Pay TV
The Hudsons recently switched from cable to Direct TV. We got tired of our cable bill going up a little bit almost every month. I came to the conclusion that the cable companies have figured out just how much to raise your bill almost monthly---a little bit at a time---so that you will not complain and switch to another provider. They’ve got consumers psyched out.
And another thing. Can you explain your cable bill? All of the many line items? The fees, the taxes? Well, neither can I. They do it deliberately so you can’t figure out how much they’re bilking you.
So we switched to Direct TV, working from an ad in our Sunday paper. We watch only a handful of stations---no movies or exotica---so all we need is a basic package. The ad said $29.99 a month for 12 months.
What we discovered is that that rate is dependent on a redemption that takes roughly two months to consumate. Therefore, when you start you have to pay the regular rate for two months and THEN you get the $29.99 for twelve months. This proviso is buried in the small print and unless you question the sales person carefully, you will not understand this.
So we were shocked when got our first bill and it was not $29.99.
I called and complained. The person knew I wasn’t going to go away. I was transferred to the second level of customer service. It took threats and the considered raising of my voice before they gave us $29.99 from the start.
These people will see how much they can get away with. If you don’t complain, they take advantage of false or misleading advertising. You have to push them inch by inch to get what you were promised.
The question I wish to ask is this: why do these companies do business this way? Why can’t they be straight-forward in their pricing? Why the gimmicks and the pricing games? Is this what is necessary in a very competitive war between cable and satellite?
They must think they HAVE to do it this way. If so, it’s a sorry business and I’m glad I’m not in it.
And another thing. Can you explain your cable bill? All of the many line items? The fees, the taxes? Well, neither can I. They do it deliberately so you can’t figure out how much they’re bilking you.
So we switched to Direct TV, working from an ad in our Sunday paper. We watch only a handful of stations---no movies or exotica---so all we need is a basic package. The ad said $29.99 a month for 12 months.
What we discovered is that that rate is dependent on a redemption that takes roughly two months to consumate. Therefore, when you start you have to pay the regular rate for two months and THEN you get the $29.99 for twelve months. This proviso is buried in the small print and unless you question the sales person carefully, you will not understand this.
So we were shocked when got our first bill and it was not $29.99.
I called and complained. The person knew I wasn’t going to go away. I was transferred to the second level of customer service. It took threats and the considered raising of my voice before they gave us $29.99 from the start.
These people will see how much they can get away with. If you don’t complain, they take advantage of false or misleading advertising. You have to push them inch by inch to get what you were promised.
The question I wish to ask is this: why do these companies do business this way? Why can’t they be straight-forward in their pricing? Why the gimmicks and the pricing games? Is this what is necessary in a very competitive war between cable and satellite?
They must think they HAVE to do it this way. If so, it’s a sorry business and I’m glad I’m not in it.
posted by Fred Hudson at 7:32 AM
1 Comments:
I've had trouble with DirecTV too.
I got my Comcast going yesterday. It was so simple and easy. No one had to come out to set it up. I just got the equipment and presto. So much better than DirecTV.
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