[Guest]

about to jump ship to DirecTV, any chance that Dish will offer something to keep me?

I have thought long and hard, but I couldn't find a reason not to switch to DirecTV because of the offers they're giving me. I spoke to DishNetwork a couple of times and they weren't even willing to discount the Hopper by $10 when I told them my intentions to switch to another provider. Guess being a Dish customer for three years means very little to them?( my monthly bills for the three years add up to be $4327, excluding taxes, plus a few hundred bucks that I paid for the HD DVRs)

The only reason that I have made the jump is that I really don't want to deal with having to re-learn the DirecTV remote/DVR.(having left them 3 years ago)

 

[Mojo Jojo]

I would try to contact the Loyalty Department online or by phone. They may offer you $10 off for 6-12 months, free premium offers, or/and equipment upgrades. Usually, some of these do not require another commitment; the one I would watch in terms of a possible new contract would be equipment upgrade. Good luck! You may want to try a DIRT member here as well.

 

[domingos35]

about to jump ship to DirecTV, any chance that Dish will offer something to keep me?

I have thought long and hard, but I couldn't find a reason not to switch to DirecTV because of the offers they're giving me. I spoke to DishNetwork a couple of times and they weren't even willing to discount the Hopper by $10 when I told them my intentions to switch to another provider. Guess being a Dish customer for three years means very little to them?( my monthly bills for the three years add up to be $4327, excluding taxes, plus a few hundred bucks that I paid for the HD DVRs)

The only reason that I have made the jump is that I really don't want to deal with having to re-learn the DirecTV remote/DVR.(having left them 3 years ago)

sounds like u like to milk every provider u sign up with ,and if they don't budge u jump ship.did u forget all the freebies dish gave you?(free starz for 1 year etc ,etc) dish does not need or want customers like you. good bye

 

[lparsons21]

sounds like u like to milk every provider u sign up with ,and if they don't budge u jump ship.did u forget all the freebies dish gave you?(free starz for 1 year etc ,etc) dish does not need or want customers like you. good bye

That's really funny! 3 months after leaving Dish, they will welcome him back with open arms and the new customer deals to boot.

Direct is the same, although the time away usually needs to be longer.

Seems to me that the best way is to extend something the existing customer to keep them around. Not the new customer deals, but something that has value. Neither D* nor E* do much to retain customers wanting a deal.

And since both companies have a building full of accountants, lawyers and marketing and sales people, dedicated to making the most money off you they can, why is it a bad thing to try to make a little hay for yourself. It is a business arrangement, pay for service provided, and nothing else.

 

[Marlin Guy]

Try their facebook page. They have people monitoring that full time. Good people here too, but they aren't always online. Apparently they have lives or something.

 

[Marlin Guy]

That's really funny! 3 months after leaving Dish, they will welcome him back with open arms and the new customer deals to boot.

Direct is the same, although the time away usually needs to be longer.

They've cut it way down now.
I started getting the "Come Back" offers within two weeks of leaving them.

 

[lparsons21]

Heck, I've been getting 'come back' email for the last month from DirecTV and I 'came back' last August!

I guess they are doing a pre-emptive 'come back' deal now!

 

[satcrazy]

They've cut it way down now.
I started getting the "Come Back" offers within two weeks of leaving them.

Same here. They've [direct] called at least once a month ever since [ it's been over a year now].

Too bad they don't put that much effort into retention.

Dish has been easier to deal with, IMO, not a lot of runaround from them [re: BS] I appreciate that.

If Dish could come up with some small "reward" for sticking around, it may increase their customer satisfaction rating, and keep existing subs. They don't have to give the store away, anyone who expects the same perks as new customers is not realistic.

I'm happy they added MLBN. Thanks Dish!

 

[sregener]

They've cut it way down now.
I started getting the "Come Back" offers within two weeks of leaving them.

8 days. My response to their promise of a new, faster DVR was simple: why would I gamble that they finally fixed what had been a rotten two years when I had a sure thing (Hopper) in my living room? There is a dark side to saddling customers to contracts with horrible hardware: they run for the exits as fast as they can. And they are unlikely to return.

To the OP: there are worse things than paying an extra $10/month. Pray you don't get an HR22!

 

[mdavej]

No company gives current subs new customer deals. You're one of 14 million, you're not special, they won't miss you. If all you care about is saving money and not the actual service you're getting, then switching every 2 years is the way to go. You'll get offers to come back within a couple of weeks.

 

[Inkosaurus]

They've cut it way down now.
I started getting the "Come Back" offers within two weeks of leaving them.

He's talking about the minimum amount of time you need to be gone with (dish) before you can come back and qualify as an absolutely new customer with a different account

If you went back to them before those 3 months all they would do is restart your old account, give you a new 2 year contract, and maybe different receivers. Not much else.

@ OP, If you called in, talked to loyalty and they refused to even give you a 10$x12 credit then jump ship. Everythings based on customer tiers and if you cant get a 10$x12, then you either expended all your possible credit's with in your 3 years there or your billing history is terrible and they dont trust you.
Have fun at Dtv.

 

[lparsons21]

No company gives current subs new customer deals. You're one of 14 million, you're not special, they won't miss you. If all you care about is saving money and not the actual service you're getting, then switching every 2 years is the way to go. You'll get offers to come back within a couple of weeks.

Yep, those offers will be quick and sweet.

As to the 'actual service', well outside of sports, there's only a few channels in HD difference between the two sat providers, so programming isn't much different. And the hardware performs nearly the same functions, although in different ways. And the PQ is nearly the same, with most noticing slight, if any differences there.

So the downside of switching is mostly the actual swapping of gear and new remotes. Neither take long.

Now we're down to the money. Both services have slews of bean counters and such to ensure they are making good money by providing the least they can for the most return. And that is as it should be.

We, OTOH, get wrapped up in this 'loyal customer' mantra and forget that it isn't about loyalty or being friends or any other feel good thing. It is about what can I get for the money I spend. And just like those companies, I want the most for the least. So maybe switching is the smart business move, it sure doesn't have much of a downside.

All that doesn't count for those sports fans that just have to watch every sport ever filmed or taped.

For the rest of us, the approach to take is that we are willing to switch for less money, what can you do to keep us from doing that? If they offer nothing, then you know exactly where you stand with them. You didn't make the rules and you don't provide the 'deals' that are offered in the willy nilly way it appears they do.

 

[Marlin Guy]

If you went back to them before those 3 months all they would do is restart your old account, give you a new 2 year contract, and maybe different receivers. Not much else.

The offer I received yesterday was for whole home HD HR34. No maybe about it.
It's in the recycle bin under my carport if you want to see it.

 

[Inkosaurus]

The offer I received yesterday was for whole home HD HR34. No maybe about it.
It's in the recycle bin under my carport if you want to see it.

Because we all know every customer is the same and anecdotal evidence is surely applicable to every single situation with in the same parameters right?

Read my post again.

He's talking about the minimum amount of time you need to be gone with (dish) before you can come back and qualify as an absolutely new customer with a different account

If you went back to them before those 3 months all they would do is restart your old account, give you a new 2 year contract, and maybe different receivers. Not much else.

The point is the "come back" deals that you get a few weeks after leaving are not comparable to the what you get if you stick it out for 3 months.

 

[Stewart Vernon]

This is actually a prime example of a customer about whom I've said that Dish, DirecTV, and cable don't have any interest in trying to keep.

Why?

Well... by his own post, he left DirecTV 3 years ago for a better deal with Dish. Now, after 3 years if Dish doesn't give him another good deal he will go right back to DirecTV. So... this is why DirecTV was smart not to try and keep him 3 years ago... because if he's going to bounce, he'll be back.

I call this kind of customer a Barry Sanders customer... People used to say the best way to tackle Barry Sanders was NOT to try and chase him... you wouldn't catch him... but IF you waited, he would eventually zig and zag his way back to you

 

[damondlt]

sounds like u like to milk every provider u sign up with ,and if they don't budge u jump ship.did u forget all the freebies dish gave you?(free starz for 1 year etc ,etc) dish does not need or want customers like you. good bye

Lets get something straight. Dish didn't "GIVE" him anything. Its not like he is getting free service. Its his money he can choose spend it on whomever or whatever.

 

[damondlt]

That's really funny! 3 months after leaving Dish, they will welcome him back with open arms and the new customer deals to boot.

Direct is the same, although the time away usually needs to be longer.

Seems to me that the best way is to extend something the existing customer to keep them around. Not the new customer deals, but something that has value. Neither D* nor E* do much to retain customers wanting a deal.

And since both companies have a building full of accountants, lawyers and marketing and sales people, dedicated to making the most money off you they can, why is it a bad thing to try to make a little hay for yourself. It is a business arrangement, pay for service provided, and nothing else.

Exactly. Couldn't have said it better.
Seriously what has directv or dishnetwork ever done for anyone except provide you with services you still have to pay for. If some of you guys put the loyalty you put toward dish network into our country imagine what the world would be like.
Its only Tv.

 

[James Long]

Lets get something straight. Dish didn't "GIVE" him anything. Its not like he is getting free service. Its his money he can choose spend it on whomever or whatever.

Both providers "give" discounts to new subscribers. Both seem to back off on the discounts once they have the subscriber. If the subscriber is still under the two year commitment they might get some new discount if they complain. At the end of their commitment that customer may get something if they complain but in general nothing is as good as the new subscriber discounts.

It doesn't matter if the "gift" is less than free service ... it is still something that is given to a customer.

 

[damondlt]

It doesn't matter if the "gift" is less than free service ... it is still something that is given to a customer.

Not sold on your statement!
Again a company doesn't make millions off of GIVING its customers things.
The customers are Giving 2 years of their life. Thats worth more then $120.

They ETF's take care of any losses if a customer left early and Dish gets All their equipment back. So lets figure this out.

If I subscribe to dish for 1 month and cancel

Dish Got All their equipment back, I get a Bill for 1 months service, Lets just say $50 to be kind, and now ETF's at $460. So they just walked away with a Garenteed $510. The Tech might have made $100 on that job, MAYBE!

So what does the customer have now. NOTHING!

The only Gift I saw was the customers $510 going to Dish.
Thats not including what the customer may have put up front on the "leased Equipment"

Thats both companys.

I don't feel bad for Billionare companys!

This is not Just Dish.
Directv as well!

 

[James Long]

Not sold on your statement!
Again a company doesn't make millions off of GIVING its customers things.
The customers are Giving 2 years of their life. Thats worth more then $120.

Two years of their "life" is a bit overstated. At best the customer is promising the ETF. Customers are not becoming bond servants to their television providers.

It costs DISH around $751 to acquire each new customer. If they cancel DISH gets back the leased receivers (or charges a fee for them) plus the ETF. DISH does not get back the dish or the LNB (unless the customer is capable of removing it and returning the LNB). The receivers returned need to be reconditioned and have any missing parts (remotes, cables) replaced before being presented to the next customer. A lost customer is not a wash.

The best customer (for any provider) is one that stays on after they have returned the company's investment. When the average $76 per month DISH collects from their subscribers stops going toward paying off the acquisition cost they can use that money elsewhere. They can buy new satellites so we can have new HD (locals and national channels). They can stay in business and provide a competitive reason for the other companies to keep their prices down.

Keeping customers is important ... DISH's subscriber count gain in 1Q 2012 over 1Q 2011 came from customers kept more than new customers. (DISH added less new customers 1Q 2012 than 1Q 2011 but they managed to hold on to the old ones better leading to a higher net gain.) Keeping customers is important ... but at what price?

I don't feel sorry for the big companies but I don't consider them charities either. They are in the business to sell access to television channels by subscription. I don't expect $10 off my bill forever. That is for new customers.