The more I read this post, the most confused I am
Rant Mode: ON
All I want is an affordable whole home solution for 3 HD sets, without multiple rental and mirror fees, and preferably with an affordable DVR. The current "new customer" offers meets the first requirement and I was willing to wait on the DVR since I do not see it happening until April. I have a single VOOM receiver that is rarely being used now that winter is almost upon us; it is located sub-level HT Room (zero WAF do to the cold leather furniture). Also, our winter working hours (in bed at 8pm - up at 4:30am) make it impossible to enjoy service without additional receivers in the family room and bedroom. The crappy cable HD DVR made it simple to enjoy a somewhat normal viewing schedule - a receiver in the bedroom would sure help in the short-term.
First 3 weeks in November - contacted VOOM and attempted to get a 2nd and 3rd receiver and have the $199 installation charge waived. I had already ran the coax cables so installation would consist of attaching the connectors and setup & activate both receivers...even a dope would be in and out in 20 minutes. VOOM would not budge on the installation charge even though I was under no service obligation. NTB!
23 Nov - call VOOM to cancel service so I could later subscribe as a 'New Customer' after my deinstallation. The CSR told me about the upcoming 'Current Customer' promotion starting on 1 Dec ($49/$5/6 mo) and offered me a $25 retention credit if I would call back on or after 1 Dec. I agreed! Except for the HD DVR, that will take care of my base requirement and we will be VA VA VOOMin' throughout the house.
1 Dec - in a nutshell, I was told the offer was placed into a virtual hold and that nobody knew nothin' about nothin'...well, now ain't that somethin'.
However, my order was solicited for the 'New Customer' promotion ($1/$5/6 mo) and that it would be forwarded to the 'Escalation Department' for approval. I actually received a call from VOOM two days later stating they approved my request, but the terms were ($49/$5/6 mo). No problem...until I asked about: my grandfathered status, if the $5 rental would include my existing STB, and if the $5 rental would be for the life of the contract or for just 6 months.
Crickets Chirping.................. :sleeo
However, I was told that someone would get back with me...but I never received that call. Also, since the details of the promotion were not, and are still not, published on the VOOM website nor readily known to many of the CSRs or their Supervisors, I asked that I receive a detailed e-mail explaining the terms and conditions of this offer in addition to having someone contact me...I never received that e-mail. Install was scheduled for Saturday 8-12, 11 Dec.
8 Dec and again on 9 Dec - call Installs Inc. and get the phone number to the local subcontractor. Since they in turn subcontract my install out to yet another subcontractor, I ask them to contact me in order to verify receipt of the VOOM receivers and confirm the installation date/time. Is this too much to ask? My weekend schedule was quite flexible, but I do have my fair share of work commitments and Christmas shopping. I just need to inform the installer how ridiculously easy I have made this work order and tell him that he can schedule his work hours around me and do the work at midnight if he so chooses... just need to know his schedule, pass along my cell phone number and verify that he is, in fact, in possession of the receivers. Ugh! Well, I am never contacted by the installer and the subcontractor cannot confirm receipt of the equipment. Subcontractor and subcontractor of subcontractor had my home phone, work phone, and cell phone numbers for 3 full days, yet I received zero (0) phone calls.
10 Dec - call VOOM and cancel installation since I have not received an e-mail or call from VOOM nor did I received appointment verification from any of the subcontractors. As you can tell, I have been burned by the VOOM installers in the past.
11 Dec - at 1:57pm I receive a call from the installer on my cell phone. He states that he is running late and that he is about an hour away. I informed him that I cancelled the appointment because I had not received confirmation from the installer (YOU) that the equipment was received and that you would be on time for your appointment. He told me he could still do an install or deinstall, but I explained that I was out with my family Christmas shopping and that he should have called earlier. Installer claimed that he didn't receive my Installs Inc./VOOM work order until Friday and that the work order was unclear as to whether this was an AM or PM install. Ok, I quickly pointed out to the Big Liar that I received an Installs Inc./VOOM work order via e-mail on the 3rd of Dec noting the appointment between the hours of 8am and noon. Plus, how the hell was he calling me on my cell phone when the only party I gave provide this information to was the one who hired him for the job? Yikes!
Yesterday - I had my VOOM service turned-off yesterday...however, the receiver will not be picked up until the 18th. Since my billing date is the 17th, the CSR told me that I would be charged for the next month of service and that VOOM would refund my account at some unknown point in the distant future after the equipment was returned.
Rant Mode: OFF
Believe it or not I really enjoy VOOM programming and like many of things they are trying to accomplish. However, the Good Ship VOOM is being captained by what appears to be Skipper & Gilligan; this ship of fools elects to steer into danger and is charting a course toward destruction. Hmmm. Is anyone running the show?
VOOM:
Change your stupid deintall/reinstall policy! If you're going to extend this offer to current customers without the requirement for them to first deinstall their service, then you had better put this information in writing! No offense, but your CSRs have little credibility in my house and I have little doubt that I would get socked with a $199 installation charge and perhaps wind up paying higher service rates and the base multi-IRD rental and mirror fees. Without first terminating service, you are asking us to enter into a contract with VOOM based solely on the word of your oft misinformed CSRs.
Send me, and existing customers, the F'ing receivers, multi-switch, cables and connectors and I'll/we'll do the rest. Personally, unless I see a VOOM work van pull into my driveway, I am inclined to keep my doors locked. How about this...if I need help, I'll call and you can bill me for service call?
