# Did Customer Retention Stop Caring?



## aliG (Dec 30, 2003)

After 6 wonderful years with D, the cable company finally made me an offer I couldnt refuse, yes I know, inferior, bad pvr etc, like I said, I couldnt refuse!

So I called up to cancel and was put through to retention who asked me why I was cancelling. I explained that since I have HS internet with cable, they keep making me offers one of which I have accepted.

And that was it! No attempt to keep me as a customer, no offers, nothing! 

Did they stop caring?


----------



## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

Maybe you aren't a very good customer. How is your payment history?

They give me $200 if I say the word cancel in my sleep.


----------



## Monty2_2001 (Aug 6, 2005)

I canceled after 10 years and I had a flawless payment history. They asked why, I said no new Tivo's on Directv. They said that's true, and went along with the cancel. She did try to explain that they have DVR's with HD, but I said I bought the S3 already and had Digital cable just setup. Not really anything she could have offered in my case.


----------



## d23perry (Nov 1, 2006)

Monty2_2001 said:


> I canceled after 10 years and I had a flawless payment history. They asked why, I said no new Tivo's on Directv. They said that's true, and went along with the cancel. She did try to explain that they have DVR's with HD, but I said I bought the S3 already and had Digital cable just setup. Not really anything she could have offered in my case.


My situation was similar but they still persisted. I explained I'm watching my S3 as we speak and they were still making offers. I finally stated that there is nothing they can offer that would cause me to return my S3 and cancel my cable TV service. They gave me a number to call back if I change my mind.


----------



## aliG (Dec 30, 2003)

I have a flawless payment record, straight from my bank account, never missed a payment. I have an extended package with sports so its a chunk of change too!

I just found it odd....


----------



## DougF (Mar 18, 2003)

Don't retention reps only get a certain amount of dollars per month to try and retain customers? Perhaps the one you spoke to was all cleaned out for the month.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

DougF said:


> Don't retention reps only get a certain amount of dollars per month to try and retain customers? Perhaps the one you spoke to was all cleaned out for the month.


I dont' think it is "capped"... but they they have guidelines... and those guidelines over the last 6 months have lowered.


----------



## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

I wonder what retention can offer after 2/6?

When the "new" packaging and pricing takes effect.


----------



## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

JimSpence said:


> I wonder what retention can offer after 2/6?
> 
> When the "new" packaging and pricing takes effect.


Not much from what I have been told.


----------



## Packy (Nov 2, 2002)

Yeah, it's getting worse. I called 6 months ago and was offered the HR-20 for $150 after credits. I called retention a week or two ago to see about the HR-20 and was told it's $299 plus shipping. I asked about the previous notes in my account to get it for $150 and they said they couldn't find that. I asked about getting any kind of credits to recoup the cost for a leased box, and the guy said the price was $299, period. Never missed a payment, been with them for over three years. Ugh.


----------



## Tburt (Nov 29, 2004)

Billy66 said:


> Maybe you aren't a very good customer. How is your payment history?
> 
> They give me $200 if I say the word cancel in my sleep.


I am always a late payer, and they still would give me the same.


----------



## DPMGR39 (May 21, 2005)

The bottom line on this is that it's not only retention, but Directv alltogether. They no longer take any pride in what customers care about, much less what they need to do to retain the ones they have.


----------



## extension 721 (Sep 29, 2005)

My thought is that under Murdoch, directv stopped being about "growing subscriber base" and started being about "actually making a profit"

Since for the first time ever, they actually had black ink at the bottom line.

If you read the news, they are focusing on keeping the high-paying customers...but then again, if you get $200 in credits per year, they may be losing money on you. If you're a "loss" in that you pay less per month than it costs to get the programming to you, does it make business sense to keep you as a customer?

Insofar as switching providers, always be aware of "hidden" charges. All states tax cable, some tax satelite. Most lease/extra receiver fees are not discussed, nor "franchise" fees, or in the case of phone companies, the universal recovery fee. I have had firends whp switched phone compnies only to find that they paid exactly the same amount because they compared their "total monthly bill" to the other company's "offer"...which did not list any of the surcharges on their bill.


----------



## aliG (Dec 30, 2003)

Thats an interesting point but since they gave me a DTivo three years ago, I have been no more expense to them so my subscription is one that actually makes them a profit. I also see the changes being talked about here and how many people are becoming disgruntled with them.

I take your point about hidden charges and assuming they come to even an extra $20, it will still be less than half the price I pay now  (for a year anyway)

I wonder with the new structure and changes whether D can still compete with land based services? Phone and cable are falling over themselves to compete, maybe satellite is falling behind? 

In any case, I wasnt looking for anything but I did find it dissapointing that they never tried to keep my custom. A sign of the times maybe.....


----------



## DonDon (Jan 14, 2007)

Yea, it is a sign of the times. 

I only came to DTV because of their 2 channel Tivo service. Since that seems to be fading into the sunset, I can see my time with them is limited.

All I can say is do your research before you sign a contract. I had a horrible experience with Dish Network last year when I tried to upgrade to HD. 

Good luck.

Don


----------



## Tburt (Nov 29, 2004)

aliG said:


> Thats an interesting point but since they gave me a DTivo three years ago, I have been no more expense to them so my subscription is one that actually makes them a profit. I also see the changes being talked about here and how many people are becoming disgruntled with them.
> 
> I take your point about hidden charges and assuming they come to even an extra $20, it will still be less than half the price I pay now  (for a year anyway)
> 
> ...


You had made your mind up. I think they are not handing stuff out right now in preparations for their DVR /MPG4 conversion. But without Tivos I am not sure I will stay.


----------



## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

aliG said:


> Thats an interesting point but since they gave me a DTivo three years ago, I have been no more expense to them so my subscription is one that actually makes them a profit. I also see the changes being talked about here and how many people are becoming disgruntled with them.
> 
> I take your point about hidden charges and assuming they come to even an extra $20, it will still be less than half the price I pay now  (for a year anyway)
> 
> ...


I don't understand this mentality. Did you ask what the service was going to cost you once the year is up?


----------



## aliG (Dec 30, 2003)

Whats to understand?
After a year I can re-assess my options.

That wasn't difficult now was it?


----------



## gworkman (Feb 6, 2006)

I guess I'm lucky with D* and I had a horrid experience with Cox Cable in Tucson. 

D* - A few credits because of the recent DVR issues. I was offered a free exchange of my HR10-250 for an HR20, which I declined. I want an HR20 because it is the "box of the future". I e-mailed a request for a $99.00 deal and was contacted by D* and told I was eligible. I've been with D* for 13 months. TC Premiere/MLB EI/CC Autopay/6 Receivers.

On the Cox side...when I moved from Vegas to Tucson, I called the Tucson office and asked if the cable modem I was using in Vegas was compatible with the service in Tucson. They said yes. When I plugged in the modem in Tucson, I could only get 1.5 MBPS vs the 8 MBPS that I was paying for. I was told I needed a new modem for $89.00. I argued with them until I was blue in the face. If I had gone to Best Buy as a new customer, I would have gotten the modem for free. Since I was already signed up...it was too bad for me. Additionally, Cox is missing 2 of the big 4 nets in HD and their DVR/Digital fees are outrageous.

Point of story...YMMV!!!!!!


----------



## NFLnut (Apr 22, 2000)

They gave me an HR20 for nothing (and so far I HATE it!), plus the 5-LNB, free install, free Superfan, and free HD package for six months. I've been with them since 1994 though, and I've been a Premier Plus subscriber since the beginning (or whatever they called it back then when it was D* and USSB), and have subscribed to NFL-Sunday Ticket every year since the beginning.

All I said was that I've been shopping, that the cable company is making great deals, and I was thinking of making the jump. But that was back in August. Maybe they're all tapped out right now while waiting for the big price increase. Maybe they know that they will HAVE to make deals to keep some of their A-list customers, so the deals are thin right now.


----------



## 94SupraTT (Feb 17, 2005)

I don't think they have stopped caring. I think YMMV, as always. I just got $10 of my bill for a year and Showtime free for 3 months due to the Tivo issues (although I had none).  

I called for a friend and spoke with retention and claimed the same issues for him. He got $10 off his bill for a year. (He has the Basic DirecTV package, no sports, no HBO/Showtime, etc. He is not a high dollar customer)

Another friend of mine had a billing issue on a "free" HD-Tivo. They kept billing him for it. They refunded the cost of the HD-Tivo which he should have never been charged for and also gave him Showtime free for 6 months, $10 off his bill for a year and the HD-Pack free for a year. :up: 

Not bad if you ask me.

Sure there are stories of retention not giving much, however it has always been that way. There used to be a "retention" thread where people would post what they were offered and much like this thread what people were offered varied. I don't see why everyone is up in arms about retention.


----------



## Win Joy Jr (Oct 1, 2001)

My FIOS TV service was installed today, so I will post here if / what DirecTV offers to try to keep me as a subscriber. I am not a high dollar sub (TCPlus / 2 receivers / TiVo service) with maybe half of the year with one premium and a scattered PPV (maybe 4/year). Oh, add in Protection Plan sub for over a year when there was no DirecTiVo available) But, I have been a sub since '97 and have had 3 receivers (each one subsidized with a standard RCA STB, DSR-6000 for $99 and a Friends & Family DSR-7000 for $99). 

What I MIGHT ask for would be a FREE 90-day account "vacation" while I try-out the FIOS service. The only 2 things I am missing right now are Wishlists and the "bloop" and "bong".


----------



## Boston Fan (Feb 8, 2006)

Win Joy Jr said:


> What I MIGHT ask for would be a FREE 90-day account "vacation" while I try-out the FIOS service. The only 2 things I am missing right now are Wishlists and the "bloop" and "bong".


Anyone can suspend their account with no fees or charges for up to 9 months.


----------



## Stanley Rohner (Jan 18, 2004)

aliG said:


> I have a flawless payment record, straight from my bank account, never missed a payment. I have an extended package with sports so its a chunk of change too!
> 
> I just found it odd....


chunk of change too ! - To funny  
One customer out of millions and you think of it as a - chunk of change.
That's a good one.


----------



## gordon1fan (Feb 25, 2004)

JimSpence said:


> I wonder what retention can offer after 2/6?
> 
> When the "new" packaging and pricing takes effect.


This is the first time I have heard about the "new packaging and pricing". Where can I read about this? Thanks!


----------



## Win Joy Jr (Oct 1, 2001)

Boston Fan said:


> Anyone can suspend their account with no fees or charges for up to 9 months.


I did not know that the account suspension was no charge. I thought there was a nominal fee...


----------



## MrPib (Sep 18, 2002)

aliG said:


> After 6 wonderful years with D, the cable company finally made me an offer I couldnt refuse, yes I know, inferior, bad pvr etc, like I said, I couldnt refuse!
> 
> So I called up to cancel and was put through to retention who asked me why I was cancelling. I explained that since I have HS internet with cable, they keep making me offers one of which I have accepted.
> 
> ...


They most definitely stopped caring! I called today, and said that I want to cancel. They asked why, and I mentioned the annual price increases, the fact that my current credits ($8/mo) are running out, and that FiOS TV is available, and is cheaper. I also mentioned that I've been a sub since 1996. The guy replies, "Ok, I'll take care of that for you right away."

I then asked if there were any retention offers, and he said that I could get $2 off for 6 months. I could get an extra $5 for 6 months if I commit for a year. Yeah, right! The only other thing he could do was 3 months of free Showtime.

Note that all of my stated reasons for leaving were financial. They don't care AT ALL about retaining customers -- even ones who've been subbed for 11 years, with never a late payment.


----------



## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

Maybe they just aren't taking cancel threats very seriously during Super Bowl week. They'll also likely not give into threats related to their price increase (which doesn't affect existing subs.)

Just so I got this straight Mr. Pib, you called DTV, asked them to cancel your service, and they did it quickly and without trouble and that shows you that they don't care? Seems like they did what you wanted. I suppose if you wanted someting else, you might have led with something other than "I want to cancel."


----------



## HDTV_Duffus (Nov 15, 2004)

Stanley Rohner said:


> chunk of change too ! - To funny
> One customer out of millions and you think of it as a - chunk of change.
> That's a good one.


Chunk of change to the customer is clearly different than a chunk of change to the industry.

For me, the customer, I second the chunk of change comment. His services and the price that I calculate qualifies for "chunk of change".
Smilie


----------



## MrPib (Sep 18, 2002)

> Maybe they just aren't taking cancel threats very seriously during Super Bowl week.


That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.



> They'll also likely not give into threats related to their price increase (which doesn't affect existing subs.)


The price increase DOES affect existing subs, starting 3/1. It's all over the forum, and I confirmed it during my phone call. And, in fact, the whopping $2 that they offered me was to offset my forthcoming price increase.



> Just so I got this straight Mr. Pib, you called DTV, asked them to cancel your service, and they did it quickly and without trouble and that shows you that they don't care?


Exactly. In fact, that's the original poster's whole point. The would NEVER do this before. The point of the Retention Department used to be to *retain* customers who were leaving. Now they seem to exist only to efficiently and quickly execute cancellations. The OP and myself find this surprising.



> Seems like they did what you wanted. I suppose if you wanted someting else, you might have led with something other than "I want to cancel."


Again, until just recently, the word "cancel" was the most effective way to maximise retention offers. One guy wrote in this thread that "They give me $200 if I say the word cancel in my sleep." Oh, hey -- YOU wrote that!


----------



## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

MrPib said:


> That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.


It does make sense. If they don't believe you want to cancel, they need not offer you anything to retain you. Superbowl week isn't usually a time when people upset their entertainment system very much.



> The price increase DOES affect existing subs, starting 3/1. It's all over the forum, and I confirmed it during my phone call. And, in fact, the whopping $2 that they offered me was to offset my forthcoming price increase.


Bummer, i stand corrected on that. One month grace period? They might as well have socked us right away. Oh well.



> Exactly. In fact, that's the original poster's whole point. The would NEVER do this before. The point of the Retention Department used to be to *retain* customers who were leaving. Now they seem to exist only to efficiently and quickly execute cancellations. The OP and myself find this surprising.


I think they did retain you right? Seems like they are becoming more skilled in their job. Their job is to retain you at the lowest cost to them. You liked it when they were offering more than the market would bear.



> Again, until just recently, the word "cancel" was the most effective way to maximise retention offers. One guy wrote in this thread that "They give me $200 if I say the word cancel in my sleep." Oh, hey -- YOU wrote that!


I've been quite lucky with them, but price increase time is not the time to F' with a retention department. They'll dig in over that because it's important to them make that bump.

Try again in a few months and maybe you'll find they "care" more then.


----------

