DIS DISH

The television blew. My folks had the same television for decades. We had this one for 7 years. Fixing it would be a major investment when compared to buying a new one. We're getting a new one. Higher end than we expected but we bought into the reasoning. We call it reasoning now. Had we not bought into it we would call it pitch or nonsense.

It arrives March 11th. Wise thinking - I decided to pause DISH NETWORK. We can't use it. I called and learned from a fast-speaking underage employee that it cannot be retroactive to the day the tech was here and told us it was not their problem but to be sure to ask for the free upgrade to HD. This tech did not suggest a pause in service, thinking we would not be able to survive w/o a television long enough to need one.

We went thru the motions. Pause as of today or tomorrow. I gave a start up date. That requires another phone call. My husband had already set up the appt for the free upgrade. That had to be cancelled in order to implement the pause. We're talking about 2 1/2 weeks of time now. I agreed to make a note to call back to reinstate the service and schedule another appointment.

Then she told me it will be a $20/month charge to pause the service. I was still listening to her but not nearly as happily. Not that $20 is a huge sum. My suggestion was that this be stated to customers at the beginning of the request. It would save everyone a lot of time. And, I mentioned I hoped I was being recorded as I was now displeased with "service".

We undid all we had done. There will be no pause. But I did not have the appt. any longer so we had to re-establish that. She needed a credit card number to make the appointment. Go figure. I suppose you can't trust a technician to handle a check or credit transaction. It's only money. We're trusting these unknown individuals into our homes but it's clear the employer has a great financial risk if the technician has to get the customer to pay.

Fortunately not enough time had passed to have my "slot" given to someone else. I was informed that we're set up for the same 4 hour window, same day. And, by the way, there is a $1 hold charged to the credit card.

Now what? Well, that's to allow you to get the "free" upgrade. It will be refunded in 3 or 4 business days. Can you imagine how many customers pay that $1 for those 3 or 4 days and DISH invests that immediately and makes enough to pay for the free upgrade activity? Speculation on my part but I think someone worked out the details ahead of time. How much does it cost to put a $1 charge on a credit card? Geez.

What choice did I have? The customer no longer is king/queen. We are solely considered tolerated because, gosh, we're the reason they are in business. I paid my buck. I shook my phone-head. I made my notes on the 8 year old contract we have had with them which put someone thru college.

It's not so bad not having a TV. But then who would I call to entertain me in such a clueless way? Guess we'll let this one go.

Closing Arguments

Isn't it sad when situations dissolve (versus evolve) so much that pettiness is all that anyone will ever remember once the end has arrived?

Such is the case with so much these days. People seem to be edgier than ever - I'm no exception. In bed last night, listening to the all night radio talk show, I got to thinking about how it seems as if fuses are shorter these days. We all want what is best, what is right, what works - or at least I hope we do. Yet, far too much time is spent spinning the story, making excuses, telling a lie often enough people forget there was a truth.

I'm perplexed. More than ever we need to be upbeat, successful at relationships, and forward thinking. It doesn't seem to happen. I don't even know where to go looking for it. I should say "church". Having said that I must admit I hear the same sound bites there, just different topics.

Where is peace? Where is satisfaction? Where is a sense of contentment?

In learning to be a teacher and in learning to be a parent and in learning to be a boss I learned "Say 3 good things for every 1 corrective thing." or words to that effect. I wish I could say I hear that in discussions. I wish I could say I do it.