Even more appalling service than imaginable!

With everyone's indulgence I'm posting my response to the customer service inquiry I received after... well if you want to, read on. 

 

First, I'll just let you know that the issue I called about was a corrupted Symantec file message that I couldn't resolve on my own after running through the prescribed steps 2x. 

 

A trial version of Norton 360 was preinstalled on my new Gateway notebook and I'd been using it successfully without problems for 1.5 weeks before this message started to appear on start up. 

 

What follows is an account of my nightmareish interactions with Norton customer support. I've removed my email address and last name.

 

My first call was at around 3 pm my time and the issue was not resolved when I finally gave up at 1 am the following morning.

 

I'm open to hearing from anyone with constructive comments or suggestions!  Thank you!

 

PS - I tried to post this areply to the thread titled "appalling cutomer service" but the reply button was discable.  I encountered several error pages while registering and trtying to make my way back here.  Seems like the whole operation is full of holes...

 

To: {removed}

 

Re: message below
 
INCREDIBLY POOR SERVICE - I was on the phone with multiple agents and "supervisors" for over 5 hours (phone time logged) in the course of an afternoon, evening and until 1 am the following morning.
 
Even though I was assured it was a common, known issue - no one of about 4-5 people on your support team that I spoke with was able to resolve it.
 
I was put on hold for extended periods while agents continued to work on my PC with remote access and with out my permission and without informing me of what they were doing to my files and settings.
 
It took 20 minutes (logged phone minutes  - not my estimate) for the first agent to get his supervisor on the line.  He left me without informing hios supervisor what he had done/chenged on my machine so later I had to try to backtrack through what I'd seen and restore the original settings - changing them had NOT resolved the issue.
 
That supervisor said I had to run a scan and that I should call back later when it was done because it could run for hours - it ran for less than 15 minutes but even though I had been kept on hold HID time was TOO VALUABLE to wait with me and complete the operation - YES I'M BEING SARCASTIC!
 
{removed} was rude, impatient, defensive and would not provide direct, clear andswers to simple clarifying questions.  When she also was unable to resolve my issue she finally insisted that I'd have to wait for a supervisor call back even though I told her it was 1:00 am my time.  She assured me I'd get a call back in 30 minutes.  I waited 30 minutes and went to sleep with no call back.  After a total of 55 minutes I received a call which woke me up but I had to let roll into voice mail as I was too sleepy to speak.
 
I have always thought of Norton products as premium security software and have used it in the past with great satisfaction.  I am DISGUSTED with the inept and disrespectful performace of your customer service staff and if I can't rely on proper service when I have an issue then I will not use the product.
 
Since then I have been able to successfully install a McAffee trial package - my distant second choice for security software -  and will most likely purchase it when the trial is done assuming I have no further problems.
 
Keep in mind that the Norton 360 trial I called in about was preinstalled on my new Gateway noitebook and I had used it for 1.5 weeks with no problems.  I had not installed any new software or changed any settings prior to the issue arising. 
 
We were able to surmise that there MIGHT (and I mean this is a distant possibility) have been a conflict with a tracking cookie that seems to have emerged as a low level threat around the same day I started getting the Norton errors. HOWEVER - I would expect your staff - including the so called "supervisors" - to have had the means to help me resolve such a conflict.  This is NOT brain surgery or rocket science.
 
In both cases the agents insisted that I repeat (or they repeated wthout my permission/participation) the same activities 2, 3 and 4 times when they had not worked the first time.  Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result IS THE DEFINITOIN OF * I N S A N I T Y *!!!  :-(
 
The final insult came when {removed} had me on hold and continued fiddling with my settings,installing and uninstalling the software REPEATEDLY and - even after I'd specificallytold her I wanted her to inform me of each step and not change wnything without my knowledge because of the problem I'd had with her colleague earlier - she had the AUDACITY to delete all the files in my recycle bin without my permission and while I watched helplessly since she had left me on hold and unable to communicate with her while she continued to abuse the remote access feature.
 
IN CLOSING -
I expect a written appology and assurance that these employees will be coached if not reprimanded for their disrespectful and inappropriate behavior - not to mention their inability to resolve a "common, known issue" after 5+ hours!
 
With little or no regards,
 
Robin

 

From: {removed}
To:
Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 1:50:29 AM
Subject: Symantec technical support < {removed} >

Robin,

This is {removed} from Symantec Support. It has been my pleasure to work with you on your support request. Based on our conversation, your ticket, Priority ID {removed}, I will leave your case as 'open pending' for the next seven days. Please confirm the status of the issue.

If your issue remains unresolved,{removed} We will provide you with the best alternative solution.

Providing our customers with the highest level of service is important to us. You will receive a customer satisfaction survey once your case is closed. We encourage your feedback on this survey to help us continue to improve our services. You can also contact my manager at  {removed} to provide your feedback for this call.


If your issue has been resolved to your satisfaction,{removed}and we will close this case.

Thank you for contacting Symantec Support.

{removed}
Symantec Support
Support Representative

 

[edit: removed personal information in compliance with the  Participation Guidelines and Terms of Service. Symantec Employee's can obtain the Original text from a moderator.]

Message Edited by Allen_K on 02-19-2009 06:20 PM