NFL sunday ticket

[Steelhead]

i'm calling today or tomorrow. If I don't get it for free i'm cancelling I've got a 2 1/2 yr old and a 9 mo old I won't be sitting on the couch at all this season. Last year I really only used it to watch on the pc while in the kitchen sunday afternoons.

[The Hitter]

I called last night and went through 2 different reps that gave me different 'offers', but neither was as good as what a new customer would get. So I stuck to my guns and politely told them that I'd prefer to just cancel my service. So they forwarded me on to the Retention department. 'Melanie' was pleasant to work with, listened to me vent about loyalty, economics, etcetc for a few minutes then said that 'while I can't offer you the new customer offer, I can try to make some adjustments to your accounts that would make it worthwhile for you to remain a Directv customer." I agreed to listen to her 'best offer'. She returned after a few minutes and offered me this...Premium package (all movie channels except PPV) PLUS a $25 discount per month for 12 months off my that package PLUS A $200 DISCOUNT OFF THE NFL PACKAGE (valued at $330)!! I was really surprised by her offer, but played uncertain for a minute to gauge anything more from her. She then threw in an additional $5 discount per month for my extra receiver. I accepted.

 

So basically, I'm getting $30 per month off the Premium package, plus my Sunday Ticket cost is only $130 - paid out in 5 monthly installments (about $26 per month!). I'm thrilled as I'm a HUGH movie buff and a football fanatic. I'd spend twice that much per month renting movies/going to my local sportsbar to watch games.

 

So stick to your guns and make 'em work...it worked for me.

Edited July 20, 2011 by The Hitter

[Steelhead]

I called and got an idiot. Called back and got someone better but she told me they didn't know what they could discount on ST. She told me to call back early aug lol. I did get $20 off my monthly bill for the rest of my life so the wife should be happy about that.

[twiley]

If you want big discounts you HAVE to ask for the "Retention Department"... you also have to stick to your guns the entire time too which means you might need to be an ass.

[Steelhead]

If you want big discounts you HAVE to ask for the "Retention Department"... you also have to stick to your guns the entire time too which means you might need to be an ass.

 

 

The first idiot I spoke to...I asked to be transferred to the rententions dept. She told me she WAS retentions. She was a stutterer too. I'm not that ticked that I didn't get anything towards ST I'll just have to call again. I did find out I can get that whole house DVR thing for free but would still have to pay $3/month. meh.

[Pope Flick]

If you want big discounts you HAVE to ask for the "Retention Department"... you also have to stick to your guns the entire time too which means you might need to be an ass.

 

 

Yes, you do have to be a bit of an ass, but twiley is right. I'm surprised at the resistance some are getting, I literally didn't even ask for it and was an existing customer.

[Steelhead]

Yes, you do have to be a bit of an ass, but twiley is right. I'm surprised at the resistance some are getting, I literally didn't even ask for it and was an existing customer.

 

Thus far this is the most resistance I have received. Course this time I took the angle of wanting what a new customer was getting or I'd leave to go to Time Warner. Next time I'll just say I'm cancelling because I can't afford it.

[Scooby's Hubby]

There is a difference if your subscription is out or if you are still in the 2 year period of your subscription. You have so much leverage if your subscription is expiring.

[Steelhead]

There is a difference if your subscription is out or if you are still in the 2 year period of your subscription. You have so much leverage if your subscription is expiring.

 

I don't have a contract...mine expired awhile ago. I've not changed my package in years.

[Turf Smurf]

I don't have a contract...mine expired awhile ago. I've not changed my package in years.

Me niether. I'm getting tired of it banging off both knees when I walk though.

[cliaz]

When calling up DTV follow these steps

 

http://consumerist.com/2008/01/how-to-mind...rvice-reps.html

 

Reader Lona says that people in her family have called her a consumer advocate since she was sixteen, and now she is going to share with us 2,177 words on the customer service tactics and techniques she uses to get satisfaction. She writes, "in 99% of situations, it allows you to reach an agreeable solution to almost any problem. It is something I do for family and friends, and for myself." Some of her methods have been mentioned in various ways on the site before but others are completely unique. And by the time you read her true success story at the end, you'll swear she has Jedi mind-control over customer service reps. It boils down to, without raising your voice, asserting control over the conversation from the beginning and then never relinquishing that power.

 

Lona writes:

 

"Keep in mind, please, that these rules require that you keep a calm, even head, or at least the appearance and sound of one, and you must have the audacity not to ASK for anything. You will be rude, and you will seem to have entitlement issues. But you will get the job done.

 

Here are the basic guidelines. The longer and more often you end up doing this, you will find yourself using your own language and tricks. Eventually, you will be able to determine within a few seconds whether the person you have on the phone is the correct person to speak to.

 

If all of this fails and you happen to be female, try asking a male relative or friend to do it, following the same steps. It sounds wrong, but people respond to voices, and in today's society, a male voice will sometimes go farther. I am female, however, and if you have a strong enough tone and voice, in most cases, you won't need to resort to that.

 

1. Always maintain a calm, collected tone

Keep your voice even, keep your tone low, and do not lose your temper. If you find yourself getting upset, place the person on hold for a moment, take a slow, deep breath, and pick the phone back up. If they have hung up on you, mention it when you call back.

 

2 . Before you call, outline the situation for yourself, and decide how you want it solved

Write down several options you would be willing to accept, and keep the page in front of you when you call.

 

3. Always get the name of the person who answered the phone, even if you speak to them for only a moment

Write the name down, as well as any other person you connect to. Keep notes of who said what.

 

4. When you get a CSR on the phone, immediately ask to speak to a supervisor

When/if they insist that they can help you, keeping your tone low and even, state again that you need to speak to a supervisor. Not want, need. If they again insist, state in a clear and calm, low tone, that they WILL connect you to a supervisor, now. Do not yell, shout, or raise your voice or tone. "No. You are going to get a supervisor for me. Thank you. I'll wait." Say "thank you" immediately. Do not wait for them to answer your request first. If they again insist, hang up immediately. Call back. If you get the same person, make the request again, and if they again refuse, hang up, wait one hour for a shift change, and then call back. Do not give the initial person your name. They do not need it.

 

5. Once you are connected with a supervisor, introduce yourself, and then inform the person that you have a situation that they are going to fix

Do not say "that you need to fix" or "that I want fixed" or "that I need fixed." You know they will fix it. "I have a situation that you are going to fix for me today. I appreciate your patience." If they say they will try, state again that you're sure they will fix it for you. "No, you'll fix it. Don't worry." Reassure THEM. It will confuse them enough that they will allow you to explain your situation.

 

6. Explain your situation in a calm, even tone. Do not pause for them to respond until the entire situation/story has been told

Simply tell it as if you are dictating a letter. Once the entire situation has been explained, do not pause. Immediately give them the first option of how it should be fixed, in a simple, declarative sentence. "...this is the situation as it stands at this moment, and the reason I am calling. So what you will be doing for me today is..." or "..so what we need to do today is..."

 

7. If the supervisor insists that your solution is outside of policy, ask for the full policy

Do not accept "It's just not policy to do this." You want a full description of the policy. This does not mean twenty pages, faxed. A simple description of the section they feel affects your situation is what you need from them. IF they again simply say "It isn't policy to __", you say "That isn't a policy. What, exactly, is your policy in this situation?" If they refuse to give you the policy, ask for their supervisor, or a corporate number - if you choose to or must call corporate, refer to *A - however, this will most likely not be necessary. If they give you the policy, continue to step 8.

 

8. Listen carefully to the policy, then scan your list for solutions that fall within it

If none of your solutions fall within their policy, inform them of your viable choices, and ask them how they are going to solve your problem. Do not ask if they will. Ask how. "So, how are we going to resolve this issue?" not "Isn't there anything you can do?" or "there must be something you can do." There is always something they can do. Do not ask. It is fact. If they inform you that there is nothing they can do, again ask for their supervisor or a corporate number.

 

9. At this point the person should be working with you for a solution. Continue to keep a calm tone until you reach an acceptable solution

Be sure to refer to the person by name at least twice, to make sure they know you remember it. If they say they will call back, ask for their direct line. If they do not have one, again ask for their supervisor or a corporate number.

 

10. You SHOULD now have a solution

Write down the details, making sure to read it back to the person on the other end of the line, and make sure to repeat their name, as well as writing it next to the solution that has been reached. If it is not an immediately solvable problem (returns, or delivery, etc) get a time estimate. "And this will be here by....". You can, at this point as well, ask for a direct line, in case you have issues and need to speak to them again. Then thank them for their time and hang up.

 

11. If longer than the specified time goes past and the solution has not gone into effect, call the same number and ask for the person by name

If this person is unavailable or does not exist (there is always the chance) go back through your notes and ask for the person you spoke to immediately previous. Throughout this conversation remember to keep your tone calm and even. If the person you spoke to is unreachable, again, ask for a supervisor, and then immediately ask that supervisor for a corporate number. If the supervisor offers to help you, you may either attempt to work with this person, or simply call corporate.

 

*A - Calling Corporate

 

12. Keep your tone even. Introduce yourself immediately and ask to speak to a person who can solve your problem

Use those words. "Hello, my name is ___. I have an issue. Please connect me to someone who can solve it today."

 

13. When you are connected, introduce yourself again. Repeat step 6

More than likely, the person you are speaking to will either do what you've suggested, or will offer an alternative. At this point, if you continue to follow these basic guides, you should reach a solution fairly quickly. Remember to continue to escalate until you reach someone who will solve your problem.

 

This works even if the problem is not your own. This works even if the problem is not your own, and you are dealing with the infamous Best Buy. I have a success story to share now.

 

Currently living with me is my sister-in-law. She moved from Texas. A year or so before she moved to California, there was an issue with her computer. Her parents are fairly computer illiterate, but had purchased the PC as a gift for her, and therefore did it on their own. They purchased a floor model, and were not informed, and did not know to ask, that the OS disk was not included. They were not informed that they would need to make a boot disk themselves, and neither was my sister.

 

Six months later, my sister's computer ran out of space, and she followed the on-screen instructions to free some up, running Disk Cleanup. Disk Cleanup removed essential files from the OS, causing the computer to brick. A full re-install was necessary. She called Best Buy and they told her it would cost over $100 to reload the computer. She called me in a panic, as she and her parents were living off her father's Army pension at the time and could not afford the fee.

 

I called the Best Buy store's direct number, and asked to speak to a manager. I was told none was there. I waited one hour, and called back. This time I got Jose. I introduced myself and let him know that I was calling on behalf of a friend that was having an issue, and thanked him for solving it for me today. I then explained to him that my friend had been given a computer without an OS disk, and now needed to reload the computer, but had been told it would cost quite a bit of money. He informed me that she was told when the computer was purchased that she needed to create a boot disk. I informed him that she was not, and that he would need to reload the computer without charge. He said he could not do that. I calmly pointed out that it is very bad policy to charge a customer for something he should never have done in the first place, and that the operating system was sold with the computer, and since the disk was not included, we basically had two options available to us - he could either issue her a free copy of Windows XP, or reload the computer free of charge. I asked him which solution he felt would be best for her. He told me that they could do neither, and I asked him how he would be solving it. He asked me to hold for a moment, then came back on the line, and told me to have her come in, and he would take care of it.

 

I called my sister and gave her Jose's name and told her to ask for him directly once in the store, because he would be taking care of her problem. She and her mother went, and he met them. Again, they were informed that it would cost to reload the computer. The exact charge came to $97.53 with taxes. In a panic, my sister called me, and I told her that he was not going to charge her. She said he was. I asked her to put him on the phone.

 

Here's the clincher - when faced with having to speak to me again, he quickly changed his mind and offered an acceptable solution to the problem: he would issue them a gift card for the exact amount, and they would use that to pay for the service. We all agreed to the terms, and he came back exactly two minutes later with a gift card for the exact charge, and handed it to the cashier.

 

At no point did I yell, or in any way raise my voice. I did not threaten him, or mention lawyers or the business bureau. I simply informed him of what he would be doing, and he did it. While it took a bit of reinforcement, eventually he did come up with a solution that was both within his policy, and right by the consumer. This is not a 'talent', it is a skill, and by following these steps you can usually avoid the horrific experiences many consumers have.

 

Not to mention gain a wonderful story. My sister tells it to anyone we meet who is having consumer issues similar to hers.

 

I hope this helps at least one person. You will really be amazed just how effective these methods can be.

- Lona"

[keggerz]

finally took the plunge to DIRECTV from cable (Cox,who just raised prices)

 

install is on Mon.

Edited July 22, 2011 by keggerz

[I Like Soup]

I called in and told them that this 14 year customer was canceling his service. The rep asked why. I then pulled out the laundry list. I have Netflix and we are really digging it, we have had a few billing issues, always resolved but billing issues all the same, and the cost of Sunday Ticket (which was the reason I signed up in the first place) has gotten out of hand. "And anyway, whith those millionaires and billionaires fighting over my hard earned money I'm not even sure I am interested anymore." Okay, that was total BS, but I was prepared to sell it baby.

 

The settlement offer was $30 off for 6 months and a one time credit for all my billing issues. How much of a one time credit I asked in a droning voice. $100. Hem. Haw. I'll tell you what, make it a $200 credit and we're good. He wasn't authorized to issue that big of a credit, but he did hit his max of $150 for me. So basically now we have the Ticket for free. And as an added bonus when he tried to upsell me on the AT&T bundle I mentioned that I already had AT&T, and since we had become such good friends by then he extended me a $5 credit for two years on the "bundle." Biggest score ever. They must have sensed they needed to do that to keep me. Good for them. Good for you. Go forth.

 

 

That is it! You have to sell it. Go out there and get some no's so you know you've asked for as much as you can!

 

Rattsass pwnd DTV.

[matt770]

Funny how each rep gives you a different deal. I called and said I'm moving and decided to switch to AT&T Uverse because they offer TV, internet and phone for just $120 per month. He pointed out that I'm under contract until Dec. 2012 so I would pay a cancellation penalty of $320 and I said that's okay, I'll save more than that by switching to AT&T. I also mentioned that my whole-house DVR craps out all the time and I'm sick of it. Here is what I ended up with:

 

$15 off my base package per month for 24 months

$7 off my HD DVR package per month for 12 months

$120 lump sum credit to bring Sunday Ticket down from $334 to $214 for the season

 

Total savings: $564

 

Plus he set up my move and scheduled the tech to come install at the new address. I mentioned I'm eventually going to ditch a standard receiver and upgrade to HD in one of the rooms but not right now, so could the tech just run the cable to the room where I will eventually have the HD TV? Answer: no, we have to have the TV set up in that room. And if I do that at a later date, they would charge me for the new HD box and send a tech out again to install it. If I do it with the move, the new box is free. So, I have the perfect excuse for my wife why we need to get a new TV now.

[jayg920]

Just called and spoke to retention and gave them the same story as everyone else.

 

I got $150 lump credit and $15 off for $24 months. Total $510 savings.

 

I already had the below credits so I did not push for anymore.

 

HD Access 24 Months Free HD Access -10.00 Credit

Primary Leased Receiver -6.00 Credit

[Scare Tactics]

Called DirecTV this morning... Seemed to be more work to get discounts this year than ever before. I talked to 2 people who offered me the same $20 a month/6 months off on my premium service and no discount on the NFL package..

Called again and just flat out said Id like to cancel my Premium package and NFL package.. Got transfered to the people who remove the packages. He told me as far as canceling the premium, the next lower package would be $42 less a month, and the offer he gave me was a $35/month discount for 6 months on that, so it would only cost me $7 a month for the premium.. I tried pushing for 12 months but it was a no go, and he basically said in 6 months you can call back and ask for the same thing.. I accepted.

I then said everyone is getting the HD access free for 24 months and I want that, all 3 people said the same thing, you have to auto bill pay to get that, so I bucked up and signed up for auto bill pay.

I then said I want to cancel my NFL package, and the best offer I could get was that I have to wait until I get billed for it next month, and then call back and he can give me a $20/month discount on the NFL.. He put his employee ID in the the notes with that offer, and also gave me his employee ID. I will call back before I get billed again & try to work an offer, but for today thats it..

So far I guess its a discount of $550, and to be honest thats nice, but I dont think im getting much more than the standard discount offers. And even if I get the $20/month on the NFL that would bring me to a $770 discount wich sounds nice, but I think you can do better.

I think I went about this the wrong way, and I think your best bet is to call up and just flat out say u want to cancel your entire DirecTV service. Get transfered to the people who remove it, and then when they ask tell them that yes it is a money issue and give them a story nicely.. I think you will get your biggest/best discounts this way. And dont worry about "what if they just say ok & cancel".. Its not going to happen, they will offer you many times before they cancel.. And if they do say ok lets just cancel this, bite the bullet and just say wait, I need to talk to my wife or something before this is final & that you will call back.. Theres no shame to be had.. Good Luck..

 

*And If it comes to waiting until I get billed for the NFL, I am going to push hard for more than $20/month off..

[TNtitans]

The retention department is the way to go. The other reps I spoke with basically had no deals to offer. They even have an NFL hotline set up but they only offered $10/month off the full price.

 

The retention dept gave me the $150 lump credit, $5/month off HBO for 6 months, $10/month off Choice Xtra for 6 months and NFL ToGo for free (I'm sure everyone gets that free but they list it at $49)

 

So my total cost on the NFL Sunday Ticket is $330 - 150 - 30 - 60 = $90

[jhusted]

Called a few times last night untill I got half off the ticket so we are good to go...

[eags]

i like paying top dollar!

[Steelhead]

just called and still best they would give me is $20 off for 6 months. Then I told him to go ahead and cancel. So he started through the cancellation process without any hesitation. I guess I'll have to keep calling.

[nuffsaid31]

Funny how each rep gives you a different deal. I called and said I'm moving and decided to switch to AT&T Uverse because they offer TV, internet and phone for just $120 per month. He pointed out that I'm under contract until Dec. 2012 so I would pay a cancellation penalty of $320 and I said that's okay, I'll save more than that by switching to AT&T. I also mentioned that my whole-house DVR craps out all the time and I'm sick of it. Here is what I ended up with:

 

$15 off my base package per month for 24 months

$7 off my HD DVR package per month for 12 months

$120 lump sum credit to bring Sunday Ticket down from $334 to $214 for the season

 

Total savings: $564

 

Plus he set up my move and scheduled the tech to come install at the new address. I mentioned I'm eventually going to ditch a standard receiver and upgrade to HD in one of the rooms but not right now, so could the tech just run the cable to the room where I will eventually have the HD TV? Answer: no, we have to have the TV set up in that room. And if I do that at a later date, they would charge me for the new HD box and send a tech out again to install it. If I do it with the move, the new box is free. So, I have the perfect excuse for my wife why we need to get a new TV now.

 

 

 

 

This helped a lot I was also under contract, I also said I would pay the 240 to cancel once I said that they offered me Sunday ticket for $160. Big help thanks.

[robert terni]

got the ticket down to $84!!!

[Wizards]

Switch to Dish...."RED ZONE" is way better than the ticket (mainly price).....feel good about Sunday's without costing me an arm and a toe.....feel like Tom Dempsey when I was with Direct TV......just saying!! HEY DIRECT TV!!!

[TimC]

got the ticket down to $84!!!

 

Same here. Called, asked to cancel it because the price was too high and they offered $20 off for 6 months. Said nope. He said they could go another $20 off for 6 months. $53.99 - $40.00 divided by 6 months = $84!

[Steelhead]

I got $20/month for 12mo off my base package and $25 off ST for 6 months. So that's $390-$324= they are paying me $66 for the ticket this year. I'll take those credits. Gonna try to call back and get more though.