Customer service has hit an abysmal low level. Been long time customer with direct tv, including my service at my last address for 3 years. Hit the point where I don’t ever see myself returning, and will persuade others to seek different options. Few instances that have spurred me to feel the need for this complaint.
The latest being I moved and had to cancel service (no longer under a contract). Called in and service was canceled and I thought everything was good and squared away. I canceled service as of 11-1-21. Service start and end date is of the 21st each month. Was told service will be canceled as of the 1st. Remaining will be prorated and credited back. The return kit was supposed to be sent to my new address. All good, right? Far from the case!
The kit was sent to the wrong address. Was sent to where service was instead of the new updated address I specifically gave them. No big deal. I’ll call and get corrected and sent to the address it should have. While I tried to do that I legit had to speak to 6 different reps. For something as simple as correcting the kit shipping address (i was not able to go to local FedEx store at time. no location near). Reason I kept talking to different people, is I would speak to someone and kept getting transferred to wrong department. Somehow 4 different times ended up with internet service customer dept. Even after specifically telling each rep what just happened and I keep getting put to internet when I wanted direct tv. Each time explaining situation and my information. A simple address change request turns into 40+ minutes on phone to correct a mistake that direct tv made originally in first place!
Then fast forward to Nov 17th, I had over $300 auto deducted from my bank account by direct tv. Several problems with this. One being I specifically went on my direct tv online account and turned off auto pay. (Actually turned it off the prior billing cycle). One reason being I was waiting for final corrected bill with my prorated credit, so I could pay my final total. Also the bank account on my direct tv account I was no longer using as I moved, and no longer depositing money into that account. At this time, I’m still waiting on the kit to return equipment and still never received a corrected bill, but somehow someway direct tv went in and auto deducted money from my previous bank. Causing it to overdraft as I no longer used it and was hit by a fee by the bank. And included in that $300 was the amount that was never supposed to be charged for (the prorated credit from the service I canceled).
I called in to see what was going on and obviously frustrated. Legit again spoke to 5 different people. Each time was told either I was in wrong dept., or they didn’t have authorization to help and had to transfer, or in one case I was accidentally transferred by one of them to the internet dept! With each time explaining my situation and information. Finally after getting through to someone high enough up in the customer loyalty dept of direct tv, he got the situation corrected. Which as it turns out was a pretty easy fix for him and something he quickly identified was a mistake by original direct tv rep who canceled my service. Although he couldn’t explain to me how my auto pay automatically turned back on and how that amount was charged like that on a closed account (he verified that he saw auto pay was turned off on his end). But at least he was honest enough to say he didn’t know how it happened and didn’t want to just lie and speculate. Respect!
Mistakes happen. We get that. But when it comes at the expense of your customers to call in and spend on average 30-60 mins and speak to multiple people each time for a simple fix to a mistake that direct tv did. That is a problem! Also not having properly trained staff to make sure transferring to the correct “next person” in line or even giving your employees enough power to handle certain requests where they have to go to the next step up, is again at the expense of your customers! Each time having to give each employee information on account just to finally get to end and realize that they can’t help you..How much time does that waste for each call? Add in the fact that you now have frustrated customers on the line all this time and getting more and more frustrated by the minute with each person they talk to and have to explain the situation to, that frustration is directed unfortunately at alot of your employees, specifically at the lower level. (Sure that doesn’t help employee moral and turnover). Which can again be easily avoided with proper training or allowing them the room and power to handle most requests.
In summation all your process and internal mistakes all come at the expense of your customers and initial contact employees!
Not to mention in addition to this, I had another situation after a year in my contract, when a rep for direct tv told me how he could lower my bill and get me free nfl sunday ticket deal, which I talked and worked it all out with him and he said this would all be reflected in next bill (this came about when I originally called in to remove a few channels after a promotion ran out). And come to see in the next bill none of that was the case and I was charged for everything I signed up for. After calling in several times and talking to several people again. I was told by one person “Just keep waiting it will be reflective on next bill.” Or by another person saying “that deal wasn’t valid and they didn’t know why that rep offered me that, that it couldn’t be given.” Which if it was a mistake by that rep, you still have someone representing direct tv offering it. Maybe that’s their mistake or mistake in training but either way that shouldn’t be your customer problem! Finally after many more calls I got to the “right” person in loyalty dept and he did honor everything I was offered. But again it took non stop calls. Transferring to different people. Lots of time wasted on phone calls. Frustration with alot of initial reps to achieve this!
I have no idea how I could ever justify returning to direct tv ever again with this type of service. And any time I can persuade others in future to steer clear, I will do that. With all the streaming services out there these days that are far far cheaper. All these other options, you would think now more than ever direct tv would up their customer service game. But its gone the other way. I’m never usually the one that takes time to write up complaints, and to be honest, I’m not even looking for anything in return. I just hope direct tv now has all the mistakes fixed on my account and I can just be done with them for good. But I feel the need to make this known to anyone willing to read. If it saves another customer from joining direct tv and having to deal with them. Or maybe just one person in power for direct tv to see what kind of maddening culture they have created, then its worth it. Your customers and initial contact employees don’t deserve the frustration that comes with the dynamic and customer service protocols that a clueless corporation has created!
Found At: DirecTV: Reviews, Complaints, Customer Claims, Page 5 | ComplaintsBoard