As you correctly recognized, the Cinemax thing is a PROMOTION, and Dish's retailer software doesn't recognize it as an option, as it should. The only possible way to blame the retailer would be to point out that the retailer should have been familiar with the promotion and its rules, and NOT signed you up for Cinemax upfront. But that's stupid, because the real issue is Dish's ordering system and the business rules preventing the promotion from being added within a reasonable time period (aka within a week of activation).
My Sign Up Story... or "this would be a great company if they fired customer service"
So, newb signs up.
4TVs, a 722, a 311, a 211, two dishes- 1000.2 and a 500. Americas choice 200, dvr advantage, plat HD, HBO and stars.
AND cinemax for a year for 1 cent.
Based on horror stories of installs, I called around and found a local rep who sounded pretty decent and competent. Install was tricky- big house, multi rooms, crawl space and attic access required, (it was over 100F today too, outside- attic was almost an out of body experience!) snaking in the wall for HDMI to 2nd floor, and the barn/shop got it's own antenna. Guy was fine with whatever I wanted, if I helped great, just pay for the extra time. Arrived at 9, install done at 3. No lunch. BTW, I did all the attic work. Had to drill the top plate, cut out a wall box for one drop, 400 feet of cable overall.
So, as we are wrapping up the day and I am signing contracts, we discover a monthly charge for cinemax- no monthly dicount. And no line item for "cinemax for a year for 1 cent"... It turns out that DNs retailer software didn't automatically recognize the cinemax and autopay/paperless status, and I was charged for cinemax monthly. I pointed this out, and he said should be fine on the bill, or I could call. I didn't want to go round on it right there, clearly he had no laptop to address it, so I figured I would deal with it later.
After surfing a few hours, I decided to give CS a call, just to make sure.
Well, guess what? "I'm sorry sir, but since you already have cinemax we cannot give you this deal- this deal is only for new customers"
Are you Fing kidding me???
I calmly said, perhaps you don't understand- I've been a DN customer for 3 hours, This was a mistake by YOUR retailer. Indeed, I had complied with all the terms of the offer: new customer, selects cinemax, selects paperless/autopay. There is no requirement that the proper 'package' be selected on YOUR computer.
Hold
Comes back. Here's what I can do: 3 months cinemax for free.
Now I'm getting pissed.
Back and forth, me stressing my long and loyal commitment to DN, etc. She sounding stupid and unempowered. Finally, let me talk to...
Supervisor.
Super dances around a bit, I say "look, I've been nice so far, but this is really ridiculous. Lets end this stupidity and I will share with you that the contract was signed IN my home, IN California, and therefore has a recision period. You can fix this mistake or send the retailer back for the equipment. Simple"
She fixed it.
23 minutes of my life for stupidity. (I won't bore you with the run arounds during the pre-sales process, where the ONLY thing they wanted to discuss was 'can I sign you up on this call'.)
BTW, if you are waffling about install issues, try and get a local retailer with whom you can speak to discuss what you want- before you sign.
Happy so far
awaiting a Samsung LN55A950 to arrive Monday!!!
A
PS I am sure there will be some DN apologist who says "It was your retailers fault, why blame customer service?" And I would respond, it is customer service who's job it is to fix customer issues who failed to fix the obvious error within the first 60 seconds of discussion.
4TVs, a 722, a 311, a 211, two dishes- 1000.2 and a 500. Americas choice 200, dvr advantage, plat HD, HBO and stars.
AND cinemax for a year for 1 cent.
Based on horror stories of installs, I called around and found a local rep who sounded pretty decent and competent. Install was tricky- big house, multi rooms, crawl space and attic access required, (it was over 100F today too, outside- attic was almost an out of body experience!) snaking in the wall for HDMI to 2nd floor, and the barn/shop got it's own antenna. Guy was fine with whatever I wanted, if I helped great, just pay for the extra time. Arrived at 9, install done at 3. No lunch. BTW, I did all the attic work. Had to drill the top plate, cut out a wall box for one drop, 400 feet of cable overall.
So, as we are wrapping up the day and I am signing contracts, we discover a monthly charge for cinemax- no monthly dicount. And no line item for "cinemax for a year for 1 cent"... It turns out that DNs retailer software didn't automatically recognize the cinemax and autopay/paperless status, and I was charged for cinemax monthly. I pointed this out, and he said should be fine on the bill, or I could call. I didn't want to go round on it right there, clearly he had no laptop to address it, so I figured I would deal with it later.
After surfing a few hours, I decided to give CS a call, just to make sure.
Well, guess what? "I'm sorry sir, but since you already have cinemax we cannot give you this deal- this deal is only for new customers"
Are you Fing kidding me???
I calmly said, perhaps you don't understand- I've been a DN customer for 3 hours, This was a mistake by YOUR retailer. Indeed, I had complied with all the terms of the offer: new customer, selects cinemax, selects paperless/autopay. There is no requirement that the proper 'package' be selected on YOUR computer.
Hold
Comes back. Here's what I can do: 3 months cinemax for free.
Now I'm getting pissed.
Back and forth, me stressing my long and loyal commitment to DN, etc. She sounding stupid and unempowered. Finally, let me talk to...
Supervisor.
Super dances around a bit, I say "look, I've been nice so far, but this is really ridiculous. Lets end this stupidity and I will share with you that the contract was signed IN my home, IN California, and therefore has a recision period. You can fix this mistake or send the retailer back for the equipment. Simple"
She fixed it.
23 minutes of my life for stupidity. (I won't bore you with the run arounds during the pre-sales process, where the ONLY thing they wanted to discuss was 'can I sign you up on this call'.)
BTW, if you are waffling about install issues, try and get a local retailer with whom you can speak to discuss what you want- before you sign.
Happy so far
awaiting a Samsung LN55A950 to arrive Monday!!!A
PS I am sure there will be some DN apologist who says "It was your retailers fault, why blame customer service?" And I would respond, it is customer service who's job it is to fix customer issues who failed to fix the obvious error within the first 60 seconds of discussion.
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At the risk of seeming hypercritical, careful shoppers and any dealer should be tripping over this Dish web site front page:
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1 - 8 of 8 Posts
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