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Star Choice Customer Service - Good & Bad - Post Comments Here

184K views 632 replies 225 participants last post by  gzink 
#1 ·
This thread is for folks to post good stories and bad about Star Choice Customer Service.

If your posting a bad story, then at least try to post what knowledge is lacking and how the company might improve service rather than calling CSR's useless or idiots.

Remember CSR's are human too and sometimes they don't have all the answers
 
#2 ·
I was with *C for about 2yrs and never had a bad experience with their customer service. The wait times on the phones were usually quite short and I loved the call-back option they offered where you could leave your phone number and a CSR would call you back. I recently switched to Rogers on the realchoice offer and even when it came time for me to cancel my *C service, the CSR was very polite and professional. She did try her retention skills, but when I explained what Rogers was offering me... HDPVR, 4 months free programming, bundled with my existing hi-speed internet and wireless service, she thanked me for my business and welcomed me to return to *C should anything change in the future.

In my opinion *C customer service has been a class act.
 
#3 ·
Same experience here. I was a *C sub for almost 2 years and had no complaints with customer service. Very polite, almost zero wait time.

Switched to Rogers on the Real Choice promotion (couldn't pass it up) and when I called to cancel I got passed to a "customer retention" agent. After I told her the reason why I was leaving she said they had gotten "a lot" of that recently. She thanked me for being a customer and that if they offer something down the road to consider coming back. No fuss, no high pressure sales tactics, nothing.

A class act all the way. :)
 
#4 ·
I've had very little problems with *C CSRs. Most are very helpful and speak English clearly... wait times are very short compared to my BEV days. I think I've only had one bad CSR when I signed back up to *C back in June. Wanted to charge me a fee to return and would not give me the western US feeds because I lived in the East. She kept saying thats the way it is and thats the way its always been. I was getting tired of this girl and it was late so I went along with her. I phoned back the next day and got a very pleasent young lady that straightened everything out including letting me take the western feeds instead of the eastern ones. Also got the $30 reconnection fee refunded a couple of weeks later when *C phone me back with a follow up call.
 
#6 ·
I can only echo what has already been said about SC customer service. You are rarely put on hold and I like the instantaneous change in programming. When I read the posts of ExpressVu subs and their experiences, I appreciate even more the service I've got from SC. No complaints at all.
 
#7 ·
Star Choice CSR

I've always had a good experience with the Customer Service at Star Choice. I've sent back a receiver that up and died, and the whole process was painless and easy.
I've never been on hold longer than a minute. Leaves me quite chuffed.
 
#8 ·
Service is good!

Over the years, I have had my ups and downs with them. What irks me but is not specific to SC is the fact that they are so uninformed. When I got a card in the mail about getting free Superstations, I called them that day and the CSR knew nothing about it. Right now, you get a quick response (short wait times or none at all). As long as you are not looking for something out of the ordinary, you can expect very good service.
 
#9 ·
Starchoice CSR's

From my experience, the CSR's are great. The fact that StarChoice added a whole bunch of them really helped too. I installed my mother's Bell eV satellite dish and it took two days to activate and over an hour to wait on the phone, several times. I like the fact that I call *C and I get a rep in a few minutes. The technical guys are okay too.

I wish StarChoice was a little more forthcoming about what's going on with programming and updates to software/firmware and the like, just because, like many of you, I have made an investment into the StarChoice system, and would like to know that the service is continually improving.

Other than that, it's great. My picture is clear, my sound is good, I wish there was more Canadian Content on the HD channels, and a little more balance east/west programming on Sundays (read that as I get a lot of west coast football on Sunday in HD, but not enough from the east coast).

I am happy with *C and the CSR's, bring back hockey and broadcast it in HD.
 
#10 ·
Regretably I had to cancel my StarChoice service yesterday, and the answer to the question as to why I cancelled was probably the same as what many others have told the CSR: namely the absence of a PVR and the bleak prospect of an affordable PVR from StarChoice any time soon. However, what impressed me was the fact that I was told I would have $100 deducted from my bank account for cancelling prior to the expiration of one year but that I would be credited that amount if I sent in my receiver to StarChoice. I was told that Purolator would deliver a box suitable for shipping a receiver and that the delivery charge was prepaid. Low and behold, Purolator arrived today with a box and had there not been bad weather, the receiver could be on its way to Mississauga now. Very good service, indeed.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Happy with SC

I received a call from SC customer service this evening. They made the effort to tell me they mistakenly charged me to much on my last bill. The error occured because they forgot to cancel Sunday ticket at the end of the regular season. They told me that they would credit my account. I was pleasantly surprised at their honesty. I doubt that I would get this treatment fron BEV. Makes me happy to be with SC.
 
#12 ·
Out of fairness, I thought I would ring in here too, after my diatribe on the Shaw forum. My experience with Star Choice has been nothing but positive. Any of my questions have been promptly replied to. I had a billing mistake after I resubscribed in November, which they fixed immediately upon finding out about it.

I really don't understand how Star Choice's customer service can be so good when Shaw's seems to me to be so bad. They are the same company after all. Now if they can only get that PVR thing worked out...
 
#13 ·
"C" service is great

I have been with them since 2000 and have a receiver in almost every room.I take it to my cottage and the service and reception have been great. I had a problem with a 401 and they sent me a new one ,recently a 301 in my son's room went out and again they sent me a new one. only $13.99 on my bill and it was prepaid for return of the broken one. They were really great about it.
After 4 years I know of NO company that would stand behind their products with a SMILE "C" forever !!!!
 
#14 ·
SC Calls Me a Liar!

Well, up until a few days ago, I, too, thought SC was the best in customer service.

Having had some signal problems, I called SC and the rep. "offered" a free service call. I hadn't asked for a service call so was really pleasantly surprised when a free one was offered to me. Along comes the next bill with a $30 "transaction" fee. I called them and the CSR passed me to a service tech by the name of Mozma.

I explained how I was offered a free service call but to my surprise, she indicated that it was not documented as such. She kept telling me that I was not offered a free service call because it was "documented" that it was "50%" off only. It's anyone's guess what happened between the "offer" and the note writing by the rep.

She kept repeating that it was "documented" and the charge could not be reversed. Well, I hadn't called to request a service call in the first place. The bottom line, as I saw it, was that if there is a service charge, it should be indicated to the customer up-front. I was seeing red. I was so upset at her attitude and suggestion that they had it documented and that I was obviously wrong. I was so mad I told her to shut down the service. I was passed to another individual who straightened the matter out and had the charge reversed.

Of course, this has tainted my view of SC. The technical issue has also not been resolved.

To make matters worse, the tecnician sent to my house misdiagnosed the problem as a receiver problem so he had suggested that I call SC for a replacement receiver. So now on top of everything else, I have to return a receiver that I never needed in the first place.

The issues are lengthy but those are the highlights in a nutshell. In future, I'll be recording any telephone discussions with SC.
 
#15 ·
First post:
*C has been good to me. I have a 305, 401 and 405 with the HDD200 decoder. I have gone through three 305's and one 401, which have been replaced promptly. *C seems to have resigned to the fact that the tuners were cheap and lately, haven't given me a hard time. I also have had to have the dish serviced twice, both times for corrosion of the cables and multiswitch. Yea, the service ain't cheap, especially with the $4.99 monthly multi receiver fee but it's worthwhile insurance to pay, and prompt service when you need it.
 
#18 ·
Need clarification

jbracing24 said:
First post:
...*C seems to have resigned to the fact that the tuners were cheap and lately, haven't given me a hard time. I also have had to have the dish serviced twice, both times for corrosion of the cables and multiswitch. Yea, the service ain't cheap, especially with the $4.99 monthly multi receiver fee but it's worthwhile insurance to pay, and prompt service when you need it.
Did they charge you for the dish service? Are you on "Simple Satellite"?
 
#19 ·
That's the thing...because I am on "simple satellite", all service was free and prompt, except for that dreaded $13.99 handling fee times 4.
Bye the way, I didn't realize that Star Choice was following this thread. I put a good plug in for *C with Sound and Vision magazine and Michael Antonoff called me back. Supposed to be printing something in Feb issue...how about a rebate?
 
#22 ·
Good and Bad

Way back when, Star Choice had the worst, and I mean the worst Customer Service I had ever seen with its 90 minute waits and their not so informative Customer Service. I am very happy to say that all that has changed and the Customer Service is great!
That said, there are two things that I'm not pleased with.
1---My dish moved off line a little in a storm and my HD Channels were affected. I had to pay 60.00 to get my dish aligned. I said, but I can get a whole new dish with a receiver installed for less than that, but that's the way it was.
2---I moved up to the DSR500 Receiver and have had nothing but problems with it locking up, changing channels on it's own among other things. I was told after I bought it that I had to wait a week and all would be fixed.Ya Right!
 
#23 ·
Additional receiver fees

jbracing24 said:
$4.99 versus $20+, now...let's see!
I thought about upgrading to a higher package to waive the $4.99 fee but to me it is convoluted logic. Would I rather only pay $4.99 or upgrade and pay about $20 more per month in programming I would rarely watch? I choose option one pay $4.99.

There is nothing wrong with our math skills. ;) ;)
 
#24 ·
Good Customer Service

I love the callback feature. The technicians know what they are doing, they will not mount dishes in unsafe or unstable areas which would cause them to move off alignment in a wind storm.

The instantaneous change in programming packages over the phone is painless and easy.

Customer Service is a tough job. I do it for a living. The answers given to customers are only as good as the information received by the Customer Service Reps. Absolutely no complaints. Keep up the good work in the face of demanding clientele.
 
#25 ·
3 years ago, everything was crap! I use the french cs and the wait was over 2 hours long. I know, I chrono it twice.
After 6 months of problems with my receiver, they NEVER accepted to change it. I had 2 and paid the 4.95/month. I had to pay a local tech to repair it. I had so many problems in the past. They even refused to activate a movie on VC because of a password. I never had any password on my account. They lost a lot of customers in Quebec.

Today, the customers relations is better. But the 4.95 is still there for nothing. If I upgrade combo, They bring it down to 2.95. Big deal!!! If it wasn't for Customers relations rep named Simon, I would be with Bell now.

He helped a lot and gave me the free install of the comming DSR530 and a little rebate on the purchase. Bell is even worst and dvr receivers are crappy. Given the choice between average and bad...
 
#26 ·
Just had SC installed

Just dropping a little note abot my experience with StarChoice so far....

I was about to purchased a 315 from THE BRICK since they offer the normal 10 fre PPV's and an addtional $50.00 programming credit. On my way there Friday after work I happened to notice a small electronics dealer in the same area.

I stopped in just for the heck of it. I explained The Bricks's deal an he offered me a better deal... I recieved a 205 plus an older 405 - which has 5.1 plus dual A/V RCA outputs and caller ID. I went for it. $115 tax in.

I then asked about an install date...he said "How about tomorrow?" Great!

Installer was out with both recievers and the dish Saturday morning @ 11:00am - Was up and running by 1:00OPM

I only activated the 405 for now.... One thing I noticed was a change to the IPG Sunday morning...it had the smaller guide with picture option which it didn't have upon the orginal install Saturday - It must have been software updated overnight.

So far so good....

I watched channel 299 and saw the chezzy promo for the DSR 530...The actor stated Summer 2005....We'll see.

Oh by the way....I had zero hold times the two times I called in.

Cheers
Rob.
 
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