RUDE employees, incompetence of collections department.

Posted Mon May 15, 2006 8:24 pm, by Rebecca M. written to Dish Network (Echo Star)

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I have had nothing but problems with your company and I'm not even a customer.

It all started when I got new phone service with SBC. Immediately upon installation of my phone I started receiving what were obviously collection calls from your company, apparently meant for the former owner of the phone. Although the number had been out of use for well over 6 months before it was assigned to me, according to SBC (and you must have known this, having undoubtedly received several "not in service" recordings over that time period), I very politely informed your collection department that that person did not live here and I had no idea who they were or how to contact them. I requested that they remove my telephone number from their records and end the calls. I was told that this was taken care of at that time and that I would not receive any more calls. I thanked the person and didn't give it a second thought.

Apparently Dish Network didn't give it a second thought either- For the next 7 weeks, I was called at least 3 times per week by your collections department. MOST calls came at an invconvenient time and interfered with my work (I run a home- based business and the calls were an intrusion). Each time, I had to take the time to inform them of the same thing- That it was a newly assigned number, that the person didn't live here, that I didn't know them, and that my number needed to be removed from your records.

This is unacceptable. I finally had to change my phone number to make the calls stop since you apparently had no intention of discontinuing what had by then become harassment.

I have had my new number now for 9 days. Today I received a recorded telemarketing call from "Satellite TV services". I held for a representative so that I could tell them to place me on the "Do not call" list (and yes, as soon as I got my number, I registered with the Do Not Call registries. However, I know that it takes up to 60 days to take effect). I was patched through to a representative who identified himself as an employee of Dish Network. I politely asked to be placed on the do not call list. In response, I got a sigh and a very sarcastic and hateful "Oh Good. Thanks for wasting my time", and the representative hung up on me.

While the initial call was forgivable considering that my number has not had time to show up on the "do not call" list, the representative's rude and infantile behavior was NOT.

Simply because I choose not to be harassed by telemarketers does NOT mean that I can be talked to this way. I was not rude to this employee in any way, and even if I HAD been rude to him, unprofessional behavior is just that. Unprofessional.

The failure of your collections department to comply with my request to stop calling (And some of THEIR calls were rude as well), as well as the treatment I received from your telemarketer this evening have insured that you will never under any circumstances have my business in the future.

I realize that there is likely no way that you can figure out who this rude representative was, and there were simply too many collections department employees involved in failing to note that my phone number was not to be called again.

I am a DirecTV customer at this time. For all you know, I might be unhappy with DirecTV and considering finding another provider. Think about how many times people have switched from DirecTV to Dish Network, and vice- versa. I should be considered a potential future customer and treated with respect. If this is how you treat people you are trying to "woo", I can't imagine how you treat people who are already locked into a contractual obligation to you.

Employees like the ones I have dealt with thus far are presenting an extremely negative image of your company AT ALL and have strongly turned me off to the possibility of doing business with you in the future. I have already told several people about my experience with you, (Of course I have also posted this letter publicly on Planetfeedback.com and copied several friends and relatives), and many of them feel the same.

This is what I want you to do:

1- Properly train your employees in how to correctly and politely use the telephone. Your training should also include how to remove a telephone number from a delinquent account.

2- Add the following numbers your do not call list IMMEDIATELY:

(numbers removed for privacy)

3- Send me a written verification that that has been done and that I will NOT be hearing from Dish Network again.

You have NO reason to contact me again EVER. I have never had an account with you, so there is no reason for your collections department to call me. If I am placed on your do not call list, there will be no reason for your telemarketers to call me.

Additionally, if I ever receive a telephone call from you or from someone acting on your behalf again, I will file a complaint against you with the Attorneys General of both of our states as well as the FCC. I also reserve the right to take legal action of my own against you should there be any continued harassment.

I await your prompt response.

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Re: RUDE employees, incompetence of collections department. by Sava Posted Wed May 31, 2006 @ 8:31 PM Just for the record - you can contact the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) if any collections company keeps calling you when the person they want to reach does not live there. To aid in filing an FTC complaint, keep track of: 1) The name of the collections company 2) Their phone number 3) Their address, if possible 4) Dates & times of their calls 5) Name of person you spoke to, if possible The FTC considers these nuisance calls, and they WILL put a stop to them if you can't get them to stop. Oh, if you get the collection company's address, FTC recommends sending them what is called a "cease and desist" letter, which is basically a letter saying that the person they're trying to reach isn't at that number, and to cease and desist calling. The FTC says the collections company is allowed ONE phone call after that to confirm receipt of your letter, and anytime they call over and beyond that is illegal, and the FTC could prosecute them for that. Reply Re: RUDE employees, incompetence of collections department. by Iconophiliac Posted Sun May 21, 2006 @ 12:14 PM This must be SO annoying. Good luck! Is there any sort of legal action this poster can take? (Considering she asked them to take her phone number off of their list and yet they keep calling?) Reply Re: RUDE employees, incompetence of collections department. by RedheadWGlasses Posted Thu May 18, 2006 @ 8:17 PM Your complaints are valid and I hope you get some relief soon! Good luck in getting Dish Network to stop calling you. They sure haven't cared about customer service so far with you. Reply Re: RUDE employees, incompetence of collections department. by Consumer Advocate Posted Thu May 18, 2006 @ 12:59 PM It is unconscionable lack of professionalism. Like most companies, I'm sure that Dish Network has a computer system for their customer service representatives to update when people give them information. It's blatantly obvious that in this case, the representatives simply failed to mark the information in the account as requested. I can't imagine how incredibly annoying these interuptions into your work day was! I do hope your complaint will open the eyes of this company, and make them realize that customer service done right is important. Reply Re: RUDE employees, incompetence of collections department. by ppppatty Posted Mon May 15, 2006 @ 9:14 PM Ps "Employees like the ones I have dealt with thus far are presenting an extremely negative image of your company AT ALL"? What is that? Do you expect them to take you seiriously with statements like that? Good luck. You'll need it. Reply I don't get it. by ppppatty Mon May 15, 2006 @ 9:11 PM It wasn't her bill by *Brenda* Posted Tue May 16, 2006 @ 4:00 AM She said in the beginning of the letter that she had just gotten a new telephone number. Soon after the collection agents started calling for the person who had the phone number before her. Her second complaint is about telemarketers. Which part of that don't you understand? Sheesh. Hehe, sorry. I had to add that. Reply It says in the first paragraph by tickytack Tue May 16, 2006 @ 2:40 PM