DISQUS

Mary Jo · 2 years ago

I've been fortunate to have had only good experiences with DirecTV, so I'm curious to know how this turns out. I hope you'll keep giving us regular updates.

James · 2 years ago

My cable company has brought out 5 different DVR boxes in the last 3 months. They often forget to bring the HiDef box or to even bring a box at all. None of them work correctly, yet they many times have hooked them up and left. Meanwhile my monthly bill is huge!

RMBatenburg · 2 years ago

I feel your pain. It looks like DirecTV might be on the verge of losing a customer - all because they have poor customer service. At the level it is now in the industry, customer service is essentially a compilation of empty promises - there simply aren't enough technicians to service the needs of everyone who uses cable or satellite. The truth is most people assume they have no other option but to "take it" from the service providers. This might not be the case for long however, over builders like Dish and Telco are chinking away at the cable industry's armor and, though they may seem to dismiss your experience, they're taking heed of the role customer relations plays in creating customer loyalty. As consumers take note of the sparse differences in technological capability between the competitors vs. the drastic differences in customer service, many people who've been burnt by bad customer relations will be switching to and sticking with the company that provides the best service.

Aaron Brazell · 2 years ago

It's gotten worse. Updates above.

Jim · 2 years ago

Expect more of the same. I am only on here because I have been looking at all the other sites listing Directv problems. I only switched to Directv from Dish because my daughter had to have the Sprout channel. I had been with Dish for 10 years and had zero problems.

I had Directv installed in June 2006 bundled with a small discount through my Verizon phone service. About two weeks ago, our DVR reciever started to freeze up, stop recording, or go to a blank screen. We would have to reset, wait, and then it might work for awhile. The problem progressively worsened until we got nothing.

I called customer service on November 24th and spent at least a half hour on hold waiting to speak to anyone. After finally getting someone on the line, I was walked through a troubleshooting process which I had already done numerous times since I had read the owner's manual.

After the rep confirmed I did indeed have a problem, she transferred me to someone to schedule a repair tech. This person told me that there would be a $70 service call, or I could sign up for the protection plan for $5.99 per month. I was speechless. I asked if the DVR was under warranty. I was told it was only 90 days. I thought that to only have a 90 day warranty on any electronic device these days was silly at the least. I then asked if I owned the reicever, or if Directv did. I was told that Directv owned it and that I only leased it. So I asked the lady why I should pay Directv to come out and repair their own equipment? I told her that I would not pay the charge and would have to think about it and call back. As I was hanging up, I could hear her yelling to get my attention. She then told me they could waive the fee this one time as a courtesy. How nice of them!

The repair tech was supposed to be here today, December 3rd, between 10 and 12. They called and apologized saying they were overbooked. I now have to wait another week until December 9th.

After looking at other forums, I see that the standard line is that if they replace any equipment, they try to get you to sign on for another year. If you refuse, you have to pay full price for the receiver. I will do neither, as I will be dumping Directv as soon as the year is up. Worst customer service and policies ever. If I wanted that kind of abuse, I would have went to Time Warner.

Cecil Rives · 2 years ago

I sent the following email to Directv about 2 weeks ago. No response to date.

To Whom It May Concern:

Re: Account # 4814866

I have been a subscriber to your satellite TV service for the past eight years and have been very satisfied with the service. I think if you check my account records you will find that I have paid your statements fully and on a timely basis. The following is a more or less accurate description of my recent experience with your Customer Service department which I encountered while trying to upgrade my service.

On the 21st of November I logged on to your website for the purpose of upgrading my service to High Definition. I processed all of the respective pages to accomplish the upgrade. On one of the pages I noticed that the service address on record with you was inaccurate as it had been modified by the U.S. Postal Service. As there was no means by which I could enter the correct address I sent an email to your "Contact Us" with the correct address. The installation date agreed on was Friday, December 1st, between 1: p.m. and 5: p.m. The service address is not my primary domicile so a special trip had to be made to meet the technician. I arrived at the service address at 11: a.m. and was there continuously the rest of the day. By 4:15 p.m. there was no sign of the technician and no phone contacts were received, either at the service or billing address. At that time, I contacted your Customer Service and after being handed off to two or three people was finally informed that the technician had been in the area to make the installation but could not find the address (the old one.) I told her that I had sent an email with the address correction. She told me that that was not the proper way to do it. How was I to know that? (That email was sent eleven days before the installation date. Does anyone read those emails?)

At this point I was given a direct line phone number to the installer in Houston. After about 20 minutes on hold I was able to talk to a woman who took the correct address and informed me that a representative would contact me that same evening and set up a time for the installaton on the following day (Saturday, Dec. 2)

As of about 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning I had received no call from anyone so I tried three times to contact the installer in Houston, holding 25 to 30 minutes each time. Finally, on the fourth try (35 min hold) about noon on Saturday I was able to talk to a representative who informed me that the installation had been cancelled and that there was nothing he could do about it and that I should contact Customer Service.

So, I contacted Customer Service again and after again being handed off a couple of times and being put on hold I did talk to one of your representatives who informed me that the reason for the cancellation was that there was no equipment available and that it would be the 18th of December before it would be available. I then pointed out that the installer had apparently been in my area the day before and surely he must have had the equipment then. She had no answer to that so I asked to speak to her superior. After waiting another 5 or 10 minutes on hold I gave up.

Finally, sometime later, I decided to give it one more try and made contact with a different person in your office and was told that the original work order for December 1st had been cancelled but a new work order had been issued and the installation had been set up for Monday, December 4th, between 1: p.m. and 5 : p.m. Why didn't some one call me and tell me that? I needed to return to my home in Houston that evening but decided to stay over until Monday and get the installation done. (Hopefully!) On Monday, the technician did arrive at 2: p.m. and made the installation. After he had everything connected I asked him why he didn't use the HDMI cable that I had provided and he told me that unless I as really picky I didn't need it.

About a week later when I returned to the service address I decided to install the HDMI cable to see if it would make any difference. It did. However, as I was watching the TV the picture began to go off and on at irregular intervals. This continued for several minutes so I called Technical Support. After telling the rep the problem she was finally able to diagnose it as a problem with the new receiver and that a software solution was being worked on and would be installed "sometime next year." She told me to reinstall the "Component (Y Pb Pr) video cables" and leave the HDMI able connected so that when the problem is fixed I would automatically receive the proper signals from the satellite. After reinstalling the "Component cables' I turned the TV on and had the same problem so I disconnected the HDMI cable and solved it. So, now I have a $99 receiver that is faulty until "sometime next year."

Now, another problem has arisen. I noticed a few days ago that the new HD satellite dish is not grounded. We do have a fair amount of lightning strikes at this location and I was concerned about the potential for damage to the dish and TVset.
I made contact with your Customer Service about the problem and was informed that it definitely should be grounded so, a date was set up to have that done (Tuesday, December 26, between 1: p.m and 5 :00 p.m. I arrived at the service address at 11:30 a.m. and was there all day and no one showed up or called. After again contacting your Customer Service about 5:30 p.m. I was informed (after 55 minutes on hold) that the installer was running late but would be there about 8:p.m.
I told her that was unsatisfactory and that he could come the next day as I would be there all day. She said that was not possible but they could come on the 28th. I had other obligations for that date so I told her to cancel the work order completely and I that I would do it myself.

All in all, I am of the opinion that this "service" is outrageous and simply unacceptable.

I guess my question to you now is: "Can you give me one good reason why I should continue using your service?"

Cecil Rives
547 Three Corners Dr.
Houston, Texas 77024
713-467-9894
979-289-3081

James · 2 years ago

have cable not Direct TV, but my DVR sucks. sometimes drops the sound or picture. sometimes won't come out of the recorded movie. close captioning never works.

sometimes just won't work.

worst technology ever. wait, what about cell phones or CD's or...

Will · 2 years ago

I love the DirecTV product but I have recently discovered just how terrible their customer service is. Still, it's the best option where I live. I hope everything works out well for you.

john · 2 years ago

After 10 years with DirecTV, I final am calling it quits. On several occations, the equipment has failed. When this happens, they want to charge me for new equipment (that I still wont own). After I threaten to leave, they always give me the equipment, but its just not worth it any more. The monthly fee should include working equipment, and you shouldnt have to badger them to get them to do whats right.

Steve · 2 years ago

Guys,

I was with Directv for 6 years had decent service and was generally good. Got a HD TV and wanted HD service. Found out I had too many trees in my back yard. Cancelled my Directv service nad went to Comcast to get HD service. Now Directv is saying I never returned my equipment and I verbally signed a 2 year commitment. I told them to stick it. Now my account is with a collection agenty and I am fighting this. anyone have any helpful hints...

Elaine Kellerman · 2 years ago

I have had both Dish and Drectv and haven't cared much for either. The Dish equipment was always tearing up and they would never work with you on it. The customer service sucked. They would tell you one thing and do another. I only liked it due to the fact they had local channels. Finally after several years and my bills going higher and higher without any explanation and no change in my service I called it quits. I started out years and years ago with Primestar. Dish was much lower cost when I originally purchased it but by the time I left I was paying MORE than I ever did with Primestar. I was searching for another satellite company and Directv promised all sorts of options and that they would be supplying the local channels withen the month. HA it took over a year and a half. They came in and used a lot of the old Dish cabling instead of using new. They also used a lot of other Dish equipment when they installed the Directv. When I called I was told "well thats too bad but if it tears up we'll fix it." Not the point! Then when it did tear up, you guessed it-another year contract. I have found that none of the three are really in need of "one" customer. And I feel like when you call to complain that is what they see you as "well it's only one person." It will take several before it hurts. Hopefully they will have more competition sometime in the future. But then again-the only phone service that we have here is Century tel, and you can bet they know that you have to take whatever they wish to dish out. You are talked to like a dog, that is IF they decide to talk to you. Its all in the competition...........

James · 2 years ago

Well i am a dtv technical supportt, and you don´t imagine the crap we have to put with to assist you as a costumer, and all you do is complaint and yell, well here are news for all of you "GO TO COMCAST" to see if you will get 2000 channels and a Costumer service 27/7..

Elaine Kellerman · 2 years ago

Pity they don't teach you to spell, then even though you can't do much in the way of treating customers well or fixing any type of problem then at LEAST you would be able to do some sort of menial task, but since evne a menial task requires some sort of SPELLING and writing in an intelligible manner, then possibly cleaning toilets might be your speciality.

Aaron Brazell · 2 years ago

Harsh, Elaine... :)

page · 2 years ago

my name's page, im a directv customer service rep for years now and i never knew that this is how other customers think of our company.

i just wanna let you know that we are trying our best to resolve each and every problem our customers have. at times maybe your calls are routed to (for the lack of a better term) incompetent reps. but i still assure you that there are reps that are concerned bout your situations/issues/problems.

Andreas Economos · 2 years ago

I just got of the phone with Direct TV .After years of been a customer of theirs only because they have the international programming that I like I finally said NO MORE ABUSE!! NO MORE OF DEALING WITH SOMEBODY IN THE PHILIPINNES for customer service. I am going back to the TV antenna till I can get the Verizon Fios TV installed (in 10 days) the same goes for Dish Network. No difference except that with them you are dealing with somebody in India for customer service. Shame to both of them!!!!
When a customer calls in to customer service the customers seeks a solution and the worst thing is when the person at the other end (that can barely speak English) treats you like somebody stupid. Just imagine this I called because I was getting no signal and after we reset the box the representative said …….I changed everything so now you will receive a stronger signal……… What a lie!!! I think that it is a matter of time that they will have to do something or they will loose a very large portion of their customers.
Personally me? I will never ever go back to them. They lost me forever.

Elaine · 2 years ago

It is amazing that you sign a years contract with a company and then you get faulty equipment, poor service and it is allowed. I imagine that there will be a class action suit sometime in the future for this type of "legal stealing." Then when you are fed up and decide that since you have "nothing" and make the decision to let it go, you are charged an enourmous amoount for "breaking the contract." However, it is o.k. for them to break the contract. I also find it interesting that you rent a piece of equipment but if it no longer works you must purchase a replacement. Probably this needs to be brought to some type of legal action. As noted above from a "customer service rep" who states we can all go to COMCAST and not get as many channels, it should be noted that with COMCAST if the channels WORKED then you would be getting MORE channels than you do with a system that fails and gets no channels. Also note that this tyoe of attitude is exactly what the customer is upset about. You don't like it too bad, go somewhere else. Intead of "your not happy, lets see how we can fix that." I have found a multitude of links where people are unhappy with the supposed rental/buy behavior and the providing a service that is not followed through with. Possibly all of these customers should form together and discuss a possible class action suit?