# Called Retention - No Joy - Goodbye NFL ST



## unixadm (Jan 1, 2001)

I've been a subscriber since 1999....

Sub'ed before they even had ANY locals....just for NFL ST. Had to keep cable for my locals until mid 2000. Got a DirectTiVo when they first came out with ONE tuner back in December 2000.

Had Platinum/Premier for the duration until this year....loyal sub with 5 Standard D Tivo's and an HD TiVo.......yada yada, yada....

Auto Sub'ed to MLB and NFL ST. 

Was going to be charged $200 for NFL ST but SuperFan wasn't auto sub. I did have SF last year when they offered it 1/2 way through the season.

I called 2 different times, talked to 2 different CSR's and was told I would have to pay $99 more for SF. I told them that with only TiVo's that I couldn't get any of the extras except for the HD channels, and I already pay $11/month for HD....why should I pay another $99 when others are getting it free? Heck, they had a promo on their site saying new subs to NFST got SuperFan for free for Father's Day.

No luck....so I told them to cancel NFLST, cancel the auto renew of the baseball package.

I only watched maybe 6 games all season last year on NFLST.....I got lucky last year....the games I wanted were either on MNF, ESPN Sunday night or my locals. There were only a handful of games on NFL ST that I wanted to watch, and even then, I was not home on many weekends, and ended up not watching them anyway.

Their loss....I have friends with NFLST, I have a local sports bar to watch if I wish, or I will just spend time with my kids and not watch the games. Heck, I can spend less taking my kids to a few games!


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

This seems to be a typical case where existing subs are taken for granted.
Only new subs get any breaks. The long timers are paying to subsidize the newcomers.

Yes, you can call and ask for something, but this story shows that it doesn't always work.
And as I said in another thread, why should we have to call to get a bone? Long timers should get a break every now and then without having to ask.


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## JFriday (Mar 20, 2002)

If you only watched 6 games last year on NFLST it sounds like you really didn't need it.


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## Lee L (Oct 1, 2003)

I'll bet that the fact you reduced your package this year had something to do with it.

It does seem silly since you can't use the extra stuff with TiVo. They should just have a general note in teh system for TiVo subs.


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## unixadm (Jan 1, 2001)

Interesting thing now....

I logged onto my account and see this checked off:

NFL SUNDAY TICKET SuperFan 2006($0.00/Renewal Notice: No Payment Due)

But NO NFL ST of course since I cancelled.

I am on the phone with them to see what the deal is....I would sign back up for NFLST if SF is free.....and it looks like they screwed it up again. She cancelled the Free SF and now it is showing up as $33 in 3 payments  Waiting for a supervisor


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## TivoIsForLovers (May 30, 2006)

If I was you, I would call the following DirecTV number - it is the office of the President, they have the MOST leverage to take care of a customer:

(888) 237-8327. They offered me SF free this week.

While you are on the phone with them, ask them how many hearts you are and what your customer tag is - these are the ways they 'rate' customers.


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## hoopsrgreat (Jan 2, 2005)

This is my ONLY REAL gripe about D*. Yeah , sure Id like more HD channels, sure Id like to get my Sac Kings on in hD from the comcast sports channel, sure Id like to get foxsports in HD, and I could get all of that if I switched to cable, but Id lose my tivo, lose the nfl. So their are tradeoffs.

But I just don't understand how so many people can be getting a deal on a tivo, and then someone calls up and they get denied. The only thing that would make sense is if those getting denied had frequent late payments or disconnects.
I personally have never been denied. I got a free SD tivo 2 years ago, got a free H10? or H20? the HD receiver last year, and now I just got the free hr10-250 when I called yesterday.

I would be so extremely pissed had I called and got denied after reading about all those who had gotten the deal. I just do not understand this at all.

Luckily, someone at D* loves me...... as the saying goes.


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## unixadm (Jan 1, 2001)

I've never been late for a payment in 7 years (other than when the autobill got screwed up....and even then, it wasn't late....was due on the 1st of the next month but just failed autobilling prior to that...and was paid before the 1st.)

The only thing they told me is that I have had a lot of credits on my account, and they can't give me any more. I've had $250 for the HR10-250 a year and 1/2 ago, I had a $99 credit for an R10 a year ago. Two $20 for 6 month deals, and that is about it....I did have a $260 credit for beta testing, but that was part of the beta testing deal.

What happened is when I asked for the credit for the R10 last year, the CSR who was a b**** said, "We've given you a lot of credits, this will be the last one"

I also had Platinum for 6 years, NFL ST for 6 years, other add ons, hundreds of $$ in PPV, and have spent over $5000 in equipment in that time.

Guess I don't have too many hearts and my customer tag is negative  I am thinking this is just like the Seinfeld episode....once something is logged in my file, it will follow me for the rest of my life.


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## Guindalf (Jun 13, 2001)

This is what happens to "Super Moderators". Us mere mortals usually have more luck!!


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## Anubys (Jul 16, 2004)

this offer was given to existing subs

thread link

I know the time is in the past, but it's one more thing you can ask for (you can ask them why you were not given this offer)...good luck!


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

unixadm said:


> I
> 
> What happened is when I asked for the credit for the R10 last year, the CSR who was a b**** said, "We've given you a lot of credits, this will be the last one"
> .


It's even worse karma to **** with a moderator's account


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## unixadm (Jan 1, 2001)

Well......here's an update.....

DirecTV has redesigned their website, which now has a little more info on my programming.....it shows that AutoRenew is Turned off for 2007, but that I am subbed to NFLST for 2006 at the rate of $229 

I called them to tell them that I had cancelled NFLST....and they end up giving me what I originally asked for.....NFLST for $209 with free SuperFan

(5 payments of $41.80):

This now shows on the activity on my account:

06/28/2006 NFL Sunday Ticket 2006 Season - Charge $41.80 $0.00 $41.80 

06/28/2006 NFL SUNDAY TICKET SuperFan 2006 - Charge $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 

Guess it pays to play CSR roulette.


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## Charlutz (Apr 7, 2005)

When I saw your other post about the website design, I was thinking you might get the SF deal when you called back. Congrats.


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## gkacher (Jan 10, 2003)

I was told that Superfan costs whatever you paid for it last year. I got it comped last year b/c it was a rip off. Therefore it's "free" for me this year. ST is costing me $199.


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## unixadm (Jan 1, 2001)

I got comp'ed last year as well....I didn't sign up for it originally, then at the end of October, they allowed us to sign up for the remainder of the season for free.

They originally told me that BECAUSE I got it for free last year that I would have to pay for it this year. That is when I told them to cancel all my sports packages. 

My guess is that they have seen a LOT of cancellations due to this, and are now finally offering what should have been offered to us long timers.

I think I was originally set up as $199 as well...but I'm not going to argue over $10 since I got the SuperFan.


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## bidger (Mar 30, 2001)

I did the SuperFan for $49 last Season and I got the mailing for the free D-10 receiver (not interested in a vanilla receiver, I'm a DVR guy) and that Superfan would be free of charge for me in '06. I didn't see anything about it in my account, so I called Customer Retention and spoke to Cody, a *competent* CSR. He reviewed my account and confirmed the free Superfan and went on to say, "You're entitled to a few things". Now *that's* what I'm talkin' about!

He confirmed the free (leased) HR10-250 and I asked to have a placeholder put on that and I'll decide before the middle of Aug. if I want to add that to my account. It's nice when you get the CSR who knows that as long as they're dealing with a conscientious customer, those are the folks they're supposed to be giving out the swag to retain as customers.


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## gq91355 (Apr 21, 2003)

NFL ST since '96

I just got my recent bill with these details:

06/15/06 07/14/06 NFL SUNDAY TICKET SuperFan 2006 Renewal Notice: No Payment Due 0.00 
07/15/06 08/14/06 NFL SUNDAY TICKET SuperFan 2006 Renewal Notice: No Payment Due 0.00 
07/26/06 08/25/06 NFL Sunday Ticket 2006 Season Early Renewal in 5 Payments 41.80 

It looks like I'm auto-renewing at $209. Does anyone know what that "SF 2006 Renewal Notice" means? I called last year and got SF for free, but they said I would have to pay this year. However, I also got the $49 credit letter for the 2006 season.

Does this look like SF is included in the $209 renewal rate? I'd like to get a few opinions before I call Retention and potentially wake up a sleeping dog.

Thanks!


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## rigs49 (Mar 30, 2005)

That stinks unixadm, I called directv yesterday and right after I paid my bill, I had the automated system transfer over me to a CSR. I was nice to the guy and told him that I have been a NFLST holder for 3 yrs. now and that I was hoping to "twist his arm" into giving me free Super Fan this up coming season. Well he said let me see what I can do, after a while he said he could give me the super fan free this time BUT " I have to subscribe to it and pay for it next season" I said sure (fingers crossed) and he added this on, oh he also ordered the UFC61 for this Saturday(7/8/06) and waived the fee so that I can put it on my DVR's. I also learned that if I use the remote to order movies,PPV events and such from my living room DVR all the DVR's and one old receiver will automatically receive it (without me having to purchase the movie or event from each DVR or receiver, and get charged for it) well hope you keep trying, try beeing nice to them, if that doesn't work then I don't know what will. Good Luck.


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## untouchable (Apr 13, 2005)

gq91355 said:


> NFL ST since '96
> 
> I just got my recent bill with these details:
> 
> ...


From my understanding that is what it says it is...a renewal notice...that and sending you a letter is how they let you know that your sports package is going to auto renew. As they told me...you can't get credit or cancel the sports subscriptions after the season starts...


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

rigs49 said:


> I also learned that if I use the remote to order movies,PPV events and such from my living room DVR all the DVR's and one old receiver will automatically receive it (without me having to purchase the movie or event from each DVR or receiver, and get charged for it)


The CSR is wrong as usual. You can only view PPV ordered with the remote on the machine you ordered it on. The phone call to upload the PPV data happens much later than the event itself. Typically the phone call is made about once a month. If you order from the website you will be able to view it on all of your receivers.


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## rigs49 (Mar 30, 2005)

rminsk said:


> The CSR is wrong as usual. You can only view PPV ordered with the remote on the machine you ordered it on. The phone call to upload the PPV data happens much later than the event itself. Typically the phone call is made about once a month. If you order from the website you will be able to view it on all of your receivers.


rminsk I will not argue with them today.......I will save it for another day.


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## Family (Jul 23, 2001)

Well got my bill yesterday and it had SuperFan renewal listed as No payment due. I called Direct TV and the rep said it was being offered free for existing subscribers. No Customer retention... no promise of next year.

Must have been a lot of angry subscribers.


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