# DirecTV messed up my order and now I have to wait 2 more weeks



## fieldsg22 (Aug 24, 2012)

Question: What would you do if you found out the scheduled appointment you had for an installation got cancelled without your knowledge? I called on 8/18 to move my service to a new address. I was told my appointment would be for 8/25 between 8-noon, and got an email with a confirmation number. I called back last night to ask about running another line in my house (did I need to or did the tech do this). While on the phone I found out that my ordered was cancelled due to the information entered by the agent being wrong. So, DirecTV cancelled my order, and reentered. Upon reentering the order my time slot got taken, so, I did not have one scheduled. I was never called, emailed, or in anyway told my order was cancelled. So, I rescheduled because I was told ever :07 a customer signs up for DirecTV. My reschuduled appt is now for 9/9 - 2 weeks later. So, I called DirecTV back to get my original time I was promised with an email and confirmation #, but I am told that there is nothing they can do. I have to wait until 9/9. Well, I could take off work and get to my house before 4 for an install on 9/7, but seeing how this is not my fault I do not want to. I have spoken with 8 different ppl at the office, and they all say that it is DirecTV fault, but there is nothing they can do to get my install done. They can credit my account, but what good does that do when I have to wait another 2 weeks for TV? I called other providers, and they can have a tech out sooner than DirecTV. I had internet installed in 2 days after the call was made.

So, now my family has to not have TV for 2 weeks because DirecTV admits it is thier fault, but is unable to rectify the mistake. What kind of company is unable to correct a mistake like this? Seems to me that customer's are not valuable to DirecTV if they get a new customer every :07 seconds.

How would you handle this?


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

_Firstly... by moving the thread to the DirecTV forum..._


----------



## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

fieldsg22 said:


> Question: What would you do if you found out the scheduled appointment you had for an installation got cancelled without your knowledge? I called on 8/18 to move my service to a new address. I was told my appointment would be for 8/25 between 8-noon, and got an email with a confirmation number. I called back last night to ask about running another line in my house (did I need to or did the tech do this). While on the phone I found out that my ordered was cancelled due to the information entered by the agent being wrong. So, DirecTV cancelled my order, and reentered. Upon reentering the order my time slot got taken, so, I did not have one scheduled. I was never called, emailed, or in anyway told my order was cancelled. So, I rescheduled because I was told ever :07 a customer signs up for DirecTV. My reschuduled appt is now for 9/9 - 2 weeks later. So, I called DirecTV back to get my original time I was promised with an email and confirmation #, but I am told that there is nothing they can do. I have to wait until 9/9. Well, I could take off work and get to my house before 4 for an install on 9/7, but seeing how this is not my fault I do not want to. I have spoken with 8 different ppl at the office, and they all say that it is DirecTV fault, but there is nothing they can do to get my install done. They can credit my account, but what good does that do when I have to wait another 2 weeks for TV? I called other providers, and they can have a tech out sooner than DirecTV. I had internet installed in 2 days after the call was made.
> 
> So, now my family has to not have TV for 2 weeks because DirecTV admits it is thier fault, but is unable to rectify the mistake. What kind of company is unable to correct a mistake like this? Seems to me that customer's are not valuable to DirecTV if they get a new customer every :07 seconds.
> 
> How would you handle this?


You basically have 5 options:

Take some credit accept the date and wait two weeks
Don't take credit wait 2 weeks
Find a local installer ,who you'll have to pay out of pocket, to do it sooner
DIY
Sign up with someone else and cancel your service

It sucks but they can't bump someone else just to get you scheduled. You could look online to see if other dates open up. This is the busiest time of the year for moves and new installs which take a lot more time than just an upgrade.


----------



## r028806 (Mar 12, 2010)

Log in to your account at DIRECTV.com and select change appointment. The calender opens and if an earlier date appears you may take it. Openings may appear and you may proactively take and earlier date if it comes up.


----------



## fieldsg22 (Aug 24, 2012)

The entire thing is that DirecTV messed up my order, and I am having to wait. There is no earlier appointment other than 9/9. The credit to the account is great, however, it does not ease the pain of no TV due to the mess up on DirecTV part. Just seems that since they admit it was a mistake on them they would have better ways to resolve this. So, now I have no TV for 2 more weeks....missing more shows, games, etc.

Finding a local installer to do it means I pay, and I should not have to since I did not mess up my order. I know this is an option, but not one I should be punished for.


----------



## ghostdriver (Aug 24, 2012)

Shades228 said:


> You basically have 5 options:
> 
> Take some credit accept the date and wait two weeks
> Don't take credit wait 2 weeks
> ...


Apparently they CAN bump someone else to get them scheduled because that looks like what happened.

I am soooo glad that I didn't sign with DirecTV. After reading through this person's adventure (nightmare), I think I will warn others in my neighborhood about them as well.


----------



## 242424 (Mar 22, 2012)

Wait until you take that day off and they don't show.


----------



## fieldsg22 (Aug 24, 2012)

Basically I would have...I would have been sitting at my house during this time waiting when I could have been doing other things. However, yes taking the workday off would have set me off even more


----------



## fieldsg22 (Aug 24, 2012)

oh wow...now my Facebook post got removed on their page since it was negative


----------



## fieldsg22 (Aug 24, 2012)

Just doing this so I can post the link and have 5 posts


----------



## fieldsg22 (Aug 24, 2012)

Facebook Link




__ https://www.facebook.com/directv/posts/10151173976186278


----------



## Old_School (Nov 29, 2011)

Try sending an email to [email protected]

I had a friend with a issue like yours, contacted them at 3:00PM on a Friday and later that evening about 830PM he got a phone call. They had a tech out the next day...

Not saying that's what would happen for you but, they have a way to pull strings...


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

And you're still going to reward them by paying them money every month....


----------



## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

> While on the phone I found out that my ordered was cancelled due to the information entered by the agent being wrong.


What information was entered that was wrong?


----------



## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

fieldsg22 said:


> Facebook Link
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Neither link works for me.

Never mind, now it does.


----------



## maartena (Nov 1, 2010)

fieldsg22 said:


> I called other providers, and they can have a tech out sooner than DirecTV. I had internet installed in 2 days after the call was made.
> 
> How would you handle this?


Simple. You accept the fact that DirecTV is just a bunch of humans, just like any other company, and they make mistakes. You can scream at them if that makes you feel better, but would it be fair to some OTHER customer to yank their appointment just to give you one? It is the way it is.

Then, you decide the following:

1) I really want DirecTV so I will wait 2 weeks.
2) Screw em, I need my TV, Cable in 2 days.

If you can't decide, flip a coin.


----------



## maartena (Nov 1, 2010)

fieldsg22 said:


> Finding a local installer to do it means I pay, and I should not have to since I did not mess up my order. I know this is an option, but not one I should be punished for.


If the installers are all booked, do you feel it is fair that someone else gets their appointment taken away from them so you could get THAT appointment?

Next forum topic might be that person..... 

Look, all I am saying is this: It happened. Mistakes happen. Life is too important, and TV much too UNimportant to really worry about such things. DirecTV is a quality product, and you could decide to bridge the gap with some DVD's or Netflix. Or an OTA antenna. And if you decide that getting television in the house is a matter of life and death, call the cable company and schedule the install. Don't forget to officially cancel the appointment with DirecTV though so some other person in your boat can have that slot.


----------



## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Old_School said:


> Try sending an email to [email protected]
> I had a friend with a issue like yours, contacted them at 3:00PM on a Friday and later that evening about 830PM he got a phone call. They had a tech out the next day...
> 
> Not saying that's what would happen for you but, they have a way to pull strings...


+1. Tell them what happened and as a result of the error, you won't be able to get an install for two weeks. Ask them to assist you with getting an earlier installation. Other people have reported getting answers from that office on the weekends. Alternatively, you can go to this page and provide the same information: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageIFnorail.jsp?assetId=P4960016#h:557.926


----------



## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

ghostdriver said:


> Apparently they CAN bump someone else to get them scheduled because that looks like what happened.


That doesn't look like what happened at all. His install was cancelled, so there was no appointment to bump.


----------



## n3vino (Oct 2, 2011)

Isn't that something? We can't do without our tv, and that includes me. What did we do before TV? I remember my parents would visit friends or have friends come over. When I was a teenager, we spent a lot of time outside hanging out with friends. Today, I'm lost without my tv. We have multiple tv's and DVR's. I even have Netflix to fill in the times when there is not anything, on any of the bunch of channels I pay for with D*, or recorded, that I care to watch.


----------



## Justin23 (Jan 11, 2008)

Who did you order service through? Website, calling D* directly, telco, retail location (Best Buy, Costco, etc)?


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

n3vino said:


> Isn't that something? We can't do without our tv, and that includes me. What did we do before TV?


To be fair to you and the rest of us..... this is a forum for "enthusiasts", not a forum for "occasionally watch TV, don't really care..." :hurah:


----------



## 242424 (Mar 22, 2012)

tampa8 said:


> To be fair to you and the rest of us..... this is a forum for "enthusiasts", not a forum for "occasionally watch TV, don't really care..." :hurah:


I missed that part in the rules, you have a link?


----------



## gio12 (Jul 31, 2006)

The exact same thing happened to me. I was told the installer changed the appointment for no reason. I told he did it to attend the Miami Heat parade.

I got DIRECTV to finish the HMC install the next day at my connivence and not what they had available 4 days later AND I got a $150 credit for the issue.


----------



## joshjr (Aug 2, 2008)

"fieldsg22" said:


> The entire thing is that DirecTV messed up my order, and I am having to wait. There is no earlier appointment other than 9/9. The credit to the account is great, however, it does not ease the pain of no TV due to the mess up on DirecTV part. Just seems that since they admit it was a mistake on them they would have better ways to resolve this. So, now I have no TV for 2 more weeks....missing more shows, games, etc.
> 
> Finding a local installer to do it means I pay, and I should not have to since I did not mess up my order. I know this is an option, but not one I should be punished for.


Have you logged into your account to see if there is an earlier date available? I'm pretty sure this happened to me back in 2008 and they told me the same thing. I logged in online and changed it myself. Let us know.


----------



## joed32 (Jul 27, 2006)

I was able to call the national phone number of the company actually doing the installation which was Ironwood at the time and they got me a much earlier appointment. They were nice about it and knew what I wanted right away without me even asking. They must get called frequently for this.


----------



## n3vino (Oct 2, 2011)

tampa8 said:


> To be fair to you and the rest of us..... this is a forum for "enthusiasts", not a forum for "occasionally watch TV, don't really care..." :hurah:


AS Steve Martin would say, " Excuuuuuuse meeee".


----------



## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

tampa8 said:


> To be fair to you and the rest of us..... this is a forum for "enthusiasts", not a forum for "occasionally watch TV, don't really care..." :hurah:


I'm pretty sure all are welcome, life would be pretty boring if we all agreed and thought alike.


----------



## Billzebub (Jan 2, 2007)

n3vino said:


> Isn't that something? We can't do without our tv, and that includes me. What did we do before TV? I remember my parents would visit friends or have friends come over. When I was a teenager, we spent a lot of time outside hanging out with friends. Today, I'm lost without my tv. We have multiple tv's and DVR's. I even have Netflix to fill in the times when there is not anything, on any of the bunch of channels I pay for with D*, or recorded, that I care to watch.





tampa8 said:


> To be fair to you and the rest of us..... this is a forum for "enthusiasts", not a forum for "occasionally watch TV, don't really care..." :hurah:





242424 said:


> I missed that part in the rules, you have a link?





n3vino said:


> AS Steve Martin would say, " Excuuuuuuse meeee".





Scott Kocourek said:


> I'm pretty sure all are welcome, life would be pretty boring if we all agreed and thought alike.


I think maybe tampa8's response was misunderstood. I didn't read it as saying only "enthusiasts" could post here. I read it as an explanation as to why people on this board can't live without their TV.


----------



## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

Maybe I'm daft but I don't get it.

If I understand your post correctly, fieldsg22, it was an order entry error that caused the problem. In other words, human error. It wasn't maliciousness or laziness that caused your appointment to be canceled. I could get upset over that. But somehow human beings being human beings makes it easier for me to accept the situation. I realize this is just me. You might be different in this regard.

For that mistake, DirecTV has offered you a credit. While I may well have missed the size of the credit, you seem to be OK with the amount offered.

Beyond that, you have mentioned two options. Other posters have mentioned a third idea. I see a fourth one.

1) You accept the credit and take the install in two weeks. If there are truly no other appointments available between now and then, that's what you have to do. I don't see the issue here. If you want DirecTV, and you think the credit they offered for the mistake is fair, then what's the problem?

2) If you don't want to wait for DirecTV, then go to another service provider. It sounds like you could get an installation much sooner from someone else. It isn't like you don't have a choice here. And it is just TV. I'd especially consider this option if the other provider doesn't have a commitment. Use them simply as a stop gap provider if you need TV for the next two weeks. Me, I'd go without TV for a couple of weeks and use this opportunity as a chance to read those books I haven't gotten around to yet. If I really want to see a sporting event, which would be about all I'd truly miss seeing, I'd go to a sports bar for the game.

3) I agree with other posters in that you should game the system to see if there really isn't an open date for installation in the next two weeks. If nothing shows up online, I'd call them every morning over your cup of coffee to see if something has popped up.

4) I'd push DirecTV to give you the name of the installation firm so you can contact them directly to be put on a waiting list in case there is a cancellation. DirecTV used to give out the name and phone numbers of their installers relatively easily. My experience is that they don't do that anymore. I'd push them to give you this information. The suggestion of sending an email to [email protected] about your situation could shake loose this phone number and get you an installation sooner.

Again, I may just be dumb but this problem is equivalent to my going to the best car mechanic in my town. To have Pete Conway's shop work on my car means a two week wait. If an appointment I'd set up somehow got screwed up and I had to wait an additional two weeks to have my car worked on, then I'd wait (This is assuming the problem I have with my car could wait two weeks in the first place. If it could wait two weeks, it could wait four.) If either I don't want to or can't wait two weeks then I would take my car to a different mechanic. You seem to have the same options.

*EDIT*: Thinking about it more, there is a fifth option, and one that I understand completely. You simply wanted to blow off some steam, complaining here that DirecTV made a mistake with your appointment and you'll be without TV for two more weeks. That is a perfectly acceptable and standard use for DBSTalk. Please do that any time you want. Ignore blowhards like me. Welcome to the forum, fieldsg22.


----------



## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

I think the big thing here is DirecTV's system really needs to be fixed. They shouldn't have to completely delete/cancel an order in order to fix a mistake with the order. If there is no way around having to do that then they need to put something in place so they can hold the original appointment time slot open until they can get the new order set up and assigned to the same time slot. You shouldn't be able to lose your time slot because they need to fix something they screwed up.

Also nobody should be able to cancel/reschedule an appointment without the consent of the account owner on record allowing it to happen.


----------



## n3vino (Oct 2, 2011)

I can understand the frustration that the OP's order was messed up, and that his install date was moved back. My install date was a day late, because the installer"s vehicle had broken down, and that upset me. I didn't make a big deal and just rolled with it. However, some of you are justifying the error by saying that mistakes are made. 

I learned a long time ago, that it's not so much what the error is, but how fast you can recover from it. In this case, D* didn't do very well in trying to recover from the error.


----------



## Dude111 (Aug 6, 2010)

I really hope they will end up crediting you fieldsg22 .. YOU WERE W/O SERVICE!!

Makes me mad........... GOOD LUCK BUDDY


----------



## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Don't be mad! Or sad! 

It looks like a drive by sham. OP hasn't responded to requests for info. It looks dodgy at best.


----------



## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

Dude111 said:


> I really hope they will end up crediting you fieldsg22 .. YOU WERE W/O SERVICE!!
> 
> Makes me mad........... GOOD LUCK BUDDY


A two week old post in an inactive thread on an Internet forum from a stranger you call buddy makes you mad...

Dude111, if I was you, this morning I'd be setting up an appointment with my doctor to discuss my upcoming heart disease.


----------



## NewForceFiveFan (Apr 23, 2010)

He'll get a few calls from Directv's installers saying they've had a cancellation and can move up the install date sooner. I got that a few times when I first re-upped in May 2010 but declined due to my personal schedule. I will say the wait was worth it as I was treated to a nice lawn-chair view of the Directv installer almost slipping off the roof and dropping his electric drill which slid off the roof onto the top of a plexiglass table below.


----------

