Update : Problems Have Been Resolved

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 06, 2004 Posts: 11

There are a few things that come along in life that "killer" technologies. Tivo comes to mind. Vonage (VoIP) was way up there. It's unbelievable how a lack of business strategy to deal with growth can kill success. I'm happy I'm only a customer, and not a share holder.

Today, customer support is non-existent. I've had mailbox trouble for months, got a ticket number after waiting 30 minutes on hold. Sent dozens of follow-up emails with nothing but the automated response.

I've been waiting months for my existing number to be transferred. I know several of you have gotten rebates because of this, but I can't even get someone at Vonage to respond.

It's time to try one of the other providers. I'll search the forum for recommendations, if anyone has experience or suggestions, let me know.

Pete

Posts: 59 · Full Forum Member Joined: Feb 09, 2005 Posts: 59

Sell the soap and burn the box....
Censored

Posts: 90 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: May 05, 2005 Posts: 90

One of the great promises of the internet is the ability of oridinary folks to share information and thus empower us all.

Of course, it took all of 2 seconds for the Spammers and manipulators to take ahold of this idea and squash it.

When reviewing ANY website, consider the source of the information being posted - PARTICULARLY by people who don't use their real names!

For example, on one auto enthusiast website, there was a posting from a fellow who asked "anyone try XYZ auto parts?"

It was followed by a laudatory posting about how great XYZ autoparts was and how you should buy all your parts there.

A savvy lurker noted that the laudatory posting came from the IP address of XYZ auto parts! In other words, XYZ auto parts was using the Board as a way of advertising their services by "word of mouth" when the "word of mouth" was entirely manufactured.

I started to notice a pattern on that Board - the same posts repeated every 2 weeks or so. And often regarding the same products or companies. "Oh, you MUST get a power-widget from so-and-so company". Oftentimes they did not bother to change the text appreciably.

In the auction business, these folks are called "shills".

So in other words, folks use these internet forums to advance personal, business, or other goals. For many small companies, an internet forum is the cheapest and best form of advertising. Peer pressure and personal recommendation are the best way to get someone to buy something. If you can manufacture both, wow.

So take a lot of what you read on the Internet with a grain of salt. A lot of shilling goes on, posted by anonymous posters. A lot of the negative postings here could be from competing VoIP companies, Telco Union members, Telcos, or other people interested in giving VoIP and Vonage a black eye.

And remember that happy customers have little reason to complain or make postings. If 90% of Vonage customers were unhappy with the service, Vonage would be out of business by now.

Posts: 2135 · Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 11:33 am Post subject: Re: Probably a Shill.....

robertplattbell wrote:

A lot of the negative postings here could be from competing VoIP companies, Telco Union members, Telcos, or other people interested in giving VoIP and Vonage a black eye.

No disrespect to the OP, but this is the case in 90% of the post that I lock for rules being broken.

The member joined 10 minutes ago, their first post is all about xyz VoIP company and the IP of the poster is corp.xyz-voip-company.com

Other members need to know this when they see me become Evil or Very Mad

and lock threads. I know the IP of the poster and I can predict the intent of the post even before it is made.

Posts: 244 · Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 12:17 pm Post subject:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

what he said.

Happy since sign up here!

Posts: 318

eschep wrote:

There are a few things that come along in life that "killer" technologies. Tivo comes to mind. Vonage (VoIP) was way up there. It's unbelievable how a lack of business strategy to deal with growth can kill success. I'm happy I'm only a customer, and not a share holder.

Today, customer support is non-existent. I've had mailbox trouble for months, got a ticket number after waiting 30 minutes on hold. Sent dozens of follow-up emails with nothing but the automated response.

I've been waiting months for my existing number to be transferred. I know several of you have gotten rebates because of this, but I can't even get someone at Vonage to respond.

It's time to try one of the other providers. I'll search the forum for recommendations, if anyone has experience or suggestions, let me know.

Pete

Pete,

Very odd. I looked through the meager 3 posts you have on this forum, and I haven't noted you asking for help relating to this problem once. Granted, this is something that was Vonage's honest mistake and they should own up to and fix it. But each of your last two posts have sounded very similar. Especially with the ending about looking for a new VoIP provider. If you didn't back in April, what made you stay for a whole other month?

Have you actually called CS? You said you called once, but I didn't see mention of any follow-up calls. I know I hear people here complain that they can be on hold for hours on end, but the times I have called CS for some reason I get right through to someone in less than 5 minutes. Maybe I just call at the right time or maybe they just like me and have a personal vendetta against you.

There are a few Vonage technical support employees who roam this forum. jdr30 is one who comes to mind. Have you tried talking directly to these folks? I am sure if you look around on the forum you will find them (most have a special Vonage avatar icon).

Good luck.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 06, 2004 Posts: 11

I didn't realize that this forum facilitated solutions to problems. I thought that customer service was intended for that purpose. A true forum should be able to share experience so that potential customers can be informed. I've posted a "meager" number of posts because I haven't been interested in most of the content. One post was in the features section and one was at the start of this current problem.

I do wait on the phone... I do speak with customer service. I'm promised resolution within 24 hours and get nothing.

Maybe you are "lucky" as I used to be when I signed up over a year ago.

Since you're willing to help, could you please tell me how to get the number changed on the menu to check email? The one I have belongs to a very nice woman who lives near here who has a number one digit off from mine. Although her voicemail is much more interesting than mine, I'd rather have access to mine instead.

I've called, spoken to customer service, gotten a ticket number, followed up a dozen time, and have gotten nowhere.

Please let me know if you feel you can help.

Pete

Posts: 55 · Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 8:22 pm Post subject: Re: Follow Up

eschep wrote:

I didn't realize that this forum facilitated solutions to problems. I thought that customer service was intended for that purpose. A true forum should be able to share experience so that potential customers can be informed. I've posted a "meager" number of posts because I haven't been interested in most of the content. One post was in the features section and one was at the start of this current problem.

I'm sorry that I cannot help you, but the only reason that I have ever signed up to post on any message board is to find solutions that might have taken days to find by taking the conventional (call customer/Technical support route). "If I have had this problem, then the chances are that someone else has too, and perhaps they hang around here."

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 06, 2004 Posts: 11

I want to assure you that I'm not an employee of a competing VoIP company.

I'd really like to work through it and be pleased with the quality of both the technology and the customer service. I've recommended several friends (got the hat and t-shirt).

Maybe I've become too dependant on the ease of using email for customer service problems so I called Customer Service this morning. I chose the option to get status on my existing number transfer.

ZERO wait.

"Anthony" created a ticket and told me that someone from the transfer dept would contact me within 24-48 hours.

I also asked him to check on my ability to access someone elses mailbox... he stated that engineering closed the ticket. He reopened it and said that he would monitor the status of both of my tickets.

I'll gladly keep the forum updated on the progress.

Pete

Posts: 90 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: May 05, 2005 Posts: 90

dconnor wrote:

robertplattbell wrote:

A lot of the negative postings here could be from competing VoIP companies, Telco Union members, Telcos, or other people interested in giving VoIP and Vonage a black eye.

No disrespect to the OP, but this is the case in 90% of the post that I lock for rules being broken.

The member joined 10 minutes ago, their first post is all about xyz VoIP company and the IP of the poster is corp.xyz-voip-company.com

Other members need to know this when they see me become Evil or Very Mad

and lock threads. I know the IP of the poster and I can predict the intent of the post even before it is made.

Fascinating. I read an aritcle in the NY Times about advertising companies in NY that actually HIRE trendy young folks to promote products to their friends and acquaintences in bars and clubs. Cell phone companies and the like are a big customer. So the next time your friend says "Try XYZ Cellular, it's da bomb!" consider that.

Of course, Vonage does sort of the same thing with their referral promotions. A-hem!

I guess we are all being marketed to all the time, even though we might not realize it.