Canceled DISH Network - RANT

YuccaFlatsRanch · #1 03/14/09, 02:11 PM

THe many ways that I hate Dish Network cannot be explained here, but suffice it to say that after a full day and at least a dozen phone calls, talking to 3 managers, only one of which PROMISED return phone calls, they still can't figure out why my DISH network DVR system will not work. I have had it with them. THE BEST they could offer was a replacement of the system which they said could be here within 2 WEEKS!!!!

Canceled my service and called Direct TV. Explained what I wanted and gave them a reference to a friend who recently signed up with Direct TV after getting a 2 week run around from DISH on installation and will have Direct TV installed on Monday 3/16 between 8 and noon. Cost for same type system with more channels that I watch (including the fishing on Versus) and is the same within 5 bucks as Dish and for the next year it is $30 less per month. $360 might just as well be in my pocket as theirs (think I will buy a pontoon boat). Not only that but they gave me the choice of the time during the month the billing would hit. With Dish it was the 28th and there was not the option to change it.

DISH Network has the worst customer service I have run into in quite a long time. You would think that in this economy they would be falling over on themselves to help customers. Of course I had only been a loyal Dish Network customer for 11+ years so I don't count.

BTW if you ever need a DISH Network Technical SUPERVISOR here is a direct number Ms Susan Brown 540-394-2755. I doubt they would like that number published, but I am PO'd.

DavidUnderwood · #2 03/14/09, 05:10 PM

I've had DISH for a good while.
Customer service has always been great.
I wouldn't consider anybody else. Funny
how different people have different luck
with these companies. Most of the "locals"
here have DISH. Seems we all are pleased!

YuccaFlatsRanch · #3 03/14/09, 05:24 PM

Good buddy of mine in Trinidad, CO wanted to sign up with DISH. After 2 WEEKS of runaround he told them to stuff it and went with Direct and had his system installed within 3 days.

Me thinks DISH hasn't been reading the news about the recession, either that or they believe Obama's latest pronouncement that the recession is almost over. The man is a twit. You would think that DISH would be doing all they can to retain as many members as possible.

Ramblin Wreck · #4 03/14/09, 05:29 PM

So far, I've had good luck with Dish, but my brother and sister have both had good luck with Direct. If mine ever "breaks" and I need customer service, I may encounter the same problems you did.

deaconjim · #5 03/14/09, 05:41 PM

We had DISH until we moved once and they failed to show up for the installation at our new place. After quite a bit of discussion about rescheduling, I told them that we had been without their services for 3 weeks, and it had convinced me that we could continue to do without it. The difference is that we didn't get Direct either. We no longer have TV, and no one in the house misses it; not even the kids.

It has been great without it. We all read quite a bit, and I've almost finished writing a novel. I can't believe we actually PAID someone to waste so much of our time.

arabian knight · #6 03/14/09, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidUnderwood

I've had DISH for a good while.
Customer service has always been great.
I wouldn't consider anybody else. Funny
how different people have different luck
with these companies. Most of the "locals"
here have DISH. Seems we all are pleased!

I also had Dish for over 12 years, not once did I get poor service, and did many upgrades in that length of time also.

MN Gardener · #7 03/14/09, 06:42 PM

We had dish and customer service was a nightmare. It was outsourced to another country and DH could never understand what they were saying. Unforturnately, we just signed another contract and can not changee.

travlnusa · #8 03/14/09, 07:07 PM

I fall into the happy with Dish.

Had a few problems over the years, and when I have called they have stayed with me until all was fine and well again.

Pink_Carnation · #9 03/14/09, 07:09 PM

We didn't have any problems canceling DISH...we choose to do so after the system we bought wouldn't do what it was supposed to on the recording. Their solution was for us to spend more money and buy a new one that would do what the first one was supposed to do. That did result in a class action lawsuit...with a lame payout. If you were still with DISH they gave you some sort of discount and if you had quit using them you got $5.

houndlover · #10 03/14/09, 07:45 PM

As long as it works and you pay your bill, your customer service is great. We haven't signed a new contract in forever (+4 years) and while we're doing fine with our old equipment, we recently had a problem with billing and trying to get it fixed was a 3month nightmare. If it weren't for having to sign a new contract, and I hate contracts, I'd move to direct TV in a minute. Their customer service is poorly trained and doesn't know how to deal with anything but "I want to pay my bill".

Little Quacker in OR · #11 03/14/09, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MN Gardener

We had dish and customer service was a nightmare. It was outsourced to another country and DH could never understand what they were saying. Unforturnately, we just signed another contract and can not changee.

GUESS WHAT? YOU CAN INSIST ON TALKING WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN SPEAK THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT! DO SO AND DON'T TAKE "NO" FOR AN ANSWER!

Once I learned this trick with a number of companies that outsource this stuff I've had no more trouble understanding tech help. Really frosts your cookie I know. I get really upset about it but this seems to be the way to handle it, at least for me.

LQ

MoonMedic · #12 03/14/09, 11:17 PM

Ugh.. Dish Network!! they charged us repeatedly for stuff we didnt order, then when I called cosumer service they pretty much called me a liar. Apparently we were ordering movies remotely when we werent home because "the computer doesnt lie!" I have been with Direct for 5 years now... no problem yet (knock on wood!)

whodunit · #13 03/15/09, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deaconjim

We had DISH until we moved once and they failed to show up for the installation at our new place. After quite a bit of discussion about rescheduling, I told them that we had been without their services for 3 weeks, and it had convinced me that we could continue to do without it. The difference is that we didn't get Direct either. We no longer have TV, and no one in the house misses it; not even the kids.

It has been great without it. We all read quite a bit, and I've almost finished writing a novel. I can't believe we actually PAID someone to waste so much of our time.

I have to agree with you here. We don't have satellite or cable, but we still have TVs. We watch DVDs mostly, but have even tried to start weeding those out now that a couple of the kids have the attention span to play board games.

Explorer · #14 03/15/09, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MN Gardener

We had dish and customer service was a nightmare. It was outsourced to another country and DH could never understand what they were saying. Unforturnately, we just signed another contract and can not changee.

About three years ago, Dish wanted me to renew my contract and I told them no and I would just go month to month. Been doing that without a contract now ever since and they have never said another word. I just get the minimum service package of local channels for $10 a month.

cab · #15 03/15/09, 08:09 AM

Our system broke and they said it would take 6 weeks to get someone over to look at it. We waited 6 weeks then the night before, they called and said our building was blacklisted because the grounding was bad. I am an engineer- I know what good grounding is. I tried to explain this but after 8 phone calls, 4 hours of my time, they said all I could do was get a local installer to come over. I called a local installer. He said he would charge $50 just to come over and if any of the equipment was bad I would have to pay for new equipment. I called Dish back. Again, it took about 6 different calls. Spoke with at least that many people. Many were suppose to look into it and call me back. They never did. They kicked it up to their executive resolution people. More calls, more waiting for calls back that never came. At that point I had close to 14 hours of my time on the phone. It had been 9 weeks without service. The Dish people actually told me that the only thing I could do was drop my Dish service because they could not fix it and if I did not want to pay-I kept reminding them that the equipment was theirs, not mine, and that we had a contract-I was out of luck. I run apartment complexes with dozens of tenants all with Dish. I told them if I dropped my service I would prohibit all the tenants from getting Dish as well. They couldn't have cared less.

Finally, I changed the cable feed from my antenna to one at the building that was not being used. That fixed the problem. Still angry, I called Dish to cancel. Now they start asking why? At last they offer a bunch of free service and credits to keep me. As soon as those finish I will be calling Direct....

I have never experienced the lack of concern, the absolute lack of customer service, nor the frustration I had with Dish. Good luck to anyone trying to resolve any problems with them....

jingle5616 · #16 03/15/09, 08:26 AM

I recently dumped Dish as well. After 13 years of service, they wanted $100 for a new HD receiver. Direct TV set me up no charge. Dish can run their business any way they choose....... and I can leave.

What really ticked me off was having to go through 3 different operators when I canceled after getting Direct TV, each pleading for me to stay, and they would only charge me $50! Wow, what a deal

You'd think 13 years meant something.

Jingle

arabian knight · #17 03/15/09, 10:53 AM

Gee I upgraded with Dish a few years ago to a HD Receiver and the only out of pocket expense was 25 bucks.
Now I did drop them and go with a Local Cable system, but after a year I HATED that as the TV Signal was sent through the DSL Telephones lines and did not come fast enough for HD.
Now I am with Direct and being a new customer or at least new in their eyes as I was with Direct 15 years ago and dropped them for Dish.
But the bottom line is NO matter WHAT Company you have you will once in awhile run into a snag. Just Listen to what somebody on Directs stock message board had to say about Direct!

Quote:

A year ago, I dealt with Directv(direct-tech) blowing off three straight appointments, no calls, no nothing, they just blew off showing up. They had to pay me $100 per missed appointment to resolve my Better Business Bureau dispute with them.

Now I was stupid enough to accept their offer to upgrade my HD equipment for free. Being suspicious of their ability to show up, I called to confirm my appointment for this Saturday only to find they moved it to Monday and never told me and they are denying it was originally scheduled for Saturday even though a rep told me the notes on the account DID show it being rescheduled.

My advice, everyone should RUN FOR THE HILLS from Directv as this is a sinking ship. The BBB rating is a F from all of the complaints. The millions of you who got the shaft like me with their blowing off scheduled service calls, go get your $100 per blow off! Send this stinker into the tank where it belongs!!!

So there you have it,, Nether Company is without fault at times.

Jen H · #18 03/15/09, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cab

Our system broke and they said it would take 6 weeks to get someone over to look at it. We waited 6 weeks then the night before, they called and said our building was blacklisted because the grounding was bad. I am an engineer- I know what good grounding is. I tried to explain this but after 8 phone calls, 4 hours of my time, they said all I could do was get a local installer to come over. I called a local installer. He said he would charge $50 just to come over and if any of the equipment was bad I would have to pay for new equipment. I called Dish back. Again, it took about 6 different calls. Spoke with at least that many people. Many were suppose to look into it and call me back. They never did. They kicked it up to their executive resolution people. More calls, more waiting for calls back that never came.

We had the same experience with Dish. Our satelite receiver broke during a storm with high winds and heavy snow loads. We fully expected to pay for the repair. What we did not expect was a 3 week runaround when the repair guy was supposed to be here, then didn't show and couldn't be reached. Finally I spoke with a supervisor who admitted that the nearest repair facility to me was in Spokane -- Clear across the state and a solid 8 hour drive -- and they couldn't say when a repair man would be able to get out.

I cancelled service. Why would I pay for television service when the company couldn't get out and repair things so the television would work? I had to go through 3 levels of customer service to get the service cancelled.

Called DirecTv, and they had us all set up within a week.

FIL watches a lot of tv - always has. At 93, with dementia, we just make sure we have television available for him.

Snakeoil · #19 03/15/09, 11:59 AM

I've never had a problem with Dish's customer service and with Direct you cannot get local channels..

Jen H · #20 03/15/09, 12:03 PM

??? I get local channels with Directv.