General phone support gone

Posts: 448 · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:43 am Post subject: General phone support gone

Disclaimer: I admit, this is somewhat of a rant, but it's also to let folks here know the general phone support options appear to be missing.

I called Vonage this morning for a support issue, and spent nearly 10 minutes going round-and-round through menu prompts, none of which included general tech support.

First prompt:
1 - If you are interested in Vonage and need more info
2 - Existing customers who need help with their service

Next menu:
1 - Assistance installing new device
2 - Question about a bill or charge
3 - Question about transferring your number to Vonage
4 - General Questions
5 - Service is not working, for repair
6 - Assistance changing web password
7 - New customer and need help activating line
8 - Return to previous menu
9 - Repeat these options

Okay, I figured #5 was probably the closest choice so I pressed it and got:

1 - Loss of dialtone
2 - Choppy or garbled calls
3 - Problem installing device
4 - Experiencing trouble making outbound calls
5 - Experiencing trouble receiving inbound calls
6 - Trouble with faxing
8 - Return to previous menu
9 - Repeat these options

Hmmm... my problem is none of the above (need to adjust call volume and ring voltage) so I hit 8 to return to previous menu, then #4 for General Questions and got:

1 - Question regarding shipping of the device
2 - Question about your bill
3 - More about our exciting features
4 - Help transferring your phone number to Vonage
5 - If you have recently moved
6 - Quesiton about voicemail
7 - To learn how Vonage works
8 - Return to previous menu
9 - Repeat these options

GRRRRR!!!!! Again, none of the above. So, I hit 8 to return to previous menu, hit 5 for repair, and hit 2 (for lack of a better choice). After the typical LONG wait on hold, it rang through to someone. I don't know what department the guy who answered was in, but it obviously wasn't support so he transferred me to the support queue for ANOTHER LONG WAIT. It's been nearly 30 minutes.... AGAIN.... and as I type this I'm still waiting for someone to pick up. This is absolute insanity.

I used to be one of Vonage's biggest fans. I thought it was the greatest service ever to hit the internet, and told everyone I know about it. I even got a couple of people to sign up. But I'm telling you, this idiotic, assinine non-support is going to push me over the freakin' edge. I told myself I'd give it 6 months to improve, but am getting more disgusted every time I call, I'm not sure if I'm going to last that long.

And THEN, on top of that..... a few weeks ago I got a replacement adapter to replace a defective one, and shipped the old one back. They received it, sent me an email confirming receipt, credited my account $99 for the return, and I thought that was the end of it. But this morning I received an email asking WHY I had shipped the adapter back, because they had no record of an RMA for the account. (WHAT!!!????) They said if I was trying to cancel my service by shipping the device back, or if me shipping it back was somehow a request for a replacement, I am supposed to call Customer Service first before shipping it.

Unbelievable!!!! Evil or Very Mad

Posts: 5 · Moderator Joined: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 5

Rebus,

This was an informative post that may be helpful to those who use telephone support. The ranting here is offset by the information provided.

To Everyone Else:

If you have additional information to provide on this issue, please do so. However, please do not take this thread into a series of rants or simple "me too" messages.

Thanks.

BBrown

Posts: 2251 · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:58 am Post subject:

BBrown wrote:

Rebus,

This was an informative post that may be helpful to those who use telephone support. The ranting here is offset by the information provided.

BBrown

I have always found Rebus's post to be informative.
This one included.

Posts: 244 · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 11:01 am Post subject:

I definitely agree. The menu system is kinda "jacked" currently. Last time I called I just said transfer me to tech support please.

Posts: 448 · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 11:31 am Post subject:

BBrown wrote:

This was an informative post that may be helpful to those who use telephone support. The ranting here is offset by the information provided.

I really hate to talk badly of Vonage. It's saving me a ton of money on local phone service, while also taking 100% of the sting out of keeping in touch with all our friends and family out of state. For that, I've always been delighted.

If nothing else, my change of tone demonstrates how really awful support can turn a major fan into a disgruntled critic. I'm a senior-level network admin at an ISP, so I understand and appreciate the challenges of deploying and supporting emerging technology on the far-from-perfect public internet. I don't expect Vonage to be perfect, and am willing to give up a little POTS reliability to get so many other benefits in exchange.

In short, it's not the technology turning me sour-- it's the support, which is becoming more elusive each day. I would love nothing more than to see Vonage succeed. They've enabled me to give the one-fingered salute to Verizon and Qwest (local service and long distance, respectively) after years of them looting my wallet every month, and it sure feels great to have a viable non-cellular alternative.

I guess the reason I keep chiming in on support is twofold: one, it allows me to vent some frustration; and two, I keep hoping an executive or two from Vonage will read some of the posts in this forum, see the discontent in the ranks, understand that there IS a real problem that's getting worse, and actually do something to put a fix into motion. They can spend tens of millions on advertising, but if they are unable to keep their customers happy, they will never remain a dominant player.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 19, 2005 Posts: 6

AMEN - I'd sure like to actually GET some service, someday. I'm assuming that my first bill will arrive right on time, however, even without benefit of actually ever being able to receive any whatcha call that there SERVICE in return for said payment. I have as yet been unable to get any hint of what my startup problem is, via phone, e-mail, carrier eagle, or any other means. I'm envious of y'all that believe that this service even exists - necomers beware - I'd think twice!

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 19, 2005 Posts: 10

I tried calling phone support now for the last week only getting through to them 3 times so far. The first time the tech was very helpfull and sent me a new Linksys router but that still didnt solve the intermittant hangup problems we are having along with people not being able to call into our number without wierd sounds on their end. then today I waited 3 hrs to get on the support line and to have the support person drop off line, then calling back, waiting 58 minutes on my neighbors phone, getting a tech that was willing to correct any errors I am having then to have his own line drop off. JEESH!!! I want to give them a chance.. I really do but being unemployed and trying to get a job with a half assed phone service is almost impossible.

Do we need to join together like in the AOL commercials and show up at the CEO's office?

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 19, 2005 Posts: 10

Why are the posts showing the wring time? Its not 4:15 am tis 10:15pm CST
just another Vonage screwup.

If I did my job like the Vonage does Id be outta work.....
Oh yea I am out of work.....
Cant get a job because I DONT HAVE A PHONE!!!! Rolling Eyes

Posts: 222

scottesh wrote:

Why are the posts showing the wring time? Its not 4:15 am tis 10:15pm CST
just another Vonage screwup.

If I did my job like the Vonage does Id be outta work.....
Oh yea I am out of work.....
Cant get a job because I DONT HAVE A PHONE!!!! Rolling Eyes

The time stamp is determined by the time settings on your forum account. You can check and correct the time zone by going to the Your Account link on the panel at the left and then selecting the Your Info icon.

Vonage may screw up a lot, but Vonage does not operate this board, so we probably can't blame Vonage for an incorrect setting in your account info here. Lol

Good luck in the job search. Hope you get your Vonage service working real quick.

Fletcher

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 19, 2005 Posts: 10

Well it has been 30 days so far and no decent service, I can call out for at least 15-18 minutes but no incoming calls. only a few came in so far but within the 15 minutes people complain about loud screaching sounds and random tones then disconnect.