Citing its changing relationship with AT&T, competition from Dish Network over the number of HDTV channels offered, and other economic factors, DirecTV's top brass says that their U.S. subscriber growth shrank substantially in the 3rd quarter. It is interesting to note that this fact is almost buried in the latest DirecTV Group 3rd Quarter Report. However, if you scroll down to the "DIRECTV U.S. Segment Third Quarter Review" section of the report, it is there in black and white.
In my opinion, if both DirecTV and Industry Analysts would look a little deeper, they may find that increased public knowledge of DirecTV's customer service policies could be just as big, if not a bigger factor, in their new subscriber slow down. Why do I suspect this? There has been a lot of feedback regarding DirecTV's policies and customer service submitted to my site over this past year in the form of angry DirecTV user comments: Read Comments. It looks like DirecTV needs to take a hard look at their own customer service operations and policies more than blaming their competition, or even a slower economy, for their decrease in U.S. subscriber growth.
Comments
Since subscribing to Directv I have been lied to by directv rep’s on repeated occasions.I have been treated rudely by customer service.They have made promises that they later do not keep.There billing process is a mess.Numerous times I have been told things only later to told something different by someone else.It is evident they have no accountability for there actions.Absolutely the worse organization I have dealt with.Alful,alful customer service and employees who obviously have no training.Just absoutely my worse experience with a company.I am pretty sure they are skilled in telling you want you want to hear and later apoligize for the previous persons mistakes.If I had a nickle for every sorry they have given me I could have free service for a year.They need to be held accountable!
Golsh Tolm,
If you talk like you write, maylbe it cause they culdn’t undelstand youl alful engllish to hellp you out.
Guy:
You can become a big part of the problem while criticizing someone who is a contribution to the solution. I happen to agree with the respondent.
The DirecTV CSR’s are rude, shackled by internal policies put in place by overpaid executives who place the interests of the profit center over the goodwill generated by satisfied return customers. It has been estimated that there are over 60,000 complaints listed on the Internet leveled at DirecTV for one CS issue or another or .3% of their total customer base of 18M. If customer Service handled complaints more responsively that number could be significantly reduced, and their retention rate significantly increased thus increasing, also, their market share. But it is my guess that the senior executive has bonuses based on his contribution as a profit center. Shades of Wall Street.
DirectTv is the worst service company I have ever dealt with in my life. They’re service is bad, to say the least, and their customer service reps are misleading. My husband and I have just joined the thousands of former customers who will advise everyone we know (and some) to never sign up for DirectTv’s service. I hope that within a few months they find that their new subscriber base is down by 75% or more; and that by 2011 they will customer service themselves right out of business. They are truly an insult to the corporations of the United States.
DirectTv is just one of the biggest mistake I made in my life time. The customer service is a joke. If there were any way I could get out of my contract I would jump for joy
To stay in business you have to have good customers relations and if you treat them well they will tell other people how they were taken care of and they will have more customers. The best advertisement is mouth to mouth. My whole block where I live used to have Diect-TV dishes but now there’s not a one.Why you say? Mouth to Mouth, good or bad the words out. Hire and train good personal.
If you are looking into Directv, DONT!!!!! I wish I would’ve looked at the reviews. They are ALL right. I was suppose to get a deal for 12 months and now they are telling me that they’ve never had a 12 month deal only 24 months. They want to charge me over 200.00 to cancel. I will tell everyone I come in contact with to stay away from them. They are LIARS.
I’m currently in litigations with DTV and My attorney’s and I have just finished a hearing on to force arbitration on the part of DTV. We are currently waiting on an answer from the judge to proceed with my lawsuit.
Like the rest of you, I am a victim of DTV’s misconceptions. DTV stole almost 800.00 from my credit card. The thing of it is is that I never gave them my credit card information. How my problems started was that I was trying to upgrade to an HD DVR for my HD TV. The rep told me I was under a two year contract. Let me remind you I’ve been with the company for ten years.
Of coursde I disagreed with them and the rep stated that there was some type of activity in my den. I told her that my old receiver went out and I had an old receiver and I replaced it with that one. Th rep said when I did that I entered into a 2 year contract. Of course I was upset and hung up. I switched to Dish and the day dish was installing I called and cancelled with DTV. The rep spilled out the deal about the cancellation fee and wanting me to send me receivers back.
After a brief argument with her she cancelled the service. Months later I started getting credit card bills on an account that was zeroed out. the first one i tossed in the trash because I didn’t think anything of it. The next one came and I opened it and thats when i realized they had used my credit card without my permission. After cancellation DTV billed for two more months. Not to mention that they bill you in advance when you first subscribed.
So basically, I didn’t owe them anything when I cancelled. Now my credit card ruined, my credit itself is ruined. It wasn’t that great to begin with and on my way to redemption, but i could still get some things if i needed it. I personally am telling everyone I know not to subscribe to DTV. They are thieves, literally.
I have two wonderful attorney’s fighting for me. And I will recommend them to anyone.
Worst customer service I have ever experienced. after my time is up goodbye directtv.!!
On June 1st, 2010 at approximately 4pm I called Directv to speak with a representative to inquire about the scheduled installation for the same day. I was informed by the rep that the order was canceled due to past due balance on previous account at residence in the name of David Goodwin. The rep asked if I knew David Goodwin and I said “Yes. Why?” The rep stated that He owed $354.00, and that until this is paid I (Richard Goodwin) would not be able to open New account per Directv policy. I told the rep that my brother has moved and currently still has Directv. The rep then asked me for his current phone number. I told the rep that I am not at liberty to share that information and that it should be on his account.
The rep then had the nerve to request that I pay the debt and take it up with my brother later. I immediately informed the rep that she just violated Privacy laws and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and that I was not privy to any information of any other person even if its my mother. The rep re-informed me that this is Directv’s policy and there is nothing more she could do. These laws have been broken:
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Section 805
(b) COMMUNICATION WITH THIRD PARTIES. Except as provided in section 804, without the prior consent of the consumer given directly to the debt collector, or the express permission of a court of competent jurisdiction, or as reasonably necessary to effectuate a post judgment judicial remedy, a debt collector may not communicate, in connection with the collection of any debt, with any person other than a consumer, his attorney, a consumer reporting agency if otherwise permitted by law, the creditor, the attorney of the creditor, or the attorney of the debt collector.
Section 807
(10) The use of any false representation or deceptive means to collect or attempt to collect any debt or to obtain information concerning a consumer.
I later spoke with a Directv supervisor of the same department and informed her of what took place. The supervisor explained that there is nothing she could do and that it was the policy of Directv to share private information and that no laws were broken. And that I can take it up with legal counsel. And we will!
I left DTV in 2009 after 8 years because they lied to me. I was given an advertisement promising $10/mo credit for a year if I signed up for an offer. After doing so, the credits never came. When I called customer service they said they knew nothing about the offer or promise. I won’t be going back.
BTW, I think DTV will be in bigger trouble as they lose out in the “on demand” race. It is kind of hard to deliver customers programming “on demand” when you have to launch rockets to increase your bandwidth. Netflix offers far better value in that regard.