# Why buy a DirecTV receiver?



## c_l_phillips72 (Jul 16, 2017)

So often I see advertisements for DirecTV boxes. I'm curious to know why anyone would actually buy one. 

It's my understanding that if you bought the box, you still need to pay for their cable card (or whatever they call it) and have it activated on their system for the box to work. Since DirecTv provides free boxes (to use, not keep), I'm not sure why someone wants to BUY one.

Even if a box dies, all you need to do is start subscribing to their warranty service for like $8.00/month (and cancel like 2 months later) in order to get a replacement box.

What am I missing? Are there real advantages to owning your own directv boxes?


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## longrider (Apr 21, 2007)

The primary advantage of an owned box is you turn it on and off at will without sending it back or getting a new one with a commitment. A good example is one in a guest room. Regarding replacements you do not need the Protection Plan to get a replacement, all it saves you is the $19.99 shipping.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

And I think you have to have their warranty package for 30 days before you can make a claim against it. But as longrider said, for replacements there typically is just the $20 shipping fee.


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## c_l_phillips72 (Jul 16, 2017)

Thanks guys. Makes perfect sense. I didn't even know that was possible.

Many years ago the only way to get DirecTv was to buy the equipment from a store, like Circuit City or Best Buy. I did that and kept their service for several years, then cancelled due to my job taking me overseas. When I returned a couple of years later, I tried to activate those same boxes and they told me I couldn't because I didn't buy them from them. 

Anyhow, that's interesting to know that it can now be done. Thanks for the info!


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## linuspbmo (Oct 2, 2009)

YMMV on the $20 shipping. I have had two receivers replaced in the last year and they waived the shipping on both of them.


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## richall01 (Sep 30, 2007)

If you buy one online or from a another source E-bay, Pawn Shop, etc. and there is a balance on the unit you will have to pay it before they will activate it. Taking the card out does NOT work. They know what card goes with what unit.


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

richall01 said:


> If you buy one online or from a another source E-bay, Pawn Shop, etc. and there is a balance on the unit you will have to pay it before they will activate it. Taking the card out does NOT work. They know what card goes with what unit.


If it isn't a new box, Directv won't activate it except for the original account.


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## spiderman865 (Apr 12, 2007)

How would D* know if it was in a box? All you need is RID and card number.


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## c_l_phillips72 (Jul 16, 2017)

I'm guessing @studechip is saying that DirecTv won't let us reactivate a box on a new account. So that means the box is old as it was previously activated on an old account, and therefore can't be activated on a new account.

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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

It used to be that a previously owned (but free and clear) receiver could be activated on a different account. I've heard talk that this has at least become more difficult. I have a couple of owned boxes, right now I'm just going under the assumption that I wouldn't be able to sell them if that time comes.


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

c_l_phillips72 said:


> I'm guessing @studechip is saying that DirecTv won't let us reactivate a box on a new account. So that means the box is old as it was previously activated on an old account, and therefore can't be activated on a new account.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I should have been clearer. A leased box can't be reactivated on another account. A previously owned box can. Virtually all used boxes are leased.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

studechip said:


> I should have been clearer. A leased box can't be reactivated on another account. A previously owned box can. Virtually all used boxes are leased.


And (in case there is any confusion) the "box" you are referring to is the receiver ... not the packaging typically made of cardboard.


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## c_l_phillips72 (Jul 16, 2017)

studechip said:


> I should have been clearer. A leased box can't be reactivated on another account. A previously owned box can. Virtually all used boxes are leased.


Interesting. I wonder why they wouldn't let me activate the boxes that I bought from Best Buy? It wasn't really a problem for me but it has just added to my confusion as to why people would buy their own box.

And yes, I'm talking about the receiver and not the cardboard box

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## RBA (Apr 14, 2013)

c_l_phillips72 said:


> Interesting. I wonder why they wouldn't let me activate the boxes that I bought from Best Buy? It wasn't really a problem for me but it has just added to my confusion as to why people would buy their own box.
> 
> And yes, I'm talking about the receiver and not the cardboard box
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


BEST BUY didn't sell the receivers they leased them to customers, there was a disclosure of the lease provided to the customer. Most customers didn't know they were leasing until they terminated their agreement and were presented with a bill for nonreturn of Directv property.


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## c_l_phillips72 (Jul 16, 2017)

RBA said:


> BEST BUY didn't sell the receivers they leased them to customers, there was a disclosure of the lease provided to the customer. Most customers didn't know they were leasing until they terminated their agreement and were presented with a bill for nonreturn of Directv property.


Ok, then it was Circuit City where they were bought from, as they were 100% purchased and not leased. I paid around $500 - $600 for my boxes, and paid again for buying my parents their boxes too.

Regardless, I was never charged again for the same boxes. I just couldn't reactivate them after cancelling my service and then going back to DirecTv. It was around maybe 2002 when I bought the boxes, kept the service for 2 - 3 years, cancelled, then came back in 2007.

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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

studechip said:


> If it isn't a new box, Directv won't activate it except for the original account.


That's not true.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

c_l_phillips72 said:


> I'm guessing @studechip is saying that DirecTv won't let us reactivate a box on a new account. So that means the box is old as it was previously activated on an old account, and therefore can't be activated on a new account.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


He's wrong. I've bought all mine from other people. Each one I bought was owned. What he should have said was if you buy an unowned HR D* won't activate it. Why did I buy them? So I could put 2TB drives in them. I simply wanted more capacity. That's the main reason folks own their own.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dpeters11 said:


> It used to be that a previously owned (but free and clear) receiver could be activated on a different account. I've heard talk that this has at least become more difficult. I have a couple of owned boxes, right now I'm just going under the assumption that I wouldn't be able to sell them if that time comes.


I'm planning on selling all my HRs in the near future. I hope I don't have problems.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

c_l_phillips72 said:


> Interesting. I wonder why they wouldn't let me activate the boxes that I bought from Best Buy? It wasn't really a problem for me but it has just added to my confusion as to why people would buy their own box.
> 
> And yes, I'm talking about the receiver and not the cardboard box
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


If you buy a D* DVR from BB you are getting a leased DVR. You should be able to activate it.

Rich


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Rich said:


> I'm planning on selling all my HRs in the near future. I hope I don't have problems.
> 
> Rich


Me too. I don't know if it's AT&T reps that don't know, or a policy change.


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## c_l_phillips72 (Jul 16, 2017)

Rich said:


> If you buy a D* DVR from BB you are getting a leased DVR. You should be able to activate it.
> 
> Rich


All of my D* equipment that I've had for the past 10 years have been leased directly through D*. Prior to that is when I BOUGHT my D* receivers from either Best Buy or Circuit City. Honestly I don't remember which one, but someone previously said BB hasn't ever sold D* equipment, so it must have been CC where I bought it.

Regardless, I was just trying to understand what the benefits are of owning your own D* box because in my experience they wouldn't let me reactivate any of my purchased boxes when I returned to D* a couple of years after I cancelled my service.

Now I know some of those benefits. Thanks for sharing.

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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

There is an RID 'office' you can call to find out the status of your boxes. If you're interested, just ask and I'm sure someone will provide the number (I don't have it).


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

Rich said:


> If you buy a D* DVR from BB you are getting a leased DVR. You should be able to activate it.
> 
> Rich


It could have been an owned box. When they first sold them there was no lease program.


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

Rich said:


> He's wrong. I've bought all mine from other people. Each one I bought was owned. What he should have said was if you buy an unowned HR D* won't activate it. Why did I buy them? So I could put 2TB drives in them. I simply wanted more capacity. That's the main reason folks own their own.
> 
> Rich


You should have gone back and read my update. You can use an owned box on your account that you got from someone else, but not a leased one.


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

c_l_phillips72 said:


> All of my D* equipment that I've had for the past 10 years have been leased directly through D*. Prior to that is when I BOUGHT my D* receivers from either Best Buy or Circuit City. Honestly I don't remember which one,* but someone previously said BB hasn't ever sold D* equipment*, so it must have been CC where I bought it.
> 
> Regardless, I was just trying to understand what the benefits are of owning your own D* box because in my experience they wouldn't let me reactivate any of my purchased boxes when I returned to D* a couple of years after I cancelled my service.
> 
> ...


Not true, I got my HR20-700 from BB. It was a lease.


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## c_l_phillips72 (Jul 16, 2017)

studechip said:


> Not true, I got my HR20-700 from BB. It was a lease.


The person who said that was saying BB only leased and didn't sell D* equipment.

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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

c_l_phillips72 said:


> The person who said that was saying BB only leased and didn't sell D* equipment.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


They did sell it, as a lease. They used to sell them as owned before that.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dpeters11 said:


> Me too. I don't know if it's AT&T reps that don't know, or a policy change.


Well, I'll find out soon. I've got at least four HRs that we don't use and there's the HR44 that I don't use to consider too. They all have large internal drives. I would hope to get $1000 or more for the five of them.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

c_l_phillips72 said:


> All of my D* equipment that I've had for the past 10 years have been leased directly through D*. *Prior to that is when I BOUGHT my D* receivers from either Best Buy or Circuit City.* Honestly I don't remember which one, but someone previously said BB hasn't ever sold D* equipment, so it must have been CC where I bought it.
> 
> Regardless, I was just trying to understand what the benefits are of owning your own D* box because in my experience they wouldn't let me reactivate any of my purchased boxes when I returned to D* a couple of years after I cancelled my service.
> 
> ...


Now I understand. When I first got D* in 2002 I found D* DVRs in our local CC. I had no idea what a DVR was and I was delighted when I figured out how to use them. Just what I was looking for. Don't remember what they were, Replay DVRs? I dunno. They were owned. I think the TiVos were initially owned too, I know I put large HDD setups in mine. Once 2006 came, all the DVRs D* sold were leased.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

trh said:


> There is an RID 'office' you can call to find out the status of your boxes. If you're interested, just ask and I'm sure someone will provide the number (I don't have it).


I haven't called that number in ages. I do remember reading that the number was no longer active.

Rich


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## Challenger R/T (Jul 28, 2017)

I have several owned and several "Leased" receivers... The owned ones get turned on during Football season, When I throw up another dish. (My SWiM 16 is near full). But yes the nice thing is you do not need to return them when the NFLST is up. But I do not think that I would have to return a leased "Spare" receiver either as long as I still had their service. (At least that is my experience with DirecTv). I have been with them since 2000....


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## APB101 (Sep 1, 2010)

This has been a topic on my mind because I have two HD DVRs that are the low-20s series and should get replaced. (I have had one since 2009. I think the other one was from 2008. I'm not sure. I held them because of keeping particular recordings. And they have since become a problem.)

I do not have the protection plan. I would have to buy outright. I'm not under contract.


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## longrider (Apr 21, 2007)

You do not need the protection plan to get receivers replaced. All the protection plan gets you is no $19.95 shipping and if the failed receiver is owned the replacement will be flagged as owned, Without the PP they will still replace an owned receiver but the replacement will be leased


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

c_l_phillips72 said:


> Ok, then it was Circuit City where they were bought from, as they were 100% purchased and not leased. I paid around $500 - $600 for my boxes, and paid again for buying my parents their boxes too.
> 
> Regardless, I was never charged again for the same boxes. I just couldn't reactivate them after cancelling my service and then going back to DirecTv. It was around maybe 2002 when I bought the boxes, kept the service for 2 - 3 years, cancelled, then came back in 2007.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


While I suppose it is possible you actually purchased a box, it is very unlikely (regardless of the price you paid). You can call DirecTV with the RID number and check on the status (owned or leased). $500+ sounds a bit steep, but $200 to $300 very typical for a leased unit.


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## c_l_phillips72 (Jul 16, 2017)

carl6 said:


> While I suppose it is possible you actually purchased a box, it is very unlikely (regardless of the price you paid). You can call DirecTV with the RID number and check on the status (owned or leased). $500+ sounds a bit steep, but $200 to $300 very typical for a leased unit.


I am 100% confident that I purchased the boxes and did not do a lease. It wasn't until I returned from my overseas job that I even knew that D* was leasing their equipment. It was also at that time when I found out that they wouldn't reactivate my old boxes on a new D* account. Besides, I never was charged for not returning any equipment which would have happened if I did lease it. Furthermore I bought (not leased) another set of boxes for my parents within a week or so of when I bought mine and got them signed up with DirecTv.

So to be clear, there's absolutely zero percent chance that they were leased.

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## codespy (Mar 30, 2006)

As an FYI- AT&T changed everything...and it sucks. I experienced this when I got a truly got an owned HR54 last January (from ex-DirecTV employee). I activated it as owned at the time confirmed by that specific CSR, but found out a week later that is was activated as a LEASED reciever. I called several times following that transaction, and this is what I learned over the next several weeks.

The old Access Card Department and Retention Department cannot change a receiver to OWNED status as in the past. I ended up going on CHAT support, under 'equipment' tab. I indicated it was an OWNED receiver and they will set up a phone call with the 'AQ' Department. This is the Assistance Queue department with a special phone number to call and is made up of Supervisors, but as I found out, they CANNOT change the status of Owned receivers. They take all of your information and then have to email another department to do so, and only Email. They were not able to call or transfer my call directly to their department. This process they said takes at least a week to get a response. This actually took a week to occur. I did get a confirmation email once this was taken care of. My HR54 then actually showed owned after the process.

Thanks again Deathstar!


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

carl6 said:


> While I suppose it is possible you actually purchased a box, it is very unlikely (regardless of the price you paid). You can call DirecTV with the RID number and check on the status (owned or leased). $500+ sounds a bit steep, but $200 to $300 very typical for a leased unit.


He bought the boxes before the HRs came out. I think all the boxes were "owned" at the time. I bought my first DVRs from CC and I put bigger HDDs in all of them, don't think there was any restrictions at the time.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

codespy said:


> As an FYI- AT&T changed everything...and it sucks. I experienced this when I got a truly got an owned HR54 last January (from ex-DirecTV employee). I activated it as owned at the time confirmed by that specific CSR, but found out a week later that is was activated as a LEASED reciever. I called several times following that transaction, and this is what I learned over the next several weeks.
> 
> The old Access Card Department and Retention Department cannot change a receiver to OWNED status as in the past. I ended up going on CHAT support, under 'equipment' tab. I indicated it was an OWNED receiver and they will set up a phone call with the 'AQ' Department. This is the Assistance Queue department with a special phone number to call and is made up of Supervisors, but as I found out, they CANNOT change the status of Owned receivers. They take all of your information and then have to email another department to do so, and only Email. They were not able to call or transfer my call directly to their department. This process they said takes at least a week to get a response. This actually took a week to occur. I did get a confirmation email once this was taken care of. My HR54 then actually showed owned after the process.
> 
> Thanks again Deathstar!


Ahh, that's just wonderful. Can't help but wonder what I'll have to go thru when I finally drop D* and try to sell all my owned HRs (I have no idea how many I have at least 10).

Rich


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

codespy said:


> The old Access Card Department and Retention Department cannot change a receiver to OWNED status as in the past. I ended up going on CHAT support, under 'equipment' tab. I indicated it was an OWNED receiver and they will set up a phone call with the 'AQ' Department. This is the Assistance Queue department with a special phone number to call and is made up of Supervisors, but as I found out, they CANNOT change the status of Owned receivers. They take all of your information and then have to email another department to do so, and only Email. They were not able to call or transfer my call directly to their department. This process they said takes at least a week to get a response. This actually took a week to occur.


Not a surprise that everything is more complicated under AT&T. It's often a nightmare trying to make changes involving their phone/cell service.


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## joshjr (Aug 2, 2008)

Rich said:


> Ahh, that's just wonderful. Can't help but wonder what I'll have to go thru when I finally drop D* and try to sell all my owned HRs (I have no idea how many I have at least 10).
> 
> Rich


I had a HR24 come back recently because the access card he ordered was stopped from shipping 4 times. Sounded like he had a bunch of owned equipment though and I know they cap how many cards you can order in a year because I had it happen to me. Also when I had one listed on eBay, some would get told it was owned and others would get told it was leased. Everytime I would call and clarify and it was fine. Either way, its a pain in the ass now that the access card team is gone. What a mistake. I guess they dont like us owning them anyways. I still have reps tell me from time to time that Genie's cant be owned. Then they look on my account and say oh, looks like you own yours lol.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

joshjr said:


> I had a HR24 come back recently because the access card he ordered was stopped from shipping 4 times. Sounded like he had a bunch of owned equipment though and I know they cap how many cards you can order in a year because I had it happen to me. Also when I had one listed on eBay, some would get told it was owned and others would get told it was leased. Everytime I would call and clarify and it was fine. Either way, its a pain in the ass now that the access card team is gone. What a mistake. I guess they dont like us owning them anyways. I still have reps tell me from time to time that Genie's cant be owned. Then they look on my account and say oh, looks like you own yours lol.


I had one tell me once that the $7 fee per box was because it was leased equipment. At that point I thought it seemed like a good idea to point out that I have owned units on my account, since I should be able to save $7. He didn't really have an answer to that but knew I was still going to pay that $7.


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## joshjr (Aug 2, 2008)

Its a mirroring fee. They charge the fee even if you own your equipment. The perks are you are not in a commitment, you can dictate which equipment is active on your account, you can call to have it disconnected anytime without having to send it back, you can sell it at any time and last but not least, if you have the protection plan, defective equipment is swapped for new (new to you) owned equipment. In the end its worth it to me. My only commitments I get in now are either for free Sunday Ticket or for X amount off my bill and both are only for 1 year. I own all my receivers (all of them are DVRs) and that includes my HR44.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

joshjr said:


> I had a HR24 come back recently because the access card he ordered was stopped from shipping 4 times. Sounded like he had a bunch of owned equipment though and I know they cap how many cards you can order in a year because I had it happen to me. Also when I had one listed on eBay, some would get told it was owned and others would get told it was leased. Everytime I would call and clarify and it was fine. Either way, its a pain in the ass now that the access card team is gone. What a mistake. I guess they dont like us owning them anyways. *I still have reps tell me from time to time that Genie's cant be owned.* Then they look on my account and say oh, looks like you own yours lol.


Don't like writing the same thing over and over, but if D* had any kind of a decent training program we wouldn't have to go thru this.

Rich


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

Rich said:


> Don't like writing the same thing over and over, but if D* had any kind of a decent training program we wouldn't have to go thru this.
> 
> Rich


That assumes they're hiring people smart enough to BE trained.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Here's the main thing I would like to see in any training program: If you don't know the answer seek help. Do NOT act as if you know the answer, seek help. I stressed this in every computer class I taught. How hard could it be to set up a training program for CSRs? Does D* hire these people and tell them to answer every question even if they haven't a clue? I kinda doubt that. 

Before the HRs came out, I spent a lot of time calling D* and was always puzzled by the lack of support. So puzzled I got into conversations about training with a few CSRs. Long story short, I got a call from a D* manager and was asked if I could setup a training program for CSRs. We had a good conversation and it went nowhere, but he did admit that they were having problems training the CSRs. Don't remember the conversation verbatim, was a long time ago, but they seemed lost. 

Rich


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

There are too many incentives for taking care of callers quickly without asking for help (or waiting for an answer from a "supervisor" who may be skilled in motivating CSRs to speed up their call handling but not know any more than the initial CSR about the product).


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

James Long said:


> There are too many incentives for taking care of callers quickly without asking for help (or waiting for an answer from a "supervisor" who may be skilled in motivating CSRs to speed up their call handling but not know any more than the initial CSR about the product).


I get that, but it's not good for customers. It shouldn't be a case of "tell them anything that seems to make sense and get to the next sub".

Rich


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## CTJon (Feb 5, 2007)

Name me a big company that has consistent great telephone customer service. Many of those jobs are quick turnover and aren't high paying. Do you suffer as a customer, sometimes, but. As far as explaining and understanding - many on this forum are very technical experts and they disagree often about details. These aren't simple subjects and are constantly changing environments.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

CTJon said:


> Name me a big company that has consistent great telephone customer service. Many of those jobs are quick turnover and aren't high paying. Do you suffer as a customer, sometimes, but. As far as explaining and understanding - many on this forum are very technical experts and they disagree often about details. These aren't simple subjects and are constantly changing environments.


Optimum. Their telephone support is better than most, I think. But you have a point. I gave up on calling Amazon, Sony, D* (I do call Retention from time to time), Panasonic, Toshiba (boy, is their support bad), Samsung, Roku (another big stinker)...I could keep going, the point I'm trying to make is D* is the only company I know of that takes blatantly misleading statements to this degree and that includes installers, CSRs and D* advertising. Maybe I'm too close to D*.

Rich


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## DishCSR (Jan 14, 2004)

James Long said:


> There are too many incentives for taking care of callers quickly without asking for help (or waiting for an answer from a "supervisor" who may be skilled in motivating CSRs to speed up their call handling but not know any more than the initial CSR about the product).


Bingo, this is exactly the issue, get the customer off the phone as quickly as possible, average handle time is expected to be less than 2 minutes , if you consistently don't meet that metric, you get "disciplined" with a write up, bottom line is, it's all about the numbers and they can care less about the customers or accurate info being given


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## DishCSR (Jan 14, 2004)

DishCSR said:


> Bingo, this is exactly the issue, get the customer off the phone as quickly as possible, average handle time is expected to be less than 2 minutes , if you consistently don't meet that metric, you get "disciplined" with a write up, bottom line is, it's all about the numbers and they can care less about the customers or accurate info being given


Also the csrs HAVE to pull a script and follow it exactly or guess what, you get written up, yes the same calls over and over and you have to follow the script EVERY TIME


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## Bill Broderick (Aug 25, 2006)

Rich said:


> I gave up on calling Amazon..."
> 
> Rich


That one surprises me. I've had nothing but outstanding support whenever I've called Amazon.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Bill Broderick said:


> That one surprises me. I've had nothing but outstanding support whenever I've called Amazon.


Fluent in Spanish Bill? I couldn't understand them and they couldn't understand me. I tried chat and it is a bit better, but their level of comprehension is poor at best.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

DishCSR said:


> Also the csrs HAVE to pull a script and follow it exactly or guess what, you get written up, yes the same calls over and over and you have to follow the script EVERY TIME


Gotta ask. Who enforces these rules? Could it be D*? Is it their rules the CSRs have to go by? Does that make what we see so often the fault of the CSR or D*? Every once in awhile (I guess I don't understand "awhile" and "while", my grammar checker keeps correcting me) we see a post where the poster raves about D*'s service or the great telephone experience they had...that's pretty rare. Does D* know how misleading their rules have made the CSRs and do they care? I'd really like to see some evidence D*/ATT cares about customers.

Rcih


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## slice1900 (Feb 14, 2013)

Like most companies, they only care about customers to the extent it maximizes their profit. If providing class A customer service at a cost of an extra half billion a year led to enough additional customers to make more than a half billion in additional profit, they'd do it. The fact few companies have such great customer services shows it is a losing proposition for most - or at least they believe it to be.


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## Bill Broderick (Aug 25, 2006)

Rich said:


> Fluent in Spanish Bill? I couldn't understand them and they couldn't understand me. I tried chat and it is a bit better, but their level of comprehension is poor at best.
> 
> Rich


I've never had someone with a Spanish accent when I've called Amazon. The only accent that I've ever experienced that made me believe that I was speaking with someone offshore has been that Pennsylvania Dutch accent that they every seems to try to teach to offshore phone support people. It's the same accent that I hear whenever I speak with DirecTV CSR's (but more helpful). But, more often the accent sounds like I'm speaking to someone in America.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Bill Broderick said:


> I've never had someone with a Spanish accent when I've called Amazon. The only accent that I've ever experienced that made me believe that I was speaking with someone offshore has been that Pennsylvania Dutch accent that they every seems to try to teach to offshore phone support people. It's the same accent that I hear whenever I speak with DirecTV CSR's (but more helpful). But, more often the accent sounds like I'm speaking to someone in America.


Can't be our locations, I've never spoken to anyone at Amazon who I thought was born in this country. Even using the chat option it's plain that the Amazon CSRs don't have English as a first language. But, I gave up on calling them some time ago, perhaps things have changed. And, since I stopped calling them I've found that calls aren't necessary.

Rich


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