Being a TDS TV tester, I got a chance to use the product and get familiar with it before I decided to commit to a long-term switch. Many people feel a certain level of comfort in testing things out before bringing them home. It’s no different then seeing the picture on that new LED television or checking out the new refrigerator before lugging it into the house.
TDS has been doing what they’re calling “Demo Days” for customers who want to see what TDS TV is all about before getting rid of their current provider (I’ve got details about future events at the end of this blog). There are many benefits to seeing it live and being able to sign up for service all in one trip. And who knows, there may be some surprises along the way.
I recently sat down with Jeff, a TDS TV customer who signed up for service at Demo Days back in March. Here is what he had to say about his experiences and what he loves about the service.
I heard about the Demo Days around the office. There were some flyers posted and a few posters letting us know where it was and when. When I called up to create an appointment to stop by, they mentioned I would get a gift card for coming. I had heard from coworkers that the service was really nice, and there were some real upsides to switching over. I had done some research online, and was on the fence about making a switch. Going to the Demo Days is what pushed me to sign up. Being able to talk to a person face-to-face versus on the phone, was a huge help. I had a bunch of questions about how the service worked and what would change, and the salesperson being able to physically show me how to do things and answer questions was of great benefit.
I got to see the picture quality first hand, which the High Def was a big selling point for me. I also got to use the remote, and I always have a hard time adjusting to new buttons and getting used to navigating through the system. It was nice to see that you just had to add 1000 to the regular channel, and that was the corresponding HD version. I had a few weather related issues with my previous provider, so it’s nice not to have to worry about that anymore. I’m very excited for football season to start, and to watch the Packers in HD. I like to work out in my basement, and before we just had bunny ears connected to a small TV down there. With the whole home DVR, I can catch up on my shows during my workout. There are so many things to like, making the switch was an easy decision.
When the salesperson gave me a gift card just for visiting the demo, he also mentioned that he’d put my name into a drawing to win the same 40” television I was looking at the demo on. I don’t consider myself a very “lucky” person – but I got a call a week or two after my appointment, and I actually won the TV. Getting all these free extras, I couldn’t have been happier heading to Demo Days.
Jeff concluded by saying the install took a while, but was fairly painless (you can read about my coworker Missy’s experience here). He read my blog about the wireless set-top boxes and indicated that would have helped his install, and potentially would have gotten one or two (maybe he’ll decide to add them in September?).
He’s also excited that TDS TV keeps making strides to improve their product and add channels. Jeff said he would take advantage if TDS TV could ever integrate with Netflix, if it could ever be an app added to the set-top box. He also stated he’d love to have a DVR anywhere, being able to access his programs on a computer or tablet on the go. Our product team is always open to hearing new ideas and will investigate on what’s possible in the future. Hopefully, some of those things will be discussed on the blog coming soon!
—Austin
Upcoming Demo Days Events (watch for details in your mailbox or local paper):
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August 19-20, Monroe, Wisconsin. At the TDS Business Office, 827 16th Avenue.
August 31, Middleton, Wisconsin. At the TDS Business Office, 1912 Parmenter Street.
TDS is also hosting a few open houses where you can see TDS TV in action:
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September 7, Farragut, Tennessee (this is an open house event, but you can see TDS TV in action). At 11505 Kingston Pike, Knoxville.
September 13, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee (this is an open house event, but you can see TDS TV in action). At Charlie Daniels park, from 3:00-7:00 p.m.
You can also find us at the Old Timers Festival in LaVergne, Tennessee on September 14.
