Hi! I couldn't come to the blog yesterday because I spent 21 minutes on the phone with DirectTV yesterday trying 34 different set up codes to get my new remote to work. Actually, this story starts about six months ago when the remote stopped working.
I call, we go through a number of codes (fewer than 34) to restart the remote. I say, "you need to send a new receiver." They tell me that I need to order a new $15 remote first. I refused. They should send me a new remote. Do they not know I have options when I purchase television? You're going to lose a customer over $15? You were willing to give me NFL Sunday ticket at half price when I called to cancel it.
So for the past six months, the dude and I have been living like it's 1970--we get up to change the channels; the DVR can record, but we have to watch it all, including commercials, straight through; no pausing live tv. Finally, I snapped and ordered the fucking remote. Which, since we started this paragraph where we did, you know works fine; it's the receiver. They are sending me a "free" receiver for which I must pay $19.99 shipping. I'd like to point out, of course, that the receiver isn't costing me $20. It's cost me $35 because I had to buy the new remote. Can I send it back to them? I think they should send someone out here to check on my set up. I'd like to send the remote back to them up someone's ass. Actually, I want to put it up the asses of the dickheads who think that asking a customer to input 34 different set up codes to save--how much can a receiver possibly cost?--about $200 is a good idea. Good customer service, guys! Do they not know that Verizon contacts me either by mail, phone or in person, every day because even though they are the ones who bundled me into Direct TV in the first place, they want me to get FIOS now. Do these people not know how annoying they are? We have a--as in only ONE--tv that cost us less than $200. We enjoy our popular culture, but we aren't gadgety HD-type people. I don't really give a flying fuck who sends me the signals.
So anyway, my head exploded and I was unable to come to the blog. Aren't you glad I found a way to do it today?
Okay, I gotta walk the dog then write my letter to Direct TV.
13 comments:
Well.....I see you are full of holiday cheer! LOL There is nothing so frustrating as all of our "new technology" that makes life easier. Until it stops working. Good luck!
It was service like that made us cancel THE DAY our contract was up. We're with Dish now happier & paying less. So suck it Direct TV.
And did you happen to buy a new tv when this started? Because if it was a Sony I think I know what the problem is. It's more the tv's fault - but I still blame Direct for not knowing that. And the fix.
Our DirecTv receiver died within 2 or 3 months of installation. Had to go through enough steps to walk to Russia before they agreed to send me a new one. But for the most part, these people have been better to deal with than cable.
We were going to change to FIOS until I found out at installation that I needed an electrical ground installed. Price quote on that was $275. None of my neighbors had to get this. They are grounded to the cold water pipe. Lovely. So I still have satellite and NESN!
I haven't had trouble with DirecTV, although I avoid corporate customer service at all costs. I've always had better luck working directly with the installer - usually they're contracted by both dish providers, so they know they'll see you anyway. When we moved and DirecTV upgraded me to an HD DVR without notifying me (and I don't have an HDTV anywhere in my house), the tech let me keep my old DVR that still had saved programs on it and offered some tips for getting those off. ;)
I hate situations like that! Been there done that....good luck and let 'em have it!
I'm glad to hear that other people go off on rants like this too. Give them hell is all I can say!
Go, go, go, go! Methinks you might have stumbled across a new business....rent a rant! If I send you a list of all of the lousy crappy companies that I want to slap, will you "take care of them" for me?
You could make millions, and imagine how cleansed you'd feel after bitching at people all day!
Woo Hoo!
As to the whole TeeVee thingie...I feel your pain. I'm a simple girl. I think crap should work. And when it doesn't, I think they should either send you new crap or fix the old crap without you having to donate a kidney just to use their gd product in the first place. OH! And a sincere "I'm really sorry for this mess, Miss Rich" ALWAYS works for me!
dial 1-800-COMCAST
I got rid of my TV months ago and I'm much happier now. Life's too short. And yes, I am very glad that you had the opportunity to come to the blog today :o)
ARGGG!!
I think maybe I should consider myself lucky that I've only had to stand in line to replace no less than five defective Time-Warner cable DVRs since we upgraded to HD about a year ago. One crapped just two days after I got it. They offer to have someone out with a replacement two business days after my calls, but I have always been able to go pick one up next day (could be same day, but the units ALWAYS go out after office hours or on Sunday). From what I've been told, the problem seems to be that we actually *gasp* USE the recording feature, and there's no way for the end user to defrag the hard drive. So after a while, it just can't find room to put anything else and we get tiling, sound drop outs, and the unit will start rebooting itself repeatedly (the true kiss of death), usually in the middle of a show that we really want to see. They ~say~ they can't retrieve any of our saved shows or transfer them to a new unit, and that the USB ports are disabled so we can't transfer anything to the computer before the thing dies. We've had #6 for several months now, a record, but it's been getting fritzy the last week or so. :(
Hmm...this is exactly why I don't have any cable, satellite, etc. Just regular over the air signals.
Sometimes I wish I had something else to watch...then I read rants like yours...and feel better about picking up dvd's from the library. Because your rant...well stuff like that happens to other people everyday I am sure.
I fixed this by canceling cable service and downloading all my TV off the internet. If the companies are going to be assholes (which is why I canceled), I'm enough of a geek that I'll just go around them.
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