Do You Have Tech Support Rage? - Comments Page 2

I have found it helpful, when the hoops they make you jump through are going nowhere, to try to get the rep on your side. Make it clear you are not mad at them but you sympathize with them for being compelled to execute policies by their bosses that do little more than get people mad at the innocent people like the ones who answer the phones, like the one you're talking to right then. Tell them you sympathize with them, you don't blame them a bit, that it sure doesn't make for good job satisfaction and that you bet they go home at the end of the shift all wrung out. Make it a matter of you plus me against the problem. The people you and I should get mad at are the ones who make the policy and set the procedures.
And ask them, OK, you know the ropes. What's my best shot? Is there a special number to call? Don't worry, I won't tell them who gave it to me.
Butter as necessary. You get the idea.

As much as I detest Comcast (for their annual price hikes, their failure to provide you with the least expensive option until you threaten to terminate their service, etc.), I must admit that I have (almost always) found their tech support to be excellent. The reps seem knowledgeable, usually speak English clearly, appear committed to solving your problem, and do not try to rush you to get you off the phone. (However, I'd still dump Comcast in a heartbeat if I had other viable options.)

My advice to anyone when calling for support of any kind is to

1. Be cooperative, courteous and patient. Get the agent's name, even ask that (s)he spell it and write it down. Inform the agent why you are calling with a brief explanation of your problem, but take notes - you may need them.

2. If (when) it becomes apparent that the agent cannot or will not be able or willing to help you, ask for a supervisor. You may have to wait a while, so be ready with something to do to pass the time. I have a phone in my office near my computer, so I usually play Klondike solitaire.

When the 'supervisor' comes on the line be cooperative, courteous and patient as if the call was just starting. Explain why you asked to be transferred, then repeat your original problem description and any steps the tier 1 agent took you through (see I told you you may need your notes).

Finally, remember to remain patient. The only one you will harm if you get angry is yourself. The person on the other end of the line does not care how mad you are and has the right to end the call if you become belligerent, abusive, or if you are uncooperative. Also, the agent you are calling may be attempting to subtly enrage you in order to justify ending the call sooner rather than later.

These are a few tips from an ex- tech support agent.

I hope they are helpful,

Ernie

I have to agree with Bob on his comment on Verizon tech support. I have a dedicated number to call and they have a call back system so you don’t wait on hold. Plus they usually call back right away. Their tech support people are quite knowledgeable and are US based speaking English (at least that has been my experience). And if they cannot solve the problem, they do not hesitate to send a technician and I have gotten next day appointments.

How to Wreck a New Computer, just call COMPAQ Tech Support!
Back when Microsoft’s “SP-1 Update for Windows XP” was new…
I bought a new Compaq computer, but two months later it went back to Costco (At that time they would accept computers back for up to 6 months)
I had the computer for a month and had installed all the programs I wanted on it by then. While talking to Customer Support on another issue, I mention that I cannot register the computer using the telephone modem connection. I had Cable Internet, but at that time, most programs, as well as Windows XP, would not recognize the Cable Internet connection, so instead the telephone modem would attempt to dial out to register the computer, but it had successfully dialed out to register some of my other programs. The Compaq Tech Support had me do a “non-destructive recovery” repair for this ONE TIME only problem.
Then after the “non-destructive recovery” repair is all done, and Windows is starting to load in, the computer is asking for this special patch file. It would NOT continue loading at all, without the patch file.
Back on the phone again, I learned from an American Tech agent that the Compaq needed a special file to patch between the Microsoft ‘SP-1 Update’ and the Compaq Operating System. (SP-1 was fairly new at the time) but he gave me totally elaborate and confusing directions to the proper website. Then I could not get another American Tech support agent on the phone, it then took 30 DAYS of hassling on the phone with their total idiot East Indian tech support agents.
I was told, “You must be downloading SP-1 from the Windows Update website.” I tell them, “I already have SP-1; I need a patch between SP-1 and the COMPAQ operating system!” They again tell me, “You must be downloading SP-1 from the Windows Update website.” Then “If you are not doing what we are telling you to do, there is nothing we can do to help you. You must be downloading SP-1 from the Windows Update web site.”
One idiot Tech AND his supervisor, both East Indians, living in India, insisted I had to have a Dial-up Internet Service Provider …just to dial out! -- More of the benefits of “outsourcing”!
I had told them that I have Cable Internet! The phone modem was properly hooked up to the phone line, and had registered other programs by phone; this is similar to the sending of a fax.
One entire month goes by of many more horror stories like this, then I finally get an American Tech agent and I am told that I should have installed the patch PRIOR to doing the “non-destruct recovery” He admitted that the first tech messed up in not having me do this first.

After I finally get directed to the proper website that I needed to go to (on another computer of course, the new Compaq has been a “large paper weight” for a month.) that will get me the patch. It turns out after I try to install it, the computer tells me: this is the WRONG PATCH!
Back on the phone AGAIN! That is when find out no patch is available for this particular computer model.
So now the only option I was given was to do a Totally-Destructive-Recovery (T-D-R) (back to the “fresh out-of-the-box state”). This means: No Other Programs. All those programs I had JUST installed would be GONE! All of my saved E-mail correspondence and all my saved files would be gone!
So I finally told Compaq, that I would not do a T-D-R. Because without them having this patch file available, if I ever needed to do a Recovery AGAIN, it would be once again: “T-D-R - fresh out-of-the-box”.
Then you have all the hassles of reloading all of those other programs. AGAIN! So I told the Tech Supervisor that after all the hassle they put me through; they would have to send me another, BETTER computer, one with the patch available. But they would not go for that, at all, and they insisted that my ONLY option was to do the T-D-R. I told him about buying the computer from Costco and that I could return it posthaste.
The Tech Supervisor INSISTED that I must do the T-D-R and that I would not be able to return the computer.
So I asked the Tech Supervisor, “Can you say, ‘Dude, You’re Getting a Dell!!’?”
BTW: This was (originally) typed on the new DELL.

Since then, Compaq was purchased by Hewlett Packard… nothing has changed.
In May of 2010, I bought a HP printer, after I brought it home I noticed that there was a note on the box that said, “Some features may not be available with Windows 7”. I called HP and got back to some of their “highly knowledgeable and competent” East Indian Tech Support agents, to ask about: “What features will be unavailable with Windows 7?” Four phone calls later, and after a lot of listening to some crappy music on hold for 55 minutes on just one of those calls, I was no more knowledgeable about my question than when I first read the note.
One memorable statement that I was told, “Never mind what the box says, you are installing the printer, not the box!”

The HP Printer went back to the store …unopened.

Yes, as much as I despise Amazon for their bullying tactics, forcing community against community and their horrible employment practices, sometimes they're are the only game in town when it comes to some products. However, their record for handling and solving problems is impeccable. Also just as stellar is the treatment I get from New Egg. They have always been fair, polite and competent.

For me, it used to be a derangement near Car-Salesman and Human-Resources. Nowadays, I must admit my own public enemy #1 has become Customer-Service and more precisely the pre-recorded "Representateeeeve"! I just finished an argument (which did not go so well) with one; where I was requested to submit a video, because the item would not turn-on, when the power button was pressed or charge, when the USB power was attached. I contested this request and was told was "We need to get all necessary information and pass them to the supplier, this will help us to give you a good solution and improve the quality control."

I recently had the worst experience with Century Link. My DSL modem died; and after multiple calls with many hours on hold with tech support agents I could barely understand, three different techs visited my home but couldn't fix the problem. After six weeks - I have no idea why I was so patient - I angrily cancelled my DSL service. They couldn't even get that right. I received a text saying that my DSL modem was ready to be set up! That required another call to tech support and more time on hold.
I will warn people away from Century Link for as long as I live.

I have since switched to Mediacom cable service. It's cheaper and faster. So far so good.

In the past couple of months (Sep-Oct 2020) I have had superb customer support and complete satisfaction from Customer Support at Dell and Apple. It literally could not have been better.

I had total satisfaction in each case by returning the unit, which was beyond fixing over the phone, to the manufacturer in their postpaid box, and receiving it back within a week in perfect operating condition.

Mediacom Cable is the worst. I use Outlook for my email software. When I have a problem with Outlook not connecting or something like that I get the stock answer "we do not support Outlook." However, every time I've had a problem with it it's because of something they've done at their server that's caused my problem. The last time it was the fact that they moved my email to a new server from POP3 to IMAP. They didn't warn me it was moving, nor would they tell me when I asked what had changed at Mediacom to cause the problem. My IT guy found the problem accidentally during a call to their tech center.

As someone with some hearing difficulties, I have a real problem in understanding many foreign accents. That's enough reason for me to go digitally searching far and wide before calling tech support. But when I can understand what I am being told, I often get decent tech support, but occasionally horrible.

I have always had excellent service from Comcast. They answer quickly and solve my problems. Amazon also gives excellent service. On the few occasions when I have needed to speak with a representative, the hardest part is getting to the screen where you can have them call you.

I decided to update the map on my 11-year-old Garmin 855 GPS. I paid about $49.
After downloading, I learned that Garmin will not refund for downloaded products.
The updating software told me the device could hold only the "lower 49" map.
Then I discovered the voice-command feature didn't work.

Begin several calls to misleading tech support.
"Voice doesn't work with the lower 49. Install a micro SD card." Still no voice command.
"Limit on micro SD cards is 32 GB." No voice.
"Limit 8 GB card." Nope.
"On your old device, the map cannot use the micro SD card. We offer a customer-loyalty discount. Pay $130 for a new GPS." So that's $49 for the deaf map update, plus $130 for a spiffy new Garmin GPS -- total $179.
Garmin's tech people were personable and tried their best.

My new Tomtom cost $179.

I have had uniformly bad experiences from Telcos and ISPs but great service from Brother and Samsung as well as from my bank TSB (all in NZ)

I have had such poor service from AT&T that I refuse to do any business with them! I also try to let as many people know of the issues I have had with them in the past, so they don't make the same mistakes I did!

Telus in Alberta, Canada fits all the criteria you described.