Sky+

4red

I've been a Sky customer for years. Recently I ordered Sky+ and an engineer was booked to install the system last weekend. The engineer took over 4 hours to do the job including visits back to his home to collect extra tools he needed. When he left he said that a signal would be sent through upgrading my system and that it should take no longer than 4 hours. After 4 hours my system hadn't been upgraded so I called Sky customer service. They resent the signal and said this could take another 4 hours. Next morning I checked and the signal hadn't come through. Sky+ still did not work; in addition I could watch regular channels but not my Film Four subscription channels. When I called Sky customer service they said their computer system was down and to keep trying to call back. I called back on several occasions and when the system was finally back up, several Sky customer service representatives made unsuccessful efforts to reboot my system. None worked and I had to keep waiting 4 hours each time to see if the reset would take effect.
On Wednesday last I again rang Sky customer service where a representative told me it must be a fault with the box itself and that he would send an engineer today. I explained that was the only day I would be home all day for the next few weeks and so I was very happy the problem would be rectified today. I was told an engineer would call me between 8 and 9am to set up an appointment time today.
I didn't receive a call today and in fact received no notification all morning. Finally I rang Sky customer service at midday. They told me the engineer's visits had been cancelled. I asked by whom. They said it was an internal cancellation, a 'bad diary booking'. I spoke to a manager, and was so annoyed that I explained to her I felt like cancelling my entire Sky subscription. Imagine my surprise when she put me on hold and I found myself transferred to the cancellation department. No effort to help me, or make a special effort, when it was clear from my account history that I had spent hours on the phone to Sky customer service this week, and had made about 20 phone calls.
All this, and I still did not have Sky+, and what's more, Sky were cancelling appointments set up to rectify the situation. When I finally got back onto customer service they said they would set up a new appointment. I asked for an appointment tomorrow, Saturday, the only suitable day for the next few weeks. But they couldn't find a free engineer....

I am beyond appalled by the level of service provided by Sky. Has anyone else had similar problems?

Lump

.... Then actually cancel your subscribtion.

John

4red

I would but the Sky engineer has already drilled through my wall and cabled down from my satellite dish to hook up the non-working Sky+ box....

....and NTL don't provide a similar Sky+ service.

My point was that Sky customer service couldn't seem to care less that I was thinking of cancelling.

Lump

Well, they have millions of subscribers.... and they probably guessed you had no choice to go with them.... that's why it's called a monopoly.

John

Sparky

Did the engineer do a callback on the box?

Services 4---0---1----select

---

6

Let it do everything and your premium channels should then be married to your box.

The Doktor

hmmmm... sounds like me a few months ago .. canceled appointments etc at one point the technician that was supposed to call out rang my message minder directly to tell me he couldnt find my house! He didnt even want to speak to me. And yeah I got put through to the cancellations department too! lol

4red

Hey Sparky-s,
Thanks I did that and got back my premium channels (still can't use Sky+ functions thought). Seems like the engineer neglected to do what you suggested...but then he was hungover to bits...Sky employ some quality staff.

4red

Oh, and the reason I won't cancel my subscription (yet) is that I paid 375 Euro for the Sky+ installation....

....4 weeks and 3 engineers later and the thing still doesn't work at all!

Anyone else have or resolve a similar problem?

digitaldr

Try posting on the satellite forum here There's a guy called Tony who posts there regularly - he's an independant Sky installer and did a great job on my Sky+ install. My advice is to persevere - it really is a great product.

DaDa

4red wrote:

I've been a Sky customer for years. Recently I ordered Sky+ and an engineer was booked to install the system last weekend. The engineer took over 4 hours to do the job including visits back to his home to collect extra tools he needed. When he left he said that a signal would be sent through upgrading my system and that it should take no longer than 4 hours. After 4 hours my system hadn't been upgraded so I called Sky customer service. They resent the signal and said this could take another 4 hours. Next morning I checked and the signal hadn't come through. Sky+ still did not work; in addition I could watch regular channels but not my Film Four subscription channels. When I called Sky customer service they said their computer system was down and to keep trying to call back. I called back on several occasions and when the system was finally back up, several Sky customer service representatives made unsuccessful efforts to reboot my system. None worked and I had to keep waiting 4 hours each time to see if the reset would take effect.
On Wednesday last I again rang Sky customer service where a representative told me it must be a fault with the box itself and that he would send an engineer today. I explained that was the only day I would be home all day for the next few weeks and so I was very happy the problem would be rectified today. I was told an engineer would call me between 8 and 9am to set up an appointment time today.
I didn't receive a call today and in fact received no notification all morning. Finally I rang Sky customer service at midday. They told me the engineer's visits had been cancelled. I asked by whom. They said it was an internal cancellation, a 'bad diary booking'. I spoke to a manager, and was so annoyed that I explained to her I felt like cancelling my entire Sky subscription. Imagine my surprise when she put me on hold and I found myself transferred to the cancellation department. No effort to help me, or make a special effort, when it was clear from my account history that I had spent hours on the phone to Sky customer service this week, and had made about 20 phone calls.
All this, and I still did not have Sky+, and what's more, Sky were cancelling appointments set up to rectify the situation. When I finally got back onto customer service they said they would set up a new appointment. I asked for an appointment tomorrow, Saturday, the only suitable day for the next few weeks. But they couldn't find a free engineer....

I am beyond appalled by the level of service provided by Sky. Has anyone else had similar problems?

That's one lousy experience. Persevere... 'cos it'll be worth it! Since getting the system in we have stopped watching TV (except for some live events that are worth watching at the time). We simply watch what's in our Planner. Now we control what and when we watch it. It's the best purchase ever.

4red

Thanks for all the input. I was talking to my credit card provider to cancel the payment to Sky - they said they've had loads of irate Sky customers wanting to cancel payments BTW. But then Sky+ finally started working a couple of days ago. Apparently the original installer aded a wrong digit to the installation code...

...took them 4 weeks to figure that one out.

It is a good service now that it's working but put it this way, if any other provider offers a similar service I'll be the first one to sign up and dump Sky.

Fallschirmjager

jeeze sounds scary...i had a problem with the dish..well the receiver part..they basically forced me to pay over the phone before they would get an engineer out...who then refused to enter the house when he arrived until i paid him AGAIN in cash!!! un friggen believable...he got very upset when i demanded a receipt!

i rang sky who said it was nothing to do with them AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE PAID!!! and i had to fight to get my money back from them...it took a lot of patience...

i dont have a sky+ box namely the cost and i am waiting for the HD stuff to appear before i upgrade...i think a lot of the people who used to work in Chorus and were fired for incompetence have made their way to sky!