Direct TV may not like me now

[68C15]

Knock at the door, I answer with my 1911 hidden but in hand. It's a midget looking guy with a clipboard and name badge hanging around his neck. Instant dork status claim. I try to be nice and let him spill his bowl of beans. He started with small talk and I quickly enticed him to pick up the pace.
"I was in the area" (pile of crap story if I ever heard one). "I'm with Midco (cable and phone service provider) and Direct TV"

"Hold on a minute. Take a few steps back and look on my roof. What do you see on the north end?"

"A TV antenna"

By this time I'm in the yard 5 steps in front of him and my 1911 is back in my holster, open carry of course.

"Now, ask me why I have an antenna on the roof"

Any smart guy would have surveyed the situation and left in a hurry, not this guy.

"Why do you have an antenna on your roof?"

"I've tried cable, Direct TV, and Dish Network. All 3 failed during severe weather when I need them the most. I also refuse to pay ever increasing monthly fees for ever decreasing channels only to be confronted with exceptionally poor customer service. 5 years ago I decided to put that antenna up there and have been very pleased every single day. Not once have I had an issue. I spent less than 1 months worth of your fees and nothing since. If you were smart you would take a good look around and make a decision to leave and never come back"

He just stood there for 10 seconds in silence then left with a "Thank you, have a good day"

[special-K]

Since when did telemarketers grow feet and door knockin' knuckles? I thought they lost all that when they started invading homes with a phone? In the '80s it was back to the future, now it's fast forward to the past!

[68C15]

Just last week I had a guy try and sell me on a shingle job for my roof. It's a 3/12 pitch with large rocks on top of rubber and foam. I told him the only thing better would be steel

[special-K]

We used to get these guys riding in a van called Capital Meats. I guess they are out of Washington, DC. They somehow found their way out here, not exactly the suburbs, bothering people to buy their better than the grocery store quality vacuum-packed meats. I start out saying, "You fellers are a long way from the suburbs, aren't you?". When they offer their product I tell them, "See that farm over there? I keep a side of beef and a hog in the freezer over there where it was raised. What I don't keep there I can get at Wagners (locker plant) in town". They still try the cost angle saying their prices beat the cost of feeding, etc. "Oh. I don't feed them anything. Jeff and Shirley do all that. I just trade off my time fixin' buildings, tractors, trucks, fence, or whatever else I can lend a hand with". By then they are ready to hop in their van. That's when I say,"Like I said, you boys are a long way from the suburbs"

[CG]

Originally Posted by special-K

"Like I said, you boys are a long way from the suburbs"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsC4kf6x_Q0

[flashed]

Getting rid of DirecTv was a good move for me .

[bs46488]

We had a horrible experience with DirectTV and extra charges on our bill. I was happy the day we switched and pulled that dish off our house.

[hewittca]

It absolutely amazes me that service companies still use this tactic. Maybe I'm part of the minority that gets instantly annoyed by this approach and turns away any "deal" that comes to my door on foot, I don't know. They must make more sales than the cost of the sales person, or else they wouldn't do it I suppose.

We had a guy from a big name service provider try to come to our house as 8:30 pm to sell us on the wonders of fiber optic internet. This was back when I lived in a part of the city where you really were better off not going outside walking around at night. I told him through the door that I was calling the cops. He quickly scooted off but I did see him the next night going door to door across the street...

[cypressbog]

May I ask what outdoor antenna you chose? I cut cable 3-4 years ago and have tried a variety of digital indoor antenna and they all proved junk.

[68C15]

Originally Posted by cypressbog

May I ask what outdoor antenna you chose? I cut cable 3-4 years ago and have tried a variety of digital indoor antenna and they all proved junk.

Big honking summbich. It's about 7' long, 4' wide, and on a tripod with 8' of mast. I didn't want to limit myself.


At bedtime I saw a news story. Some guys running around town selling satellite service yet they are not from the actual company. This morning I heard about one resident had his vehicles broken into overnight. His security cameras showed the same looking truck as when the salesman stopped by. I doubt they will come back to my house but with the acoustics of my front yard and 3 dogs it would be a bad call on their part

[GR8-68]

We do not get many sales men but we did get a group of Jehovahs the other week, when I answered the door I think they were shocked to see such a bearded fellow as I with a 9mm on my side. They did not stay long, I was actually surprised they wandered so far down into the woods.

[flashed]

I was with Primestar for years until they were bought by DirecTv and with them combined for 25 years .Primestar had very good customer service and to me was much better than DirecTv .DirecTv would rather give new suscribers a good deal to sign them up than to give a free upgrade to a good paying customer to keep them .My wife was the TV watcher of our family and when she died I rarely even turned the set on as we had the very basic which was $55 per month and I was not willing to sign a 2 yr contract for more channels for a higher monthly fee .During our last snow here I worked 72 hours of straight overtime and decided to buy a Smart TV with the sole purpose of getting rid of DirecTV .I knew I could watch YouTube and Crackle TV for free and could get Hulu and Amazon TV for very little each month .I still only have YouTube and Crackel and have plenty of TV to watch.I have already saved what the TV cost in the savings every month of not having DirecTv .When I called and told them to cancell my service they offered me everything they could to keep me and I held firm to not interested .I upgraded my WIFI in case I want to stream movies later on but so far see no need to do so.I can buy a lot of truck parts for what I payed them annualy and have not once missed it .I think when more and more people realize what else is out there for less money the cable and satelite companys will be in trouble .I told the DirecTv rep the only way I would stay would be to let me buy only the channels that I actually wanted to watch instead of a package of worthless garbage that I had no interest in .I have a High Def antenna that I have yet to hook up and it was only $30 or so.

[FleetsidePaul]

I hate Direct TV, I hate telemarketers, and I hate someone banging on my door trying to shove something down my throat.

The latest one's that have been bugging me are the solar power people.Both over the phone or ringing my doorbell.

The funny thing is, I want to get solar power. Anything that cuts my power bill, I'm interested in. But I'm not buying it from some telemarketer, or some knucklehead standing on my porch. I'm a big boy, I can figure it out myself. I don't need any "Help'

I understand that if you have a product you have to market it. but I don't think pestering people is the right way to do it.

The only thing I've ever bought from someone who knocked on my door was Girl Scout cookies. I couldn't help it, I love those things.

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by GR8-68

We do not get many sales men but we did get a group of Jehovahs the other week, when I answered the door I think they were shocked to see such a bearded fellow as I with a 9mm on my side. They did not stay long, I was actually surprised they wandered so far down into the woods.

The Jehovahs don't come around my place anymore. Last time they came my front door was solid glass front. I saw them pull up and had asked them several times in the past not to come back. This time I opened the inner door only wearing the suit the good Lord gave me. It scared me as well but that was back in 98' and I haven't seen them since.

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by flashed

I was with Primestar for years until they were bought by DirecTv and with them combined for 25 years .Primestar had very good customer service and to me was much better than DirecTv .DirecTv would rather give new suscribers a good deal to sign them up than to give a free upgrade to a good paying customer to keep them .My wife was the TV watcher of our family and when she died I rarely even turned the set on as we had the very basic which was $55 per month and I was not willing to sign a 2 yr contract for more channels for a higher monthly fee .During our last snow here I worked 72 hours of straight overtime and decided to buy a Smart TV with the sole purpose of getting rid of DirecTV .I knew I could watch YouTube and Crackle TV for free and could get Hulu and Amazon TV for very little each month .I still only have YouTube and Crackel and have plenty of TV to watch.I have already saved what the TV cost in the savings every month of not having DirecTv .When I called and told them to cancell my service they offered me everything they could to keep me and I held firm to not interested .I upgraded my WIFI in case I want to stream movies later on but so far see no need to do so.I can buy a lot of truck parts for what I payed them annualy and have not once missed it .I think when more and more people realize what else is out there for less money the cable and satelite companys will be in trouble .I told the DirecTv rep the only way I would stay would be to let me buy only the channels that I actually wanted to watch instead of a package of worthless garbage that I had no interest in .I have a High Def antenna that I have yet to hook up and it was only $30 or so.

I know what you mean about primestar. I miss them. I have been with directv since, but like you, if it were not for the wife I would not have any. I have not had a physical phone in the house in probably 10 years. Wife and kids all have cells but I kept it because directv said the box had to have line to it. I found out recently it was no longer required so I spent 3 hours in a chat session with Verizon online (I am deaf) and wanted to get rid of the land line but I wanted to keep the dsl box. They kept telling me I had to keep the land line in order to have the dsl. I finally told them to cancel everything because I was tired of a $93 phone bill every month. Wouldn't you know it, after I wanted to cancel it all they found a way to get rid of the land line and my bill dropped to $54. I told her the 1st time it goes up to expect a cancellation of a 28 year. Customer

['63GENIII]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

I hate Direct TV, I hate telemarketers, and I hate someone banging on my door trying to shove something down my throat.

The latest one's that have been bugging me are the solar power people.Both over the phone or ringing my doorbell.

The funny thing is, I want to get solar power. Anything that cuts my power bill, I'm interested in. But I'm not buying it from some telemarketer, or some knucklehead standing on my porch. I'm a big boy, I can figure it out myself. I don't need any "Help'

I understand that if you have a product you have to market it. but I don't think pestering people is the right way to do it.

The only thing I've ever bought from someone who knocked on my door was Girl Scout cookies. I couldn't help it, I love those things.

10 years ago I installed solar on our house. Being an electrician by trade and since my time was free, I installed a pretty big system for us (approx 45' x 15'). Its worked great.

Just about a year ago, the Wife and kids went to her girlfriends for the weekend leaving the dog and I to our own devices. As I started dozing off for a rare midday nap, the doorbell rings (which startled me), dog goes berserk and I hop half asleep off the couch and run to the door.

At the door is this guy from Solar City (interrupting my nap) who starts by pulling out a Google aerial picture of our place from his folder while saying something like "we are offering you and your neighbors blah, blah, blah.... My eyes were trying to focus as were my ears when I said "hey thanks but no thanks". (I just wanted to get back to my yearly nap). But NOOOO, this guy couldn't see that I was just waking up, never get to take a nap and that I never have the house to myself......
He keeps on going with "we have done the hard work for you and have determined that your home is in the perfect location for solar blah blah blah".

At this point not only am I awake and focused but also become very annoyed at the aerial pic of our home in his hand. A complete stranger. He was still talking when I cut him off and asked to look at the photo. He handed it to me, I looked at it and just as he started again I said "why don't you take a look at this photo and tell me what you see on my roof". He looked and says " hey this is great, you have solar!

I quite loudly called him a jackass and told him to "get off my property before I set the dog (still going berserk) on him and buried him in the backyard".

As the guy quickly walked up the driveway (looking over his shoulder the whole way), I heard my 81 year old very religious, mild mannered neighbor yell to the guy "and don't come here either, Ill bury you faster than the guy with the dog!" as he let out the biggest belly laugh Id ever heard out of him. I had no idea he had heard the whole exchange from his kitchen window. We still laugh about it all the time, although when someone stops at his place these days, the joker sends them next door to me in hopes of being entertained again.

Never did get a nap that year and no, there is absolutely NO defense against the Girl Scouts and their wicked sales pitches about those delicious cookies!

[El Dorado Jim]

Originally Posted by richard2717

The Jehovahs don't come around my place anymore. Last time they came my front door was solid glass front. I saw them pull up and had asked them several times in the past not to come back. This time I opened the inner door only wearing the suit the good Lord gave me. It scared me as well but that was back in 98' and I haven't seen them since.

love it, I used to have the jehovahs witnesses come by here also...until I installed a gate across my driveway...but I love your idea.....

[mongocanfly]

Funny how standing in the door holding a double barrel can change someomes sales pitch...they don't bother me much anymore...

[68C15]

I'm slowly turning into Clint Eastwood from Grand Torino. Get off my lawn!

[special-K]

Now we have pop-ups on the computer, not only telling you what it thinks you should want but telling you what other people wanted...as if that made an ounce of difference to me. How do you tell them, "Thanks for the suggestion but I already bought my tires last month!". Don't show any interest in any product or you'll have it shoved down your throat enough that you'll regret ever considering the dang thing! How do you shoot that sumbich??

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by special-K

Now we have pop-ups on the computer, not only telling you what it thinks you should want but telling you what other people wanted...as if that made an ounce of difference to me. How do you tell them, "Thanks for the suggestion but I already bought my tires last month!". Don't show any interest in any product or you'll have it shoved down your throat enough that you'll regret ever considering the dang thing! How do you shoot that sumbich??

Oh yeah, I went online to shop for a surprise gift for my wife. She was on the computer later, and all the things I was looking at popped up. "Suggestions'

Oh well, so much for a surprise.

[HeavyD]

Some funny stuff in this thread. Of all the door to doors the JoHos are by far the most persistent, takes a lot to have them quit knocking.

Cookies! I get freaked when i see them approach the door as I know whats going to happen. Wife: you bought THREE boxes???

[flashed]

Back in my younger days the Jehova Witness people would not leave me alone .I offered the a joint ,moonshine and beer thinking it might deter them ,they just kept coming .Then my neighbor behind me got a Great Dane Puppy and I mowed their grass and became quite good friends with that Dog. It stayed at my house more than at home .When the Great Dane was about a year old she had quite a bit of size to her and did not have her tail cropped off and would swat you with that tail being happy to see you .She quickly learned I did not like the Jehova people bothering me and she would go running toward them barking up a storm .They hollered out the car window asking if she would bite and I hollered back only Jehova Witnesses and they never came back .That dog was the most gentle animal I have ever been around and Would NOT bite anyone but they did not need to know it .Her name was Duchess ,I loved that dog.

[mongocanfly]

A guy at work told this the other day...swore it the truth..
His sister has a autistic son that's about 30yr old...he's somewhat independant so they bought him a house next door..every morning his mother would go over and cook him breakfast and make sure he had everything he needed for the day and then she would go to work..well a couple, hours after she got to work she got a call from him...he was panicking...
please come home mom..
What's wrong son..
Mom you've got to come home...hurry..
What's wrong son..
You gotta hurry ..hurry mom hurry..
So mom starts panicking as she rushed home to see what's wrong..
She walks in his house and the couch is turned over, , tv busted,, lamps in floor,,, so she's thinking someone broke in on him...she starts calling for him..he comes down the stairs and she asked what happened ? Hes panicking,, she panicking..total chaos..she finally gets him calmed down and he says
Mom I caught a troll
What?
I caught a troll mom I promise..
Son there's no such thing as trolls..
I promise mom I caught a troll..
Son remember last week we watched a movie about trolls and I told you there's no such thing..
But mom i promise I caught a troll..
Ok son,, where's he at..
Upstairs..
So they go upstairs and there's the dresser turned over,, the bed slid up against the closet door...so, mom asks
What in the world happened son..
Mom I caught a troll and he's in the closet..
Son your gonna have to let him out..
No mom no ..hell get away..
She finally convinces him to "let the troll go"
They slide the bed away from the closet and open the door..
And BAM..out of the closet comes a midget..madder than a ol wet hen..
Now everybody's panicking..
Finally everybody gets calmed down and she convinces the midget not to call the cops and explains to him her son is autistic and didn't know any better..
Come to find out the midget guy was a door to door penticostal saturday door knocker..
When the son opened the door he thought it was a troll and drug him inside and wrestled him all over the house before trapping him in the closet...
Never a dull day mom says..

We think he may be converted to baptist now...

[cypressbog]

The fall after high school I was at my girlfriends' brothers house after a morning of hunting with a bunch of friends. We had a pretty large party the night before and hadn't cleaned up all the beer can and bottles all over the house. We were cleaning our shotguns when there's a knock at the door. Two Jehov's. They get invited in and quickly get big eye'ed at all the beer cans and us cleaning guns. They backed out about as fast as they came in with one of them dropping a copy of their Watchtower as the door closed.