Good package ,Terrible service (BskyB)

Member Name: Mick-Gray

Product:	BskyB
Date:	22/05/01 (154 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Better than on digital

Disadvantages: Terrible customer services

When Satellite T.V first became popular I decided to indulge myself and I bought a motorised system that enabled me to pick up other satellites dotted around the globe and watch any un-encrypted channels that they were putting out. I also subscribed to the full Sky analogue package so I had a good variety of programmes to view. As time went on more and more of the English speaking channels that I had access to on other satellites were brought on to the Astra satellite and were broadcast on the Sky package. So the old motorised dish became rather obsolete as even the foreign language channels were all becoming encrypted.

BskyB were at this time offering a free digi box and free installation if you signed up for one of their packages. As I already paid for the full analogue package and the new digital full package was the same price per month the change over was not going to cost me a penny and I would have access to numerous extra channels all for the same price. I explained to the salesperson on the phone that the dish was on the roof and told them which type it was. I was assured that this was not a problem and it would simply be exchanged for the new Digi dish. The change over was duly booked and the engineers who were private contractors hired by BskyB duly turned up on time.

The first problem, I was told was that my dish was mounted on a thicker than usual pole and they did not carry the correct brackets as standard and if I wanted the dish to be changed I would have to wait for one to be ordered. They then went on to say that the old dish was so heavy that it may well be considered a non-standard installation and I may have to pay after all. I tried without success to get through to the Sky sales people and was getting ready to tell them what to do with their dish when I was asked by the engineer why if I had such a good quality dish did I want to change it anyway.

I told them that I didn’t care what dish I had as long as I got
the digital package that I had ordered. They then went on to assure me that I would get a really good picture with my existing dish and I agreed to let them make the connection. This was done and they ran through a succession of channels, checked the strength of the incoming signal and assured me that the signal was at full strength and off they went.

As there were so many extra channels I did not check them all out at first and did not notice anything wrong until I tried to get Sky Movies 3 all I could get was frozen picture. I then found that this also applied to Sky Sports 3 and a couple of other channels. I telephoned customer services and eventually got a booking for the following Saturday. The same engineers came out and said that I had a faulty digibox and changed it. As it takes a while for the channels to set themselves they assured me that all would now be well and left without waiting to check.

Needless to say it was exactly the same as before. I telephoned Sky again and a couple of days later two different engineers turned up also contractors and told me the problem was that I had the wrong dish and the first two engineers did not know what they were talking about. They could do nothing about it as they did not have a new dish with them and they telephoned sky and told them what the problem was. I was told that it would be sorted out in the next couple of days.

Imagine my despair when the two original engineers turned up again and told me there was nothing wrong with the dish and that the other two did not know what they were talking about. They changed the digibox again and although I protested again left without waiting to check assuring me that it would be ok this time. I do not really need to tell you that it was just the same as before and I got on the phone to tell sky to come and get their equipment and where they could put it. I had all the apologies that they could give me and was told I would have a team of Sky engine
ers the next day and it would all be put right. As I had been impressed with the bulk of the channels that I had been able to watch I agreed but told them if it wasn’t right this time they could poke it and I would go over to On Digital. This time they came with a new dish, the correct bracket and fitted it and it all worked fine. I have had no trouble with it since and thank god have not had to deal with the customer services department again. I am extremely happy with the package that I get for £34 per month with about 100 different channels, Online banking. Email and shopping along with a wide variety of pay per view films at an average cost of £3 per film. As well as the eight free movie channels. I have seen the On digital package that my son has and feel that Sky is far superior. It’s a shame that they can’t get their act together when it comes to service.

Mick Gray

Summary: