| I'm constantly bombarded by property owners | | | | provider/ installer ever designed and installed a |
| who have been mislead by DISH and DirecTV | | | | successful shared-dish-system before...or is this |
| retailers who communicate the wrong message | | | | their first project? Do you really want to be the |
| when it comes to installing a shared-satellite-dish | | | | guinea pig here? |
| solution for their building(s). Many retailers who sell | | | | 2. What happens when one of your residents has |
| and install independent satellite dishes on balconies | | | | a service issue at 11pm on a Sunday night? |
| have one goal mind, get the dish installed (in | | | | Do your prospective shared-satellite-dish providers |
| whatever way will be easiest for them), get the | | | | installer s have a dedicated call center standing |
| satellite receiver (set top box) activated, and get | | | | by to address his or her needs? |
| the heck out of dodge before something breaks | | | | 3. Do they have the capital means to invest in |
| down (or the property owner sees you). | | | | hundreds of $200 to $500 set top boxes in order |
| If someone calls in with a service problem, delay | | | | to accommodate the demand of your property? |
| and dance around it until they get tired of calling in. | | | | 4. Do they have the ability to send out a bill for |
| Of course, not all retailers fit this description, but | | | | service? Do they perform the actual billing and |
| most are not qualified to install and serve and | | | | customer service functions (such as activations, |
| apartment community. Yep, I said it! | | | | deactivations and programming changes) or is the |
| Is a shared-satellite-dish solution the answer to | | | | customer going to receive one bill from DISH |
| your problem? It really depends on what your | | | | Network / DirecTV and some other "access fee" |
| problem is to begin with. Is your goal to get | | | | charge from them? |
| dishes down? Is your goal to offer more | | | | 5. Do they have the ability to bundle Internet |
| programming choices and attract more residents? | | | | service with satellite TV service? Cable companies |
| Perhaps you just want to stop denying those | | | | can. You can't expect to transition your residents |
| residents who continue to ask you why they | | | | to a new service provider that offers less than |
| can't put their own satellite dish up. Whatever | | | | what's currently available. |
| your problem, the solution is not as simple as | | | | Shared-satellite-dish solutions do offer some huge |
| putting a couple dishes up and hoping for the best. | | | | benefits, but those benefits will never outweigh |
| In many cases, a shared-satellite-dish solution may | | | | the risk of losing residents due to poor customer |
| cause you more problems than you have now. It | | | | service from an under-qualified provider. |
| all boils down to the following: | | | | Do your due-diligence before proceeding. |
| 1. Has your prospective shared-satellite-dish | | | | |