[Thalador]

I just emailed [email protected], hopefully they will do something. Here is what I sent them that explains what is going on.

Hello Sir,

I had to email because the last three times I have been talking with your customer service reps I have been hung up on, two beeps, music and then click!

I am an old customer who returned to you one month ago. I decided not to go with either of the two cable companies in my town, direct-tv or wait for verizon fios tv. I came back to dish because I was a customer of 3 1/2 years and enjoyed it. Until now.

I signed up for the HD package and DVR. I paid $199 equipment upgrade fee the day it was installed via credit card over the phone. I just looked at my first bill and it is for $1,300 and change! I was charged for the purchase of all equipment plus an upgrade fee.. My bill is supposed to be $105 a month, so I expected $210. Imagine my surprise when I see it over a thousand dollars. The first rep I spoke to send they had to send my issue to the promotions department and they would get back to me. I decided to call back to settle it. Spoke with a very helpful guy who said he would take the charges off, then disconnected me (after a 20 minute wait to speak to someone). I called back a third time and after another 20 minute wait spoke with a woman who said she would look into it, put me on hold, and then 2 beeps and I was hung up on.

Is this what I can expect after being gone for a year? If so, please let me know now and I will gladly go to another company.

Did I just have a really bad day or is this what E* has become?

 

[JM Anthony]

Welcome to the fold. You either have bad juju or someone at E* made an error. My guess is the latter. Your e-mail should get some help.

John

 

[bderouen]

I agree with John. That is NOT the norm, at least from my experience. I think you did right by emailing CEO as that's what I've heard a lot if you have a problem you can't seem to get solved. I'd suggest taht if you happen to not hear from anyone in a day or two, call up there and just say right off that you need a supervisor. If they say "well, can I help you", my response woudl be "not unless you're a supervisor!" Heck, I'd probably not wait a day or two...I'd call back first thing in the morning. Something definitly got screwed up

Bruce

 

[finniganps]

If you don't get satisfaction, dispute teh charge, that WILL get their attention. I think there was just a screwup and they'll fix it soon.

 

[Zero327]

I agree with John. That is NOT the norm, at least from my experience. I think you did right by emailing CEO as that's what I've heard a lot if you have a problem you can't seem to get solved. I'd suggest taht if you happen to not hear from anyone in a day or two, call up there and just say right off that you need a supervisor. If they say "well, can I help you", my response woudl be "not unless you're a supervisor!" Heck, I'd probably not wait a day or two...I'd call back first thing in the morning. Something definitly got screwed up

Bruce

Rude behavior begets rude behavior. Just like ordering a meal in a resturaunt, I wouldn't be rude unless you want your food spat in... Especially where money is involved. Zeros and ones are so easily transposed ya know.

 

[Thalador]

I actually got a reply, in 2 minutes no less.

Thanks for the email. I would like to apologize for the billing mistake on your account. I show that you had a balance of $1153.43 due to the billing error. An adjustment was made for $549.00 and $349.00 bringing your balance down to $255.43. This amount includes tax, two months of the Platinum package, and all of the receiver fees.

Looks like from now on the ceo is the way to go

 

[boba]

I actually got a reply, in 2 minutes no less.

Looks like from now on the ceo is the way to go

Keep that email address handy DISH customer service has gone downhill since they opened an Indian call center with people speaking the Queens English with hard to understand accents. Charlie has figured Rupees are cheaper than dollars but the customer has suffered.

Check your credit card to be sure those corrections are applied, even from the CEOs office there have been problems with follow through on promised corrections. Print out that email for proof of promises.

 

[SaltiDawg]

Keep that email address handy DISH customer service has gone downhill since they opened an Indian call center with people speaking the Queens English with hard to understand accents. ...

Oh, nonsense. Don't equate a language "problem" with poor or inept service. Born in the USA folks are capable of rude and arrogant customer service in their own right.

 

[rockandchelle]

I am in the same situation as you. I just recently came back to Dish after being gone for 1 1/2 years. I called and ordered the HD DVR along with an additional SD receiver. My upfront cost was $249.98 and I was told I would get a bill for two months service (which I anticipated being around $160). Well, I got my first bill and it was for over $400. I looked at it and notice they charged me the $249.98 again. So, I called yesterday and spent 40 minutes on the phone with a rep that obviously had an indian accent. While in the middle of the call I finally realized what they did, and relayed that information to her. They credited my old account the $249.98, and not my new account. So, she had to go through the process of transferring funds between the two accounts. She said it would take up to 24 hours to show up in my account online. So, I am waiting for now. If I dont' see anything by tomorrow I will be emailing them. This is very frustrating to have to deal with.

 

[SaltiDawg]

... So, I called yesterday and spent 40 minutes on the phone with a rep that obviously had an indian accent. ...

It's telling that you find this pertinent. Maybe he or she is from Cleveland - oh wait, "they" have a different accent.

 

[rockandchelle]

It's telling that you find this pertinent. Maybe he or she is from Cleveland - oh wait, "they" have a different accent.

Regardless of the accent, I could hardly understand a word they were saying. I just find it funny when I called to sign up and get information (which I did about 2 or 3 times) I got someone that was very knowledgeable and spoke very clear english. Then the minute they have me as a customer and I need billing help, then send me to someone that I can barely understand, and doesn't really have much Dish Network knowledge. I guess they reel you in with their good customer service reps, and then send you to the second hand ones once they have you and you need support.

 

[jenniferny]

I just emailed [email protected], hopefully they will do something. Here is what I sent them that explains what is going on.

Did I just have a really bad day or is this what E* has become?

What I have learned after being a Dish customer for 10 years is that if the person does not know how to handle your problem there is a GOOD chance they will just disconnent you rather than going to the trouble of finding the answer. I have also found that if I have a Cust Svce Rep that speaks VERY poor English and doesnt seem to understand what I am saying I will either be disconnected or be treated very rudely and I have even been told that the situation I am calling about is "normal". When I call back later and get someone who speaks and understands english well the problem gets resolved very easily. This is not a knock for the nationality of the person I am speaking with, but if you cannot understand english well and speak english well how can you expect that person to resolve any problem when they cannot understand what is being said to them?

 

[HokieJoe]

Oh, nonsense. Don't equate a language "problem" with poor or inept service. Born in the USA folks are capable of rude and arrogant customer service in their own right.

True, but rude or not, at least they're American citizens drawing pay checks- not someone from a foreign country.

 

[Chandu]

True, but rude or not, at least they're American citizens drawing pay checks- not someone from a foreign country.

Like people born in foreign countries who are now naturalized American citizens, speaking in accents you can't understand? Or even American citizens born in USA, speaking in accents you can't understand?

 

[Stewart Vernon]

Like people born in foreign countries who are now naturalized American citizens, speaking in accents you can't understand? Or even American citizens born in USA, speaking in accents you can't understand?

This is a very good point that most folks don't even bring up... There are people born in this country who don't speak/communicate well and are misunderstood over the phone. Just recently I had an experience where I ordered something online, spoke with a nice English-speaking and understandable person... spelled my name and address clearly... but then when I received the item my name and address were horribly misspelled such that I was amazed to have actually received it.

Going to restaurants (like Fuddrucker's for instance) where they ask for a name to call when your order is ready... I've given up on ever having anyone spell my name correctly on the ticket even when I spell it for the person! And my name is not very difficult to spell.

I am also reminded of the old joke about how folks in other country's (like a McDonalds for instance) speak at least 2 languages (their own + English) while people in this country don't even speak correct English much of the time!

I do have a hard time understanding some accents over the phone... that can be a problem... but I do not equate that 100% with a bad CSR experience, as plenty of English-speaking Americans give crappy customer service right here at home!

 

[robert koerner]

Right.

Every person who has been put on hold, for any reason, and then had the phone line go dead, was rude.

Company policy: if you don't like one of our customers, put them on hold, and then hang up on them.

 

[Chandu]

Yeah, I didn't really mean to dwell on it, just had to point out some reality. I agree that the minimum requirement for a CSR (whether domestically based or outsourced) is to be able to understand what customers are saying. If they're speaking with customers in Germany, better speak good German; customers in UK, better speak with good UK accent and so on.

The thing is, there is no such thing as an "American accent". I've known people from Texas going to Boston and not understanding a word being said by old timers there, or vice versa.

If they outsource to foreign CSRs, what's next? If a call is originating from Texas, a CSR in Texan accent, if it originates from New England a New England accent, from south with Southern accent, from New York in New Yohk accent? Or even stretch it to outsourced CSRs speaking in Ebonics accent, Latino American accent, where do you draw the line?

 

[robert koerner]

So far, the best Dish CSR started asking me if I understood English when I asked a few times what he meant. When I spoke the same words he spoke to me, to verify I had the words correct, and explained I didn't know what he meant, he huffily announced he didn't speak Spanish, and hung up.

Yup. I got a bad attitude when he insinuated Spanish was my first language. I studied Spanish many years in HS, and mastered very little of it. Course, not being able to spell in English doesn't help when trying to learn another language.

Besides, anyone who thinks I speak English with a Spanish accent, I grew up on Longggggg Island, is just plain NUTS!

 

[minnow]

So what some of you are saying is that those that can speak and understand the language of this country should now make allowances to those on the other end of the phone conversation that cannot or will not.