Dish Network Took me to the cleaners over and over Englewood California

Wow, where do I even begin?  This is the most horrible company I have ever worked for or been a customer of!

I actually was an employee of Dish.  I live in Illinois, but was told I was to get paid training for 5 weeks (of which 2 would be spent flying to St. Louis for classroom training.)

The classroom training was a good experience.  The on the job training was the problem.  My trainer is a tech who has been in the field for almost 10 years.  He is a level 4 tech, Dishnet certified, but a POOR trainer.  He really did not teach me anything.  I went to qualify and was unable to pass because of my "training".  The second time around, I was to install on the outside of a home to try for my second time to requalify.  I never did a pole-mount install or even seen one done, so I did not know anything about it.  So of course they failed me.  I believe my first time I should have failed, but my second time I did the install correct, yet did not know you use a different cable.  So my third time, after doing more and getting a good trainer, I went with a manager to qualify and I did the job perfectly, timely, and everything.   The manager said nothing while we were there, we left.  Then he informed me at first I took too long to install.  A 3 bedroom house in 2 hours (when my tablet said I had nearly 3 to complete the install, so I was way ahead of schedule).  Then  his story changed and I did not do the install correctly because I failed to put a backplate on the Dish.  This was not only never covered in classroom or on-the job training.  And the tech who had been there before me apparently did not know that it had to be done either. 

In other words, they wanted to let me go and that job was made so there was no way I could pass.  Well, this is just the beginning of my problems with Dish.  Not to mention the hours suck, they micro-manage you to death, and most of the managers are scumbags.  You can read the reviews about that, this is more about being a customer.

I had switched to the Dish service and been setup with automatic payments (a HUGE mistake that anyone who partakes in it WILL regret doing!).  Having your card on file with Dish is like handing your debit card to a stranger!  They will charge your account whatever they want, whenever they want if you owe them or even if they have been already paid.  Then if you call in, they lie and tell you they have "no record of you cancelling autopay."  The actual lie is they do not remove your credit card on file.  It's there and if you owe them money, they will take it at will with no authorization, as they please.  Your only rebuttal is to cancel your card and make it so they cannot do it again. 

When they let me go, I had cancelled the autopay (no job = no income = no ability to pay).  Then I decided to go back to my WoW cable (a company I wish Dish was like).  Once they let me go, they took away my employee discount (which I was told and expected) but they inexplicably cancelled the 3 free months of HBO and Starz and charged me for them.  They decided to take out $105.99 out of my bank account, though I had already cancelled autopay.  They told me they had no record of autopay taken off my account and they would not reverse the charges (more or less, told "too bad, so sad").  I told them to make sure they remove my card and that I want to have my equipment returned.   This is another issue.

What me and no one is ever told, they are not like cable companies.  No one comes and gets the equipment.  Instead, they ship you boxes and you are expected to pack the equipment away yourself and send it to them.  I have been told if you do not do this within 30 days of the day you cancel, they will automatically take out the equipment fee of $400.00 from the card on file.  They send you boxes according to what you have.  In my case I received two boxes for my equipment.  What they also do not tell you is that each box has a prepaid label that is $17.00 a box.  That's right, I have to pay $34.00 to return their equipment! 

The service also sucks, I did the install on my own home and my signals were perfectly peaked and I made sure to install correctly, yet any windy day and you have no Satellite reception! 

Well, today, another hit....(keep in mind that twice already I cancelled autopay and already complained when they took money out 2 weeks ago unauthorized).  I checked my account today and it was way lower than it should have been, what do I see?  Dish Autopay for the amount of $-55.67.  Fuming, I call customer service.   The lady I talked to is very nice and seems to understand my frustration, but she sees nothing about money being taken out of my account so there is nothing she can do. 

I have NO idea how this company stays in business!  They are horrible to work for and do business with!  They are deceptive, take money out of your account as they please, and have hidden fees when you go to cancel the service.  Let's do a quick rehash:

1) Work there, get let go for nonsense.  Lose 1 month of pay looking for a job (putting me behind on my bills, one bill of which is Dish!)

2) I cancel autopay.  They remove my $74.00 employee discount and charge me for HBO and Starz (which you get for free for 3 months supposedly. 

3) They take $105.99 out of my account without authorization.  When I call to complain about it they say they have no record of me cancelling autopay.  They ensure me this time they will remove autopay and then they inform me of the equipment return boxes.  That will be $34.00 ($17.00 per box!) that they never told me about when I signed up or even informed me about as a Sat TV installer! 

4) A week later, I check my account and Dish autopay removed another $55.67 for the final balance due with them.  This is after removing autopay twice and having the exact same problem a week before!  I call in, and the girl is super nice but tells me she sees that I cancelled autopay but she is showing no record of them taking $55.67 out of my bank account. 

So the aftermath:  I was left jobless for a month and a half thanks to them.  I get my paycheck from my new job, only to have Dish take $161.66 without authorization.  I also have to pay $34.00 to send back equipment and they STILL have my credit card on file. 

Avoid these scam artists like the plague, they reel you in with the glossy equipment, then they have you and they treat you like an afterthought and cost you money.  Do NOT give them your credit card unless you like to have bounced bills and NSF fees!  They are merciless and do not care about you.  I would not recommend Dish to my worse enemy!