socrplyr
01-12-2010, 10:19 AM
This is just a reminder for everyone to always check their CC for improper charges.
I just got hit with an improper charge from Tivo. They hit me with an ETF for ending service on a Tivo that had no commitment. I am not mad at Tivo for making the mistake as I understand how it happened, but what did bother me was they acted as though they were doing me a favor in refunding it.
For those who are interested in why I understand how it happen, here it goes. In November, I found a sweet deal on a TivoHD. I buy it and decide to replace my S2 with it, put lifetime on it, and cancel the S2 service. The S2 had just recently started a new 1-yr prepaid (just a few days before). Since I was within 30 days, I called up Tivo and asked to be switched to a monthly contract with no commitment. After checking with the supervisor, the no commitment was agreed to. I could have just canceled the machine that day (within the 30 day window), but I never even mentioned this possibility to them. Technically I do not know if I needed to activate the new TivoHD for the whole agreement to be fulfilled (as I stated to the rep that I wanted to just run the machine concurrently with the new one for a couple of months as my reason for the no commitment). I did however sub the new TivoHD the next day with lifetime. Everything seems good to me at this point, as when I log into my account online I have all my TivoHDs with lifetime and the S2 on monthly with the wording "No Commitment" listed on its line. A little less than two months later, I call up Tivo and cancel the S2 (I guess they made $20 out of the deal). No mention of an ETF was made on the phone call, but a week later one appears on my credit card. So basically what happened was that they didn't get the full no commitment in the system as "Waived ETF." To be honest this was an expected mistake (not just from Tivo). The problem was that when I called them up and they read the case from when they agreed to no commitment, they didn't just come right back and waive the ETF. Apparently in someone's mind, they think you can have an ETF without a commitment. So the rep had to talk to the supervisor and do me a favor by fulfilling their part of the agreed upon terms.
I just got hit with an improper charge from Tivo. They hit me with an ETF for ending service on a Tivo that had no commitment. I am not mad at Tivo for making the mistake as I understand how it happened, but what did bother me was they acted as though they were doing me a favor in refunding it.
For those who are interested in why I understand how it happen, here it goes. In November, I found a sweet deal on a TivoHD. I buy it and decide to replace my S2 with it, put lifetime on it, and cancel the S2 service. The S2 had just recently started a new 1-yr prepaid (just a few days before). Since I was within 30 days, I called up Tivo and asked to be switched to a monthly contract with no commitment. After checking with the supervisor, the no commitment was agreed to. I could have just canceled the machine that day (within the 30 day window), but I never even mentioned this possibility to them. Technically I do not know if I needed to activate the new TivoHD for the whole agreement to be fulfilled (as I stated to the rep that I wanted to just run the machine concurrently with the new one for a couple of months as my reason for the no commitment). I did however sub the new TivoHD the next day with lifetime. Everything seems good to me at this point, as when I log into my account online I have all my TivoHDs with lifetime and the S2 on monthly with the wording "No Commitment" listed on its line. A little less than two months later, I call up Tivo and cancel the S2 (I guess they made $20 out of the deal). No mention of an ETF was made on the phone call, but a week later one appears on my credit card. So basically what happened was that they didn't get the full no commitment in the system as "Waived ETF." To be honest this was an expected mistake (not just from Tivo). The problem was that when I called them up and they read the case from when they agreed to no commitment, they didn't just come right back and waive the ETF. Apparently in someone's mind, they think you can have an ETF without a commitment. So the rep had to talk to the supervisor and do me a favor by fulfilling their part of the agreed upon terms.