BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
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Can you negotiate with DirecTV? (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter oukurt
- Start date
jamny
Footballguy
When I called, I told them I didn't want to fake cancel, I like directv but just want to lower my bill. I asked them what they have and got the $40 off a month. They offered $5 off on HBO but I cancelled that since I only watch Vice News right now and didn't care if I didn't have it. I'll call back eventually and see if I can get the 6 month free offer. I also dropped my package from Xtra to Choice.
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Brony
Footballguy
I dread this yearly call. Your situation sounds similar to mine. Last year for the first time ever, I needed to actually disconnect. They sent me the boxes and everything. We were on vacation for two weeks so I didn't care. Spent two hours of my vacation making phone calls and got Xtra package for $70/month ($54 off for 12 months), then it would go up to $77 for months 13-24, free Sunday ticket max, and either a $100 or $200 gift card, I don't recall. Forgot that Sunday ticket would be auto renewing and saw my bill was $50 higher this month as they charged me for the first month. I'm on direct credit card billing so the transaction already went through.
I'm going to do the same as you today. I was just going to call to get ST off, ask for the installment to be refunded, and then would wait until my credits expire (third week in August), set disconnect date, etc. Hopefully I'll get a rep like you did. Is your payment really $33/month? Sounds like for the $600 you're getting, essentially you are getting $300 in discounts (so $50 off a month for 12 months) and free ST Max ($300 value). That's great and I'd take that. But I guess they are still honoring your "locked in rate" of $81/month for months 13-24 and then still giving you $50 off on top of that? If that's the case, your value is the $600 plus the $43ish/month x 12 months that you negotiated last year for months 13-24. That's incredible! I would have thought the guaranteed months 13-24 rate would expire if you changed the deal, but it sounds like it didn't for you. Will try today...
DA RAIDERS
Footballguy
I'm hoping to understand the success rate getting 1-year deal plus 1-year (or less) contract.
Can anyone offer feedback on what the current market is for 1-year or 2-year contracts?
The standard DTV pitch is 2-year deal, we'll give you a break year 1 then you get pounded year 2. That would suck for me for a variety of reasons.
TIA!
Can anyone offer feedback on what the current market is for 1-year or 2-year contracts?
The standard DTV pitch is 2-year deal, we'll give you a break year 1 then you get pounded year 2. That would suck for me for a variety of reasons.
TIA!
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
DA RAIDERS
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Are you sure that is the standard? I have been doing this call for years on end and I have never experienced that.
I have either experienced no contract needed, or if the contract is needed, the discounts remain in place for the entire contract.
ManOfSteelhead
Footballguy
I didn't even ask for the additional $50 off per month; he just asked if I'd stay if my payment was $33 a month and I said sure! Didn't push it asking for free Sunday ticket. I have been with them for at least 15 years (which we know counts for nothing), and they also thanked me for being a customer since 2017 (which is when I disconnected for a few hours) haha
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
rustycolts
Footballguy
You have to watch the no contract needed thing. I was with them for years. I always called and got my discounts with out a contract or so I thought. The last time I called I only got a 20 dollar discount evidently they put me on a contract then and notified me of this with an e-mail to an account I no longer used so I was not aware of it. About a month ago I wanted to try and negotiate a better deal because I was still paying a little over $100 a month. I told them if I couldn't get a better deal I would just cancel and go with an outside antenna and a streaming service. I was told I could not get anymore discounts at that time and that if I cancelled I would owe $105 in cancellation fees. Needless to say that pissed me off so I told them to disconnect and not to hold their breath for that payment because they will never get it. I had been with them for 17 years. Now I will never go back to them and if I can help it never buy another ATT product,
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
agreed.
To make sure I know what is going on, I always ask like 6 different times on the call specifically asking if this puts me on a contract or not (assuming they have not mentioned it).
On this specific recent call, the guy led with "no contract needed", as he was reading directly from his screen of promotions he could offer.
I have found that when I have been put on a contract, I tended to be getting some sort of free upgrade in equipment.
rustycolts
Footballguy
Yes I had done the same for years. I had been without a contract for probably 8 years because I had not upgraded anything. I had never had to have a contract on any of the discounts I had gotten in the past because the Ticket was never included. I worked on Sundays so did not need it. But I did drop the ball by not covering my own butt. It was still very aggravating and like I said hell will freeze over before they see that cancellation fee.
Worked myself up all day to make this phone call. Actually got a little anxiety about it.
Called, gave the same yearly spiel about it being too expensive, no time to watch, wife not happy, etc.
Said I wanted the ST removed from my account and the first installment credited back. The guy offered me 25% discount off of ST.
That's laughable. I said no thanks, I'm going to call back in a few weeks when my credits expire and I'll probably cancel Directv entirely at that time. Didn't seem to faze him and he just let me go.
I think now I should probably set a cancellation date? I'll call back in a few hours and set-up the date for after my credits expire.
skol asylum
Footballguy
Same here. Called to remove the ticket after getting charged the first installment (even though I asked last month to remove it and was assured they did. A follow-up chat the next day assured me they did even though it still.showed as a service online in my account setup.) NFL specialist offered 25% off. Said no thanks. Tried hard to sell me. You spend at least that much a week going to the bar. Said don't you like service? Yes, when it was free.
Gottabesweet
Footballguy
Just dominated!!! 25 minutes. See you next year.
disconnected at midnight. Called the 870-345-3640 number 16 hours later and said I got a call but couldn’t talk as I was at work (got no call). Lady was very nice and said yes we want you back etc as you probably just disconnected and we want to know why and can offer more than what you were previously.
Got $47 off 12 month commitment and then $65 more off 12 was the only other offer that showed up so she’s giving both. Said my bill will be $25.49 plus tax for choice extra and three TVs. I said you can’t be serious.
She gave me a number and told me to ask for her next year but I’ll call that bluff. Next year it’s back up to $130-140. The number for next year is 855-291-0398 Alana.
Also getting Sunday Ticket max at no charge.
She also took off $30 off my large August bill and then an additional $48.99 season ticket charge (they already took it off) to get August’s bill to around $80.
disconnected at midnight. Called the 870-345-3640 number 16 hours later and said I got a call but couldn’t talk as I was at work (got no call). Lady was very nice and said yes we want you back etc as you probably just disconnected and we want to know why and can offer more than what you were previously.
Got $47 off 12 month commitment and then $65 more off 12 was the only other offer that showed up so she’s giving both. Said my bill will be $25.49 plus tax for choice extra and three TVs. I said you can’t be serious.
She gave me a number and told me to ask for her next year but I’ll call that bluff. Next year it’s back up to $130-140. The number for next year is 855-291-0398 Alana.
Also getting Sunday Ticket max at no charge.
She also took off $30 off my large August bill and then an additional $48.99 season ticket charge (they already took it off) to get August’s bill to around $80.
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cap, I remember reading about all your trouble last year and it sounds terrible. My process was relatively smooth last year, was hoping for the same. Not a great start, but at least I have it off my account. The $49 he said can't be refunded to credit card but it will be on the next month's statement. Interestingly, my guy was also an "NFL specialist". I didn't even request that when going through the automated menu. So did they read my mind ahead of time and know why I was calling? I'm guessing everybody is an "NFL specialist".
That's awesome, congrats! I'm hoping to get a similar deal that I saw up above, where the month 13-24 rate negotiated last year was honored (for me it would be $77/month for Xtra) and then an additional $50 off per month for 12 months.
I will probably have to go through the whole disconnect business and headache again. Was hoping not to, but that seems to be the easiest way to success?
I wonder why I do this every year. I can afford $300. But it's just a matter of principle I think at this point...
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
DA RAIDERS
Footballguy
Gottabesweet
Footballguy
Told me TV wouldn’t be turned back on for up to 24 hours. Already back on for the evening, everything still saved.
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
yea, disconnecting is the key.
I may even try it again this year to get ST free again. even though Im still in year 2, but with the year 1 discounts for DTV still on there for 9 more months. Last time I tried this when I was still in contract, they simply told me that I would owe the early termination fee, whatever it was, and that would show up on my final bill. I said fine, and I timed the disconnect with the final day of the month in my billing cycle. Disconnected for a day. And then called the 800 number the next evening to re-up and it worked. Got everything.
For some maybe...This may be the best year ever for deals.
No ST. No discounts. Pretty much squat if you're in DTV Purgatory like me.
For background, I was a so-called loyal customer with DTV for 12 yrs running and made the successfully made the call on an annual basis...so knows what I'm doing.
Took a break from football 1.5 yrs ago and therefore cut the cord...called back today.
After literally 45 minutes talking to this dept and that dept., they said I get neither new customer incentive deals, nor existing customer loyalty deals.
In short, I was in DTV Purgatory...in six more months at the 2-yr mark I could again be eligible for new customer deals.
I asked them if I needed to fill out a Josh Gordon-type reinstatement application...but they didn't get the joke.
True story.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I don't think they have the ability to clear your hard drive so no one should ever worry about losing any shows if they perform the short disconnect dance.
Jack McCoy
Footballguy
Context quoted below. I canceled yesterday, and as expected, I received a call today. Started great. Lots of talk of "loyalty" and "loyalty points". Big discounts would get my bill down to $40 a month, plus free Sunday Ticket. But as hard as the account manager tried — and I could hear him clicking away, trying everything he could — he could not get me the Max for free. And without the Red Zone channel, it's practically worthless to me.
Hoping that I get a second call. I know that they also send out emails sometimes, and sometimes there's an offer attached to the last bill and/or the send-the-receivers-back package that you get after canceling. I'll post updates as they happen.
Hoping that I get a second call. I know that they also send out emails sometimes, and sometimes there's an offer attached to the last bill and/or the send-the-receivers-back package that you get after canceling. I'll post updates as they happen.
Sheriff Bart
Footballguy
Brony
Footballguy
Someone will be by soon to brag about their $400 gift card and then get mad cause it didn't arrive the next day.
This may be the best year ever for deals.
Jack McCoy
Footballguy
No doubt. But I'm convinced that the vast majority of people just pay the $60 a month for the Ticket when it starts showing up on their bills, and that those folks can subsidize the relatively small number of us who play this discount game every summer.
The guy offered me 25% off and I scoffed at it, saying I had no time to watch on Sundays, I've got young kids, I can't sit in front of the tv all day anymore so why should I want to pay for it? He said there are some new features this year, condensed games down to an hour, things you can watch Mon-Wed, etc, and that should interest me in keeping it.
Do the reps get some kind of "credit" if they retain you? If you say you're going to cancel, then that's when they come up with the offers and they can show TPTB that they kept a customer. I doubt it, because I don't see how there is any way to track that. If that's the case, then what's the incentive for the rep to offer the deal to some and not to others? Every year I wish that somebody who used to work for Directv would come on these boards and let us see behind the curtain.
Do the reps get some kind of "credit" if they retain you? If you say you're going to cancel, then that's when they come up with the offers and they can show TPTB that they kept a customer. I doubt it, because I don't see how there is any way to track that. If that's the case, then what's the incentive for the rep to offer the deal to some and not to others? Every year I wish that somebody who used to work for Directv would come on these boards and let us see behind the curtain.
Gottabesweet
Footballguy
I asked about this and why some people can get it as a stand-alone and others can’t. I never could but some have. She didn’t have an answer said she’s seen just the channel can be added and fantasy channel but whatever pops up. It’s some giagintc formula and we are all puppets playing discount roulette.Jack McCoy said:
Mr.Pack
Footballguy
Put it in your wifes maiden namePhantomJB said:For some maybe...
No ST. No discounts. Pretty much squat if you're in DTV Purgatory like me.
For background, I was a so-called loyal customer with DTV for 12 yrs running and made the successfully made the call on an annual basis...so knows what I'm doing.
Took a break from football 1.5 yrs ago and therefore cut the cord...called back today.
After literally 45 minutes talking to this dept and that dept., they said I get neither new customer incentive deals, nor existing customer loyalty deals.
In short, I was in DTV Purgatory...in six more months at the 2-yr mark I could again be eligible for new customer deals.
I asked them if I needed to fill out a Josh Gordon-type reinstatement application...but they didn't get the joke.
True story.
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
Well, DirectTV's gimp ##### is back at it again. My bill went up $54 since I had to let my discounts expire before hoping to get anywhere.
I am currently on hold now for 15 minutes with no queue wait notifications. Anyone have the retention "special" phone number handy?
waiting on hold.
ETA: incredibly slow and non-helpful agent came on the line at 21 minutes. Zero discounts available. After just having lost $54 worth of them. I ask for the disconnect group. (not internet ...which according to him still has a $10 discount on it).
I'm in minute 4 in the disconnect group queue. ####### fun.
I am currently on hold now for 15 minutes with no queue wait notifications. Anyone have the retention "special" phone number handy?
waiting on hold.
ETA: incredibly slow and non-helpful agent came on the line at 21 minutes. Zero discounts available. After just having lost $54 worth of them. I ask for the disconnect group. (not internet ...which according to him still has a $10 discount on it).
I'm in minute 4 in the disconnect group queue. ####### fun.
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Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
Gimp semi-scores.
I went to the cancel group after about 15 minutes in the queue. First guy said he had to give me to somebody to make sure that my internet service wouldn't be cancelled when he cancelled my DirectTV. Go to queue.
After about 5 minutes I get a great rep in retention. I have Xtra and 18MB internet service. I had been paying $134/mo. total for the last year with discounts. My current bill went to $188/mo. for that same service.
I explained my problem and she immediately offered the same DirectTV pkg and a big bump up in my internet service to 50MB for $117/mo. Plus the free HBO for 6 months (with the "auto-drop" after the free period). I didn't pursue the NFL Ticket - would have been nice but I don't have to mess with it now (the internet was a permanent rate as well).
Plus I now get to watch Game of Thrones ...after years of hearing about it.
ETA: total time - 1 hr. 8 min.
I went to the cancel group after about 15 minutes in the queue. First guy said he had to give me to somebody to make sure that my internet service wouldn't be cancelled when he cancelled my DirectTV. Go to queue.
After about 5 minutes I get a great rep in retention. I have Xtra and 18MB internet service. I had been paying $134/mo. total for the last year with discounts. My current bill went to $188/mo. for that same service.
I explained my problem and she immediately offered the same DirectTV pkg and a big bump up in my internet service to 50MB for $117/mo. Plus the free HBO for 6 months (with the "auto-drop" after the free period). I didn't pursue the NFL Ticket - would have been nice but I don't have to mess with it now (the internet was a permanent rate as well).
Plus I now get to watch Game of Thrones ...after years of hearing about it.
ETA: total time - 1 hr. 8 min.
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So you got 32MB extra per month and am paying $17 less per month?Gimp semi-scores.
I went to the cancel group after about 15 minutes in the queue. First guy said he had to give me to somebody to make sure that my internet service wouldn't be cancelled when he cancelled my DirectTV. Go to queue.
After about 5 minutes I get a great rep in retention. I have Xtra and 18MB internet service. I had been paying $134/mo. total for the last year with discounts. My current bill went to $188/mo. for that same service.
I explained my problem and she immediately offered the same DirectTV pkg and a big bump up in my internet service to 50MB for $117/mo. Plus the free HBO for 6 months (with the "auto-drop" after the free period). I didn't pursue the NFL Ticket - would have been nice but I don't have to mess with it now (the internet was a permanent rate as well).
Plus I now get to watch Game of Thrones ...after years of hearing about it.
ETA: total time - 1 hr. 8 min.
Hard to know how much of a score this is without knowing how much data you normally use, but I see it as just saving $17 x 12 = $204. But then you have to pay the $300 for Sunday Ticket? Hmm. I would have wanted more.
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
seahawk 17
Footballguy
Called to cancel after reading this thread and my previous discounts have ended, this months bill 195.00 (premier package). Customer service transferred me to retention, who offered me a 20.00 discount. I told them to shut it down next Friday. One hour later, I get a call back. They dropped my bill to 26.99 after credits. I asked for NFL Ticket for free, they advised there was a blackout and to call back in a month to ask for it.
The rep also advised that retention is now based in a foreign country and have no decision making authority. He said I was on a 12 month contract and to call back in a year and set an actual cancel date again, and they will hook me up.
My wife told me to quit taking advantage of the system and just pay for NFL ticket this year.
Pretty sure that the guy I talked to is out the door, the credits he gave me are insane.
The rep also advised that retention is now based in a foreign country and have no decision making authority. He said I was on a 12 month contract and to call back in a year and set an actual cancel date again, and they will hook me up.
My wife told me to quit taking advantage of the system and just pay for NFL ticket this year.
Pretty sure that the guy I talked to is out the door, the credits he gave me are insane.
Johnny Rock
Footballguy
You’ll need to see if they take. Last year I had what I thought was a solid, knowledgeable rep and it was a cluster trying to get it straightened out after it didn’t go down the way it should have. GL.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
jamny
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Just be be clear in case I am misunderstanding your post, these numbers have nothing to do with how much total data you use. These numbers are data rates.
Binky is getting better speed when going from 18 to 50.
skol asylum
Footballguy
DTV did at least follow thru and reverse the 48.99 ticket 1st installment.
sportsphysio
Footballguy
Has anyone been able to secure a deal for ST if they are still on contract? I've been able to get some type of deal on ST every year, but I had to upgrade my equipment this year and had to agree to a 2 year contract.
26.99 for an Xtra package or something? That's insane!seahawk 17 said:
I just called again. I do have a locked in rate for months 13-24 of $77 (was $70 a month for this past year after a $61/month discount). So for months 13-24, essentially I am getting $54/month.
I said cancel service, got sent to loyalty. Very nice guy got on and immediately said he would offer me $60 off a month. Then I clarified if this would be on top of the already $54/month for months 13-24, and he said, oh, no, but I can make it $60. So basically he was offering me an extra $6/month for 12 months. Uh, no thanks.
He did say that Sunday ticket offers typically come more in August. Sounds like those of you who have gotten free ST were already disconnected? He advised me to call back on the very first day of the next billing cycle, and that I should be able to get the $60+/month off and also Sunday Ticket. Said something like my account is labeled as "Perfect" or basically highest rating. Said lots of factors go into how an account is rated. How many discounts you've gotten in past, do you pay on time, etc. Not sure if that's completely true but at least that might explain why some people get different offers than others.
I'll wait until this billing cycle ends and then try again.
snellman
Footballguy
I have the box for my equipment sitting in my living room ready to be sent back and still have not gotten a phone call. There was a brochure in the box offering the base package for 29.99 per month for 12 months along with a $200 visa card (basically the same offer I got when I first signed up). I signed up for Sunday ticket today using my daughters college e-mail address and got Sunday ticket along with game pass for $128. Haven't had directv for a week and have not missed it so far. Wife is on hulu and netflix, kids are on youtube and I have been able to watch Twins baseball and NFL network on Sling TV. We will see how things go when football season starts but so far no regrets whatsoever.
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