[ZBoomer]

Ok I need some advice... I've had it with Dish; if I was close enough I might have nuked the building by now...

I've been a (relatively) happy customer for about two years, HD package, blah blah...my bro has it and likes it too.

My dad just moved into a new townhouse about 6 months ago, and decided to go with Dish over cable, because we spoke well about it...

Ok, I called for him, spent the required 45 minutes on the phone getting everything setup. The guy shows up the next week, says there is no way to run a cable to my dad's TV, leaves, and cancels his acount.

Instead of messing with it, he decides to just go with cable (TW.)

Now flash forward to last week. My dad doesn't like cable, and our local NBC affiliate is having contract disputes, and may get yanked. It's his favorite channel, so he decides to try Dish again. This time, we spoke with the home builder who said that's crap, the cable for his unit goes right through the attic, down to his TV. All the dish installer would need to do is come into the attic in the eave, and tape right into it, easy. My dad also has all the required approval documents from the HOA.

So I call Dish again on the 22nd, get everything setup, another 45 minutes or so. We schedule the install time for this morning (9-29), 8am-noon. Well, the following day (the 23rd) my dad comes home that evening and there's a note on the door, "no line of site" from the installer, and notice they didn't install the dish.

I'm like WTF? They weren't even scheduled until TODAY, and what's more, that is simply CRAP, he has unobstructed line of site to the south. His unit is on the end, he has the whole eave to work with, which is allowed per his HOA approval.

So my dad calls customer service, they assure him it's all ok, apologize, and say the installer will REALLY be out today, as scheduled...

So he stays home this morning, and guess what, no installer. I called a few minutes ago for him (he can't hear very well on the phone), and after getting Customer Support India twice, (whom I could barely understand) disconnected twice, and dumped in the CS queue several times, this company is HORRIBLE. I was so pissed I couldn't see straight.

Turns out they CANCELLED his service due to the lazy-ass installer who came out early, didn't want to get on a ladder, so just put "no line of site" and called it a day. He said my dad had no line of site from his rear porch. Well no sh*t sherlock, it's on the NORTH SIDE of the building. How about that 60' long EAVE up above on the end, good Lord.

What's worse, even after finally getting a "supervisor" who still sounded Indian, they couldn't re-enable it, I have to call in again like a new customer, and start over. OMFG! You have GOT to be kidding me? No matter I said, no matter how much I begged, urged, insisted, he said that's the only way, to START OVER. He apologized 40 times, big help that is, GOD.

So, any ideas how to START OVER, and somehow get them to send an installer ON TIME, who is willing to CLIMB A LADDER and run ONE CABLE through an attic? Good lord, just f'n ridiculous. I doubt my dad will even let me do this again, and I may cancel my Dish account too, this is just unreal.

I've installed like 20-30 dishes myself, I wish they still allowed it. I'd rather do that any day than deal with their lazy-ass installers.

It doesn't seem like they want new customers too bad, if I had stock I'd be selling it all right now.

 

[harsh]

Feel better now?

 

[inazsully]

Talk about a totally worthless response Harsh. If you can't ad any useful ideas why don't you just leave it alone. You probably remind him of the installer he's already had. The guy needs to try and talk to someone in supervision, preferably customer service supervision. If he's being treated like this by an installer I would think that Dish would sure like to follow up and see that this guy doesn't do anything else to make them look bad. With over 7,000 responses I would think you'd be more of an advocate of promoting Dish instead of trashing some guy trying to bring hid dad into the fold.

 

[Bill R]

ZBoomer,

Send an email to [email protected] and provide all the details that you posted here. Be sure to include YOUR phone number in your email.

 

[SaltiDawg]

Feel better now?

Not to be "harsh", but just to "ad" (sic) he's at "witt's" (sic) end. :grin:

 

[DavidRobert]

You need to look up the CEO phone number for Echostar in Colorado. When you reach the general phone number- the CEO has a resolution office who are helpful when you talk to them directly.
I went this route after trying to get a replacement receiver for 3 weeks.
THe people were nice & responsive to me.

 

[BattleZone]

You might also try contacting a local Dish retailer, who will be far more motivated to get you installed (and much likely to be there within a day or two) than the internal Dish techs.

 

[damjr]

You might also try contacting a local Dish retailer, who will be far more motivated to get you installed (and much likely to be there within a day or two) than the internal Dish techs.

Bingo !!!! I've been preaching this over and over again and again. Local retailers will bend over backwards to earn your business.

 

[bartendress]

ZBoomer,

As Bill R stated, just send an email to [email protected].

At this time last year, I went through very nearly the same ordeal as you and your father have done. I found dbstalk.com and learned about the [email protected] email address.

It's real and they will help you.

Good Luck!

 

[phrelin]

Unbelievable Ineptitude @ Dish. Unfortunately, not so unbelievable. Mostly happy with the equipment, like the channel selection mostly, usually ok with tech support, frustratingly inept installers, usually hate CSR's. But "[email protected]" can get things done.

 

[Bizket]

Unbelievable Ineptitude @ Dish. Unfortunately, not so unbelievable. Mostly happy with the equipment, like the channel selection mostly, usually ok with tech support, frustratingly inept installers, usually hate CSR's. But "[email protected]" can get things done.

I have been learning the hate for the CSR's recently. I just got off the phone with a supervisor with a $90 credit because of CSR's not doing there jobs right.

 

[RobertE]

1-800-531-5000

 

[Zero327]

The guy needs to try and talk to someone in supervision, preferably customer service supervision.

NO ONE gets to talk to the Assistant Fry Cook! There are protocols that must be followed... I mean if you keep assuming customers have a point, they might even get cocky and want to talk to the Drive Thru Manager. Just the arrogance!

 

[dnero]

I have been lucky with the only two Dish installers that have had to deal with the one that did my HD was prompt and at my door right on time, did very neat clean install even got D* to upgrade me to DPP44 as he was trying to get my 721 to work along with my other receivers but could not. But truly miss as in the past dealing with the local retailer like when D* was just starting up my original system was installed back in 1997 by a man who was totally committed to customer satisfaction, they would install in any weather Rain Snow even 25 below they came over to fix a problem with my dish at 10:30 at night one time, This was back when D* was just getting doing installs this guy was swamped with calls cause D* installers sid it was too cold and snowy to do installs the man that ran this is now retired but his lead installer still runs the store told me once that they doing installs as late as 2:00 am for people that worked nights. So you can get good D* installers but still like the local people better. But don't even get me started on the totally inept and stupid CSR'S they have I normally am quite calm in dealling with them but had one push me to a point where I almost said something I probably would have regretted recently. They need to train these people to think outsibe the box and not just read the the perpared stuff.

 

[jclewter79]

D*= Directv E*=Echostar/Dish Network.

 

[dnero]

Oops my brain was tired meant E*

 

[ZBoomer]

Thanks for (most) of the responses guys; I'll try some of the suggestions. I admit I was pretty steamed when I left my initial response, but this whole thing with the difficulty of getting service is just ridiculous.

I think the only worse customer service I've ever experienced was a few years ago when I lived in the country and tried to buy DirecWAY internet from Best Buy. It took them six months and about 100 phone calls to get installed, but that's another story.

I stopped by my dad's yesterday to have a 2nd look, and make sure I wasn't dreaming about his line of site, and nope, I was dead on. He lives in a condo, end of his building, so has two eaves (side and back) with 100% unlimited viewing 360-degrees. The problem is I guess is it's two stories, and the lazy installer didn't want to grab a ladder and run a cable.

Sad too, because his neighbor has D*.

I'll let everyone know what happens, thanks again. (to most)

 

[BattleZone]

You might want to make sure your dad has WRITTEN permission to install the dish on the eaves. DirecTV doesn't want installers putting up dishes in prohibited areas, because if the customer is forced to take it down, he is still under a service contract. With written permission, the installer will be far more likely to proceed, as he won't be responsible for a big headache. Any restrictions should be listed on the permission letter. Note too that accomidating them could result in custom work fees, payable to the installer. It just depends.

Anytime you are dealing with a non-owned, non-single-family home, you have a lot more compromises that have to be made. It's part of apartment/condo life.

 

[ZBoomer]

Thanks for the advice; my dad does have written persmission to put the dish on the eave, in the back or side. In this case it wasn't the cause of the grief; the guy showed up when no one was home, I think intentionally.

I understand the difficulties in the condo situation, but in this case and with my dad's location in the building (townhouse on the end), it's the same as a house. They have two whole sides to work with the eave, as well as easy attic access.

I've written the ceo email address a few hours ago, no response yet.

 

[Kevin Brown]

I just read all this. I'll just add, that what peaves me is the *variability* in helpfulness that I've seen at Dish. Installers and CS people. I just upgraded to an HD DVR. The installer was the best yet. He even gave me his cell number so that I could deal with him directly if I had any issues. (I did too, low signal on 129, he came back out on his own and readjusted the Dish. No having to go through Dish to reschedule blah blah.)

But I have also had installers take extreme short cuts with wiring, installs, etc. And really helpful, knowledgable CS people, and not so helpful/knowledgable (read: morons). They *do* have good people, but what sucks is that you shouldn't have to rely on LUCK to get a good one, know what I mean?