Working the Man!
One thing that really irks me is how most companies treat existing clients. This would include both Dish Network and DIRECTV.
They don’t seem to really care about you unless 1. you are a potential customer, or 2. you ask to leave. In either one of these scenarios you seem to hold more cards.
I’ve owned both Dish Network and DIRECTV. Honestly, I can’t say one is better than the other - hence this website. They both have their pros and cons.
It seems quite easy to continue to jump back and forth though. I’m currently with DIRECTV, but I have a game plan as follows:
When August rolls around, my 2 year contract ends. I’m a free man. I plan on calling them asking them to quit. Once you call in to you quit to get transferred to an account specialist. I’ll see what they have to offer. If it is better than whatever the latest promotion with Dish Network is then I will likely stay with them. I think that would include getting a free DVR upgrade on one of our TVs and sending out a tech to put another cable to that TV.
If I don’t like the deal and if it doesn’t even compare to what they offer to their new customers I will likely quit just out of principle.
I will then get the latest deal from Dish Network. For the channels that we get their package may be about $10.00 cheaper per month. I will sign up in my wife’s name this time though.
After 2 yeas with Dish (I think their contract is only for one year, but that’s ok) I’ll go through the same process. Each time I do, I will change the name on the account, or do both our names. I think they keep track of former users so you can’t get new customer deals again - which I think is stupid really. Absurd!
So if I follow this pattern, I will get a new deal and new equipment every two years. It’s really win-win-win-win. I win because I get new equipment & promotion specials every two years. Dealers such as Expert Satellite and DishPronto get commission on the “new” sale. Installers get paid to come out and install the system at my house. DIRECTV and Dish Network still get to have me as a customer every two years, and despite them paying commission and for my new equipment every two years, I still believe the are pulling in a profit.
Hey maybe someday they will learn the value of existing customers (much like State Farm insurance) and give incentives to stick around longer than two years!
