Retention - how to get there

[mikemar]

How do you get to retention nowadays? I tried saying retention and cancel account and nothing.

Thanks

[Stuart Sweet]

DIRECTV changes their phone trees regularly to keep people from "gaming" them. I would start by talking to a CSR, as kindly as you can, remember this is a person. Give them a question they can't answer. Then ask to get transferred to someone else. Keep doing this until you get to a person who can answer the question you want.

[mikemar]

I just want to call up and see what promotions I can get right now.

I guess I'll just call and get a random CSR and go from there.

[Stuart Sweet]

You can also send a request via e-mail. Often times they are just as qualified to help and you get the answer in writing.

[CJTE]

I just want to call up and see what promotions I can get right now.

I guess I'll just call and get a random CSR and go from there.

So you talk to retentions to get promotions!?!
Why dont you just ask someone in customer service? Oh wait, because you want to "cancel", right?

I hope they take you up on that.

[Doug Brott]

I just want to call up and see what promotions I can get right now.

I guess I'll just call and get a random CSR and go from there.

That would be the proper place to ask ..

[alant40]

So you talk to retentions to get promotions!?!
Why dont you just ask someone in customer service? Oh wait, because you want to "cancel", right?

I hope they take you up on that.


In the past, and it has been noted here, the normal CSR's aren't even capable of giving the discounts and promos that retention can give. They tell you "there screens won't let them do that". I know, I've been down that road. So why not lighten up a little. By the way, you must say "cancel your service" at the prompt to get retention. Then repeat it when prompted again. ;)

[wilsonc]

In the past, and it has been noted here, the normal CSR's aren't even capable of giving the discounts and promos that retention can give.


Its also been noted that D* does not give out the "promotions" as much as in the past and when you call to "cancel your service", thats exactly what you'll receive.

[Stuart Sweet]

DIRECTV changes their phone trees regularly to keep people from "gaming" them. I would start by talking to a CSR, as kindly as you can, remember this is a person. Give them a question they can't answer. Then ask to get transferred to someone else. Keep doing this until you get to a person who can answer the question you want.

I know I'm quoting my own post but the point is, no matter how hard you try to figure out the little back doors, that's how hard they are working on changing them.

I understand the "tier" system of customer service, I've been the beneficiary of it when I was on Tier 3 and 90% of the idiot calls went to someone else.

[EMoMoney]

I just want to call up and see what promotions I can get right now.

I guess I'll just call and get a random CSR and go from there.

A couple of months ago, I sent an email using the website and they responded with a number to call and an access code to use. I don't know if that was retention or not, but it got me to the right people to talk to regarding promos.

[Tom Robertson]

Most recently, the front line CSRs can give you roughly 90% of the same promotions that retention can. And without flagging your account so heavily. :)

Cheers,
Tom

[alant40]

Its also been noted that D* does not give out the "promotions" as much as in the past and when you call to "cancel your service", thats exactly what you'll receive.


Well I called last week using the "cancel my service" method to reach retention. I was contemplating dropping my package down from Premier, that's all. I stated my case that I was a little annoyed at what I deem to be there nickel and diming. The fee for the HD pack to be precise. To keep my package I was given 2 discounts for 12 months. One off the programming and one for the HD programming charge. I use the cancel option to merely get to a rep in a timely fashion. Obviously I had no idea I would get a discount, my intent was to reduce the package no matter what. Therefore, your statement is quite inaccurate. I'm still subscribed and I did get a discount. Perhaps being with them for almost 15 years actually means something. She did mention that by the way.....;)

[curt8403]

I just want to call up and see what promotions I can get right now.

I guess I'll just call and get a random CSR and go from there.

calling up just to see what promotions you can get is going to mark you (at least in the mind of the CSR) as a troublemaker. Have a legitimate reason to call, and check at the end of the call to see if there is a promotion. Another warning. DO NOT play CSR Roulette (calling back over and over)

[dodge boy]

calling up just to see what promotions you can get is going to mark you (at least in the mind of the CSR) as a troublemaker. Have a legitimate reason to call, and check at the end of the call to see if there is a promotion. Another warning. DO NOT play CSR Roulette (calling back over and over)

I call and everytime I say "cancel" and it's not to get freebies, is to bypass that stupid machine of theirs...... Even to add programing I say cancel. If I wanted to talk to a freakin' machine, I'd got out in the garage and serenade my Charger!

[Tom Robertson]

May the Charger always hmmm a beautiful tune. :)

[dodge boy]

May the Charger always hmmm a beautiful tune. :)

360 cubic inch soon to be stroked and poked to 408, racing cam, 4 barrel, dual exhast through a set of thrush mufflers, oh yeah.....:D

[diggerg56]

I call and everytime I say "cancel" and it's not to get freebies, is to bypass that stupid machine of theirs...... Even to add programing I say cancel. If I wanted to talk to a freakin' machine, I'd got out in the garage and serenade my Charger!

Why not just use the website if you want to change your programming? It's much quicker and works well in my experience.

When I was comtemplating upgrading to HD I wrote an email simply stating I had been a customer for 'x' number of years, had always done my own installs and I wanted to upgrade to HD but I was a little concerned about the price of the HD DVR. I didn't threaten to cancel, I just asked what might be available to me.

They sent a phone number to call with a PIN number and they gave me a pretty good deal on the upgrade without me raising a fuss, threatening to cancel, etc.

Threatening to cancel constantly will get you exactlt what you want- Cancelled.

[wildbill129]

Why not just use the website if you want to change your programming? It's much quicker and works well in my experience.

When I was comtemplating upgrading to HD I wrote an email simply stating I had been a customer for 'x' number of years, had always done my own installs and I wanted to upgrade to HD but I was a little concerned about the price of the HD DVR. I didn't threaten to cancel, I just asked what might be available to me.

They sent a phone number to call with a PIN number and they gave me a pretty good deal on the upgrade without me raising a fuss, threatening to cancel, etc.

Threatening to cancel constantly will get you exactlt what you want- Cancelled.

Have to agree. Email works well, is timely, even with my ADD, and you don't have to play any games.....can't hurt to try.....

[alant40]

Threatening to cancel constantly will get you exactlt what you want- Cancelled.









I doubt very much that they will cancel your sub if you really don't want it cancelled. There job is to get you to keep the sub,

not to loose you as a customer.

[CJTE]

I doubt very much that they will cancel your sub if you really don't want it cancelled. There job is to get you to keep the sub,

not to loose you as a customer.

Hahahaha.
You aint been around here much, ehh? About a month ago we had a story where someone called retentions and the CSR said the best resolution they saw fit was to close the account.

Needless to say, the guy was without TV for a few days til he called back and kindly requested his account to be reactivated.

[HDTVsportsfan]

Hahahaha.
You aint been around here much, ehh? About a month ago we had a story where someone called retentions and the CSR said the best resolution they saw fit was to close the account.

Needless to say, the guy was without TV for a few days til he called back and kindly requested his account to be reactivated.


Yea...he must have missed that one.
How's the saying go.

If you pull that gun out, you better be prepared to use it.

[RobertE]

I still wish that the IVR would actually cancel your services when you tell it "cancel".

Retention should only be used when you are really serious about cancelling. Not because of some false sense of entitlement of special treatment because you are you.

[dodge boy]

Why not just use the website if you want to change your programming? It's much quicker and works well in my experience.

When I was comtemplating upgrading to HD I wrote an email simply stating I had been a customer for 'x' number of years, had always done my own installs and I wanted to upgrade to HD but I was a little concerned about the price of the HD DVR. I didn't threaten to cancel, I just asked what might be available to me.

They sent a phone number to call with a PIN number and they gave me a pretty good deal on the upgrade without me raising a fuss, threatening to cancel, etc.

Threatening to cancel constantly will get you exactlt what you want- Cancelled.

Because some of us are shut ins and hearing a human voice once in a while is all that keeps us alive....... Now I'll just go swing by my neck from the joists in the basement.....

[RobertE]

Because some of us are shut ins and hearing a human voice once in a while is all that keeps us alive....... Now I'll just go swing by my neck from the joists in the basement.....

Good luck with that in the basement. :rolleyes:

You can still get a human (or a close approximation anyway) without having to go to retention for everything.

[dodge boy]

Ok brainyacts, I got an email last night saying my bill was ready for review, lited an account number and everything for another person I called in and their prompter had no choices for my email address was prviously recycled and had belonged to a customer of yours who forgot to change their email in their account info. I doubt a first tier CSR would have a clue as to how to reolve this one.... The CSRs at PayPal and Ebay were baffled....

[dodge boy]

Good luck with that in the basement. :rolleyes:

You can still get a human (or a close approximation anyway) without having to go to retention for everything.

I didn't have a computer at home until 2 weeks ago I work on one all day (AutoCad) and finally caved in and got one at home, I belonged to too many forums under my work email address, and I know I coulda just started a free yahoo or some other dumb dumb account, but my boss needs to get some work out of me......:D

[Kheldar]

Because some of us are shut ins and hearing a human voice once in a while is all that keeps us alive....... Now I'll just go swing by my neck from the joists in the basement.....

Does that mean I can have your car? ;)

[dodge boy]

Does that mean I can have your car? ;)

Shoot I'm 38 now, I got it from my dad when I was 19, he bought it new, I'll probably be buried in it, after I am cremated of course, don't want it smelling like a rotting corpse when I cruise around in the after life.....:sure:

[BWoodbury]

Now I'll just go swing by my neck from the joists in the basement.....

Can I have the Charger?

[Supervolcano]

Because some of us are shut ins and hearing a human voice once in a while is all that keeps us alive....... Now I'll just go swing by my neck from the joists in the basement.....
Try talking to a few women at the local grocery store.
It might change your life.

[dtrell]

Ok brainyacts,

brainyacts? if i were a brainiac, i could figure out what that means...

[Jon D]

My question to the OP and anyone else who seeks out retention for the purpose of paying less for their services. That is what you guys are doing. Not trying to resolve a legitimate issue, but get undeserved discounts, freebies, handouts, whatever you want to call it. What makes you people deserve to pay less than the rest of us for the same thing? My advice is to live within your means. If you can't afford the premium package, get a less expensive one. What's next? Calling up GM and whining because the payments on your caddy are too high?

[Mike Huss]

Regarding the voice prompt system, I have to agree, and I've made sure to tell every CSR I've talked to in person how much of a pain that system is (politely of course). I've even asked them to pass on a complaint to the proper people about the system.

I don't mind voice prompt systems when they work, but the last couple times I've called I've had to repeat the word "YES" multiple times to get the system to follow it, and I don't exactly have some funky accent or anything like that (other than nasal midwest ;) ). It's not a good voice prompt system and it causes frustration for customers which makes them just a little more snippy when they finally get to a CSR. :(

Now on the other hand, I recently had some issues with billing on my phone. When I was talking to that CSR I told them how hard it was to deal with their online billing software, and she agreed (they only update the "online billing" each month after they post a new bill, i.e. no changes show up online until the next bill). I gave her D*'s page as an example of how to do real time billing and updates. She said she had D* herself and would pass it on to her manager as a suggestion.