View Full Version : DTV Installer blew it!
vbedford
03-08-09, 12:27 PM
I have been a good loyal Dtv customer for 3 years.I recently talked my parents
into going with Dtv and ditching comcast (of course!)
I was on a conference call with Dtv and my mom telling them EVERYTHING she
wanted and we got her set up with a install date.
Two guys show up yesterday to do the install at my parents house..
There was a regular non dvr hd box upstairs and a hddvd box downstairs..
They would NOT go under the house or in the attic to run the cables for upstairs or go under the house for the cable down stairs the only was they
would do the install is to drill FROM the outside thru the wall on the inside.
I can see why you have to do that at an apartment but why at a house,
that has the proper crawl spaces?
They even when i asked on the phone will the new hddvr box have b band converters and they said no because they will be getting a newer box.
Well they got an hr22 that you guessed it needed b band converters.
WEAK!:nono:
I have been a good loyal Dtv customer for 3 years.I recently talked my parents
into going with Dtv and ditching comcast (of course!)
I was on a conference call with Dtv and my mom telling them EVERYTHING she
wanted and we got her set up with a install date.
Two guys show up yesterday to do the install at my parents house..
There was a regular non dvr hd box upstairs and a hddvd box downstairs..
They would NOT go under the house or in the attic to run the cables for upstairs or go under the house for the cable down stairs the only was they
would do the install is to drill FROM the outside thru the wall on the inside.
I can see why you have to do that at an apartment but why at a house,
that has the proper crawl spaces?
They even when i asked on the phone will the new hddvr box have b band converters and they said no because they will be getting a newer box.
Well they got an hr22 that you guessed it needed b band converters.
WEAK!:nono:
I hate to say it but it sounds like you got some lazy installers that were not interesting in what the customer really wanted.
vbedford
03-08-09, 12:38 PM
Yea my mom said they did not look like they wanted to get dirty.
vbedford
03-08-09, 12:48 PM
I even told them i wanted a DTV employee not a outside contractor.
doctrsnoop
03-08-09, 01:07 PM
I even told them i wanted a DTV employee not a outside contractor.
I'm not sure that's possible in most places in the country
vbedford
03-08-09, 01:12 PM
The agent we talked to on the phone said that was no problem but it would be a
couple extra days for a Dtv tech. So that's what they did it took a week for the guys
to show up after she ordered service.
bonscott87
03-08-09, 01:18 PM
Actually the free install is only exactly what they told her, drill in from the outside directly to the rooms. Anything else is "custom" and thus you either pay for it or run the cables first yourself so all they have to do is just plug in. Been that way for a long time. Not to say that you won't find an installer that will do "proper" nice cable runs but by no means do they have to for a free install.
RobertE
03-08-09, 01:36 PM
Sorry to say, your sales rep told you exactly what you wanted to hear to get the sale.
Myself, if it's a dry crawlspace, with sufficent room to move around, it usually isn't a problem. If it's a crawlspace that is wet/full of water/mud, it's not going to happen. If I have to actually crawl on my belly, not going to happen either. As for the attic, unless they were going to tap into a prewired drop, or drop the cable through the ceiling in the room/closet, that was going to be custom charges.
For the DVR model, it's been stated over and over and over, that CSRs in general can not guarentee what model you will get. Again, they told you what you wanted to hear.
They failed to set your and your parents expectations correctly.
David MacLeod
03-08-09, 01:58 PM
They failed to set your and your parents expectations correctly.
I think this is probably the best descriptive statement of these issues I have seen so far. well stated Robert.
IMO these csr's doing this cause the customers, installers, and even themselves a severe disservice.
Mertzen
03-08-09, 02:21 PM
I even told them i wanted a DTV employee not a outside contractor.
Siebel assigns jobs not a single human has control over it. But yeah, sorry to hear about the bad experience. It's hard to find decent techs.
dodge boy
03-08-09, 02:39 PM
You or your parents could have run the lines the way you wanted to and just had the Techs. hook them up to the Dish/switch or paid extra for a custom install.
Siebel assigns jobs not a single human has control over it. But yeah, sorry to hear about the bad experience. It's hard to find decent techs.
No kidding! At the current HSP pay rates... Decent techs usually figure out it aint worth it and get the hell out!
wallfishman
03-08-09, 04:10 PM
Sorry to say, your sales rep told you exactly what you wanted to hear to get the sale.
Myself, if it's a dry crawlspace, with sufficent room to move around, it usually isn't a problem. If it's a crawlspace that is wet/full of water/mud, it's not going to happen. If I have to actually crawl on my belly, not going to happen either. As for the attic, unless they were going to tap into a prewired drop, or drop the cable through the ceiling in the room/closet, that was going to be custom charges.
For the DVR model, it's been stated over and over and over, that CSRs in general can not guarentee what model you will get. Again, they told you what you wanted to hear.
They failed to set your and your parents expectations correctly.
Good Answer.... thats pretty much exactly how i roll too. attic? fishing walls ? crawlspace? dont want exterior wires run.. you just described CUSTOM WORK.... the inhouse techs are gonna tell you the same thing. so my advice is to wire it yourself, since you want it a certain way, or pay to have it done.
joe diamond
03-08-09, 09:01 PM
Siebel assigns jobs not a single human has control over it. But yeah, sorry to hear about the bad experience. It's hard to find decent techs.
I know plenty of decent techs. They won't work for the money offered.
Joe
bonscott87
03-09-09, 01:10 PM
Good Answer.... thats pretty much exactly how i roll too. attic? fishing walls ? crawlspace? dont want exterior wires run.. you just described CUSTOM WORK.... the inhouse techs are gonna tell you the same thing. so my advice is to wire it yourself, since you want it a certain way, or pay to have it done.
That what I did. I don't want any tech touching my stuff anyway. I already had all my cable buried in conduit to the pole in the backyard and ran into my wire closet and then a multiswitch there out to the rooms. I just wanted him to put the new 5 LNB dish up and I'd take care of the rest. After he looked over my stuff he had no problem doing that. He put the dish up, I put in the new switch and the receiver. He just came in and made sure the receiver worked. He was so happy that I did half his work for him and he had extra time since I was the last install of the day he made me some custom length cables I needed before he left. I slipped him some beer money tip and he was on his way. :D
I guess some posters didn't read the OP complaint very good.The DirecTV techs didn't even offer to do a "custom install".:confused:
vbedford
03-09-09, 05:57 PM
Thank you Jhon69.
Exactly..did not even offer AFTER he even called his boss!
Just stood there dumbfounded when she said i want it under the house.
I showed up at my parents house yesterday and comcast did everything they wanted for 100.00!
I understand about custom installs and run's but the only option they give you is to drill
into your house is not gonna work in the long run.
I am not talking about full on cst work but this whole ordeal was lame.
And before anybody starts waving the Direct Tv Flag and talking like dtv can do no wrong. Don't. I am a big Dtv supporter.
But ONLY 1 option for installation is NOT going to work.
Thank you Jhon69.
Exactly..did not even offer AFTER he even called his boss!
Just stood there dumbfounded when she said i want it under the house.
I showed up at my parents house yesterday and comcast did everything they wanted for 100.00!
I understand about custom installs and run's but the only option they give you is to drill
into your house is not gonna work in the long run.
I am not talking about full on cst work but this whole ordeal was lame.
And before anybody starts waving the Direct Tv Flag and talking like dtv can do no wrong. Don't. I am a big Dtv supporter.
But ONLY 1 option for installation is NOT going to work.
Your welcome had the same problem with my first DirecTV install.Contractor sent out a young installer who told me the same thing.I told him my install has just been canceled!.I called DirecTV back up told them what happened and what I needed from them to become a DirecTV customer they told me no problem.;)
Next installer was a trainer he was in and out from under my house in four minutes TV is in the middle of livingroom.He told me"I have a family sir,I will do what needs to be done"!.What an original attitude!!!!.Was so impressed I tipped both him and his trainee $20. a piece for lunch.Also called DirecTV and the contracted company(Ironwood) and told them what a great job he did.;):D
vbedford
03-09-09, 07:15 PM
"I have a family sir,I will do what needs to be done"!
TOTALY!!!
Dtv has those people! I know this for a fact!!
I managed a retail store i know the drill as far as cs.
But my parents never had a chance to
see it!
That's the part the KILLS me!
BattleZone
03-10-09, 12:25 PM
Just for some perspective, I've been asked to go under houses many times. Here are some actual situations that caused me to decline, regardless of price:
- Muddy (most common reason; cust would be furious if you tracked mud into their house, but insist you "find a way" to run their cables).
- Standing water/alge
- Covered with animal feces
- Ground is hard/sharp rocks or concrete remnants
- Less than 1' clearance
- Tenants using the crawlspace as a garbage dump.
- Dead animals rotting away.
Most of these customers sat and argued with me about going under the house with these issues. In every case, I volunteered to help THEM go under the house, and that shut them up.
These are exceptions, of course, except for the mud, which happens a lot. Usually it isn't a problem, but it is always custom.
joe diamond
03-10-09, 02:08 PM
Just for some perspective, I've been asked to go under houses many times. Here are some actual situations that caused me to decline, regardless of price:
- Muddy (most common reason; cust would be furious if you tracked mud into their house, but insist you "find a way" to run their cables).
- Standing water/alge
- Covered with animal feces
- Ground is hard/sharp rocks or concrete remnants
- Less than 1' clearance
- Tenants using the crawlspace as a garbage dump.
- Dead animals rotting away.
Most of these customers sat and argued with me about going under the house with these issues. In every case, I volunteered to help THEM go under the house, and that shut them up.
These are exceptions, of course, except for the mud, which happens a lot. Usually it isn't a problem, but it is always custom.
Once had to fix a "hammer throw" installation where the original guy attached the phone cable and the dual rg6 to his hammer and threw all over the house. Squirrels and raccoons had bitten the lines until they failed; phones had noise and transponders were missing on the DTV.
The cure was to run the lines under the house. However........."had a door to under there but them pool builders......they bricked up the door. Can ya just bust open another one big enough to get in there and work?"
Sometimes you do not have time to offer custom work that day. With other systems you just make an appointment and go back. With the HSP arrangement you either do it or cancel it. Changing work orders is done by important people in offices in other states.
Joe
Changing work orders is done by important people in offices in other states.
Joe
PLEASE tell me that was sarcasm...
And, I wouldnt necesarily call them offices, more like cubicles... :P
joe diamond
03-10-09, 07:42 PM
PLEASE tell me that was sarcasm...
And, I wouldnt necesarily call them offices, more like cubicles... :P
So you have your sarcasm detector on!
I always use my imagination regarding where various "directives" come from.
CSRs can be anywhere. What really grinds me is when some former or future burger flipper tells me to "just do it!....... this comes from corporate!" I suspect anybody in the trailer made up the plan.
You got a cubical? Last office I had was ruled out with duct tape. I had to keep trespassers out and make them come through my future door.
Then, one day, I entered the happy world of installation technicians and never looked back.
Joe
So you have your sarcasm detector on!
What really grinds me is when some former or future burger flipper tells me to "just do it!....... this comes from corporate!"
Joe
Yea... Well hey, I couldnt really tell, or I wouldnt've asked.
In regards to the burger flippers... I think I'd have to find a way to reach through the phone if I ever heard that line...
That would be... (Damnit, I guess I'm gonna be late to atleast my next call) I wanna speak to a supervisor, NOW
joe diamond
03-10-09, 09:03 PM
Yea... Well hey, I couldnt really tell, or I wouldnt've asked.
In regards to the burger flippers... I think I'd have to find a way to reach through the phone if I ever heard that line...
That would be... (Damnit, I guess I'm gonna be late to atleast my next call) I wanna speak to a supervisor, NOW
I feel your pain! And I didn't mean to slame someone who is working at geting it right.
BUT, my last conversation with a CSR went about like this:
Hello sir, I am Amad and I will be your call center person for this call. Could you read me all the identification numbers from your work order?
Amad......here are the AC numbers....here is the job number....it is complete as printed
Ah, sir..........please wait while my screen clears. Now will you begin to slowly read the numbers from the top of your page while I check them?
Hey...........here are the AC numbers and.....I didn't need the 3x4 multiswitch, for your records.
Ah sir! We will have to reprint a new work order. It will be ready in one business day. The "multiswitch" that you did not use. Do you have a serial number for it?
Oh no sir, I cannot close more that two calls. That would not be fair to the other gentlemen that are waiting to close their work. Please call back.........click!
AND THEN............another night............after being on hold for about 30 minutes...........THIS CALL CENTER IS NOW CLOSED>>>>>>>DO NOT LEAVE MESSAGES ON ANY ANSWERING MACHINES TO CLOSE YOUR JOBS.
But I digress.
Joe
Brannayen
03-12-09, 03:38 PM
According to the custom charge sheet, at the top where it lists what is included in the "free" basic installation, crawspace work is NOT custom. It states:
Routing cable through one exterior and one interior wall. (Includes crawspace and floor where applicable)
Am I wrong?
We just had ten receivers installed, all from the crawl space. No custom charges!
BattleZone
03-12-09, 06:57 PM
According to the custom charge sheet, at the top where it lists what is included in the "free" basic installation, crawspace work is NOT custom. It states:
Routing cable through one exterior and one interior wall. (Includes crawspace and floor where applicable)
Am I wrong?
No, but you're running into the reality that things are different from one area of the country to the next. Note that DirecTV is extremely vague with what they consider "standard", which has resulted in the local HSP making the rules (which also has lead to "specification creep", as things that used to be custom are slowly added to the "standard" list over time). It actually does make some sense, because regional differences in housing construction and other conditions will play a role in determining if something is easy/fast/safe enough to be considered standard, or if it's custom.
Let me give you another example: pole mounts. In some areas of the country, pole mounts are extremely common, and techs seem to do them almost by default, and for free. In those areas, pole mounts are usually the easist way to do the job, due to the construction of the house, the soil, and other considerations.
In my county, there are places were you could dig a suitable hole for a pole mount in 15 minutes, and there are places where you'd need a jackhammer and dynamite to do so. A person with a shovel would wear out the shovel before he got a hole dug in some of those areas, because it's solid granite. Also, pole mounts are extremely rare here, because the county is very suburban, with small backyards and even smaller side yards. For these reasons, a pole mount is not commonly done and would be considered custom here, IF it could be done at all.
Even where something is normally considered standard, there are circumstances that could still make it custom.
Example: I need to go into an attic to run a line or fix a connection. On one house, the attic is open, there is reasonable room to move safely without damaging anything, and I'm in and out in 10 minutes. That's usually free. The next house may require the same thing, but the attic is tiny, there's dead rats rotting in traps by the entrance, and the attic has been stuffed with 30 years of christmas decorations, old furnature, and other "stuff" that I'd need to remove and replace in order to do the work. That's going to be custom if I'm willing to do it at all.
See the difference?
SebastianBlack
03-15-09, 05:56 PM
The agent we talked to on the phone said that was no problem but it would be a
couple extra days for a Dtv tech. So that's what they did it took a week for the guys
to show up after she ordered service.
DTV does not have any installers. They all come from the HSPs in most cases.
SebastianBlack
03-15-09, 06:01 PM
Sorry to say, your sales rep told you exactly what you wanted to hear to get the sale.
Myself, if it's a dry crawlspace, with sufficent room to move around, it usually isn't a problem. If it's a crawlspace that is wet/full of water/mud, it's not going to happen. If I have to actually crawl on my belly, not going to happen either. As for the attic, unless they were going to tap into a prewired drop, or drop the cable through the ceiling in the room/closet, that was going to be custom charges.
For the DVR model, it's been stated over and over and over, that CSRs in general can not guarentee what model you will get. Again, they told you what you wanted to hear.
They failed to set your and your parents expectations correctly.
They are sales people after all. they will "Yes ma'am, Yes sir!" you to death to get the sale. It is not the installers fault that you did not get the HDDVR DTV salesman told you would get. The HSPs make the order for the equipment they need. DTV sends what they have refurb etc.... The installers get what the warehouses have and brings it out for installation. If ou wanted a certain DVR, my advise is to buy it yourself and have the guys install it.
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