Retailer Chat - Aug 20th - Some Details....

Hi All
Below are few details from Aug 20th Retailer Chat:

do not have first 5 or 6 mins of it - if someelse saw first few mins - add below any significant details Please...

they are talking: with E8 they ll bring locals to about 50 markets...

Jim anc Charlie are on.....Discussing Locals and the Merger....
talking: With a merger the space for more locals will be freed-up,
cuz almost 50 of them are the same for both Companies...so that way with the freed-up space they can have up to 100 local markets...

Indianapollis WB - will start Aug 28

Talking about promos:
"WOW" - new posters, buttons, stickers, Retailers kits
(by Aug 26-31)

"Dish Pack" promo - will be great promo - $39.99
AT 50, Locals (where available ). Starz Movie Pack
(available where Local Market is only....No Local Market - can't have this deal - sorry) - Promo until end of January...

talking about: Watch for Telemarketing laws..in some States different laws then in others... - Check Laws, regulations, etc (Retailers)

talking: Hard to compete with Cable...Example: in California - there is (or will be ) - 5% tax on Satellite (which is not fair - cuz Cable do not have this tax....and money goes not to Echostar pocket and not in Retailer's Pocket)...Not fair to Consumer,
and makes it even harder to compete with Cable...But: People
can call State's Representatives, etc - another words - Voice Yourselves!!!

Talking: when not in the Spot Beam = 0 streanth signal...

Talking: "Club Dish" - numbering system, and process to use it (to submit claims, etc)

New Promo - Sports Dishes - Cool! - with Color Logos, etc...
(only for some schools only for now anyhow, cuz it is a Test)
Available Today or Aug 26:
Wholesale price - will not mention Here (not ethical)
Retail price - $39.99
Talking: Cable can't do something like that - So gotto go for any advantages possible..lol

talking about Economics and some changes, mostly for the best of course

Intermediate and Advanced Commercial Installations:
Dishnetwork Commercial Installation Certification Level 3 SBCA
Sept 26-27 - Dishnetwork Headquarters...
Have to be at least Basic Installer

Customer Retantion (sorry for spelling - to Retain the Customer another words) - kinda trivia like:

Q: What are The Top 2 Problems A Customer has within the 1st
2 weeks of Activation?
A: 1. Bad Signal, 2. How to use the system
So - go for Maximum signal streanth..watch for trees, leaves, etc.
cuz even Wind might matter in this case...or Winter - no Leaves,
Summer - Leaves...

Q: What is 1st Question Customer might have in the beginning?
A: How the bill is going to look like....

Some phone calls, emails, AKA - Live Questions...:

Someone is saying - with new Promos - expecially 2 reciever Promo - the business is up about 15-20%...

Someone is saying - It is another great Day to be in Satellite business..goes on saying: 49 dollars is great deal..anyone with credit card can afford it, if no credit card - then maybe "free for all" deal for them...goes on saying: If someone doesn't have any money - he more likely Doesn't wants him as a Customer, and Charlie probably doesn't want him neither....Charlie goes: "You refer hit to local Cable company then, They ll be happy to have him" - haha - everybody laughs..
Jim jokes - they should set a target or something...like 20%...and instead of offering Trips to Mexico, to bring the Winners over to those Chats...

some1 emailing - some existing customers complaing, they do not have a chance to participate in great programs...
Charlie says, - referals.., also - if Merger happens, will be great opportunities to upgrade, depending which way they decide to go - upgrade might be Free of Charge..

Charlie: 67 million ppl on cable - we have to switch them to satellite

phone call: Cable companies attack us with gloves off, Charlie any tips on how to attach them?
Charlie: The biggest - Cable companies Price increases..
2. most Cable companies (if not all) are not 100% digital...
3. Delphia - CEO was hauled off in Handcuffs and company declared bankruptcy after that, etc..
But - he goes on - Some cable companies "hard to slap" - cuz they are doing Great Job too
4. With Merger we can solve some bandwitch problems...

phone call: No Local market here, But DirecTV announced locals are coming for their market in Tennesse region...I am Exclusive
Dish Dealer ( he adds - for time being...- makes Charlie and Jim smile ) ...and what can I do not too lose customers?
Charlie: if Mergers goes through - the problem will be solved...
Jim: Not to lose customers - Help they maybe with OFF-AIR solution..cuz it is FREE...and FREE locals are better then Paid locals (haha) ..Jim goes on: even though the Upfront costs are involved for OFF-AIR...

Question - about 6000 upgrade within first year of Promo...
Jim - 6000 qualifies as "FREE" dish, so no prob - people can pay the difference...

Question: I am a Commercial Retailer now...How can i get my Receiver at Home authorized for the ch. 999 (Retailer Channel) to watch Chat?...(lol - carry the one from Showroom Home every day - just kidding)
Jim: Can't happen, gotto have Showroom...blah, blah - oh wait a minite..maybe he got Showroom at Home...blah, blah...
Charlie: blah, blah, - Ok we are going to call him, we ll see if he qualifies somehow (haha - from "Can't happen" - "Might happen now???")

Phone call: Some customers complaining that their 501 and 508, running new software version 165 - do not have Locals Mapped at lower channels...
Jim: Good question - Engineers said - system needs to be on Overnight to get the upgrade...
Charlie: Should be working ..the Mapping, ...As i recall should be version 168 going now...( I think - he goes ) ....(hehe - people didn't have new version after all...hmmm)

Jim: Another Good question: On 721. noticed smaller signal streanth bar...where others Receivers have larger one..
Jim: they did change it...now it is 100% on 721 IRD ...and not 125% as on some other receivers...
Charlie: It is better, more real, cuz impossible to have 125% in Real life...Like in a saying: "Gave 110%" - Impossible! (everyone - hahaha)...Charlie goes on: That is why future receivers should have 100% streanth again ... ( hehe - older ones were that way i think...they are going back...lol - just kidding)
Charlie: So doesn't mean 721 has less signal - just different scale.

Charlie: Last Question...

Phone call....-- the guy calls and Whines about higher Costs to him, and other Problems, etc...Whines for a long time...and finishes: Hopefully - you guys have some solutions for me to make better business...
Jim: OooK then.. (hehe)
Then Charlie goes on - blah, blah - No real solution, never heard of so many problems ( ahahah) ...but they are valid problems..
The Guy - goes on: 4 out 5 people having hardware problems too (and they gotto go and fix em)..and also they have to often go to ppl's houses (housecalls) - to fix different small things..like download new Software versions or something... (hehe - this guy is killing me)
Jim: I don't doubt your Installers skills - but i would not mind seeing the data (because the guy said - Costs are way to high)
Charlie: Merger should fix some of the problems of course ( i almost fell down laughing )

Jim: Last Question ( i guess the other Last question wasn't really the Last one then...WOW long chat - this typing is killing me by now..sorry for the spelling and the style of my typing...that is just the way i go - when i have to type fast...Long Chat )

Another Phone call: Guy goes - something like that: Any Tips on how to make more and better business, - because lots of competition around out there, and because I am only 9 months in business...(haha - poor Jim and Charlie - i felt for them at this point)
Charlie: blah, blah,...Well those people who are Commited to provide good customer service and support - will survive!
Charlie goes on: As company we are not over Distributed...in Parallel - people who do better Job - will have more business eventually ( i guess cuz People who do not do good job - will fade away - lol )
Charlie futher: (what else - hehe) - Merger...blah, blah - Exprected 10 Million more Homes then if No Merger...and if Merger happens they are commited to pump 2.5 Billion dollars to upgrade Existing Customers...Lots of money will flow in the industry...
I ll tell you (he goes) - it will be great times for Independant Dedicated Retailers...You d be Crazy to be against the Merger...
Charlie goes on: But if you are a "Pirate" and "pirate" systems - you definatly want to be against this Merger, because when we'll put systems together, we ll definatly be able to Control piracy better then if being separately...Pirates want to take "2 bites of the apple" and we' ll not give IT to them obviously...When you get "2 bites of the apple" - you' ll find One system little weaker then other one...And you going to attack that one...but if put 2 systems together - you'll find out - that will be Much harder to Attack...So i do not expect Pirate will be for teh Merger, but as Dedicated Retailer you' ll get much more Business ( some Strong Words from Charlie...)

Jim: running out of time..
Reminds about the Trip(s) retailers can win (with required amount of activations to qualify for the Entry)

Next Retailer Charlie Chat - Sept. 17, 12:00 noon Eastern Time

(wow - long chat - just over One and a Half hour)