View Full Version : Install off to a bad start :|
HR20 and Slimline dish upgrade have been scheduled for over two weeks and was scheduled today for 8-12. I get a call from the tech at 8:30 asking directions from downtown Memphis. Hmm...how can an install tech not have a computer to check directions when that is what he does. Oh well...just paranoid I guess so I give him the instructions. 30 minutes later he calls back. Mr. Moore...I'm missing the part on the back of the dish (something that sounded like an "AJ". I will try to find the part but I will probably need to reschedule". He said it with such ease like canceling my install would be as easy as breathing to him...he just really didn't seem to care. Now I was pissed and I am sure he could tell when I asked how the heck can you just now be finding out you were missing this part. He said he didn't get the job and details until this morning...W T F. I asked him to please find the part and call me. I hung up and immediately called the DTV install line. After a few calls the CSR connected us to the local dispatcher who said they would get him the part for sure and he would be out today. No luck when I asked for a different tech so I will get a tech with a bit of an attitude who will likely do very little to go out of his way during this install...wonderful. :rolleyes:
LameLefty
10-07-07, 08:11 AM
Techs often do get details of their jobs the morning they go out to do them. Unfortunately, a lot of install companies cover a pretty big geographical area and if the guys don't have the particular parts/receivers/etc. they need for a specific job on their trucks, it can be bordering on impossible for them to get back to a warehouse to get that part without missing the rest of their jobs for a morning or afternoon. Since those guys are usually paid per job based on the details of what that job requires (so many cable runs, dish/switch installs, receivers activated, etc), they'd not make enough money to stay in business (they're usually contractors not employees) if they have to cancel two or three jobs to do only one.
It's a crappy system but it's the only one there is for now. I will say, in Bruister's defense, they've done a decent job (though not perfect) whenever I've needed them here in my town.
cnmsales
10-07-07, 08:13 AM
Thats fine, just remember he dont get paid unless you sign the paper work. So if there is something left to do or your not happy with signal strength or something dont sign.
mchaney
10-07-07, 09:07 AM
Exact same thing happened to me, only worse. My first install was botched because the guys just got there too late and didn't feel like fooling with it starting at 6:30pm. So I had already been rescheduled once and the next guy shows up (a week later), goes to start the job, and says "oops"... he didn't have the HD dish or the HD DVR: only basic install equipment. I asked him how that was possible since the job had been scheduled for a week and every piece of equipment needed for the job was listed on his work order. That's how these companies work. It's amazing anyone ever gets installed really. Bottom line: I told him to find someone else in the area who had the equipment or I was calling DirecTV back to tell them to forget the whole thing as they had no competent installer companies to do the job. Magically, he found his supervisor and had the equipment delivered while he was attaching the mount. Be tough with them and threaten to just cancel the whole deal. Maybe that will help. With as many installers as are out there on the road, someone has to have the part(s) your guy needs. The parts they sent to my job ended up coming in a budget rent-a-van so I suspect this kind of thing happens all the time.
Good luck...
Mike
belunos
10-07-07, 09:16 AM
I've never had a great experience. Last weekend I had the slimline and hr20 installed, and while the guy was competent enough, he wouldn't shut up about how much he hated his job. And that doing my upgrade was a net loss to him (apparently new installs is the big ticket). Just sort of made me feel like I was a waste of his time
Teronzhul
10-07-07, 09:56 AM
Guys, getting upset with the individual installer is pointless in these cases, and really just puts him in a situation where he isn't going to want to help you out if he can. I often am put in situations that I quite literally have no control over.
Last week I was assigned 4 high def jobs on a Tuesday, 4 high def jobs that all required KaKu dishes, of which I had none. Further, there were none available until the truck arrived later that afternoon. I got one of the four jobs completed, after starting my workday at 3pm.
Threatening to cancel your service will get you nowhere as well with most installers. If I'm already having a difficult day and the customer thinks they can threaten me by cancelling the appointment or their service, well, watch how fast I pull my cell phone out to cancel the job with the HSP. Whether you're bluffing or not, I don't have the patience to deal with it.
Well they got here and within 10 minutes said the roof was too steep and he wanted to know if I would be here tomorrow. I was needless to say, not happy. I told him he could mount on on the house. His manager suggested a pole but he did not have one and did not want to go back into town to get one. So we settled on mounting it on the fence right beside the side of the house. I asked about the wind shaking the fence and screwing up the signal and he said it would be no problem and he had done it a bunch of times. He claimed the new slimline dishes were very good in that respect. He didn't say it exactly like that but that is what I took from it since I can hardly understand him. So they are mounting on the fence as I type...of course after 1 screw his drill needed a new battery. Thankfully he had one in his truck.
mchaney
10-07-07, 10:01 AM
A fence? What kind of fence are we talking about? Is it a sturdy one? With posts concreted into the ground? I can't imaging a fence being strong enough to hold the slimline without warpage over time... and loss of signal.
Mike
hilmar2k
10-07-07, 10:01 AM
If you push on the fence, does it move? If it does, I wouldn't trust it as a mounting location.
I would have given a progress report sooner but...he cut the cable running to my cable modem so internet was down for a while :| The fence is pretty sturdy and is blocked from much wind. He put the top mount into one of the crossing 2x4's. Instead of fishing down two new lines he cut into the runs that were there from the old location and spliced them into that from the new location. Basically this keeps them from having to fish new lines...is that normal?
mchaney
10-07-07, 11:36 AM
Sounds OK if the splices are clean. Not sure why he would be cutting your cable line... Guess that was just a mistake. Here's hoping the fence doesn't warp over time under the weight of that dish.
Mike
techrep
10-07-07, 11:49 AM
If the fence is attached to the side of the house, in a sturdy manner, and the dish is mounted on the fence close to the house, It should not be a problem.
Davenlr
10-07-07, 11:50 AM
That's what they did at my parents house. Works fine as long as the splice is sealed.
I installed my own. Installed said I didn't have a LOS (which was true) so I told him to leave the dish and let me sign his paperwork. His eyes lit up. He got paid, I got my free dish, I installed it myself after buying a second AT9 online, but I spliced all 4 of mine as well. Old cable was still good here as it was only a year old.
They just left...did not even ask me to sign the work order. When I asked him to show me the signal strength of the 103b they were in the 70's and 80's. I asked him why weren't they higher and he said that was about as good as you could get on 103. The other satellites seemed to be in the 90's. He knew nothing about the highdef programming and was under the impression the only highdef channels were in the 70's.
I really could not have imagined a less professional install. I had a $20 tip he would have gotten had it been even remotely professional. He had to settle for ice water.
cnmsales
10-07-07, 01:58 PM
They just left...did not even ask me to sign the work order. When I asked him to show me the signal strength of the 103b they were in the 70's and 80's. I asked him why weren't they higher and he said that was about as good as you could get on 103. The other satellites seemed to be in the 90's. He knew nothing about the highdef programming and was under the impression the only highdef channels were in the 70's.
I really could not have imagined a less professional install. I had a $20 tip he would have gotten had it been even remotely professional. He had to settle for ice water.
Better call now and get someone out to fix your 103b this is the sat all the new hd is on and 70 to 80 is NOT what you should expect.
randyk47
10-07-07, 02:10 PM
Not sure I'd agree that 70's and 80's are the best but maybe that's true for your area. My Slimline went up Wednesday and I'm hitting mid to high 90's across the board on 103. This new location....a tree was catching up with my old 3 LNB....is probably the best placement I've ever had on a dish. Up 3 stories with absolutely nothing to block its view of the sky.
Tom Robertson
10-07-07, 02:30 PM
Welcome to the forums, belunos and Andy22! :welcome_s
Sorry your first posts are less than happy stories. I hope they improve very quickly with all the new HD channels. :)
Good luck,
Tom
Thanks for all the feedback. In addition to the low signals I don't seem to be acquiring a signal on tuner 2. I tried to record a program and it switched my channel I was watching and did not list a second tuner. I went into the menu to test the signal strength and tuner 1 would return values but tuner 2 would not. It would just sit there. Ahhhhhh! This is so frustrating.
Edit: Well, I feel a little better. I got through to a "tech manager" and he told me he thought he was going to hear from me. The installer apparently has a history of having complaints. He is coming out tomorrow and said he would spend most of the day with me and make it right. I'll add another update when he leaves with what I hope is a happy conclusion to this install nightmare.
aim2pls
10-07-07, 04:07 PM
sunday install and your running ... AMAZING
your fence install will probably fail btw in time
you mentions 90's ..... sure hope you have a lot of 100's primarily on 101 and 119 ...if NOT ... call for a repoint immediately (while its still free)
call D*, missed appointments normally net you a $100 service credit, per instance. play nice, they will want to help you out :)
spartanstew
10-07-07, 05:04 PM
Guys, getting upset with the individual installer is pointless in these cases, and really just puts him in a situation where he isn't going to want to help you out if he can.
Exactly. I don't get it. Why would you want the installer to show up with an attitude that you gave him? I can't even count the number of bad customer service experiences I've had that turned out excellent because I stayed positive and never blamed or showed "attitude" towards someone. I've had 3 D* installs over the last 8 years and each one started out with a problem (late or cancelled or not the right equipment). In each case I've had extra work done by the installer (extra lines run, lines fished, given me extra cable, etc.), just because I was always pleasant with them. I don't understand why so many members here get angry with the installers or customer service reps.
mchaney
10-07-07, 05:06 PM
I got through to a "tech manager" and he told me he thought he was going to hear from me. The installer apparently has a history of having complaints.
Hmm. Imagine that. They knew they sent you an incompetent installer, yet they are still sending him on installs. That should tell you something about the state of DirecTV installers/subcontractors! :mad:
Mike
Exactly. I don't get it. Why would you want the installer to show up with an attitude that you gave him? I can't even count the number of bad customer service experiences I've had that turned out excellent because I stayed positive and never blamed or showed "attitude" towards someone. I've had 3 D* installs over the last 8 years and each one started out with a problem (late or cancelled or not the right equipment). In each case I've had extra work done by the installer (extra lines run, lines fished, given me extra cable, etc.), just because I was always pleasant with them. I don't understand why so many members here get angry with the installers or customer service reps.
Dude read all my posts. This guy was incompetent from the moment he called me to the moment he left leaving his cable tester in the yard along with several cigarette butts. I was downright cheery while he was here. I was even joking with them. Bottom line was he didn't want to do the job and it showed. There was not one part of the install that was done where I thought he knew what he was doing.
The tech manager comes today around noon...he sounds like he does know what he is doing and promised to stay most of the day with me.
Stuart Sweet
10-08-07, 07:15 AM
I would absolutely not allow one cigarette butt on my property and if I saw one, it would be my mission to make sure the owner of the installation company knew about it.
spartanstew
10-08-07, 11:54 AM
Dude read all my posts. This guy was incompetent from the moment he called me to the moment he left leaving his cable tester in the yard along with several cigarette butts. I was downright cheery while he was here. I was even joking with them. Bottom line was he didn't want to do the job and it showed. There was not one part of the install that was done where I thought he knew what he was doing.
The tech manager comes today around noon...he sounds like he does know what he is doing and promised to stay most of the day with me.
Yes, I read your post. Specifically this part:
I get a call from the tech at 8:30 asking directions from downtown Memphis. Hmm...how can an install tech not have a computer to check directions when that is what he does. Oh well...just paranoid I guess so I give him the instructions. 30 minutes later he calls back. Mr. Moore...I'm missing the part on the back of the dish (something that sounded like an "AJ". I will try to find the part but I will probably need to reschedule". He said it with such ease like canceling my install would be as easy as breathing to him...he just really didn't seem to care. Now I was pissed and I am sure he could tell when I asked how the heck can you just now be finding out you were missing this part.
He called for directions. Big Deal. He called to let you know he didn't have a part he needed. It happens. At this point (way before the supposed cigarette butts, leaving his equipment), according you you, you were pissed and you're sure he could tell. How could he tell? Because you got angry due to the fact that he might have been missing a part. That's how. Things happen, get over it.
He probably flicked cigarette butts in your yard, because of the fact that you got angry and acted pissed on the phone. I'm sure he probably deals with customers like you all day. Customers that get pissed over every detail (needing directions, calling to tell you he might be missing a part - heck, he could have just blown you off and not shown up when he realized he didn't have the part) and take it our on the installers. He's just trying to make a living.
I can tell by your vernacular that you're probably in your 20's, correct? Give it time, you'll realize eventually that it's not worth getting upset over the small stuff.
mchaney
10-08-07, 12:28 PM
OK. I can understand if he had gotten irate and started namecalling, but I think it's pretty normal to detect a little agravation when someone is missing parts for a job that has been scheduled for days and has all the parts listed right on the work order. Shouldn't a "professional" installer understand that? Should the installer flick cigarette butts onto the property because he didn't like the fact that the customer wasn't happy with the installing company's screwup? C'mon now... Who is really to blame in that scenario?
Mike
spartanstew
10-08-07, 12:36 PM
Didn't say the installer was right in flicking the cigarette butts.
Look at it from the installers point of view:
Can't find the customers house, so he calls.
Realizes he's missing a part for whatever reason (had to use it at the previous install, someone else forgot to include it, he forgot it when he was getting ready-doesn't matter: mistakes happen). so he calls the customer to let him know what's going on and keep him informed.
Customer responds with anger (according to the OP).
And how do you know he didn't become irate and start namecalling? Not sayin he did, but we have no way of knowing. Obviously, he said/did something to let the installer know he was angry (not aggravated - ANGRY).
Who's to blame? Not sure why you went there, because we don't know. A part was missing. Big Deal. You want to blame someone for that? Well, lets track the chain of custody and see if we can find out.
Regardless, you'll always get better service (from anyone) if you don't let your emotions get in the way and if you treat EVERYONE with respect. If you don't want to believe me fine, but you'll understand some day. You'll get much better service (and perks) if you don't show your anger.
I can't believe this is a foreign concept to some.
I had a new patio put in earlier this summer. A 2 week job ended up taking almost 3 months. Some of it was due to weather problems, but there were several times when they just didn't show up. I called them every week to get a status update. Never did I seem upset. I talked rationally and calmly and expressed my concerns in a logical manner. You know what I got out of it? The owner of the company called me when the job was completed and refunded 30% of my money. I never asked and I never complained. The final result is excellent and by keeping my cool it saved me $3000. If I would have "let them know I was angry" through the whole process, I doubt they would have given me any money back. They appreciated my patience and understanding.
That's one example of many, many times over the years that not being angry has paid off.
msmith198025
10-08-07, 12:46 PM
He probably flicked cigarette butts in your yard, because of the fact that you got angry and acted pissed on the phone. I'm sure he probably deals with customers like you all day. Customers that get pissed over every detail (needing directions, calling to tell you he might be missing a part - heck, he could have just blown you off and not shown up when he realized he didn't have the part) and take it our on the installers. He's just trying to make a living.
I can tell by your vernacular that you're probably in your 20's, correct? Give it time, you'll realize eventually that it's not worth getting upset over the small stuff.
I dont care what the circumstances, there is no excuse for littering in someones yard. Dealing with angry customers all day? Who in the service industry doesnt?
Now Im as nice as the come when i have to deal with service people. I try to understand the problems they have and will work with them if at all possible.
But if one had thrown cigarette butts in my yard and i had seen him do it, he would have picked it up right then.
spartanstew
10-08-07, 12:53 PM
Oh, brother.
Again, not saying flicking butts was correct. Not saying he has an excuse for doing it. I also wouldn't allow it on my property for any reason.
I'm saying, it might have been avoided. Sometimes you reap what you sow.
mchaney
10-08-07, 01:23 PM
Sometimes you reap what you sow.
True in all cases, but you have to know how to pick your battles! I'm always respectful and cordial to the extreme, but you have to learn how to stand up for yourself as well. Sounds like either you have not figured that out or you've been extremely lucky! There are many cases where you will get walked all over if you don't demand the service that you expect. I never get excited, yell, or show my anger but I do put my foot down and I do show agravation from time to time as sometimes it is the only way to get through to certain people.
Now if all you are saying is that you should never turn belligerent, I agree. But then comes the question of what to do when the installer turns disrespectful to you first! Me, I'd probably just calmly tell them to leave.
Mike
Enough with the cigarette butts... You guys sound like a bunch of old wash women :p
The real problem IMO on this install is where they mounted the dish.
"His manager suggested a pole but he did not have one and did not want to go back into town to get one".
So, the installer took the easy way out.
I agree with aim2pls. The fence will fail in time.
mchaney
10-08-07, 01:47 PM
I agree with aim2pls. The fence will fail in time.
Agree. Wood always warps over time under the weight of the dish if it is not connected laterally to something else or strengthened with metal supports. My prediction is, give it a few good soaking rains mixed in with a few good warm sunny days and there will be no signal at all.
Mike
Yes, I read your post. Specifically this part:
He called for directions. Big Deal. He called to let you know he didn't have a part he needed. It happens. At this point (way before the supposed cigarette butts, leaving his equipment), according you you, you were pissed and you're sure he could tell. How could he tell? Because you got angry due to the fact that he might have been missing a part. That's how. Things happen, get over it.
He probably flicked cigarette butts in your yard, because of the fact that you got angry and acted pissed on the phone. I'm sure he probably deals with customers like you all day. Customers that get pissed over every detail (needing directions, calling to tell you he might be missing a part - heck, he could have just blown you off and not shown up when he realized he didn't have the part) and take it our on the installers. He's just trying to make a living.
I can tell by your vernacular that you're probably in your 20's, correct? Give it time, you'll realize eventually that it's not worth getting upset over the small stuff.
You are so off base it isn't even funny. First off...reread my post AGAIN. I was not pissed until he showed up and took one look at the roof and tried to call it off. This was after trying to call off the appointment for missing a part. I did NOT get mad on the phone with him. I was never pissed that he didn't know the directions but I was perturbed he wanted to put no effort into finding the part and would rather just cancel. I was cordial. He simply did not want to do the job and was a terrible tech to begin with. He left the job with one tuner not working and signals in the 70's on 103b telling me "it's the best you can do". By the time he left we were on a friendly basis and I was even joking with him. By the way...that tech's last day is Friday as the tech manager has received numerous complaints about him and he has had to follow up on nearly all his jobs. So you go right on ahead making your ignorant assumptions.
By the way...the tech manager is here right now along with another tech and the difference is like night and day. They have been here for a little over 2 hours and they have not only relocated the dish to the roof but run new lines and dropped an extra line in the bedroom Their professionalism is very apparent. I am getting 95's on both tuners on 103b.
spartanstew
10-08-07, 02:17 PM
You are so off base it isn't even funny. First off...reread my post AGAIN. I was not pissed until he showed up and took one look at the roof and tried to call it off. This was after trying to call off the appointment for missing a part. I did NOT get mad on the phone with him.
Ok, to appease you, I read it again.
You weren't pissed until he showed up?
Now I was pissed and I am sure he could tell when I asked how the heck can you just now be finding out you were missing this part. He said he didn't get the job and details until this morning...W T F. I asked him to please find the part and call me. I hung up and immediately called the DTV install line.
You're contradicting yourself. Maybe what you said in your first post isn't truthful, but it's all I have to go by. How can the above quote from you mean anything other than that you DID get mad on the phone with him???????
Again, if you would have been pleasant to him ON THE PHONE, maybe he would have worked harder to do a good install. Doesn't mean he was right in not doing the best job, but you might have avoided a lot of hassle.
spartanstew
10-08-07, 02:20 PM
Sounds like either you have not figured that out or you've been extremely lucky! There are many cases where you will get walked all over if you don't demand the service that you expect. I never get excited, yell, or show my anger but I do put my foot down and I do show agravation from time to time as sometimes it is the only way to get through to certain people.
Now if all you are saying is that you should never turn belligerent, I agree. But then comes the question of what to do when the installer turns disrespectful to you first! Me, I'd probably just calmly tell them to leave.
Mike
Never said I don't demand service or put my foot down. I just never do it in anger. Never. My voice is never raised and my cadence doesn't change.
And if they're disrespectful to me, obviously I would ask them to leave as well.
Ok, to appease you, I read it again.
You weren't pissed until he showed up?
You're contradicting yourself. Maybe what you said in your first post isn't truthful, but it's all I have to go by. How can the above quote from you mean anything other than that you DID get mad on the phone with him???????
Again, if you would have been pleasant to him ON THE PHONE, maybe he would have worked harder to do a good install. Doesn't mean he was right in not doing the best job, but you might have avoided a lot of hassle.
You're right I did make it sound like I was pissed but that only amounted to me asking how the part wasn't ready after a two week install window. There was no raising my voice or being rude. I could have serenaded him on the phone and the job would still have been a half assed job because he was a pitiful tech. Seeing how the techs worked today validated my appraisal.
warriorking
10-08-07, 03:01 PM
:D Glad to hear that they are fixing the problem...Contact Direct after all is up and running and explain what happened, they will probably give you a discount on some of your programing due to the trouble...Thankfully my installer did a first rate job..sorry yours was different....
msmith198025
10-08-07, 03:28 PM
Oh, brother.
Again, not saying flicking butts was correct. Not saying he has an excuse for doing it. I also wouldn't allow it on my property for any reason.
I'm saying, it might have been avoided. Sometimes you reap what you sow.
You may not be saying its right, but you kind of stated that He probably did it because the guy may have been short with him. Sounded like you were defending the act because he had a bad day. I may have misread
By the way...the tech manager is here right now along with another tech and the difference is like night and day. They have been here for a little over 2 hours and they have not only relocated the dish to the roof but run new lines and dropped an extra line in the bedroom Their professionalism is very apparent. I am getting 95's on both tuners on 103b.
Now that is very good news :goodjob:
msmith198025
10-08-07, 03:42 PM
By the way...the tech manager is here right now along with another tech and the difference is like night and day. They have been here for a little over 2 hours and they have not only relocated the dish to the roof but run new lines and dropped an extra line in the bedroom Their professionalism is very apparent. I am getting 95's on both tuners on 103b.
YAY!!!!!!!!:icon_da:
PANCHITO
10-08-07, 04:13 PM
I don't get it, the installer want to reschedule since the beginning, he call you for direction, missing parts and roof type(he need a pole) and you feel he isn't a professional and you let him install it on the fence, you should kick yourself in the a**. and stop complaining.
I don't get it, the installer want to reschedule since the beginning, he call you for direction, missing parts and roof type(he need a pole) and you feel he isn't a professional and you let him install it on the fence, you should kick yourself in the a**. and stop complaining.
Good point...however, had I known I could get Vince the tech manager to come today and do a kickass job, I would have sent him on his way. I was worried I would be waiting for an extended length of time having already waited 2 weeks.
Ira Lacher
10-08-07, 05:09 PM
My initial D* install was missed three times, and I was annoyed not because they were running late or their computers were down but that they didn't have the courtesy to notify me. This is not the fault of the individual installer, but the local company they work for.
Remember, when you're scheduled for an 8-12 or 1-6, most of who work for a living can't repeatedly set aside four- or five-hour blocks of time. All I needed to know was that there was a problem, that the install was not going to take place, that we needed to reschedule, and to let me know as soon as possible. It was the having to hang around, lose time at work and be kept in the dark that bothered me.
PANCHITO
10-08-07, 05:36 PM
My initial D* install was missed three times, and I was annoyed not because they were running late or their computers were down but that they didn't have the courtesy to notify me. This is not the fault of the individual installer, but the local company they work for.
Remember, when you're scheduled for an 8-12 or 1-6, most of who work for a living can't repeatedly set aside four- or five-hour blocks of time. All I needed to know was that there was a problem, that the install was not going to take place, that we needed to reschedule, and to let me know as soon as possible. It was the having to hang around, lose time at work and be kept in the dark that bothered me.
You do know that you get $100 credit for every miss appointment also that you can schedule in your days off they have appointment 7 days a week.
spartanstew
10-08-07, 08:28 PM
You may not be saying its right, but you kind of stated that He probably did it because the guy may have been short with him. Sounded like you were defending the act because he had a bad day. I may have misread
I can see how you would think that from what I wrote, so I probably wasn't clear, my mistake.
I simply meant that you never know how people will react when you are angry with them. Some might throw cigarette butts, some might shoot you. Being angry never gets as good of a result as being pleasant would.
Andy22,
I hear the original installer is coming back over to your house today with his really big dog. :D
And you thought cigarette butts were bad...
msmith198025
10-09-07, 09:34 AM
I can see how you would think that from what I wrote, so I probably wasn't clear, my mistake.
I simply meant that you never know how people will react when you are angry with them. Some might throw cigarette butts, some might shoot you. Being angry never gets as good of a result as being pleasant would.
No problem.
Yes thats true, which is why i try to be understanding with all
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