DirecTV Again

[crokett]

So after the switch and them offering too little too late, I get a mailer from them offering more or less what I have with Dish now, for the same price. So my question is, if they can do that now, why not 2 weeks ago when I said I was going to cancel them?

[Tamarack]

It sounds to me like a fine example of the Peter Principle at work-the person you spoke with earlier had been promoted one level above their level of competency!!

Paul

[cabinetman]

So after the switch and them offering too little too late, I get a mailer from them offering more or less what I have with Dish now, for the same price. So my question is, if they can do that now, why not 2 weeks ago when I said I was going to cancel them?

That would be a great question to ask them.
.

[Kristofor]

Differentiated valuation...

They want to offer the least amount possible to save the most amount a revenue...

Ultimately they think they'd loose more money offering everyone that deal from the start than they will having some take the less generous offers, and some percentage of people leave for good.

[cgallery]

They know most people that receive that offer won't accept it. Most can't, they're already locked into a new contract.

Yet TV/Internet/voice providers all send those letters to customers that switch providers.

So why send them? What is the purpose?

I suppose that they may be trying to recapture that small fraction that just "went dark" and haven't moved to a new provider.

But I suspect the true motive is to make you think they will match prices. That they aren't more expensive than the other guy. That they weren't trying to rip you off.

In other words, I think it is all marketing, designed to keep you open minded about trying them again when your new contract expires. To prevent you from bad-mouthing them as much as you otherwise would if they never offered a price match. To plant a seed of doubt in your spouse's mind whether you tried to get the price matches at all (perhaps questioning whether the man she married just sucks at negotiating).

I could go on and on for reasons to send the letter. Recapturing a customer that has already switched providers is pretty low on that list, IMO.

[gary]

I think if you read the fine print; the savings will be for one year but require a two year contract. They're being sued by a number of states over that in too fine a print.

[crokett]

I know about the 2yr contract - it is what I have with Dish, but even the 2nd year is still cheaper than what I was paying DirecTV, and for a better lineup. Plus I have service to 4 TVs. With DirecTV I only had two.

As for open-mindedness, I am far more practical than that. If cable service were available, I would play everybody off each other. After the two years with Dish is up, if DirecTV is cheaper I will switch back. If they aren't I won't. I would have stayed with DirecTV, except I got a flyer at the right time from Dish. They gave me what I wanted cheaper than DirecTV was willing to.