Voters Say DISH Receives More Service Calls

[silversurfer]

From our friends at SkyRetailer.com

C-Band, DirecTV Close Behind

It started out as a poll to determine which satellite TV service received more service calls from subscribers, and later the poll confirmed what many may have known already. But, after nearly 250 votes in a two week time frame, democracy has spoken: DISH Network is the satellite TV company that receives the most service calls for its equipment.

However, this could also fall on the appropriate methods of training involved with satellite TV - namely the SBCA's National Standards and Testing Program. Are retailers receiving enough training? Are they receiving the right training?

According to the SkyRETAILER poll, 35.7 percent said a DISH Network system receives the most service calls. And, 33.7 percent said C-Band was service call prone and DirecTV was the least of the three at 30.5 percent. Still, a pretty even trouble call.

What does this mean? Although the poll is highly unscientific and more of a snapshot of readership opinion, it does shine a light on a very troublesome issue: Product quality. Is DISH Network (and all of satellite TV for that matter) producing equipment to the minimal standards?

Some retailers also complained that DISH fails to meet its "seal" of quality ... but that could be said about all of the platform providers. And, retailers and installers can be at fault for service calls as well. If a satellite TV installation is performed inadequately, customers will react.

So, in essence, we need feedback on these issues. E-mail SkyRETAILER your thoughts and let us know your experiences: ryan@mediabiz.com.

 

[DenR]

From our friends at SkyRetailer.com

C-Band, DirecTV Close Behind

It started out as a poll to determine which satellite TV service received more service calls from subscribers, and later the poll confirmed what many may have known already. But, after nearly 250 votes in a two week time frame, democracy has spoken: DISH Network is the satellite TV company that receives the most service calls for its equipment.

However, this could also fall on the appropriate methods of training involved with satellite TV - namely the SBCA's National Standards and Testing Program. Are retailers receiving enough training? Are they receiving the right training?

According to the SkyRETAILER poll, 35.7 percent said a DISH Network system receives the most service calls. And, 33.7 percent said C-Band was service call prone and DirecTV was the least of the three at 30.5 percent. Still, a pretty even trouble call.

What does this mean? Although the poll is highly unscientific and more of a snapshot of readership opinion, it does shine a light on a very troublesome issue: Product quality. Is DISH Network (and all of satellite TV for that matter) producing equipment to the minimal standards?

Some retailers also complained that DISH fails to meet its "seal" of quality ... but that could be said about all of the platform providers. And, retailers and installers can be at fault for service calls as well. If a satellite TV installation is performed inadequately, customers will react.

So, in essence, we need feedback on these issues. E-mail SkyRETAILER your thoughts and let us know your experiences: ryan@mediabiz.com.

Talk about an unscientific poll. I would day they are all within the margin of error.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

And most of the replies were sent in from Bob Haller.

 

[Stargazer]

Well I would agree that Dish would have more service calls than DirecTv due to switches being used, multiple satellite dish antenna's on every installation the past few years (Dish500), and hardware that is probably less reliable. Things can only get worse with the SuperDish coming out and dont forget about the DVR receivers, they tend to have more problems than the other dish receivers. As technology advances so do the problems.

 

[Randy_B]

. . . And the Dish philosophy of using paying customers as unwilling beta testers.

 

[Ransack]

. . . And the Dish philosophy of using paying customers as unwilling beta testers.

If every company ever waited to release a 100% perfect product, then our economy would come to a complete stand still as very few products would be released. Also, you don't find every bug in beta testing and unfortunately, that means it's already in the hands of the consumer. It then up the the individual company in how they deal with it..

 

[silversurfer]

Satellite TV Poll Invokes Major Reaction

From our friends at SkyRetailer.com

Retailers Swarm Editor's E-mail Inbox

After publishing our story on the SkyRETAILER poll asking which satellite TV provider (DISH, DirecTV or C-Band) receives more service calls, retailers wrote furiously to include their personal opinions and views. To say the least, SkyRETAILER's e-mail inbox was inundated with e-mails from those who supported our findings and those who thought we were way off.

(To read last week's story on the poll, visit http://www.skyretailer.com/viewskyretailer.cfm?ReleaseID=431#Story1)

Although the poll favored DISH as the service that receives more calls, it was a close race - DirecTV and C-Band weren't far behind. Here are some of our e-mail reactions throughout the past week (the retailers quoted below are kept anonymous):

--"In our experience, very few service calls are a result of poor quality equipment or poor quality 'professional' installations. There are many, many things that trigger service calls. Failed equipment/poor 'professional' installation accounts for just a small percentage of them. Many of our service calls are a result of poor self-installations. Many are caused by the customer's inability to understand and operate their system. In the summer time, thunderstorms will cause a lot of service work."

--"The satellite companies have, in some respects, brought on the high percentage of service calls on themselves. By continuously cutting install fees, or asking more for the same install fee, the satellite companies are, in essence, getting what they pay for."

--"I have had a C-Band 4D high-definition TV system for over eight years and can honestly say in that time frame I've only had to replace one LNB, which I did myself."

Thanks to all the retailers that replied and wrote SkyRETAILER. Your participation in this is greatly appreciated and is desired in future polls and requests for comments.

 

[jlhugh]

Let's just put it this way. I know of installers that screw up on purpose, so they can come back a month or 2 later for the service call and get the extra $$$.

 

[Nick]

Consumer Competency Questioned

It seems everyone has forgotten the most serious technical problem ever
faced by consumers -- the ubiquitous flashing 12:00 on VCRs around the
world. Despite millions of complaints by hapless VCR owners, electronics
manufacturers continued to replicate the design flaw, causing millions of
users to tear their hair out in frustration.

One victim of the flashing 12:00 syndrome was quoted as saying "I've tried
watching movies, but that flashing 12:00 was so darn distracting I just gave
it up and went fishing. Our kids have tons of movies they are unable to enjoy,
so they just go outside to play. It's so sad."

After receiving thousands of complaints about the flashing 12:00 VCR design
flaw, the CEA announced an investigation would be opened into charges that
most electronics manufacturers were oblivious to consumer needs in failing to
address the issue.

After inteviewing groups of consumers, design engineers, manufacturers and
retailers, the CEA concluded that the root cause of the flashing 12:00 problem
was that the average consumer was simply unable to understand the most basic
owner manual instructions and, therefor, is unqualified to operate any consumer
products more complicated than a toaster.

The CEA, in a press-release, said it will partner with DeVry College, a nationwide
chain of technical schools, to develop special courses to instruct consumers in the
proper use of their electronic products. Course offerings will include:

VCR 101 - How to tell time with your VCR
DVD 101 - Playing with your discs like frizbees
TV - 110 - Hooking up a "Rabbit-ear(s)"
DBS 120 - How to call for technical support
C-Band* - Alien signals and what they really mean (course conducted by S.E.T.I)

*Graduate level only, some prerequisite courses may apply
Those completing special education courses will receive completion certificates
in specific categories suitable for framing. Consideration is now being given to the
requirement that consumers show the appropriate certificate before purchasing
electronic products.