Little did I know of the journey of annoyance I would embark on.
The error said, go to this website fill this form out. Ok, not to bad, so I did this. I get to the security questions and I started to blank. I set this account up 10 years ago and like many of my friends I do not use Microsoft for emails. I don't use Microsoft for anything anymore except XboxLive. Who does? Internet Explorer has always been lacking quality compared to other browsers, and that's the nice way to put that. With the creation of Google docs, or Evernote what's the point of having a significant charge for Microsoft Office? The only reason I have Office is because my school gave it to me at a discount for $9.00. Read that and weep...sorry....back to the story. I was filling out the info, and I get to the end and hit submit.
"Say what? Oh Come on!" After the initial emotion. I committed to trying again the next day. Problem was, next day I got the same problem. So I thought, ok, I'll give it a week. After that week, same notification. At this time I thought, ok time to contact them. So I got on their web chat, only to be told that I needed to start a new account to file a claim to get to a web chat with someone who could actually help me. I thought well that's a process all for a little thing like my xbox live account. So I tried this route. Only to give up in frustration as my claim seemed to be lost in the shuffle. Then I waited awhile, gave up if you will. Must have not been deemed important enough.
A good 2 months have passed, haven't accessed Xbox live once! Tried the same process as before of getting into my account and nothing. Well except that awesome error message. So I decide it's time to call them. I call the number for XboxLive tech support. The first person I talked to accessed my computer to tell me that because I did not have virus software active that someone compromised my account and that soon all my hardware/software on my account will be acting up including my Iphone. I said to her, "is that why all my friends and people across the world had the same issue around the same given time. Did they all access my network, is there one big hack going on? Further everything is fine expect my password." She says, "No, it's on your network". I said, "I hear what you're saying, but that don't explain why this is a problem elsewhere." I then ask, "Are you trying to sell me virus software?" I ended up given up with her as I had reached that point where I figured she was no use to me. I called the same number back hoping to get a different tech, I did, but the first thing out of his mouth was, "yes sir do you have a credit card ready?" I said, "For what? "To help you sir" I was like what the heck is going on. I hung up, called the same number. A different person ask me the same thing except he said for a charge of $200. I said "Are you having fun with me?" Thinking that inside their office they were like screw this guy, lets joke on him. Here I tried again and the same thing happened. So I asked, "why?" "Sir this is a tech support we get paid to help." I said, "the first lady didn't ask for money?" He goes seriously, what is their name." I hung up again.
It appeared that was no use to me. So I went a new way. Found a different number and got a wonderful person, but she was very limited by the company. She knew of the issue and said that many people have had this. Finally confirmation that Im not crazy from a Microsoft person. Until then I had been treated like this was my problem. She offered to walk me through the sign in process. We got to the end, I got the same error message. She asked what browser I was using. I said "Chrome." She said that might be an issue. Can you try it on Internet Explorer. Typically Microsoft! So I said, "I don't have that, how about Firefox." Tried that, same issue. She says, "Please try it on IE, other people have had the same issue and they have done it on there. So I downloaded IE. Tried to run it, um, didn't work. I have a Mac. While I love it, today I had a reason to not. IE does not run on Mac.
Conversation with the Tech
Me "You have to be kidding me"Tech "I guess it's a competitive thing"
Me "Can I just give you my bank account attached to the XboxLive account."
Tech "Sorry no we can't do it that way because don't have access to that"
Me "Why not, you should it's part of my account"
Tech "We don't because we have fraudulent claims protection. This morning alone 10 claims have already come in"
Me "If I was willing to give you my bank information, does that not justify I am Clayton. If I had his bank account info and I was not him, why would I be on the phone trying to fix his XboxLive. I would be draining his accounts and laughing to the bank."
Tech "Well some people can spend a lot of money online sir"
Me "Yes I know, I am one of them you see my account"
Tech "Yes sir I do and this is why I want to help you. It appears you are very active"
Me "So you're telling me that because your security issues with your company. You are willing to lose me as a customer. Because telling you my info over the phone. There is a chance it might not be me. Even though the info I would be given you is much more valuable to whoever I might be, if I was a identify theft person, than it is to you Microsoft. Why would I waste my time if I was that person. Why would I bother with all this for months."
Me "Can I give you my social security number, anything to verify I am who I am? All I need is this password reset."
Tech "Sorry no we don't ever ask for that info."
Me "Please, I'll give you any information you ask me."
Tech "We are not allowed to reset your password."
Me "So what can I do?"
Tech "Find a computer with IE and go from there."
Me "For a company that prides itself on security, did you ever think it would cause the customer this much of a problem?"
Tech "There is a feedback section where you can let them know about how you're feeling"
Me "Ya, cause Microsoft would actually listen to its consumers."
Tech "I've been working here for a over a year and I have seen changes made from there"
Me "No thanks, you have been great, it's your company that is limiting your potential. I'll just blog about it."
Me "Why shouldn't I just cancel my account and switch to the PS4 when it comes out. From a marketing standpoint this is a very bad time to have thousands of customers having issues"
Tech She actually laughed a little bit as if she completely agreed with how much of a blunder this is becoming and said "We have definitely lost customers over this."
Microsoft was built around making the customer experience easier. This is why they designed Windows. However in recent years I have seen a shift in the company. It seems they are so arrogant that they care less about their consumers and are willing to give them a run around because we are simple just numbers to them. And for myself a very small number, my xbox live account is only $60 of revenue for them a year, if that. Plus the Xbox points I purchase. I'm just a small fish in a big pound. Security is awesome to have except when things are so secure they lock out your actual customers and leave us scratching our heads as to why we even put up with your company. Your support teams are a joke, they are so limited in their handling that they can basically hire anyone who can speak english and tell them to read off this script. Because if things do get dicey, they customer will have to talk with someone else. That is, if there claim is filed and considered important enough. I guess I simple wasn't important enough.
THANKS MICROSOFT!
ANOTHER CUSTOMER LOST!
No comments:
Post a Comment