Who has the best customer service?

[mini1]

Please vote in this poll only if you have had experience with the company you are voting for. Thank you! this poll is only for the big 3 US satellite companies, and doesn't include C-Band. please post any stories or other facts that you think we might find interesting to read below. :)

[Capmeister]

VOOM, hands down.

[rickaren]

Have had DISH, DirecTV (Pegasus does that count), and now VOOM. Never have been treated so fine from a Company that I only rent from! ($9.50 per month) Phone Survey, installer drove 136 miles one way and worked after dark (9:30 P.M.) and could not have arrived home till after midnight , and then Supervisor came out to inspect install and another Survey. Chrysler was pretty good to me in 95 after I spent 55K on two cars, but VOOM really wants your business! How refreshing.

[JM Anthony]

Nordstroms. I'd feel comfortable taking a bum receiver to them. Given their track record, one of their associates would drop everything to get me a new one installed. Probably bring me a coffee from Starbucks while they were at it.

[Mark Holtz]

Note; Poll didn't work properly, so please post you answer below.Poll added. - Holtz

[Mark Holtz]

I'm unable say which one is better. I complained about some PQ issues with Dish Network, and it was fixed. I also noted a problem with cracking on one of the DirecTV local channels, and it was fixed a few days later.

[mini1]

thank you Holtz for adding in the poll!!!!!!!!

[Roger]

It appears that E* is now out-sourcing their CS and I had to call a couple of times to get MLB EI added.

[lee120]

DIRECTV Ranks No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction in J.D. Power and Associates Satellite/Cable TV Study Two Years in a Row
Award Marks the Second Time DIRECTV has received a No. 1 Customer Satisfaction Rating this Year


El Segundo, CA Aug 19, 2003 DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading digital multichannel television service provider, announced today that it has been ranked "#1 in Customer Satisfaction Among Satellite/Cable TV Subscribers" for the second consecutive year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Syndicated Cable/Satellite TV Customer Satisfaction StudySM.

This marks the fourth time in the past two years that DIRECTV has received the top ranking in national customer satisfaction studies. In May, DIRECTV received the highest score for customer satisfaction among satellite and cable TV companies rated by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) for the second consecutive year.

"Our No. 1 ranking in the J.D. Power and Associates study for a second consecutive year clearly shows a sustained commitment by all DIRECTV employees to provide our more than 11.5 million customers with a great product backed up by great service," said Roxanne Austin, president and COO, DIRECTV, Inc. "Ranking No. 1 in two independent customer satisfaction studies two years running is an achievement of which we're all justly proud."

DIRECTV received the highest overall score (118) in the J.D. Power and Associates Study. The average for cable television providers was 94.

This year's J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 7,380 satellite TV and cable households nationwide.

"Customer satisfaction is a key barometer that measures how well we're running our business," said Bob Meyers, executive vice president of Customer Satisfaction, DIRECTV, Inc. "Toward that end, we continually examine every aspect of our programming service by asking ourselves - from the customers' perspective - how we can enhance their viewing experience. As the customer satisfaction studies show, we are answering the bell on all counts, including performance and reliability, customer service, installation and support, programming choice and signal quality  all key attributes of our service that continue to set us apart from cable."

J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction.


DIRECTV is the nation's leading digital multichannel television service provider with more than 11.5 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corp. HUGHES is a world-leading provider of digital television entertainment, broadband satellite networks and services, and global video and data broadcasting. The earnings of HUGHES, a unit of General Motors Corporation, are used to calculate the earnings attributable to the General Motors Class H common stock (NYSE: GMH). For more information, visit www.DIRECTV.com.

[Bill R]

It appears that E* is now out-sourcing their CS and I had to call a couple of times to get MLB EI added.

BOTH vendors outsource calls to overseas call centers (DirecTV more so than DISH).

I have been having an ongoing billing problem with DirecTV (that they caused last September) and have been trying monthly to get it resolved. The DirecTV CSRs in India (I never could get one in the U.S.) told me each month (since October, 2003) that it would be fixed. It never did get fixed until I finally "got lucky" and got a CSR in the U.S. in February. It is now resolved but I have made up my mind that I will never trust an overseas CSR (this goes for DISH and DirecTV, I have both).

One has to wonder how long the public is going to put up with problems like mine (and from what I was told by a DirecTV U.S. CSR my problem was far from unique). If it wasn't for my DirecTV TiVo (which I really enjoy) I would have canceled service because of the inferior service that I repeatly received from overseas CSRs.

[Roger]

I hear that if you tell them you want to talk to an American they will put you through to one at least with other companies. We all need to start doing this thus supporting the American worker not to mention better customer service due to a languange barrier.

[Bob Haller]

One has to wonder how long the public is going to put up with problems like mine (and from what I was told by a DirecTV U.S. CSR my problem was far from unique). If it wasn't for my DirecTV TiVo (which I really enjoy) I would have canceled service because of the inferior service that I repeatly received from overseas CSRs.

Sadly us consumers appear pretty tolerant of companies who screw up. thats sad because ultimately consumers who vote with their feet can get companies to improve dramatically or fail and go out of business.

[mini1]

I am surprised at the poll so far, most stuff said here seems to indicate that D* has the best service, but the poll says the oppisite. why?

[HarryD]

I have had Dish and Direct and have had good and bad experiences with both. Can't speak for Voom, but I call it a tie..

[mini1]

this poll is still open! have a story to tell? post it below!

[JM Anthony]

I am surprised at the poll so far, most stuff said here seems to indicate that D* has the best service, but the poll says the oppisite. why?
JD Powers is about customer satisfaction. That doesn't necessarily match to "customer service."

[RAD]

I'm sorta surprised on how the vote is also going. With all the folks upset at E* for not getting hardware that's been ordered,missed appointments, lack of 921's, 322/522 for new customers only... that E*'s winning.

[Mike D-CO5]

I'm sorta surprised on how the vote is also going. With all the folks upset at E* for not getting hardware that's been ordered,missed appointments, lack of 921's, 322/522 for new customers only... that E*'s winning.
Don't you know that there is a fine line between love and hate? We Dish subs are in a perpetual love/ hate relationship with Dish. I think the majority love the ideas that Dish comes up with for receivers but hate the way they are or are not implemented. If they could just once release a working receiver WITHOUT BUGS, and years of software updates to correct said bugs, then you would see the hate lessen that you read in these web boards.:rolleyes:

[Link]

I would say the customer service is about equal but Directv CSRs seem more knowledgable than the E* ones do. It seems like you call to ask questions about packages and products and E* CSRs never know the answers or what to tell you.

[mini1]

JD Powers is about customer satisfaction. That doesn't necessarily match to "customer service."

I am talking about what I am reading from all the posts, not just the JD Power study. speaking of that does anyone know when this years study will be released? Please vote now!

[jerry downing]

Judging by the relative numbers of people using the E* forum vs the D* forum, it appears as if there are more E* owners using DBS Talk. There is more griping about E* for that reason but there are more satisfied customers as well.

[BFG]

VOOM, hands down.

Well that's probably true since they probably only deal with 100 people calling them

[mini1]

PLEASE VOTE TODAY! This poll closes soon!

[kwajr]

i once was against out sourcing to indi but then i read last weeks issue of buisness week and it made a lot of since why it was good like the fact that its opening there economy up where they buy a lot more of our stuff now whitch means more jobs for us

[JM Anthony]

i once was against out sourcing to indi but then i read last weeks issue of buisness week and it made a lot of since why it was good like the fact that its opening there economy up where they buy a lot more of our stuff now whitch means more jobs for us
I agree. The more outsourcing the better. Just ask all of the people who are out of work and looking for jobs. Selective sourcing is fine, but wholesale outsourcing, particularly in these times doesn't make any sense to me. Perhaps you can help me understand why this helps our labor force?

[kwajr]

I agree. The more outsourcing the better. Just ask all of the people who are out of work and looking for jobs. Selective sourcing is fine, but wholesale outsourcing, particularly in these times doesn't make any sense to me. Perhaps you can help me understand why this helps our labor force?
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/apr2004/nf2004042_0178_db013.htm
read this it will answer you

[mini1]

This poll closes soon! please vote now!

[JM Anthony]

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/apr2004/nf2004042_0178_db013.htm
read this it will answer you
Thanks for the article. I blitzed through it but it still doesn't answer my questions. Let's take information technology, one of the poster children for outsourcing. If all I wanted to buy was some "body shop" labor, I might buy the argument to get it offshore, but more often than not I need more than just some code cutting skills. I need some business knowledge behind it, ideally knowledge about MY business, not just some generic stuff. That's just my side of the ledger. What about the poor stiffs who are out of work in the US? What's the hit to our economy when we have thousands (millions?) more as part of the welfare state??

[mini1]

can you all see the results to this poll?

[JM Anthony]

can you all see the results to this poll?
No

[mini1]

this poll is still open! you all now should see the poll results. please vote now!

[mini1]

What a surprise! I hear more complants about Dish Network having bad customer service than DirecTV. I guess the outcome could have been different if the no difference option wasn't their.

[Bob Haller]

Ahh E reps have been pretty good and nice the last couple years. Although the last ione I spoke with wasnt happy with some comments I made about junk quality DVRs and the roll out of the 921. She said it was awesome. I said its going to be discontinued:(

[JM Anthony]

Switch my vote from E* to Voom. I've had to talk with them a couple of times over the last week and they are very good to deal with. Tier 1 staff are patient, very helpful, and even funny.

Small is good. Ta hell with the big guys.