So, I go online to pay up several bills that are due.
I look at the Direct TV bill - $104.92.
What?!!
I have 6 receivers, I have to pay $5 for each receiver after the first one. All of these companies do that, so even though I don't like it, I'm good with it. That's $30 just for all the receivers in this house. $69.00 for the programming plus tax.
I realized what happened - they had dropped my $15 per month reduction for bundling with Qwest. I immediately called Diret TV and - ended up speaking to 4 different individuals over a 45 minute span. Multi-tasking, I know these conversations with these people are going to be endless, I was mopping the floor while talking and waiting on the phone.
First person couldn't help me, I expected that. Second department couldn't help me either, neither expected or didn't expect that. 3rd department - I am being transferred between departments, not individuals within the same department. They did this because I told them if they didn't reinstate the discount, I would be leaving Direct TV - not an idle threat either - and going either with Dish Network or Cox Cable. I hate all 3 of these companies, so who cares which one you go with.....whoever is giving the best deal, really.
The 3rd guy gives me a very long run around, but I stood firm and he ends up giving an additional 6 months of $10 off per month. I have to call Qwest to get the other amount dropped. Great. I can JUST imagine that. I then ask to have it verified that my contract, which should have been over in January, is now going to be over in June.
No, sir, you contract isn't up until March 3rd. Dealing with this company is like talking to ducks, they just quack at you incessantly with all kinds of hyperbole and computer script. I was getting unhappy but I maintained my phone composure and etiquette. I knew instantly what they had done: when I bought a used receiver last month for those trailer people, even though I VERIFIED that it would not extend my contract, they extended it anyway.
After getting my discount - which is NOT showing up in my current bill yet - I was handed off to a 4th department that deals with this kind of stuff. I informed them that I had bought the receiver off of Craigslist, I did NOT lease it through Direct TV, the contract should be up in June of this year, NOT March of NEXT year. Another inderminate amount of time - I was busy mopping just to keep the agitation levels down with these people and not paying attention to how much time was elapsing. This lady finally comes back and says that they can't modify contracts, so they did away with it completely, meaning that I am NOW free to cancel my contract with DirectTV.
Yes, I am probably going to start up with another company. Only if DirectTV will give me new equipment and a better price - for a full 2 years - will I change my mind. I doubt they will, but I will give it a try anyway. All new equipment - 6 receivers worth, that's what I want. It would be easier to stay with this company than to have to deal with getting another company to come out here and set up all their stuff and remove all of my stuff.
What got me going today was the second individual I spoke to who stated I could reduce my programming and theirby reduce my monthly fee. NOT happening, I replied quite bluntly, I have been an almost-10-year customer, if this is the way you are going to treat me, I am simply going to go with another company. It appears the Direct TV is starting to listen to such threats now, because they didn't used to. For them to hand me over to different departments to "see what they could do for me" is unprecedented with my long history with this company. On their status-quo days, they simply say okay, do what makes you happy, if you want to switch, go ahead and switch.
I have literally been told that by this company in the past.
Well, now I have to call back and ask why the $10 reduction isn't showing on the bill.
Fun fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment