[xmguy]

Hello,

I have had DirecTV since 2008. Loved it up to the point the discounts ran out that they were giving me. I'm not in the best financial shape right now. My average bill was around $75. I budgeted for this amount. When the discounts dropped off I called D* trying to see if they could help. They said no. Some reps told me I'd been given too many discounts and to wait. So I did. I was able to get some 1 time credits to get my bill down to what I can afford. So when I realized D* wasn't going to work with me at all. Beyond lowing my channel package, to a package where I'd loose over 90% of what I watch, then I looked into getting Charter Digital TV w/ HD. So I even called D* and told them what I was doing. In a short word they said "bye". So at this time my bill was around $115 per month. It was also past due. With the total over $200 (as of now). I began to set up a payment to get the past due paid up within what I could pay (so I could get to a ZERO balance as I could leave with no issues). Also during this time I had Charter come and install (I did the install) DVRs. They through did a huge discount with NO contract requirements plan for 12 months (with renegotiations possible after 12 months ended). I was back on with DirecTV one last time before settling in with Charter reminding D* that my 2 year contract would be up in June. Again and still they didn't care. D* Even recommended I cancel. No desire to keep me on. So now I decided I do like D* better HD-DVRs and service compared to the crap on Charter. BUT Charter is willing to work and always have on getting me discounts to help me along. (I've had Charter in a lower backup TV and internet for years now)...So As that final straw I wrote to the Office of the President at D*. Explaining the ENTIRE situation. Reminding them again my contract was coming to an end and had already moved to Charter. Explained my money issues and all. Spoke today with a rep at The Office Of the President told me the same. We don't care. Not directly. But offered me NO offers to attempt to make me stay just lowering my package. Here is what I think they are doing. Simply put they are a company. Like MOST companies they ONLY care about the BOTTOM LINE! If a customer gets too many credits and they seem to feel cheated as if I didn't pull their entire weight so they'd rather see them leave than put up with anymore stuff. Since I'm not a hugely valuable customer they seem to not give a darn. So if there any ideas on how to get a better discounted price since the Office of the President turned me down?

I feel like I gave this company my business for 4 years and now they'd rather loose me as a customer than try to offer a discount even if it's only 10-30 dollars. I don't get it.

Ideas? One more thing... I'm not a jackass...I'm nice to every rep I speak with I try to tell them what is going on and see if they can help me. I'm NOT trying to mooch or cheat D* out of money. It's down to what I can pay and what I can not. Wanted that to be clear for those D* loyalists and D* employees here that might think their word as God and all I'm doing is wrong. If no one thinks that then good. But I didn't want to be attacked because of this post.

 

[RunnerFL]

Sounds like you rode the discount train for far too long...

 

[MysteryMan]

Getting discounts isn't permanent. At some point in time they cease. It looks like that time has arrived for you. I'm sorry to hear of your financial situation. If your can't afford your DirecTV service put your account on hold. This will save you money and give you time to recover.

 

[xmguy]

Sounds like you rode the discount train for far too long...

Probably did. But D* never seemed to have any issues up til now. No one ever said "If you keep getting discounts you will not beable to get them again".

I just feel D* would WANT to keep a customer. Offer maybe a 6 month or so last ditch promo to keep me. I know my money issues will be addressed and resolved by then. But they (as I said), Seem not to give a darn.

 

[xmguy]

Getting discounts isn't permanent. At some point in time they cease. It looks like that time has arrived for you. I'm sorry to hear of your financial situation. If your can't afford your DirecTV service put your account on hold. This will save you money and give you time to recover.

Yeah, Just wish D* would work with me atleast for a small bit. Especially since my contract is up in 1 month. Then I'm not tied down at all.

 

[veryoldschool]

I've been with them since '03. I had a similar phone call and was trying U-verse at the time. More channels and slightly less cost.
Same response, but not about "credits".
It seems the lower level services are willing to discount theirs, while DirecTV is feeling they don't need to compete.

 

[volkl]

I know that you want them to work with you more than they have thus far.

Don't know your viewing preferences, and though, I have not done this myself, you might consider going with OTA broadcasts with a roku box and a netflix account. This assumes that you have broadband internet.

If so ...

I like Discovery network programming, and I think that has recently been added to netflix. The thing you won't get as a cord cutter are cable news and cable sports. Cable news is like picking your favorite flavor or persuasion of news, and cable sports may or may not be that important to you. If not, you could save a lot of money cutting the cord, you could pay for the roku box in less than one month of savings, and netflix is like $8 a month and you can turn that on and off as much as you want. OTA is pretty good in my opinion.

Best of Luck

 

[hilmar2k]

There a cost associated with maintaining a customer. If they feel you are at or below that cost, there is no financial reason to keep you.

Also, many companies feel that discounting service too much or for too long actually devalues the product.

 

[wahooq]

It's down to what I can pay and what I can not.

you said it all right there

 

[jdspencer]

What about downgrading to a lower cost package?
If you have multiple receivers, remove one or more from your account.

 

[n3vino]

There is a point where a company has to say no. If they gave you a discount or credit because you have money issues, then they would have to be fair and give them to everyone that called and said they had money issues. They wouldn't be in business to long if they did that.

 

[RACJ2]

Complaining about paying the advertised price is humorous. A good customer does not demand discounts for everything. You weren't a good customer.

And, yes, all companies care about is the bottom line. Keeping customers happy is only a means to make more money.

I follow what your saying and demanding discounts may make you a bad customer. Although, I think a smart consumer will try to get the best price possible. Especially if competition is involved. A provider can then determine whether or not keeping the customer is profitable enough to match an offer or provide a discount. Getting behind on paying your bill, that's another story.

 

[sbl]

For a few years now, DirecTV has been cutting off customers who keep asking for discounts. It costs them more to keep those customers than it's worth, apparently.

 

[dpeters11]

I know that you want them to work with you more than they have thus far.

Don't know your viewing preferences, and though, I have not done this myself, you might consider going with OTA broadcasts with a roku box and a netflix account. This assumes that you have broadband internet.

If so ...

I like Discovery network programming, and I think that has recently been added to netflix. The thing you won't get as a cord cutter are cable news and cable sports. Cable news is like picking your favorite flavor or persuasion of news, and cable sports may or may not be that important to you. If not, you could save a lot of money cutting the cord, you could pay for the roku box in less than one month of savings, and netflix is like $8 a month and you can turn that on and off as much as you want. OTA is pretty good in my opinion.

Best of Luck

Good thing you didn't recommend Hulu

 

[Mike Bertelson]

I will say this once. Be respectful and civil in your posts. Rudeness will not be tolerated.

Mike

 

[adkinsjm]

you said it all right there

If you can't afford a service, you can't afford it.. I'd like discounts as well, but I know it isn't fair to keep asking for discounts when others just pay their bill.

 

[tampa8]

I think the problem lies mostly in not be flexible enough to go to a smaller programming package, and/or have just one receiver till you can afford more.

 

[adkinsjm]

I think the problem lies mostly in not be flexible enough to go to a smaller programming package, and/or have just one receiver till you can afford more.

Being behind two months would be an issue in getting more discounts. If DirecTV is not getting at least something now, there isn't a reason to keep giving discounts when the end result of non-payment is still in the cards.

 

[xmguy]

Being behind two months would be an issue in getting more discounts. If DirecTV is not getting at least something now, there isn't a reason to keep giving discounts when the end result of non-payment is still in the cards.

When I was calling I was fully current. Since then the next bill has generated.

 

[xmguy]

I think the problem lies mostly in not be flexible enough to go to a smaller programming package, and/or have just one receiver till you can afford more.

Yeah. I loose so much even dropping 1 package down. It only saves 5 dollars.