DISH installation nightmare, PLEASE HELP!!!

[freebird2000]

so i ordered DISH Network's HD Gold package (with the 622) two weeks ago and scheduled the installation for today between 12 and 5p in Los Angeles.

i am in northern california working. wife is home recuperating from a major surgery. i made arrangements to come home this weekend to set up the DVR for her and schedule all her shows, etc. so she can enjoy the new Dish HD and HDTV while she gets better. Great.

So the Dish dispatcher calls me at 4:30p saying can someone please let in the installer, he's outside. now, i happened to be on the other line with my wife at the time. i told the dispatcher, hang on, i'll tell her. so as i'm listening, she opens the door looks around, yells out and sees and hears no one. i click back over and tell the dispatcher, there's no one there. after a few minutes, he tells me that the installer is in the alley. i said fine, just have him walk to the front door (hello?!?).

so then the guy shows up at the door. he starts off by saying that he's afraid he can't do the installation because there's no where for him to park. he can't park right out front because it's posted no parking between 3-7pm. so he offers to just come back some other time. uh, no. so my wife walks down with the guy and points to the side street 40 feet away with clear parking. now he say's he still can't do it because that's too far to carry his ladder. seriously.

so, my wife says, don't worry, it's fine. you'll be fine. 10 minutes later, the guy comes back and says, sorry he can't do the installation today because he doesn't have a tall enough ladder. now, when i made the appointment to set up the installation, i told them that i live on the second floor of a two story apartment building. still, the guy can't help, he says, cause he doesn't have the right ladder and he can't go back and get a taller ladder. then the guy leaves. probably spent about 30 seconds inside my place, 3 minutes scouting the building, 10 minutes parking and he's gone. WTF???

i am LIVID! so i call the Dish customer service number. I start off by asking Janice to speak to a manager. Ok, she says, but first i just need to write this down. after i tell her that i'm extremely frustrated, she says she sees in the notes that the installer didn't have the right ladder. now problem, she says, she'll just re-schedule the installation IN ANOTHER TWO WEEKS! i said, no Janice, i need a supervisor. After 15 minutes on hold, i'm suddenely disconnected.

Next i talk to Steve, who is kind enough to get me on with a supervisor, Adam. Adam says, gosh, sorry about that. i can offer you a $10 credit. and the next installation is IN ANOTHER TWO WEEKS. uh, no Adam, that doesn't cut it. i asked to talk to another manager.

Next i get Brad. Brad says, jee, i'm sorry about that. I'd call the LA installation office, but they're closed. BUT, i can offer you a free month of basic programming. No thanks, Brad, i said. i don't really want free basic programming for a month. i'm happy to pay for my service. i just want it installed correctly. so he says that i need to call them in the morning and the supervisor will call the local dispatcher and find out when the next available appointment is. well, we all know where that's headed.

if it wasn't for that 622, i'd tell them to go to hell. but i really want that thing! has anyone else dealt with this with Dish service? Are all the installers so incompetent? Has anyone ever called the corporate office? cause that's where i'm starting tomorrow. anyone else have any other suggestions? i am sooo frustrated. thanks.

freebird2000

[wrecker06]

dude, seriously email ceo@echostar.com

They email you back the same day and I had similar issues with my install. They had 2 installers and a supervisor out the NEXT DAY to install my system.

[freebird2000]

wrecker06,

THANKS!!! i am going to send this email off right now!

i'll let you know what happens!

freebird2000

[Downeaster]

I will give you one clue that I have discovered about dish installers. Always and I mean Always
set up your appointments for the morning, as they
are normally always late, and if its an afternoon,
you may wait around all day, and then receive a
call from the installer, that they won't be able to
do the job so reschedule. They are all local employees of a local satellite shop. So all are
different.

[crazyal]

I called Dish to set up an appointment (I wanted the 622 too.) and got a 30 day wait just to get the 622 in then they would set up an installation time. After looking for alternate places to suscribe I found a few local stores (Sears was worthless). Two of the locals said they had the 622 in stock and they did the installation themselves. I was able to walk in on a Thursday night and sign up and Friday morning they had a guy installing the dishes. This guy was very willing to put the dishes where I wanted and I would recomend to anyone to try this option.

[geoinacton]

I had no problems with my original Dish installation a couple of years ago. I decided to upgrade to the VIP622 and get all the HD channels. I signed up on May 22. Ten days later I called back and the order had been lost. They did manage to charge my credit card, though. I placed the order again and then spoke to various supervisors, but no one was willing to move up my VIP622/Dish 1000 installation date. I now have the 622, but I have to wait another week for the install. I've never done business before with a company that makes you go to the end of the line again when it's their fault the order was lost.

That said, I'm sure I'll be a lot happier next week. The VIP622 looks like a great machine and Dish has a great HD channel lineup.

I will say that I've always had good service from the Dish technical support folks.

[fredinva]

If you want a water softener do you call Culligans Headquarter office?
If you want a GM or Ford product do you call Detroit?

I've said it a dozen times here: CALL A LOCAL RETAILER.

fred

[wrecker06]

Fred in VA, You can do all of the above that you mentioned if something is not as it was promised to you by Culligan or Ford! That's what they're there for. Or do you prefer to sit back and wait 2 or 3 months for your install when you've already waited 1 month?

Besides, what local retailer offers Dish Network? Here in San Francisco the only chains we have are Best Buy (only offers DirecTV), Circuit City (only offers DirecTv) and Fry's (offers Dish, but you can't find anyone to help and when you can, Starkeisha, Kornita and Sharonda don't know anything about the system or programming and obviously don't care).

When you call Dish Network things just never seem to come to fruition . Install dates get pushed back, things don't show up, etc. The CEO@Echostar.com email is a great option. It's obviously not the CEO, but it is a Customer Relations email address that is much faster than having to sit on hold for 10-20 minutes waiting to talk to Boptar in India who you can't understand half the time or doesn't understand your question so they put you on "hold" and you magically get disconnected.

Anytime I have an issue with Dish CSR's, or I get the run around when trying to fix a problem, you can bet your sweet (_I_) I'll be using the ceo@echostar.com email.