Grrr - Installation Delay

[tyketime]

I took today off since my DTV was scheduled to be installed between 8am - Noon. I received two calls from DTV in the past week (including one yesterday) to confirm the time of the appointment.

About 10am, I get a call from the installer saying he just received the work order, and that he is nowhere near my house. Will I be there late this afternoon (~ 4:30)? :eek:

Grrr... I didn't get mad at him (I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt, and will assume it really wasn't his fault), but DANG! I could have worked an almost full day (not wasting a vacation day) and still made it home before he is now scheduled to arrive. I don't want to piss him off (at least not BEFORE he does the installation).

Whad'dya think? Did he just give me a line, or do you think DTV is where I should place the blame? :mad:

[supasta]

Either way you should call DTV and aks for compensation for you taking the day off just for their installer.

The biggest problem with DTV is that they use local hole-in-the-wall contracted installers most of the time, so you will have to place the blame on DTV directly.

[mib66]

Had a similar frustrating experience - took off of work for an HR10-250 install. The tech showed up on time, but didn;t bring the OTA antenna he was supposed to have. Flash forward 3 weeks to the followup appointment. This time the tech has the right equipment, but the work order is all wrong. He can;t do the the OTA antenna install with the wrong paperwork. He apologized, said he needed to get the new paperwork after he finished his other jobs, then come back 6 hours later in the afternoon.
He came back with the new work order, did the work, and left.
I spent an hour on the phone w/D* and the installers trying to figure out where the screwup occurred. It turns out to have been a D* error in communicating with the installers. I called them back and let them have it, and they ended up crediting my account $188 dollars (bizarre, but thats what they did), and shaving $10 off my bill for the next year.
So, I say give them a call and ask to be compensated for your time...

[bad_religion1979]

Working for DTV I know that we do not give follow up calls confirming the installation date and times. If you say that you received 2 calls to confirm the installation date and time then the calls would have been from the local office assigned to do the installation. As far as the tech just receiving the work order that morning, it's a possibility. But it would have been the fault of the local office not informing their own tech that he had a job out at your place and making sure he was equipt the handle that job during the scheduled timeframe.

[lordbah]

Yesterday I received an automated call from DirecTv confirming my installation appointment for this afternoon between 1 and 5pm. At the end the voice said I could avoid further calls from the automated system by pressing 1, so I did. But I can imagine someone not listening that long, and so getting a second call.

[tyketime]

You wouldn't believe what happened when the Tech guy finally showed up (6:15pm and without an apology).

He came in the house so I could show him the setup. I started talking about running the OTA Antenna feed through the current cable and then have him run two new ones for the HR10-250. He seemed confused and said I didn't need to do that. I said are you sure (I am a DTV newbie)? He said yes and then wanted to see the new equipment.

He opened the first box which was the SS-1000 OTA HD Antenna. He pulled the installation papers out and started reading them. Again, a look of puzzlement came over him. He said I didn't need that. I assured him that I did and that the DVR had a separate input for that line. He called someone on the phone and then told me "we" have a problem. He doesn't know how to install the OTA antenna. :eek:

"I'm not the one with the problem, you are..." I said. "It certainly wasn't my fault that you aren't qualified."

"It's not a matter of being qualified," he replied.

"Have you installed one of these before?" I asked.

"No".

"Then I guess that means you are not qualified".

I then proceeded to call the vendor who wanted to speak to the technician. They spoke for a few minutes, and then I got back on the phone where it was agreed he would install the equipment, and someone else would come out to finish the job. I'm not thrilled, but I hang up the phone.

"So what's the deal?" he asks.

I tell him he needs to do as much as he can.

He tells me no, he doesn't think so. He then proceeds to climb back into his van and drive off. Can you fricken believe that?

So I'm waiting to hear back when someone else can come out and do the job.

:mad: :mad:
No... yesterday was not a good day for me. A wasted vacation day. And no DTV.

[Stanley Rohner]

That's why I just install the stuff myself. It might take me longer than the quick&dirty installer but it'll be done the way I like it and I don't have to sit around all day waiting for someone to show up.

That was a great idea you had to get all pissed off and say stuff like:
"I'm not the one with the problem, you are..." I said. "It certainly wasn't my fault that you aren't qualified."
That always makes a person really want to help you out and work thru the misunderstanding.
:rolleyes:

[tyketime]

I'm sorry...

1. After losing an entire day's pay
2. Being lied to (or certainly misled) twice regarding when he was supposed to show up
3. Then when he finally did show up he wasn't qualified to do the job
4. Gave me complete misleading information that had I not done a bit of research beforehand would have led to an incorrect installation

... that seems like more than just a "misunderstanding". :confused: