Bait and Switch
Complaint
Willis
Country: United States
Cable sucks but Direct TV is the most dysfunctional organization on EARTH.
Direct TV / bait and switch / completely unorganized / departments have no idea who can do what!!!!
28 year Cable TV customer, tired of the channel sequence and high cost.
9/18/09 signed up for a “Choice Xtra Package” for $34.99 from a flyer I received in the newspaper. Called and spent and hour on the phone making sure I was going to get what I needed. Supposed to get a “free” HD DVR receiver and two extra receivers ($5.00 extra each) with two RF remotes (for the receivers) and was told to pay the installer for. These remotes were so the DVR and receivers could be installed in the same location and distributed with my internal network. Scheduled an install.
Activated my rebate on 9/21/09.
Unhooked Cable TV Friday 9/25/ 09 in anticipation if Direct TV 9/27/09.
Installer gets here about 8:10 am. Immediately says that the RF remotes I ordered do not work with the non-HD receivers he is to install. Upon checking he also had on his work order to install a non-HD DVR. This is just the tip of the Direct TV bad service iceberg. I explained that the salesperson said that the remotes would work from other rooms etc. etc.
Called Direct TV-hold for 25 minutes, they said I needed to talk with the installers to correct the problem. I asked to speak to a supervisor but they said they were busy.
Talked with the installers, they said that they would go and get the equipment and that they needed and for me to call Direct TV to get any information about any changes in billing.
Called Direct TV-hold for 20 minutes, they said that if I wanted to know any changes on the bill that might occur that I needed to talk to the sales department, they forwarded my call, on hold 30 minutes, sales department said that they could not help me and would not connect me to a supervisor. They could not connect me to anyone. Sales department hung up.
Called Direct TV-on hold 30 minutes, they said the installer would have to verify with them, the installer was gone, waited for installer to get back.
Installer called Direct TV-on hold 30 minutes, (he had my original order canceled and started a new order) set up for the HD DVR and two regular receivers. Installer told me to go to Costco and get programmable remotes and forget about the Direct TV remotes I talked with a Direct TV person and they went through the process of getting all new C.C. information, taking my social and verifying my credit, etc. etc. to make a new order so the installers could proceed today. They then informed me that my bill would go up $15 per month because the HD DVR was free but not the service for $34.99, (extra ten dollars) something that the salespeople never mentioned, plus some other charges never mentioned. They said that I needed to activate my rebate online before the install or it would not happen. We waited together to get online to my account and activate my rebate but it did not happen. I was told they were going to send me to a department that would activate my rebate over the phone. 35 minutes on hold, Nancy said she could help me as they could not activate the rebate. By this time the installer was working on the project making holes in my house. I was told that since I could not activate the rebate before the install I would have to pay $80.99 for the first two months or until the rebate was activated. I was then sent to a department and spoke with yet another dis-interested employee who would not put me through to a supervisor.
After all of this I it was evident that I was taking a big chance on going with Direct TV, I had no idea what they might decide to charge me or what may happen. I knew for sure that if I called with a problem I would be shuffled around and around. I canceled everything. Over 4 wasted hours on the phone over two days with people who either were ill informed or purposely deceiving. My only day off this week.
Here I am on Sunday, no TV, asked to pay more for direct TV than I originally paid for Cable and $36 more per month than the $45.99 Choice Extra offer I was quoted on 9/18/09. 52133900 / 52147081 Order 129443188 / 129675581.
Direct TV / bait and switch / completely unorganized / departments have no idea who can do what!!!!
28 year Cable TV customer, tired of the channel sequence and high cost.
9/18/09 signed up for a “Choice Xtra Package” for $34.99 from a flyer I received in the newspaper. Called and spent and hour on the phone making sure I was going to get what I needed. Supposed to get a “free” HD DVR receiver and two extra receivers ($5.00 extra each) with two RF remotes (for the receivers) and was told to pay the installer for. These remotes were so the DVR and receivers could be installed in the same location and distributed with my internal network. Scheduled an install.
Activated my rebate on 9/21/09.
Unhooked Cable TV Friday 9/25/ 09 in anticipation if Direct TV 9/27/09.
Installer gets here about 8:10 am. Immediately says that the RF remotes I ordered do not work with the non-HD receivers he is to install. Upon checking he also had on his work order to install a non-HD DVR. This is just the tip of the Direct TV bad service iceberg. I explained that the salesperson said that the remotes would work from other rooms etc. etc.
Called Direct TV-hold for 25 minutes, they said I needed to talk with the installers to correct the problem. I asked to speak to a supervisor but they said they were busy.
Talked with the installers, they said that they would go and get the equipment and that they needed and for me to call Direct TV to get any information about any changes in billing.
Called Direct TV-hold for 20 minutes, they said that if I wanted to know any changes on the bill that might occur that I needed to talk to the sales department, they forwarded my call, on hold 30 minutes, sales department said that they could not help me and would not connect me to a supervisor. They could not connect me to anyone. Sales department hung up.
Called Direct TV-on hold 30 minutes, they said the installer would have to verify with them, the installer was gone, waited for installer to get back.
Installer called Direct TV-on hold 30 minutes, (he had my original order canceled and started a new order) set up for the HD DVR and two regular receivers. Installer told me to go to Costco and get programmable remotes and forget about the Direct TV remotes I talked with a Direct TV person and they went through the process of getting all new C.C. information, taking my social and verifying my credit, etc. etc. to make a new order so the installers could proceed today. They then informed me that my bill would go up $15 per month because the HD DVR was free but not the service for $34.99, (extra ten dollars) something that the salespeople never mentioned, plus some other charges never mentioned. They said that I needed to activate my rebate online before the install or it would not happen. We waited together to get online to my account and activate my rebate but it did not happen. I was told they were going to send me to a department that would activate my rebate over the phone. 35 minutes on hold, Nancy said she could help me as they could not activate the rebate. By this time the installer was working on the project making holes in my house. I was told that since I could not activate the rebate before the install I would have to pay $80.99 for the first two months or until the rebate was activated. I was then sent to a department and spoke with yet another dis-interested employee who would not put me through to a supervisor.
After all of this I it was evident that I was taking a big chance on going with Direct TV, I had no idea what they might decide to charge me or what may happen. I knew for sure that if I called with a problem I would be shuffled around and around. I canceled everything. Over 4 wasted hours on the phone over two days with people who either were ill informed or purposely deceiving. My only day off this week.
Here I am on Sunday, no TV, asked to pay more for direct TV than I originally paid for Cable and $36 more per month than the $45.99 Choice Extra offer I was quoted on 9/18/09. 52133900 / 52147081 Order 129443188 / 129675581.
Comments
Both satellite TV companies have an extensive record of "bait and switch" complaints. Several state AG's have taken action against them, and they may be subject to settlement agreements in your state.