[techaholic]

Just recently I phoned to cancel my Tivo subscription, as I had moved to Dish Network from Cable and had a DVR 932 installed. Anyhow when I phone Tivo support they told me that it was possible to get the TIVO I had working with the Dish Network receiver, I didn't see the point and asked to cancel. Anyway as soon as I put the phone down my wife chimed in and said you could use it in the bedroom as that dish network receiver has no DVR. Thinking this was a great idea I immediate phoned Tivo back to reactivate me canceled account. To my horror Tivo declined to reestablish my account and it monthly fee which was lower than the normal 12.95 per month and insisted it was too late to undo the cancel, I was flabbergasted as a customer of 4 years that within the space of 5mins they refused to reopen my old account. I asked to speak to a supervisor to no avail and insisted that I was paid up to the end of the month, but no matter how I asked they refused to reopen my account which was in my mind still warm. This has amazed me that they would treat a customer this way and run a policy of immediate cancels that cannot be undone after 5 mins. (


Peter Conn

 

[keith021773]

Peter,

Customer service isn't what is used to be. I really wish that companies would stop and think that the only reason they are in business is because of the customer. But, I can't change the world.

Anyway, there are a couple of guys in here that work for Tivo. Maybe one of them will read this post or you can search for them on here and they can help you. Hope all works out.

 

[techaholic]

Thanks, I hope they do, I sent an email to Steve, but have not heard back yet.

 

[ThreeSoFar]

Try tivoJerry. Steve may still be on maternity leave.

 

[Stanley Rohner]

There must be more to the story.

To my horror Tivo declined to reestablish my account and it monthly fee which was lower than the normal 12.95 per month.....
What does this mean ? $12.95/month is the going rate right now.

...insisted that I was paid up to the end of the month....
Maybe it's still active till the end of the month, call back Feb. 1st and see if they'll re-activate everything then.

Did they try to lock you in for 12 months at $12.95/month ? I heard that's what they do now. You have to agree to keep the account open for 12 months.

 

[arc6th]

The thought "We could hook the TiVo DVR up to another TV!" never crossed your mind? Wow.

 

[dgh]

I'm wondering if the reduced fee and the cancel/reopen in 5 minutes caused the CSR to put him in the "high maintenance" category. And/or thought this was a ploy to get it reduced even more?

 

[Coasterfan]

This story doesn't surprise me. I was told I would be charged $12.95 instead of $6.95 a month when I went to add my third Tivo unit a few months ago. They said I don't have a unit at the higher rate on my account now and the multi Tivo rate does not apply. I told them I will stick with Tivo basic for free. They are losing $6.95 a month because of being greedy. Looks like you are running into a similar problem.

 

[arc6th]

BMW just lost $10,000 because they wouldn't sell me a 330Ci for $10,000. BMW is so greedy!

 

[ChuckyBox]

There was a time when people were reporting success at getting a lower rate by threatening to cancel their service. The OP may be one of those who succeeded. My guess is that it is TiVo policy not to do that any more, and so the CS people are trained to take a hard line on those accounts.

That said, since the OP's account is still active, and the cancellation wouldn't be effective until the end of the month, I think TiVo should just leave his account the was it was and "forget" about the cancellation.

 

[bidger]

I would think that part of the provision for getting the reduced rate would be that if you ever went through with canellation after the deal was made, the offer comes off the table. I don't know why someone who is paying $6.95mo. would be in a hurry to cancel, but live and learn.

 

[techaholic]

Your right I had a $6.95 deal, but it wasn't the ability to hook up to another TV that got me . As I used to have a multi Tivo account with two TVs, it was that the Tivo could be hooked up in front of a Dish Network box. So after putting the phone down I phoned back immediate and was told the account was dead the minute I said to cancel even though it was paid up to the end of the month. Plus I paid well over the one time subscription deal as a 4 year old customer.

 

[ThreeSoFar]

Your right I had a $6.95 deal, but it wasn't the ability to hook up to another TV that got me . As I used to have a multi Tivo account with two TVs, it was that the Tivo could be hooked up in front of a Dish Network box. So after putting the phone down I phoned back immediate and was told the account was dead the minute I said to cancel even though it was paid up to the end of the month. Plus I paid well over the one time subscription deal as a 4 year old customer.

Ahhh....I see you've come to the source of your problem. :down:

 

[techaholic]

Basically is it fare for Tivo to delete a paid up subscription, that is canceled and then when asked to revise that (albeit bad decision) within 5 mins, refuse to allow the customer to have his old account back. (too late mate, you are dead, gone, deceased, do not compute, do we know you. )

 

[dgh]

As I understood it, they would resubscribe you, but at the same rate that most others pay. Is that correct?

 

[techaholic]

Yes they wanted to resubscribe at the 12.95 rate, but due to the 5 min duration of my cancelled account, and as it was paid up to the end of the month, it seems unfair to me that the existing account cannot be reactivated. 5mins and paid up to the end of the month should be good factors to have what was already in place brought back. Plus all the good business I have given Tivo over the last 4 years should count for something under these circumstances.

 

[dgh]

Plus all the good business I have given Tivo over the last 4 years should count for something under these circumstances.

Oh everyone here says that. I've sold 14 to immediate friends at last count and helped thousands of new users on the help forum.

But in the grand scheme of things, having to go back to the same price as most folks (for whatever reason) doesn't strike me as grossly unfair.

 

[mick66]

That said, since the OP's account is still active, and the cancellation wouldn't be effective until the end of the month, I think TiVo should just leave his account the was it was and "forget" about the cancellation.

Active? no it's been cancelled by the OP. Cancelations are effective immediately regardless of how much paid time is left.

 

[techaholic]

Sound like your just jealous I had a good deal, and you are now satisfied that I have been brought into line, albeit on a technicality.

 

[JoeyJoJo]

Hmm.

You've called to complain before and got your monthly fee reduced (to a point that is likely at a loss for them.)

You changed to Dish without checking compatibility of your current equipment AND didn't verify that you would still be getting a DVR from them.

You called to cancel without verifying that you were making a prudent decision.

You called back to undo the cancel and they were willing to continue your account at the going rate.

You THEN start posting on a Tivo message board about how unfairly you've been treated.

Yep you've been mistreated.