Advice on getting better HD deal from DirecTV?

This is somewhat OT, but I think there are people here who have
has experience with this.

Made my first call to DirecTV's customer retention department
today... I have an SD-DVR40 DirecTiVo right now. Would like to
just add HD for the channels that offer it and my locals too. I
want a HR-20 or HR-21 DirecTV DVR to record the HD stuff and keep
the DirecTiVo for the SD stuff.

They first quoted me the standard deal - $199 I think. I said
that wasn't acceptable. He then offered $49 plus $20 "handling."
I said that I knew of existing customers who got an HD DVR upgrade
with installation for free. He said that they evaluate customers
individually. I asked if my being a 14-year customer who pays
with automatic credit card payment did not merrit a better deal.
He said he could offer $99 with 6 months of free HD. This seemed
decent (since HD costs $10/mo, that would be about $40 out of
pocket).

I confirmed that my existing receiver would be part of
the install and he said it would include "relocation" of the
existing receiver. I said it didn't need to be relocated - I want
to keep it in the same place to record my SD stuff and use the
TiVo software that my family knows and loves. He emphatically
stated that there can't be two receivers in the same room. I
asked why. He mumbled something about they can't network them.
I told him I didn't want them networked - just operating in the
same room. He said I'd have to confirm that it would work with
tech support. Am I right? This should work, right?

After I accepted, he told me the total charge: $127.
I asked how it went from $99 to $127. He said it was the $99
plus the $20 handling fee. I pointed out he hadn't mentioned
the $20 fee was part of the $99 offer - he got a little upset
and insisted he did. I asked if that was the best he was going
to offer me today. He said yes, so I said I wasn't interested,
thanked him and hung up.

Any advice on how I can get a better deal out of them?

-- TRW
_______________________________________
t i m . w i t o r t
_______________________________________

Call back and get a different agent


"Tim Witort" wrote in message
.131...
This is somewhat OT, but I think there are people here who have
has experience with this.

Made my first call to DirecTV's customer retention department
today... I have an SD-DVR40 DirecTiVo right now. Would like to
just add HD for the channels that offer it and my locals too. I
want a HR-20 or HR-21 DirecTV DVR to record the HD stuff and keep
the DirecTiVo for the SD stuff.

They first quoted me the standard deal - $199 I think. I said
that wasn't acceptable. He then offered $49 plus $20 "handling."
I said that I knew of existing customers who got an HD DVR upgrade
with installation for free. He said that they evaluate customers
individually. I asked if my being a 14-year customer who pays
with automatic credit card payment did not merrit a better deal.
He said he could offer $99 with 6 months of free HD. This seemed
decent (since HD costs $10/mo, that would be about $40 out of
pocket).

I confirmed that my existing receiver would be part of
the install and he said it would include "relocation" of the
existing receiver. I said it didn't need to be relocated - I want
to keep it in the same place to record my SD stuff and use the
TiVo software that my family knows and loves. He emphatically
stated that there can't be two receivers in the same room. I
asked why. He mumbled something about they can't network them.
I told him I didn't want them networked - just operating in the
same room. He said I'd have to confirm that it would work with
tech support. Am I right? This should work, right?

After I accepted, he told me the total charge: $127.
I asked how it went from $99 to $127. He said it was the $99
plus the $20 handling fee. I pointed out he hadn't mentioned
the $20 fee was part of the $99 offer - he got a little upset
and insisted he did. I asked if that was the best he was going
to offer me today. He said yes, so I said I wasn't interested,
thanked him and hung up.

Any advice on how I can get a better deal out of them?

-- TRW
_______________________________________
t i m . w i t o r t
_______________________________________

On Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:09:54 -0600, (Tim
Witort) wrote:

This is somewhat OT, but I think there are people here who have
has experience with this.

Made my first call to DirecTV's customer retention department
today... I have an SD-DVR40 DirecTiVo right now. Would like to
just add HD for the channels that offer it and my locals too. I
want a HR-20 or HR-21 DirecTV DVR to record the HD stuff and keep
the DirecTiVo for the SD stuff.

They first quoted me the standard deal - $199 I think. I said
that wasn't acceptable. He then offered $49 plus $20 "handling."
I said that I knew of existing customers who got an HD DVR upgrade
with installation for free. He said that they evaluate customers
individually. I asked if my being a 14-year customer who pays
with automatic credit card payment did not merrit a better deal.
He said he could offer $99 with 6 months of free HD. This seemed
decent (since HD costs $10/mo, that would be about $40 out of
pocket).

I confirmed that my existing receiver would be part of
the install and he said it would include "relocation" of the
existing receiver. I said it didn't need to be relocated - I want
to keep it in the same place to record my SD stuff and use the
TiVo software that my family knows and loves. He emphatically
stated that there can't be two receivers in the same room. I
asked why. He mumbled something about they can't network them.
I told him I didn't want them networked - just operating in the
same room. He said I'd have to confirm that it would work with
tech support. Am I right? This should work, right?

Yes, it does work. I have two HD receivers in my den (HR10 and HR20)
and they are both connected up to my dish. I also have a SD DirecTivo
in the Den, but it isn't activated.... I use it by transferring via
network content recorded on the SD DirecTivo in the bedroom

After I accepted, he told me the total charge: $127.
I asked how it went from $99 to $127. He said it was the $99
plus the $20 handling fee. I pointed out he hadn't mentioned
the $20 fee was part of the $99 offer - he got a little upset
and insisted he did. I asked if that was the best he was going
to offer me today. He said yes, so I said I wasn't interested,
thanked him and hung up.

Any advice on how I can get a better deal out of them?

-- TRW
_______________________________________
t i m . w i t o r t
_______________________________________

Just call back and try again. Now that you have a "baseline", you know
that they are willing to go at least that low. AFAIK, if you aren't in
a committment period, there isn't really any limit to what they will
do to retain you. I'd aim for getting the HD unit for just the $20
handling fee. I'd also suggest that you contact Dish Network and see
what you can get promised by them, then use that against whatever
DirecTV offers.


--
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/

Charlie Hoffpauir seemed to utter in
:

On Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:09:54 -0600, (Tim
Witort) wrote:

This is somewhat OT, but I think there are people here who have
has experience with this.

Made my first call to DirecTV's customer retention department
today... I have an SD-DVR40 DirecTiVo right now. Would like to
just add HD for the channels that offer it and my locals too. I
want a HR-20 or HR-21 DirecTV DVR to record the HD stuff and keep
the DirecTiVo for the SD stuff.

They first quoted me the standard deal - $199 I think. I said
that wasn't acceptable. He then offered $49 plus $20 "handling."
I said that I knew of existing customers who got an HD DVR upgrade
with installation for free. He said that they evaluate customers
individually. I asked if my being a 14-year customer who pays
with automatic credit card payment did not merrit a better deal.
He said he could offer $99 with 6 months of free HD. This seemed
decent (since HD costs $10/mo, that would be about $40 out of pocket).

I confirmed that my existing receiver would be part of
the install and he said it would include "relocation" of the
existing receiver. I said it didn't need to be relocated - I want
to keep it in the same place to record my SD stuff and use the
TiVo software that my family knows and loves. He emphatically
stated that there can't be two receivers in the same room. I
asked why. He mumbled something about they can't network them.
I told him I didn't want them networked - just operating in the
same room. He said I'd have to confirm that it would work with
tech support. Am I right? This should work, right?

Yes, it does work. I have two HD receivers in my den (HR10 and HR20)
and they are both connected up to my dish. I also have a SD DirecTivo
in the Den, but it isn't activated.... I use it by transferring via
network content recorded on the SD DirecTivo in the bedroom

After I accepted, he told me the total charge: $127.
I asked how it went from $99 to $127. He said it was the $99
plus the $20 handling fee. I pointed out he hadn't mentioned
the $20 fee was part of the $99 offer - he got a little upset
and insisted he did. I asked if that was the best he was going
to offer me today. He said yes, so I said I wasn't interested, thanked
him and hung up.

Any advice on how I can get a better deal out of them?

-- TRW
_______________________________________
t i m . w i t o r t
_______________________________________

Just call back and try again. Now that you have a "baseline", you know
that they are willing to go at least that low. AFAIK, if you aren't in
a committment period, there isn't really any limit to what they will
do to retain you. I'd aim for getting the HD unit for just the $20
handling fee. I'd also suggest that you contact Dish Network and see
what you can get promised by them, then use that against whatever
DirecTV offers.



Good idea. I'll call back tomorrow.

-- TRW
_______________________________________
t i m . w i t o r t
_______________________________________

seemed to utter in :

On Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:55:12 -0600, (Tim
Witort) wrote:

Charlie Hoffpauir seemed to utter in
m:

On Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:09:54 -0600, (Tim
Witort) wrote:

This is somewhat OT, but I think there are people here who have
has experience with this.

Made my first call to DirecTV's customer retention department
today... I have an SD-DVR40 DirecTiVo right now. Would like to
just add HD for the channels that offer it and my locals too. I
want a HR-20 or HR-21 DirecTV DVR to record the HD stuff and keep
the DirecTiVo for the SD stuff.

They first quoted me the standard deal - $199 I think. I said
that wasn't acceptable. He then offered $49 plus $20 "handling."
I said that I knew of existing customers who got an HD DVR upgrade
with installation for free. He said that they evaluate customers
individually. I asked if my being a 14-year customer who pays
with automatic credit card payment did not merrit a better deal.
He said he could offer $99 with 6 months of free HD. This seemed
decent (since HD costs $10/mo, that would be about $40 out of pocket).

I confirmed that my existing receiver would be part of
the install and he said it would include "relocation" of the
existing receiver. I said it didn't need to be relocated - I want
to keep it in the same place to record my SD stuff and use the
TiVo software that my family knows and loves. He emphatically
stated that there can't be two receivers in the same room. I
asked why. He mumbled something about they can't network them.
I told him I didn't want them networked - just operating in the
same room. He said I'd have to confirm that it would work with
tech support. Am I right? This should work, right?

Yes, it does work. I have two HD receivers in my den (HR10 and HR20)
and they are both connected up to my dish. I also have a SD DirecTivo
in the Den, but it isn't activated.... I use it by transferring via
network content recorded on the SD DirecTivo in the bedroom

After I accepted, he told me the total charge: $127.
I asked how it went from $99 to $127. He said it was the $99
plus the $20 handling fee. I pointed out he hadn't mentioned
the $20 fee was part of the $99 offer - he got a little upset
and insisted he did. I asked if that was the best he was going
to offer me today. He said yes, so I said I wasn't interested, thanked
him and hung up.

Any advice on how I can get a better deal out of them?

-- TRW
_______________________________________
t i m . w i t o r t
_______________________________________

Just call back and try again. Now that you have a "baseline", you know
that they are willing to go at least that low. AFAIK, if you aren't in
a committment period, there isn't really any limit to what they will
do to retain you. I'd aim for getting the HD unit for just the $20
handling fee. I'd also suggest that you contact Dish Network and see
what you can get promised by them, then use that against whatever
DirecTV offers.



Good idea. I'll call back tomorrow.

-- TRW

you might want to checkout the following forum. They really discussion
what are the best deals currently available. Over 100 pages on this
discussion by the way.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=62089&page=134


Thanks for the info. I just got off the phone with DirecTV
customer retention and got an agreeable deal. They gave me
the HD DVR (HR20 or HR21) with new dish and installation
for $127, then gave me free HD for 6 months ($60) and an
additional $10 of per month for 6 months ($60). So basically
it's a free upgrade. The woman I talked to was much more
courteous than the guy I spoke with yesterday. I could
have probably whittled them down more with additional calls,
but this deal seemed fair and, honestly, I get a little
stressed when I have to haggle.

-- TRW
_______________________________________
t i m . w i t o r t
_______________________________________

I get a little
stressed when I have to haggle.

They depend on this. It's your money, be willing to haggle for it,
otherwise you just get fleeced like sheep.

"Tim Witort" wrote in message
.131...

snip

After I accepted, he told me the total charge: $127.
I asked how it went from $99 to $127. He said it was the $99
plus the $20 handling fee. I pointed out he hadn't mentioned
the $20 fee was part of the $99 offer - he got a little upset
and insisted he did. I asked if that was the best he was going
to offer me today. He said yes, so I said I wasn't interested,
thanked him and hung up.

You mean to tell us that after that whole negotiation, you hung up for
twenty bux? Surely your time and effort is worth something, and now you have
to go another round for twenty bux. Even if you save the twenty bux, is it
really worth it? For me, the answer would be an emphatic...no.

Z1Z seemed to utter in
:


"Tim Witort" wrote in message
.131...

snip

After I accepted, he told me the total charge: $127.
I asked how it went from $99 to $127. He said it was the $99
plus the $20 handling fee. I pointed out he hadn't mentioned
the $20 fee was part of the $99 offer - he got a little upset
and insisted he did. I asked if that was the best he was going
to offer me today. He said yes, so I said I wasn't interested,
thanked him and hung up.

You mean to tell us that after that whole negotiation, you hung up for
twenty bux? Surely your time and effort is worth something, and now you
have to go another round for twenty bux. Even if you save the twenty
bux, is it really worth it? For me, the answer would be an
emphatic...no.

That's fine for you. Both negotiations - the one I refused
and the later, better one that I accepted - took about
10 minutes total. Ultimately, I ended up paying only about
$9 with the discounts they finally offered me. So, I saved
a little over $50. That works out to about $300 per hour
for my time. For me, an emphatic... yes.

-- TRW
_______________________________________
t i m . w i t o r t
_______________________________________