DirecTV is a satellite TV service, and they provide equipment at the time of installation. Canceling a DirecTV subscription comes with long holds and countless call transfers. It is an expensive affair because you need to have a lot of time and patience in hand. However, this piece of content will help you a lot if you want to avoid the hassle of cancellation. We will share with you- what to do and what to say to cancel your DirecTV contract.
The First Few Steps:-
1. Begin with Collecting the Latest Bill and Account Information.
You will require the necessary PINs and account numbers. Your DirecTV account displays contract information like how much time is left. If you are a valued customer and stayed with DirecTV long before AT&T acquired it, you will have to dig deeper and check your emails for the correct information.
After the merger, they must have updated you with any changed information. Furthermore, to avoid any future hassle, AT&T tried to make the processing and billing part of the same department.
2. Prepare for a Phone Call.
You can not cancel the DirecTv service through email or any online channel. The only way to cancel is to dial customer service at 1-800-288-2020. Customer service remains available from 8 am till midnight EST daily.
3. Schedule a Call When You Have Some Free Time in Hand.
The best time to call them is early morning. Support reps are available, but your own time is also valuable. They might put you on hold for longer, and the cancellation policy itself takes longer to explain. Consider calling between 10:00 am to 2:00 pm during weekdays.
4. Talk to a Live Person.
Don’t ever think of talking to a live person after dialing the above number. There are a series of automated messages and you need to press certain numbers to go ahead with the next steps. Always prefer options that will take you in the cancelation direction.
Before you talk to a live person, the automated system will put your call on hold- be patient and stay till one rep will answer your call. If possible, choose the “other” option when available. It is the fastest way to connect with a human customer support rep.
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Phrases to Use When You Call to Cancel DirecTV Subscription
Service providers like DirecTV do whatever they can to retain their customers. Owing to this, lengthy conversations and a lot of hurdles jump in the way. To simplify the process, use these phrases to speed things up. However, we do not recommend using all these phrases. Use the one which appeals more to you and your current situation.
“Please get me in touch with someone who can cancel my DirecTV subscription.”
Unfortunately, the very first person you talk to won’t always be of any help. The next person in line may not be able to cancel your service either. Always be ready to say this line and look for the most suitable rep who will listen to your concern.
If the rep refuses to transfer the call to someone superior to them, keep insisting. Moreover, request them to transfer your call to the retention department. You’ll be asked to explain the nature of your call before proceeding.
“I Switched Services.”
Attention! The sentence is in the past tense. The moment they know that you have already made your decision and even switched to their competitor, the service rep knows that it’s probably too late to change your mind with cheesy offers.
Avoid the trap like, “What can we do to get you back?” Never respond positively as this is just a formality.
“I’m Moving, and I can’t Continue with Service Anymore.”
The phrase is quite powerful provided you choose your next destination carefully. If you tell them that you are inside the States, they will offer a “mover’s deal” to move DirecTV to your new address.
The best reply is- “I am moving to a different country probably forever.” This move will help you avoid annoying questions about your new address.
Things to Know BEFORE Your Cancellation Call
1. You Must be the Account Owner:
We strongly recommend you not ignore this step. Your name needs to show up on the DirecTV bill. DirecTV assures that no one can just call up and play with your account and profile whenever they want. But this security step comes with its downsides (death in the family, etc.).
If you aren’t the real owner still the one who needs to cancel the account, then explain your situation. Offer them any identification document to proceed ahead with the steps. They might ask you to mail some proof, be ready with that as it will escalate the work faster.
2. Don’t Agree With their Temporary Account Suspension Unless You Need it:
Temporary account suspension means they will pause your service in case you need long vacations or projects outside of the country. It will save you some money, but you are in the loop of DirecTv service.
This can’t be an ideal solution if you want a permanent cancellation. Don’t let the rep convince you to go ahead with the suspension option when you already decide to cancel your DirecTV contract.
3. You Can’t Force a Cancellation Instantly on Holidays.
Cancellation is a lengthy process and requires time for completion. Don’t expect it to take effect on the same day or just the next business day.
The same is valid during weekends and depending on your region. If you want to escalate the process quickly, prefer doing it when there are a couple of business days ahead of you.
4. Service Reps are Famous for Lying.
It may sound a bit shocking but 100% true. You often come across tales of customer service reps lying about services, how DirecTV works, and even about how easy is it to cancel services. It is worth noting that you must not believe what you hear on the call.
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Cancellation Penalties
No prize for guessing! Yes, you have to pay DirecTV cancellation fees if you want to terminate the services immediately. However, DirecTV is stringent when it comes to how much you will pay for the early cancellation of service.
The whole game starts with a deactivation fee. If you opt to cancel your DirecTV subscription before the contract ends, you need to pay a $15 fee. Another charge of $15 adds up if you weren’t keeping up with your merest programming demands for your particular package.
Next is the prorated early cancellation fee, which makes the whole process complicated. It is calculated based on the remaining month in your existing DirecTV contract. The price goes up to $20 for every remaining month.
Suppose you have 4 months left in the contract, you will end up paying $15 + up to $80 for your service cancellation. Extra fees also get included surging the price up closer to $115. Isn’t it too much?
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to cancel DirecTV without paying the penalty. You can argue about the fee waived, but it may take you nowhere. However, if you have some doubts about the final bill, you can ask them for an explanation. But for that, you have to go through the same tedious process. So it’s a game of patience to cancel your DirecTV subscription.
How to Avoid the DirecTV Cancellation Fee
DirecTV makes it difficult to cancel your existing service. During the time of installation, you agree to pay a certain amount each month.
While most people will pay the fees, you are smart and can avoid them playing some tricks.
There are some situations when DirecTV forbids the early termination fee for the remaining months of your contract. But you have to pay the $15 deactivation fee.
You are …
1. Moving to some other country and DirecTV doesn’t operate in that country.
2. Moving to an apartment that prohibits satellite dishes.
3. By Joining the Peace Corps.
4. Experiencing constant outages.
5. A deceased customer’s estate is exempted from paying the cancellation fee.
Note:- For all of the situations mentioned above, be ready to provide proof to validate your claim.
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