My husband and I had DirecTV for years, and due to "wonderful" promotions from DishNetwork, we decided to switch service and give them a try. The installer came out as expected, which was wonderful, but it took him 3 hours to hook up the dishes and service for us as he kept taking breaks in his van for 20 minutes at a time. Yes, the install is during the summer months, however, we do have air conditioning in the house - and it was barely 10 in the morning and around 75 degrees outside.
Once service was installed, everything was fine. For a moment. The very next day, we had some rainy weather, and the service went out. We had to restart everything to get the service going again. Again, the next day, the service went out again. At this point, I was on the phone trying to trouble shoot, and apparantly wasting the time of the "gentleman" on the phone with me.
At this point, we notice that of our service - America's Top 250 - we have all of the channels on the sheet marked as being part of America's Top 250 per all of the notes on the page. At no point does it make any specific notes of any of these channels that we are not receiving, so I call customer service to find out why it is that I am paying for service that I am not receiving. Apparantly whoever I was talking to (a male customer service rep) was having a very bad day or something, as he was one of the nastiest people I have ever spoken to (and have you seen Dish Network's advertising as having the friendliest customer service? False advertising at its finest - and it gets better, read on...). I explain the situation and am told I signed up for America's Top 250, but NOT some other special named package of the same variety having to do with extra HD services. Now, why on earth would I have signed for the HD service and America's Top 250 and not get the HD service and America's Top 250? It boggles the mind. I explain to him that I was never told of there being different levels of the same package, and that I have my sheet in front of me simply stating what I should have for what I am paying for. He curtly advised me that no, I don't get those stations, and then had the audacity to state (not ask) "Is that it?!" My response - from you, yes, that's it.
I then call the next day (we have had service for 3 days total, keep this in mind) to cancel. I actually spoke to someone named Dale who was professional and polite and wonderful to deal with. He gave me his confirming ID information and told me he will have the service cancelled and will waive all of the charges due to all of the negative experiences that I have had. I mentioned to him that if it would have been him that I had dealt with the entire time, they may not be losing a customer, however I have had enough and don't want to be bound for two years to them. He was understanding and again advised that I would not be charged anything at all as long as I returned the provided equipment. No problem.
The following Monday, I got online with my bank to pay my bills. There was a charge of $212.23 out of my account from Dish Network. Without my knowledge or approval. After giving me a confirming that they would not be doing so.
That same day, my husband called (as I could not deal with them anymore at this point) and explained with expletives that they will refund the money that they basically took illegally out of our account immediately. He was assured that within 7 - 10 business days they would refund the money. Oh hell no. They put an expedite on this service to make it 3 - 5 days, meaning that by today, Friday, the money would be back in our account. It is not. We have called twice during this past week to follow up on it as well and have had nothing but rude conversations from their reps in customer service.in fact, today when I called to make sure that the money would be in my account, refunded in full, by the end of the business day today, I spoke to a Brittany, code M43, who stated that she was not going to argue it with me, I was going to have to wait 3 - 5 business days and they didn't put it thru until Tuesday, so it could be Monday before I see the money in my account.
Again, oh hell no. Number one, do not illegally take funds from my bank account after confirming to me that that would not happen. Number two, do not hold off on refunding based on your banking policies. I could care less at this point what your refund policies are, as you LIED to me about taking the money in the first place. It's not legal. Get it straight. Number three, the LAST thing you do is cop an attitude with me about it. Think again.
I was of course put on hold when I asked for a manager for approximately 16 minutes, which is fine, it's their dime as it is an 800 number, but still that gets boring. So I called back. Again on their dime.in fact I should call and just keep spending their money now that I think of it.in any case, I was assured by someone that I could not understand (that's another thing, they seem to have shopped their jobs out overseas to foreign countries, which irritates me as well) that the money was already refunded as of Wednesday to my account.
"It's in your account ma'am, it was refunded on the 18th."
Ok, keep in mind, I had my bank statement online in front of me on the computer at that time. There was no such refund posted to my account, or even showing as pending to my account. He was insistant in his own language that I had the refund. Apparantly I am blind (as well as ignorant for ever switching services in the first place), as I did not see any refund, hence why I called in the first place.
Am I missing something here?
Oh yeah, I am, respect - which had it of been there in the first place, would make me still a customer. As they are filled with nothing but untruths, they no longer have my business. I will also be spreading the word to anyone who will listen to run for the hills when it comes to Dish Network.
I will also be seeking legal advice against them after 5:00 e.S.T. Today if they have not refunded the money in full to my account. Maybe if more people banded together to do so, they'd be out of business and no longer a problem.
Jeni G
Livonia, Michigan
U.S.A.
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