Ready to cancel Dish after only 3 Days

I had Dish Network installed Monday and was ready to cancel by Wednesday. Unfortunately, they have me suckered in to an 18-month agreement, so that is not an option. The problem is this. When ordering online, I neglected to order HBO and Cinemax, which is free for three months for new customers. I was mistakenly under the impression it would automatically be part of my programming package to start. I admit, this was my mistake. However, I had hoped Dish customer service would understand this, and give me these movie channels when I realized my error. Basically I've been told it's too late, and I'm no longer eligible for my three free months I believe I'm still entitled to as a new customer. I'm wondering what is so difficult for them to keep their customers happy.

Another issue is that I was referred by my brother. He should have been given a credit on his bill, along with some free pay-per-view movies. It's still early, but so far this has not been reflected on his bill.

Has anyone else had problems with Dish Network's customer service, or lack thereof?

I would suggest that you get right back on the phone with them and state your case again. Do this until you find a customer rep that will help you or contact the CSR's supervisor. They will usually resolve the problem. If none of this works, send an email to ceo@dishnetwork.com. That will get results, but you need to go through the other steps first.

Hope this helps you and I know that you will be able to get things straightened out.

It is off course the customer's responsibility to adhere to any requirements to receive promotions. I don't think your brother gets anything until you have been a paying customer for a required period, although I am not sure of those specific terms. I never complain or blame others for my mistakes and I often miss out on these sort of promotions and read about what I missed online.

Still, if you are so upset, you should cancel and give them the reason but do it soon as I think there are guidelines regarding cancellations of service and not being bound by the contractual agreement and that likely varies by state. I am sure the decision is time sensitive, but you can't be held to a contract were the other party doesn't deliver according to the terms of the contract. In this case it may just be your perception of their obligation, but I think you can get out if you act quickly.

Chris

I agree with Chris, just call back and ask for a superviser or customer retention. I went through something similar with direct tv and I cancelled even though I had a contract. Don't let them get away with it and stand your ground. Good luck.

Thanks to all for the advice. I need to read the fine print to see if I can get out the agreement due to dissatisfaction, but I hope I don't have to. I just feel the customer service representative hasn't made much of an effort to be understanding. I'm only asking for what I think is right. I'm certainly not going crazy and demanding free service for three months or something like that. I'm not blaming Dish for my error during the signup process, but I would think they do everything they could to satisfy a customer, especially to make a good first impression on a new customer. Isn't that what customer service is all about?

As for my brother's referall credit, I'll just wait and see and contact them about it months or whatever down the road if I need to. I know it's a $5 credit on his bill for 10 months, so we'll just see if that's reflected when he gets his next bill.

So far my only contact with them has been through e-mail, but I'll get on the phone today and see what they can do. Hopefully I won't have to resort to contacting supervisors or "big wigs", but we'll see what happens with the phone call.

Thanks again!

Call Dish and go to Tech. support and explain what happend ... they are much better at fixing and explaining things. Explain to them when they answer that you know that it's not their job, but you're not getting anywhere with CSR's .... worse case they'll switch you to a supervisor or customer resolution/retention.

I think I just had a lousy customer service representative through e-mail. After a quick phone call and explaining the problem, the rep. over the phone was understanding and now I should have HBO and Cinemax when I get home from work. Like "Loves2Watch" suggested, keep contacting them until you find someone who will help.

When I signed up for dish last July under the 18 month agreement I had 30 days to cancel my contract if I was not satisfied.

Also I referred 3 people but it will take at least 90 days before your brother will see any credits I believe this is because you have to be a dish subscriber for that amount of time before they can credit him.

Let me get this straight...you have had dish for four days and youre already looking for a credit on your brothers bill? Thats not "early" as you put it, that would be "amazingly early." And what makes you think its too late? You have, by law, a satisfaction guarantee, which means you have 30 days to cancel your service with dish network, and at no cost to you (besides maybe a bill for the actual service you received during that time). With your expectations, I think it best you take them up on their cancellation policy, but thats just my opinion.

I think I just had a lousy customer service representative through e-mail. After a quick phone call and explaining the problem, the rep. over the phone was understanding and now I should have HBO and Cinemax when I get home from work. Like "Loves2Watch" suggested, keep contacting them until you find someone who will help.

Talking to Luigi in Sri Lanka won't get your problem resolved.

The credit on the bill will likely take 3 months to show up - Yes, $5x10months. I should be getting one eventually, I think it's been 2 or 3 bills since my Mother-in-law signed up but I haven't seen it yet. They're just slow.

Regarding your channels, I had a similar experience but at the time I wasn't too concerned by it. I don't think it'd kill them to give you your channels for 2 1/2 months - they know full well that you'd be unlikely to cancel them once you get used to having them.

When I signed up for dish last July under the 18 month agreement I had 30 days to cancel my contract if I was not satisfied.

Also I referred 3 people but it will take at least 90 days before your brother will see any credits I believe this is because you have to be a dish subscriber for that amount of time before they can credit him.

Yup. Unless they changed their rules, them's da rules. :yippee:

just ordered dish yesterday got the 3 months of hbo and cinemax.Also got 6 months free hd reciever. supposedly at least 50 channels of high def for 6 months.If not i will be angry because thats why i also signed for 18 months.

you also get the benefits of the Dish Home Protection Plan free with the 18 month contract.

Has anyone else had problems with Dish Network's customer service, or lack thereof?


Well, yes.

I ordered the top 100 with HD service for 29.95 a month. What i got is just the top 100 package with NO HD.

I did buy my equipment which was going to be the 622 box. What i got is the 322 box. After 3.5 hours on the phone and talking to CSR's and thier super's i got no where, even when i wanted to cancel.

I did finaly get someone that gave me the 622 and a 1000.2 dish for no extra charge.

I guess there customer service is lacking the service part.

DishNetwork CSR's are constrained by the software in the Dish computer system.

Since you had a new install, they could not give you any upgrades, regardless of who goofed up the original install. It must be escalated to a level even above the supervisor, because the supervisor only has limited discretion, and the computer will still not allow exceptions.

Unfortunately that is the way their whole support system is built.

That is why there is the ceo@echostar.com option which gives subs access to "Super-CSR's" who can bypass couputer lockouts and put a little common sense into the system.

So is that email the place to go to if I wanted a free DVR when my 18 month stretch is up?
I have the full package (Platinum as it used to be called) so I'm kind of hoping they want to keep me.

I'm glad to hear that a call got things resolved for you. Just remember that for future reference when dealing with Dish CSR's.

Here's an update on this topic, originally posted when I signed up for Dish in late November. I received my latest bill, showing two months of HBO & Cinemax. I called customer service back in early December to make sure I wouldn't be billed for these channels, as they should be free for three months as a new customer. I was told on the phone they would show up on the bill, but there would be an adjustment on the bill as well. My adjustments for HD, the protection plan, etc. are shown, but there is no adjustment shown for the movie channels. Therefore, I am being charged for these channels.

So, it's back on the phone with Dish, reminding them they told me there would be an adjustment. I'll post an update.

You have to call and call and call. E-mail and e-mail and e-mail.

I had the same problem and just kept bugging them till you finally get someone who will react.

I think the CSR's are taught to ignore hoping you will go away. You just have to keep bugging them.

Another update on the Dish customer service adventure...

Despite my failed first attempt at e-mailing customer service, I tried that route again. That got me nowhere, as it took a couple of days for a reply and I was just told I'm out of luck. Prior to the e-mail reply, I had the wife make a phone call to customer service, as she seems to have better luck with them. They told her we would receive a credit to compensate for being charged for the movie channels. However, the bill was for two months and the wife believes the CS representative said we will be given a credit for one month. We'll see when that credit shows up online, and how many months it's for. I have a feeling we'll be back on the phone again.

Also, the other issue I had when I signed up was regarding my brother's credit for refering me. There is no sign of that credit yet, so the wife also asked about that. Dish apparently has no record of that, although I clearly typed in the number on the web site when I signed up. Now my brother has to call and get that straightened out.

I enjoy Dish programming and the equipment, but Dish seems quite disorganized. I've been a customer a little over a month and a half, and it's been an adventure so far.

I see 2 errors
1) Your brother has to activate the Club DISH gift card before you order.http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/customer_service/offers/clubDish/index.shtml



2) E mail is not the answer-Telephone calls get it done

Thanks for the tips. I'll have to ask him if he activated it. I guess we were under the impression that all I had to do was type in the number in the box on the web site. It just seems like Dish makes things more complicated than it should be. And, you're absolutely right about telephone vs. e-mail. I should have learned that the first time.

Sorry I'm kind of venting on this forum. I know people sometimes do research here when deciding on which service to go with. I just want to alert those people of what issues may come up, not with just Dish, but any company.