customer that day. (and no I couldn't pass a job along to another tech because everyone else was in the same boat) Days like thsi have been pretty much normal for the last 2 months sans the sub midnight finish times. But I did keep in touch with each customer which I am sure was appreciated through all the bitching and moaning.

So yea if I were you OP I would have waited the hour, got my $100 discount and been smiling 3 hours later.

 

[DJ Matt]

I hear ya. This didn't happen with me with DirecTV, but it did happen to me with AT&T. I told AT&T to not bother. I actually gave them a 2nd chance, but they failed to show up that time too. I'm surprised that they didn't show up. Everyone I know has never had a problem with installation times or if they have a scheduled service appointment. Companies do schedule way too many scheduled appointments though and this is what causes these types of issues.

 

[JamesJ]

I am sorry to hear this, but to be fair you have to be happy he called, who knows what happened to him...I am sure he was trying to take care of a earlier customer to 100% satisfaction, just as you would have wanted, remember their trying the best they can (well most of them).....I hope you give Directv a chance again, or Dish...they are both High Quality companies.

 

[BigStein]

Zynergi, do you work for DTV or a sub that they contract for installs? Because any company that schedules 7.5 hours of work into a 4 hour time slot (as your 8-12 schedule shows, and as you say, that does not account for drive time either) is just idiotic. That company is bound to have a lot of complaints and really sets it's techs up to have to deal with a huge number of irate customers.

 

[jcrandall]

Late (4-8)

2 HD, 1 HDDVR, 2 Standards (4 hours)

These don't even count the drive times.

I remember when I was installed two years ago this month, the guy had a similiar day.

Got to my house at 6pm, and I was the next-to-last install. He had some equipment issues (dead lnb) and was here until 11pm. Needless to say he did call the last customer to reschedule, I remember him saying, I can't install it in complete darkness.

I really feel for the installers on the front-lines, they have very difficult workloads most of the year.

 

[willx45x]

Actually, he didn't call - I had to call DirectTV and track him down. I had a 3pm appointment that could not be canceled, so I was sort of stuck. My issue was not with the installer - it was with DirectTV for not putting me to the front of the line for the reschedule. The fact that they told me they could not do it until November 3rd really chapped my hide and I canceled the entire order. I still want DirectTV, but am wondering if there's a better way to skin the cat.

Y'all think I should go with a local retailer? If so, a big box score or a local yokel?

Thanks!

w

 

[Rey]

no. just do it directly with Directv. this time of the year is murder for D that's why is taking longer. just wait till the Nov. appointment and you'll be happy you did.

 

[willx45x]

And on the November date the same damn thing will happen - the fact that they are loading these guys up with impossible itineraries each day only makes customers upset and has to hurt business long-term. D* needs to get control of their third party providers IMO.

w

 

[jokeworm]

How bad do you want it ?

A local retailer might be able to get to you within a day or two - but he may charge you a fee ... directv may tell you Nov 3rd ... but there is always a chance that you could call the installation company and ask them to put you down for a cancellation - or you can check online and see if they have anything sooner ...

If you want it bad enough - i'd go with a local retailer and see what he says first (D already had a chance and blew it) If you don't get what you want there - call and try D again and then call the installation company a couple of times to get on a wait-list for a cancellation - then call them the night before the install - then again the morning of the install ... ask them if they can schedule you as the fist appointment of the day ... if you are pleasant enough on the phone - many things are possible

 

[Rey]

you are right willx but if you want the service then you must be extra patient. would it be better to wait until it slows down so they can be exact on the appointments? that will take even longer. I know you're right but if you want the service just accept the fact that it's crazy right now. when i signed up again back in march i did it online, got an install appointment for the very next day between 8-12 and the installer was ready at 7:48 am. but it was a slower time for D. Football season is the busiest time for D. Just go for it buddy maybe a local retailer would be faster but that's not guaranteed. I don't know if they will charge more either.

 

[marquitos306]

I had problems like yours with installers. Called and allways got compensated. Just be nice and the will take care of you. My two cents.

 

[Ronnie-]

I had an install scheduled today from 8-12. The guy calls me at 12:15 and is an hour away. I told him don't bother.

Actually, he didn't call - I had to call DirectTV and track him down. I had a 3pm appointment that could not be canceled,

w

OK, I am not getting what you are saying. Did he call you at 12:15 or not? If not, why say he did? That changes everything, your story included. Not trying to be mean, just want to get what really went on cleared up so we can give you good advice

 

[fanquon]

Remembered few years back when I worked a Dish contractor, me and another guy, went to a house at a small town for 4 receivers installation, looks like a two hours or little more installation time for two installer on site, truned out we spend 6.5 hours there, and used about 700' of cable run, none of the original cable there can be use, one room we had ran the cable all the way on out side the house, and other room ran to opposit side, two rooms at upstair, one also need go around and to second story wall then drill a hole for cable in, but inside the room, need to move things around for the cable in and to the receiver, and other upstair room, need to ran the cable from first floor to a small room inside the house, then drill a hole from that ceiling to a closet at top of that small room, then route the cable to the receiver,very difficult for the installation, and strange, none of our cell can work while work there and lucky that was our last scheduled install on that day.

When got home, its already close to mid night and only a few hours sleep time, because need to get up at 5 and reach to the company at 6, do the report then wait for the work orders issue.