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MVM
join:2001-09-01
El Dorado Hills, CA

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MVM

[DIRECTV] Customer for 3 years and they don't even TRY to keep m

Don't get me started on Directv's 2-year contract (with 1 year pricing in fine print), but suffice it to say I'm well out of my 2 year contract and now paying nearly 2x what I originally was.

I called to inquire about the tivo DVR and asked how I could lower my monthly bill and I was told the only way is to lower my package. I said that it made my decision to cancel simple and her response was "ok!".

WTF, really? I've been a customer for 3 years, been paying nearly 2x what I was in my first year for over 2 years now, and they won't cut me a break? Guess I'll be giving DISH a call...

Should I call back and try again? It just seems asinine that I can't at least do another 2-year contract to enjoy the savings for 1 year.

obeythelaw
Premium Member
join:2003-04-16
Warren, NJ

obeythelaw

Premium Member

Re: [DIRECTV] Customer for 3 years and they don't even TRY to ke

I have directv and like them and it is them or cable for where I live. However, I have to say that Directv appears to be the least likely to offer any retention offer to keep you.
In the past I had directv and cancelled and went without them for about a year. I called into re-subscribe just shy of 12 months and they would not offer me the "new" subscriber discounts. I also recently removed a standard HD receiver from my account for a few reasons. The rep didn't blink an eye in removing and never offered any reason to keep it either.
I honestly wish that all of these companies would not offer anything so that it levels the playing field.

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MVM
join:2001-09-01
El Dorado Hills, CA

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MVM

Yeah it's ridiculous. They acted like I should be happy to be paying what I'm paying.

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County

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This type of thing has been mentioned several times for Dish and DirecTV here in this site...
bsangs
join:2002-08-21
Montclair, NJ

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Just wait until you actually cancel. You'll be flooded by great offers from Directv to come back. When I cancelled a few years ago (I'm since back) I received mailings from them to come back seemingly once a week. It's a silly process really.

unknvoip
RIP goose
Premium Member
join:2006-07-25
Rochester, NY

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My initial 2 years were up in February. In January I called, said I liked D** and did not want to change back to cable, but would as I am a price driven consumer and was concerned over the price increases going in and the loss of my initial discount. I was offered a couple of options for discounts.

I had a story like yours with TWC. When everyone and their brother got offered deals when they threatened to cancel, I was told how to drop off my STB. I never got a TWC retention offer until I had been gone from them for 6 months.

I think it matters who you talk to. I would say call again and see if you get someone more willing to work with you. My discount does not equal what new people get, but it is a price point that works for me and seems fair. Good luck.

johnnylakis
join:2002-10-30
Brooklyn, NY

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I will go you all one better. I was with DirecTV for 14 years. I am told over and over there is nothing they can offer me, other than free movie channels.

Last Sunday I get the "searching for signal" message. I call and they offer to send a tech on Monday.

Monday the tech comes. He doesn't go on the roof. He doesn't give me a new box. DirecTV charges me a $50 service call.

On Thursday, I get the "searching for signal" message again. So I call to cancel.

The rep offers to send a tech. I say "Not for $50". The rep says that there will be no charge. I say "no thank you". The rep says over and over "what can we offer you to keep you from cancelling", but she never offers anything specific. I made clear that I wanted a picture that night otherwise there was nothing they could do.

DirecTV is letting customers leave, and somehow doesn't realize there is competition from the phone and cable companies. They offer sweet deals to new customers but nothing to old customers. Then when you are gone they try to get you back, offering to cover the cancellation fees. I predict the end for DirecTV.

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
·Metronet

CylonRed

MVM

quote:
I predict the end for DirecTV.
Nah - they are not going anywhere - they can do these things because there is still limited competition. Cable us usually far more expensive (at non-special prices), U-Verse is not in a LOT of places, streaming works well if you have fast enough speeds and many places don't, and rural areas not served by cable will need a solution (still huge areas of rural areas in the US with a good population.

johnnylakis
join:2002-10-30
Brooklyn, NY

johnnylakis

Member

Verizon FIOS is spreading and the price is very competetive.
ke4pym
Premium Member
join:2004-07-24
Charlotte, NC

ke4pym

Premium Member

said by johnnylakis:

Verizon FIOS is spreading and the price is very competetive.

They are? Last I heard Verizon stopped new deployments.

DTV isn't going anywhere. They're raking in money hand over fist.

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MVM
join:2001-09-01
El Dorado Hills, CA

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said by bsangs:

Just wait until you actually cancel. You'll be flooded by great offers from Directv to come back. When I cancelled a few years ago (I'm since back) I received mailings from them to come back seemingly once a week. It's a silly process really.

Oh that all started RIGHT as my 2 year contract ended. Suddenly I was getting phone calls (I told them to stop calling after 2 of them) and then emails like 5x a week with offers for free HBO, blah blah (basically, free NEW stuff that would, I'm sure, tie me to another 2 year contract).

I guess I shouldn't complain too much. If I went with Comcast, I'd be paying $30/mo less for the first 6 months but then I'd only be saving $10 after that (though it'd be month to month), so it's not really worth it (too much inertia) to leave. They know they me by the short and curlies and they don't give a crap about customer service except if you're a new customer.

obeythelaw
Premium Member
join:2003-04-16
Warren, NJ

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to ke4pym
said by ke4pym:

said by johnnylakis:

Verizon FIOS is spreading and the price is very competetive.

They are? Last I heard Verizon stopped new deployments.

DTV isn't going anywhere. They're raking in money hand over fist.

Exactly, Fios is nowhere near me. Verizon actually sends me letters that says I can sign up with Directv and their phone service. It is a very odd team considering they compete for the same customers.

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
·Metronet

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to johnnylakis
said by johnnylakis:

Verizon FIOS is spreading and the price is very competetive.

Maybe in YOUR neck of the woods - but there ar a few 100 million homes in the US... And Verizon only has a fraction.

Uncle Paul
join:2003-02-04
USA

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No FIOS here, but jump to Dish for two years or cable for a year, then they consider you a new customer again and can get a better deal.

We give each a chance every 2-3 years to bid on our dollars. They all pretty much have the same channels we watch.

bmetelsky
Premium Member
join:2005-10-16
Elyria, OH

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I was a customer for 6 years. I called to cancel and started getting calls the day after I cancelled and already had DISH installed.

If you are looking for a deal, and prepared to wait a few days or a week, then cancel and wait for the calls to start.

SteelersFan
join:2001-02-12
Rockwall, TX

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+1 to "it all matters on who you talk to". Always ask for customer retention. I was floored by the deals they're offering new customers. It's pathetic. I was able to obtain enough monthly credits to justify a continued stay of execution. I was also told to call back in July and get the NFL ticket for free which is really a large reason I'm still with them.
hchen42
join:1999-12-23
New York, NY

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Amongst DirecTV, Verizon, TWC, I would say DirecTV was the most friendly and up front in regard to discount.

My experience with TWC has been similar to OP. The only way i got a massive discount was when I actually canceled. Then TWC chopped $25 off my bill.

First time I called DirecTV, billing department asking if there's anyway to lower my parents' bill. The rep was nice and sweet and immediately offer a $10 loyalty discount. While it's not great considering my original discount monthly rate was $30 and jumped to about $65/month afterward. Afterward, FIOS came to my parents, and we shut down DirecTV. Now the rep actually said she would match FIOS, I said too late.

As for FIOS... it has always been an adventure talking to Verizon. Some reps are awesome, some are plain pain in the A to speak to.