Tutor
•
23 Messages
Protection Plan Publication
About 2 weeks ago I received a notice the Protection Plan was increasing to $12.99 and would cover all my equipment and computers. I called to cancel this upgrade since I maintain my own electronics.
Yesterday I received another notification the plan would now be $8.99. That was stated on the front of the paper. On the back of the paper which had all the "legal" verbiage at the top was a section called 'Service Coverage". It gives the address and phone number to call Directv. Next to it, Plan Purchase Date: 08/11/2022, next Plan Effective Date: 09/11/2022, and finally Plan Purchase Price: $7.99.
Obviously, the person updating the front page did not look any further to change the second page.
When I called and spoke to someone in the Loyalty Department ( I have been with Directv for 5 years) she stated the cost is $8.99 and did not want to hear about the discrepancy in the documentation.
I know it is only $1.00 per month but the lack of understanding of the agent got me annoyed.
My $30.00 per month credit is ending in October and if at that time Directv does not continue this credit I will switch to Dish. I can get the same service for less with a $7.99 Protection Plan and a $400 credit card if I stay with Dish. Why should I stay?
Watch out for this Protection Plan upgrade to $12.99. It looks like it is being pushed by a third party with the approval of Directv.
Just my thoughts.
Elevator515
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
3 years ago
Protection plan has been $8.99 for years. I have not heard about a $12.99 increase, so wonder if that was a scam or at best very bad documentation from a 3rd party authorized retailer. Or perhaps an outside 3rd party protection plan that DirecTV has no control over.
The loyalty department cannot reduce the cost of the protection plan or manually change documentation. If you have a legitimate notice that shows $7.99 (which hasn't been the price for years), then I would submit a BBB complaint. That would notify the corporate level of the discrepancy.
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
3 years ago
And the part about computers, that would be Protection Plan Premier $19.99. So yeah that $12.99 is not DirecTV's protection plan but some 3rd party deal or just a pure scam.
0
0
shannon02
ACE - Expert
•
21.1K Messages
3 years ago
The DTV basic protection plan covers service calls,replacing defective receivers shipping and remotes.
0
0
Elevator515
Tutor
•
23 Messages
3 years ago
I just looked at the first notification and the price increased to $25.98. In any case, I called the day I received the notice to cancel this upgrade. I also see the monthly Protection Plan is $8.99. As you can see in the pictures the plan price is $7.99 on the latest document they sent.
This is probably put out by 'asurion', a third-party service company.
Just another reason for me to switch.
Elevator515
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
3 years ago
The Equipment Protection plan has 3 levels. You have $8.99 that only covers DirecTV equipment, Protection Plan Premier (PPP) $19.95 that covers related equipment that might connect to DirecTV (like TVs or such), and then PPP w/Accidental Damage Handling (ADH) for $24.95.
Personally, I wouldn't use the protection plan. You pay for it every month whether you use it or not. Covering service calls ($99), delivery of replacement boxes ($19.95), and remotes ($15) you would need issues way too often to make it cheaper than the one-time costs in the long run.
As for Asurion, pretty much all service providers use them. Can't get away from them being an option. But if you can manage your own finances, not having it is usually better. The protection plans help people who don't do well having reserve funds so find it easier to have a known small monthly cost even if they pay more over time.
0
0
Elevator515
Tutor
•
23 Messages
3 years ago
This still does not give an explanation of the difference between the front and back of the contract pricing. Just another indication of how AT&T took over DirecTV and has no clue what they are doing.
Case in point, log onto their website and see how many times you are redirected to finally get to the DirecTV page.
AT&T is a communication company and as such should have THE best website. It is a cobbled-together set of inks to appear to represent a well-established firm.
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
3 years ago
Make sure you are going to DirecTV's website in the first place so you don't have to worry about being redirected. Because AT&T bit off more than it could chew, DirecTV has been spun off with a new co-owner. So the AT&T and DirecTV websites are once again separate. Naturally the DirecTV website has been going through some redesign as a result.
And there is showing a small price increase over what I quoted for the 2 higher tiers of the protection plan, but the base level is still $8.99 (as of this post).
https://www.directv.com/satellite/technology/protection-plan/
Being a comunications company, doesn't mean they are automatically the best when it comes to web design. Those are different things.
(edited)
0
0
Elevator515
Tutor
•
23 Messages
3 years ago
Not to belabor the topic, the contract delivered still states $7.99 on the back page!
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
3 years ago
If that paper has a specific point of contact listed, I would use that to report the error. If not, then a BBB complaint to bring it to corporate's attention. That $7.99 is the price from years ago. It changed shortly before or after AT&T acquired DirecTV, so don't recall the exact date but it has been a long time.
0
0
Elevator515
Tutor
•
23 Messages
3 years ago
As I posted, I contacted someone in the Loyalty Department and she said the price was $8.99 and did not want to hear of my concern.
I guess I should start the ball rolling at the BBB.
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
3 years ago
The retention/cancellation department (often referred to as "loyalty" to make it sound better), has no control over those mailings, just like the rest of customer support. They are to assist you with managing your account, answering questions about the service, or going over the cancellation of DirecTV if that is the route you take.
For this situation, if the mailer doesn't have a specific contact, then yes, the BBB would be the option to get this to those who can actually do something about it. Though you will not get it at $7.99 for a typo. It will just inform them to make sure they correct future listings.
0
0
nabukl
ACE - Professor
•
2.3K Messages
3 years ago
As a former protection plan agent for DirecTV the protection plan IS managed by Asurion that's who I actually worked for I did everything any other DirecTV employee did except I was paid by Asurion, anyway, @Juniper is 100 % correct in his information about the different plans and what they cover, I wish I still had the actual number for Asurion because that's who needs to correct the pricing in that document. Just a back story on me I already worked for DirecTV 2 different times each time it was through a BPO so not directly through DirecTV and both times I handled all call types unlike most csrs other
0
0