Oh-my-ever-loving-goodness

[Darrell KSR]

I have been on the phone now for 1 hour, 42 minutes with Microsoft, and still going.

Trying to place an order for the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 only.

My wife called me and said that there was a 10% discount for students and teachers. Sure enough, she was right, and so I thought I'd just place that order, save some bucks (you still get the $100 promo code in 3-5 days and a free sleeve). and argue with them later, if they ever call or email, about the Asus Transformer I didn't get. Or at the very least, cutting my losses.

Long story short--I can't place the order. Now my account is flagged for a "fraud alert," and their fraud team is on it. Fine, so I said, why doesn't my wife set up an account, and order it. Good idea, I am told.

So we go jump through every hoop imaginable, and fight through numerous cases of "you've already set up one account today, wait another day before setting up another," and get her an account set up. Of course, I spared you the details of the idiotic questions and things they ask me to do in the meantime, but I go along with many of them, including rebooting, using Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer separately, and holding my breath, standing on my head, and counting to 77, backwards, by 3-1/2. Actually, that might've been the most reasonable request she made.

Anyway, so now we're at the point where my wife's account is set up, and I've been placed on hold again while they check on a sleeve. Of course, we're not to the point where you submit the order yet, and that, I suspect, is when it will fall apart again.

I told them a minute ago, "Ma'am....you must sell products. You have to, or otherwise, I know you wouldn't be employed. But for the life of me, I don't see how you sell a mouse."

I fully expected her to tell me they weren't a pet store.

This is not funny. I just want to place an order. I've offered six different credit cards and a PayPal account. But only one charge, please?

Now every time before they put me on hold, I tell them how long we've been on the telephone. "I hour, 50 minutes, 04 seconds" right now, and counting.
]
I started this at my office. I drove to a car lot to look at cars. I looked at cars. I spoke with a salesman. I drove home. I've been at home now for over half an hour. I'm still on the same phone call.

[Darrell KSR]

2 hrs 24 minutes. Still no order

[CitizenBBN]

You trying to take me out of first place in the "worst customer service" contest this week with my phone replacement saga? I think it's working. I think I was battling the replacement about 1:45 on the phone not counting the rest, add in the trip to the store it was a little over 3 hours. If you hold out another 30 minutes I think you win outright b/c I wasn't on the phone that whole time.

[Darrell KSR]

I had to punt. Was going to the ballgame and couldn't remain on the phone. They "promised" they would call back this morning.

[KSRBEvans]

That's the most frustrating thing to me--what I call the "Take My Money" scenario. I'm ready to buy something you're trying to sell. Please: take my money.

Nope, you're going to make me wait in the dealership's cubicle, or tell me the 3 guys at the Apple Store doing nothing can't help me for 45 minutes, or in Darrell's situation, sit in Phone Hell for 3 hours because they can't do their job.

You have 1 job. And I'm trying to help you do it. Please, take my money.

[Darrell KSR]

I have no idea how they sell things. I think I will try again today, creating a new account from my office. I don't want to speak to anyone else.

[Darrell KSR]

Well, I used my own account--took my daughter to the doctor, and took her home. The order was placed--a huge success. I received two emails--one from PayPal, where I ended up placing the order; and the other from Microsoft saying the order was processing. PayPal's email said the money would not be taken out until Microsoft had processed the order, but it is farther than I got yesterday.

We'll see.

There was even a video chat option to talk to a customer representative, and I refused to do that. Sick of talking to people.

[dan_bgblue]

I heard this morning that drivers from FedEX and UPS are both voting to strike tonight.

[Darrell KSR]

I heard this morning that drivers from FedEX and UPS are both voting to strike tonight.

Actually, the delivery of it in a timely fashion is almost irrelevant to me. I just wanted the good deal.

Microsoft CALLED me this afternoon. Same lady I spoke with yesterday that said she'd call me first thing this morning as she walked in the door. Might be morning where she is from; I dunno. Anyway, I told her that I had placed the order, I had received two emails already, the last one confirmed the order, I used a PayPal account to place the order and the money had already left my account, and it was fine.

She offered to check on it, and I told her no--in as nice a way as I was capable at the time--that nobody at Microsoft had helped any time they had begun, and I did not want her to lift a finger to "help." She then asked to put me on hold "for 1 to 3 minutes"--that's a story all to itself, as it got to be a running joke of what they are trained to say, and my timing them on each hold and informing them as they returned how long it was--but I refused, telling her I did not want that, and I wanted her to just forget everything. I didn't want her to place an order; I didn't want her to cancel an order; I didn't want her to check on an order. Basically, "go away and leave me alone."

[jazyd]

Can I use all your stories on Facebook for my store as to why people should buy from local merchants for personal service

[Darrell KSR]

Can I use all your stories on Facebook for my store as to why people should buy from local merchants for personal service

It is a VERY good reason to do so.

[dan_bgblue]

jazy, I would rarely buy anything online if the local retailers had what I want/need on the shelf or would even suggest they could order the item and have it in 3 to 7 days. I never ask them if they can order what I want/need. I figure they are in the business of selling things and if they want to make a sale they will offer to order it. 80% of the places I shop never bother to offer.

In the last 60 days I have spent over 4 hours driving around Bowling Green to the various brick and mortar establishments looking for 2 things I needed. One item was electronic and the other was wood furniture construction related and this meant I needed to visit multiple locations as no store would have had both items I needed. I stopped at every location I thought might have what I needed and none of them did, and none of them offered to order them for me.

I returned home, got on the net, and in 15 minutes had both items ordered and they arrived 3 days later. That will not stop me from shopping local as "most" of the time I can find what I need, but it ticks me off that the local shops will not help me buy from them unless they have it on the shelf.

I build furniture, cabinets, and various other things as a hobby. I buy my rough lumber at a locally owned lumber yard, the hardware at one of three locally owned hardware stores as I really like the service and the prices. I want to buy local, but shopping online is easier, saves money and time, unless one is buying from best buy, staples, lowes, etc. and I can see why so many people go that route.

[BigBluePappy]

Wow.
I work technical support for a company but deal only in things that are capable of lifting 10K to 80k or even more off of the ground for repair.
That is absolutely the worst horror story, in regards to customer service/tech support I have ever heard.
For those of us that are in the field, I apologize; not the same thing, but the same thing. You deserved better than that.

Six years ago I bought a computer from Dell (I may have told this already so I'll give you the Cliff's Notes version;).( Don't know why that is an inside joke, look up my profile)
Damn thing would not stay on the same IP address.
Called Dell.
Advised me it was a provider issue.
Told Dell no, it couldn't be because the computer it was replacing, stayed on the same address just fine.
Directed to Dell, technical support for a $70.00 charge - online with them for over an hour and the problem still could not be fixed. Advised me the issue was with my internet provider; advised him of the old computer and it was fine just WAY outdated and he literally told me, I can't help you. I asked him if that meant I would be reimbursed my $70.00 fee for talking to him. Of course not, but he did give me a transfer to someone who might possibly be able to help me.
She was clueless.
Was I unhappy with the service? Yes.
Was I unhappy with the tech? No, not him personally because he was at least polite and went through the motions, but i was unhappy with the result....
She couldn't help me. Of course you can't.
Went on for about 5-6 weeks (I know I am a slow learner) and I finally snapped, called Dell Tech support again, wanting to know where to drop this ******* boat anchor and get a refund of my money on my Dell account, but got Mumbay "Bob" Vayman on the line and he advised me that; "If you give me a few minutes, I may be able to rectify your situation". (In a thick Indian accent.
I had to think a little bit and then the spirit told me to listen to this kid.
Within five minutes he had the problem solved, it was a BETA version of software that I would never think of using on my home computer, that was installed at the factory.Uninstalled it. Voila, it was fixed.
I asked to speak to "Bob's" supervisor.
"Bob" asked if anything was wrong, I told him with your service, no - but I intend to do a pretty good job of explaining my situation to someone.
Got "Bob's" supervisor and asked him a few generic questions; was "Bob" a Level 1 tech among other things and if he knew what level a few other techs were. While he knew the levels, "Bob" was indeed a level 1 and the others I mentioned were either a Level 2 or Level 3 tech, but he could not be specific for whatever reason.
That is when I advised "Bob's" supervisor of my dilemma and that he needed to go and give "Bob" a big kiss on the neck and a promotion and to give the others a swift kick in the ass and a demotion.