[Jrdry]

I was scheduled for 10/20 at 4-6pm, last appointment of the day and was patiently awaiting arrival. 5 min to 5pm and I get the call...Sorry, not enough installers today! I threw an absolute hissy with Connect TV and DIrectTv, tried to get Direct TV to throw its weight around and force Connect to do the install.

Well, I came up empty and what the real kicker is here, I GO TO THE END OF THE LINE!!!! I've waited 3 weeks for the install, and now I'm dropped back another week and a half!! November 2nd.

My question is....Can I call retention and explain the situation and tell them I need a deal on the programming for my time lost etc. or I'm just going to cancel and stay with cable?

What to do????

 

[LameLefty]

Hey, we feel your pain. Many of us got cancelled, some two or three times! I was lucky, I guess. After my first ten-day wait, I was cancelled and rescheduled for two weeks but then my install went off without a hitch.

It won't hurt to call Retention and threaten to leave. What have you got to lose? Others have reported getting free programming as a result of the inconvenience so why not try?

 

[Rommel]

Who did you go through to set up the installation?

I remember calling E* directly when I wanted it installed. They said 2 weeks before they can have someone sent to my house. I called local E* dealers and the next day I was watching HD.

My friend is a contractor for D* and has installers in San Diego county and Riverside county. Where in So Cal are you from? Maybe he can send someone to your house this week.

 

[yesongs]

I'm not advocating abusing it, but retention will generally try and make you happy if possible.

I would certainly call and explain what happen in a courteous manner, and ask what they can do for you.

Eddie

 

[Jrdry]

Who did you go through to set up the installation?

I remember calling E* directly when I wanted it installed. They said 2 weeks before they can have someone sent to my house. I called local E* dealers and the next day I was watching HD.

My friend is a contractor for D* and has installers in San Diego county and Riverside county. Where in So Cal are you from? Maybe he can send someone to your house this week.

South Orange County, Foothill Ranch to be precise.

 

[Coastsider]

I was scheduled for an October 25 (this Wednesday) install. I decided to go through DirecTV to get my HR20 because I figured I could get a deal rather than pay full price at a web vendor or brick and mortar. I already have an H20 and AT9 dish and the HR20 will be replacing a Sony SAT-T60 DirecTivo (and maybe even eventually the H20 if I feel like I can trust it enough) and I did get $120 off @ $10 a month for the next year. Not as good as some got but better than $299.

When I read all the scuttlebutt lately about cancelled appointments I figured I'd better call Customer Retention to see what was going on before I took a day off of work and then got a last minute call or no call at all, especially since the first (of three) payments for the HR20 was scheduled to be on my next bill according to my account info on the web site. The rep I spoke to said she would call my local installer to see if they had a unit reserved for me. She did and they did not, and in fact I was told that there were no HR20's currently allocated for my area and I would be called for a reschedule when more were available. I complained about having to pay for something that I did not have nor apparently would have in the very near future and was told that DirecTV would cover my first $100 payment and I was only liable for the second and third.

So by my calculations I now have $220 in credits, albeit $100 of it over the next 12 months, and so will be getting the HR20 for $79.00. I figure one more reschedule and cancellation and they'll owe me money. I've become philosophical about the whole thing and figure I'll get it when I get it, and maybe by then all of the firmware bugs will have been worked out. In the meantime my SAT-T60 keeps chugging along and we try to catch the HD stuff live.

 

[Slip Jigs]

Although it's not fair, it makes more sense to them to have one unhappy customers vs 30 unhappy customers, who they would have to reschedule if you just took the next spot. Still - there must be a better way. On my iniital install a few months ago, the installer called and said he couldn't make it but came the next day (Sunday) to complete it.

 

[Rommel]

South Orange County, Foothill Ranch to be precise.

Sorry to respond so late. I lost track of this thread. i thought i subscribed to it but i guess not.

I hope you already got an installer to your house. I called my friend he does not send his installers all the way to orange county. Sorry man. Good luck!