Directv's Better Business Bureau Rating: F

That's pretty hard to do. The BBB tends to be sympathetic to big business. Directv managed it. 

To read the details on the BBB site, click here 

This is a private and independent consumer site not associated with Directv. It is designed to educate consumers about, and to discuss, Directv's shoddy customer service.

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To offer feedback or share experiences, contact us at:

directvcomplaints@hotmail.com

(Again, that does NOT go to Directv. It goes to the operators of this private consumers Web site.)

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This site was founded to disclose and discuss our experience with Directv's insistence on collecting a $400 cancellation fee from us -- and others -- after the company broke the promises made in its sales pitches. We believe that by breaking those promises, Directv both morally and legally violates its contracts with consumers.  

Since this site was started, the feedback has demonstrated that a multitude of other customers have been similarly betrayed and mistreated in their dealings with Directv on a wide variety of issues. Our only regret about this site is that most encountering it already have had their negative experiences with this company and only wish they had checked the company's reputation before succumbing to the funny ads and sales pitches. We know we sure feel that way. However, if you're smarter than we were and are checking into the company in advance, we can't or won't tell you what to do. But we can say this with considerable confidence: Caveat emptor.     

This much we know:

a) A contract with Directv is a one-way street.

b) Directv's ad campaign mentions next-day installation. Note that in the fast-talk disclaimers at the end of the ad, you're told that's subject to availability. 

c) Even if they come through with next-day installation (doubtful), they don't tell you that they emphasize installation at the cost of repair and maintenance and if you ever need to repair their faulty equipment, they might take over a week to restore your service.

d) Directv can't be trusted. Not even with your credit or debit card number.  

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"DIRECTV CUSTOMER PROMISE

Committed to the principles of honesty and integrity, our employees are determined to provide you

with prompt, courteous and excellent service."

That's very, very funny, in light of the fact that Directv's practices and customer service record contradict that pledge. There should be a picture of a Directv executive with one hand raised, and with the other behind his or her back -- with fingers crossed. These are not isolated problems involving human mistakes or technical glitches. We all understand that happens. Some of us don't even subscribe to the "customer is always right" credo, because the customer isn't always right. Rather, this is about a malevolent, often incompetent company that has made a business decision to be mean-spirited with reasonable customers who have not been provided promised quality of service. These are not people pulling fast ones, making unreasonable demands or simply attempting to dodge paying for service. These are customers who perhaps enjoyed the television ads, believed the sales representative and trusted a giant of a company. They deserve better -- and feel betrayed and abused for being so maltreated.       

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      Directv promises to us included, but were not limited to, that it would provide functioning equipment, quality satellite television service, and prompt attention to repair when something went wrong. The company broke those promises, and more.

     This company has prioritized sales and marketing and getting subscribers on the hook. Judging from our experience and looking at complaints on other Web sites, it has a woeful after-the-sale support system and service, and insists its people play hardball with anyone who points out when the company has not lived up to its promises -- both legally and morally. 

     What Happened to Us 

     We were all but tackled by a Directv salesperson at Best Buy. (Best Buy should be ashamed of being associated with this company.) 

     In the Directv sales pitch, the salesperson did not disclose that its "techs," at least in our major metropolitan area, are not employees. They are independent contractors, and all indications are that while some are terrific, some are not. Regardless, there aren't enough of them. 

      We had an outage. It could not have been weather-related. We tried the basic troubleshooting procedures. We were told we would end up being without service for nine days before a tech could get to us after their equipment malfunctioned (and not for the first time in our roughly 95 days of Directv service). 

     A nine-day outage is not acceptable under any circumstances.    

     We canceled in that phone call. The agent emphasized the cancellation fee would be enforced; we said they had broken their promises to us and, thus, the contract. Surely, they wouldn't have the nerve to claim, both in the legal and moral sense, that Directv had lived up to its end of the contract, would they? (Unfortunately, they did.)    

     Within a 24-hour period, we got three calls from retention agents who didn't know the calls were repetitive. It might have been four; we lost count. All upped the ante each time. They kept tossing in more credits (getting up to $150!) and a free service call. Interesting...their equipment doesn't work and we get to pay to fix it.     

     In  our case, each time we said we already had signed back up with the MegaCable company they belittle in their ads. MegaCable came out quickly and had us back up and running. In  subsequent  communications with various levels of Directv customer service representatives, both by email and phone, all we got was stonewalling, no embarrassment about what would have been a nine-day delay in restoring our service, and an insistence that the $400 cancellation fee would be enforced. We were supposed to sit there for nine days without television service and take it, while knowing that the repeated problems with their equipment didn't inspire a lot of confidence that this wouldn't happen again. And again. 

      Here's another funny contradiction: They claim the cancellation fee is because the cost of equipment is discounted significantly to new subscribers. But you're only leasing it! After our cancellation, they sent us FedEx boxes to send back the receivers and DVR, which is fine, but the threatening note was that it had to reach them within seven days after we received the boxes. That wasn't hard, and good riddance, but it was darkly hilarious that the period we had to return the equipment was less time than they told us it would take to get someone out to restore our service with their malfunctioning equipment. They did say they did not want the satellite dish back. Maybe they figured out the thing didn't work, anyway.     

      Legalities aside, the company's too-bad stance and refusal to stand behind its promises is shabby. Plus, it contributes to a burgeoning image of the company as one that mocks its own customer-friendly pledge. And there is just a right way to do things. This isn't it. 

      This must be a calculated business decision and the Directv people have been told to show no flexibility...or common sense and decency. They want you finding out, after checking around, that you can't win by refusing to pay them the cancellation fee. The track record is that Directv will harass you and you will end up having to pay because the average consumer will give in rather than facing the harassment and collection, if it comes to that.

       Yes, we sheepishly admit they "won." We were determined to refuse to pay the cancellation fee. We canceled the debit card they had on file. We don't know if they tried to collect it from that, but they sent us a bill. (The BBB record seems to indicate they will simply charge your card.) We reluctantly decided to do pay to avoid being subjected to that well-documented harassment.  

       The bill comes with the amount in red, accompanied with a "due immediately!" and an implication that they'll be knocking on your door within about 27 seconds. And the evidence on the Web is that they won't let up. It isn't practical to sue, though the California class-action lawsuit might change that.  

         That's their image. They're proud of it! They probably like this web site! We're "helping" pass along the message that they'll not back down and they will harass you on the cancellation fee, regardless of the merit of your grievance. That might bother me more than anything else: THEY'RE PROUD OF THIS HORRIBLE REPUTATION, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T GET TO PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS. That's the ultimate arrogance. 

         It is not just about the cancellation fee. It is about equipment that did not work. We were old many times that Directv had "18 million customers," as if that answered all questions. Well, here's another one: They can't use some of the money coming in to hire enough people to work in the field and to supply equipment that is properly installed and works? Directv went back on its word and did not back up its pledges on several different levels. We'll certainly wait our turn for a visit from a tech to repair their faulty equipment, but nobody disclosed to us when we signed up that the wait would be nine days. They're that shorthanded in a major city, and that's without even considering the issue of whether them being that backlogged indicates widespread problems with the equipment and service -- and not just installation appointments. Nobody could credibly claim in court or the court of public opinion that a nine-day wait is "prompt, courteous and excellent service." 
     The snail-mail exchanges with the Customer Service department were even worse. In response to our extensively documented issues, we received a letter back from Customer Service that was unsigned by a real human being and sounded suspiciously like a form letter. "Unfortunately, your DIRECTV account was downgraded, disconnected, or terminated before your DIRECTV commitment was met..." And so on, then: "Sincerely, DIRECTV Customer Service." We sent in more information and asked for something other than a form letter. Two weeks later, we received the same form letter, word for word -- with only the date changed.

     That's real professional. That's real responsive. That's also what we have come to expect from this company.

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     Other Responses 

     For the record, everything in this note is something we communicated to Directv, to no avail.    

     Again, if this strikes a chord and you have stories to tell, or simply want to compare notes, please send them to directvcomplaints@hotmail.com.

     Regardless, please pass around this link if you're so inclined.

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     Stories and other sites:

(Story about complaints to the state of Wisconsin)

http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/pi/43146312.html

(Complaints message board)

http://www.complaintsboard.com/bycompany/direct-tv-a72.html

(Story about class action lawsuit in California)

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/07/ca_directv.html
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