Shaw TV service declining

[MMS2]

I have been a Shaw customer since 1989 and in the last year and 1/2 I have seen their service decline.  I have had to deal with various problems numerous times.  Because my Main tV box is noisy and makes noise similar to an older hard drive searching and when this happens the picture and sound pixalates and stalls.  I requested a new box but the answer was 'There are none available'.  The technicians have been here and checked everything in the system but the box.  Anyhow enough is enough.  Not complaining just stating the facts.  My contract will be up soon and I guess it is time to move on!!  

[mdk]

@MMS2 -- my Main tV box is noisy and makes noise similar to an older hard drive searching and when this happens the picture and sound pixalates and stalls. 

What manufacturer/model-number of PVR do you have? If it is an old one with an internal disk-drive, the symptoms you report are that of the disk-drive beginning to fail -- making multiple attempts to write to the disk-drive, and taking seconds, instead of milliseconds, to complete the "write". While the disk-drive is buy "retrying", you see those symptoms (noise, pixelating, freezing).

> I requested a new box but the answer was 'There are none available'. 

Did they mean "none of the same model that you have" or "none of a later model" or "none of the latest BlueCurve TV box" ?

Every new Shaw customer on a Two Year Value-Plan is entitled to a working TV box.

Can you tell a lie to Shaw that your box is totally "dead", and will not power-on, and there are no lit-up lamps on its face ?  At that point, they MUST provide some replacement, to avoid a "breach of contract" situation.

It is possible that if you can find an Arris Gateway for sale on a site like www.used.ca, where the seller has moved to Telus TV, and now is trying to sell the box, that Shaw will *NOT* "activate" that older box on their network.  So, that no longer is an option to "bring your own device" (even though it was originally purchased from Shaw by the current owner).

[DXER]

Quite the change since covid19. They used to have a store in a more industrial area. Great service. Now its a fancy store in a mall. Had to get a replacement for a failing remote. They used to swap them, old for new. This time I had to pay $20. I have a 3 old (nonworking & still being used) boxes. II asked about upgrading to get all HD.  used to just bring my equipment back for recycling or disposal. Now I'm told I have to use Canada Post - again relatively costly. I didn't even get a postal address, so I'll have to go back. Finally, the folks at the old store had been there for years. At the new store? New people. They tried, but they act more like straight-out sales people than the more service oriented folks. Guess my options are wide open now.

[mdk]

@DXER -- This time I had to pay $20

Was this at a Shaw retail location, or did you use www.shaw.ca/chat to get them to ship a replacement to you ?  In the latter case, that was free, the most-recent time that I needed a new remote.

> used to just bring my equipment back for recycling or disposal. Now I'm told I have to use Canada Post - again relatively costly.

During COVID-19, if I was an employee at a Shaw retail store, I would not want to TOUCH any possibly-infected equipment.

Take your equipment to any Canada Post outlet, in a closed-up box. The clerk will add a shipping-label, and Shaw, not you, will pay for the shipping.

> At the new store? New people.

Some restaurants in my city are now paying a "working wage" to their employees -- over $19/hour. I see half-built construction-sites that have posted signs "carpenters and labourers wanted". There is a great demand for employees, which causes the "turnover" that you have noticed at the Shaw stores.

[rstra]

@DXER I agree, I am not sure why Shaw stores can’t accept equipment or offer remotes. Even as other stores are opening up, Shaw continues shut out customers. The last time I was in one of the stores, I had to stand outside, despite only two customers inside. A employee was outside with us, questioning why I was there and instead of going back inside to help customers, he just stayed outside with us chatting. 

[shaw-ada]

@DXER to add to what @mdk mentioned. You can generate a return label (follow steps 2-8). You don't need to print it. Put all the equipment in a box. Just show the QR code to the Canada Post staff and they'll process the return of equipment to us at no cost to you. Important is to ask for the return receipt to show to one of our support specialists via chat, so they can reverse the equipment charges immediately.  

[DXER]

Thanks for the information. I did not know that I could get a replacement via chat. All I knew was the the old store location was closed and replaced by the fancy new one. The buttons on my remote were all sticking. Not sure why they charged as I rent the equipment. As for returning by Canada Post, again new, but given covid19 I suppose I understand. The irony was that I had purchased an extender, and a pvr, and when they failed, all I got an older style replacement that worked, but no extender replacement. As to Canada Post, I didn't know the procedure - take it in with a box and and address. New to me. But good to know, as the clerk didn't say.

[mdk]

>  I am not sure why Shaw stores can’t accept equipment or offer remotes.

Last time I was inside a Shaw retail store, they were selling remote-controls, and telling customers to call/chat to get one sent to them, for free, via Canada Post. It was an economic disincentive to come to the retail store.

I think that not accepting equipment that may be contaminated is a wise step for the Shaw retail store. I have not visited a Shaw return-centre, but I imagine that proper handling & sterilization processes are in effect at that location.

If you have not noticed, there is a pandemic that limits occupancy to all retail businesses, with signage like "maximum occupancy is NN" and "masks are required".  It's done to protect the health of the front-line workers. In April 2020, I went into a LIFELABS to get some blood-work. The employee was wearing a gown, gloves, face-mask, and face-shield. At that time, it was not considered to be an "extreme" reaction to the pandemic.

> Even as other stores are opening up, Shaw continues shut out customers.

You make that claim, and then you immediately contradict it, with your report how Shaw is managing the occupancy restrictions:

The last time I was in one of the stores, I had to stand outside, despite only two customers inside. A employee was outside with us, questioning why I was there and instead of going back inside to help customers, he just stayed outside with us chatting. 

Perfectly correct procedure. That employee knew the number of customers currently inside the store, and was waiting for one customer to leave, before admitting another -- managing the maximum occupancy restriction.

You did not mention why that the employee was questioning you. The employee was using a tablet, and was taking information from you, to electronically send that information to one of the Agents inside, in order to expedite your transaction, when it became your turn to talk to an Agent inside the store.

COVID-19 exists. The proof I have is 3 dead friends.

Be calm, be kind, be safe

[rstra]

@mdk 

I am in BC and they have lifted the mask mandate. They continue to shut out customers in their retail stores by not offering any service that couldn’t be done over the phone. The claim of contaminated equipment is a joke, they likely prefer the mail in option because the equipment has to be returned to the distribution centre for processing anyway. 

The employee did not have a tablet to enter information, his questioning was meant to attempt to redirect people to call in to Shaw instead of coming in to the store.

My post, was to explain my experience with the Shaw stores, it didn’t require your typical lengthy condescending  response. I worked for Shaw for many years, I think they are a great company, but they do make mistakes, and I am entitled to my opinion. Don’t you have better things to do at 1am?

“COVID-19 exists. The proof I have is 3 dead friends”

Step back. Why would you even say that, at what point did I say that it didn’t exist? You have no idea my experience with the pandemic. 

[mdk]

@rstra -- [BC| has lifted the mask mandate.

From the BC CDC site:

Wearing a mask is recommended in many indoor public spaces for people 12 and up who are not fully immunized. This includes shopping malls, grocery stores, community centres and on public transportation or in taxis and ride shares. 

Wisely, my dentist's office is still enforcing masks. That business is not alone in their decision to protect their employees.

> The claim of contaminated equipment is a joke,

Fake news.

> Don’t you have better things to do at 1am?

Not everybody works a "9 to 5" job, and is asleep at 1 AM. Why are you bashing me for the hours that I keep?  How inappropriate.