Nearly over a year ago, I posted an article about an experience I had with DirecTV.

http://deborahsteinberg.com/2009/04/13/directvs-superduper-secret-customer-loyalty-program.aspx

Verna commented on my entry:

To some, I'm sure your article on the Directv Super-Duper Secret Customer Loyalty Progam appeared very intelligent and well thought out. It's so very obvious that you took great pleasure in writing about what a 'savvy shopper' you are. I took great pleasure in reading it, as I am always amused at others who are so forthcoming with their stupidity.

Please explain to me why people like you feel entitled to free products and services from companies. A reason other than competition. Clearly you are not a rocket scientist, but you shouldn't have to be to know that all TV providers have a better deal temporarily. It's a start-up offer which generally provides free equipment up front and a temporary promotional discount. Do you have any idea how long it takes for a company to recoup their costs before they even begin to make a profit from having you as a customer? I bet you did not know that when the HD DVR was first available they cost $1000 each.  If you purchased one now the cost is $450.  So $200 sounds like a pretty good deal to me. I know this because I have been a true loyal customer with Directv for many years (well over your 3 years) and I waited until I was eligible for a special offer.  Had you been eligible for a free upgrade, it would have been offered to you on the spot. No questions asked. No putting you on hold. What resulted from the representative giving you something you were not entitled to is an increased,unbudgeted expense to the company.  And it’s ultimately customers like me who have to pay the price for selfish people like you. Companies giving in to customers like you just reinforces this type of bad behavior that you are now, so proudly, spreading on the internet.

It has never occurred to me to ask for free shit or discounts from anyone just because "damn it I'm special".  Would you walk into Best Buy and threaten that you will just go to Walmart if they don't deduct $250 off the price of a TV?  Or would you just go to where the best deal is?  Customers need to do their research in advance to know what company in the long run is the better value and stick with that company.

Really? Financial counselor? Advisor? Teacher? Marriage counselor? Negotiator?
Ah! Then I saw the bit about the Tarot readings and communicating with the dead and it all made sense.  Gypsy? Yes…a gypsy sitting on her throne, eating grapes and wanting something for nothing.

Well, Verna, I took great pleasure in reading your comments. I guess we share something in common: I am also amused when others are forthcoming with their stupidity.

I don’t recall writing that I felt entitled to this discount nor did I try to portray that I was deserving of it because I was special.  It was a satirical piece that poked fun of how scripted everything is.   

DirecTV is a fine company—they know exactly what they are doing.  My DVR was not an unbudgeted expense—it’s an example of two tiered pricing.  It’s supply and demand.  They’ll charge the$232 because some people (perhaps you?) are willing to pay it.  And knowing that others are not, they stand ready to waive this if you push hard enough. 

It’s the same idea when a movie theater charges less to senior citizens.  They’re not being nice.  They just realize that they won’t be able to maximize revenues if they charge older people (who are more likely to be on a fixed income) the same price.  My getting this discount has no bearing on how DirecTV sets prices for everyone else.  Regardless of the expense (or lost revenue in this case), any company trying to make a profit will set a price in such a way as to attract the most customers and maximize their revenues.

You’re making it sound like I walked into DirecTV’s headquarters and stole a DVR.  They willingly offered this to me.  If they decided not to, it would have been up to me to decide what deal to go for.

Your Walmart and Best Buy analogy makes no sense.  When buying a television, you can research the prices ahead of time.  And many companies do offer to match a competitor’s price. 

In this case, DirecTV did not advertise their prices for the upgrade, so there was no way to do all the research in advance.  And this makes sense—they want to gain an advantage by not sharing their prices.  It was my hope that by sharing my experience that someone reading my article might benefit from knowing that a deal like this existed.

For the record, it is my wife (and creator of this blog) who is the Tarot reader.  I AM a financial counselor, which entails being an adviser and a teacher.  I am not supposed to be a marriage counselor, but it comes with the territory when you’re counseling a couple on their finances.

Oh, and I did happen to eat some grapes today—I was on the couch, though. 

As for wanting something for nothing, DirecTV has gotten nearly a thousand dollars from me since this article.  I think they’ll survive.  And I just reviewed my latest bill.  It turns out they decided to give me three months of free Showtime.  No, I didn’t ask for it.  But I sure will enjoy saving up some movies on my DVR.

From High Above On His Throne,

Chris Dlugozima