Just encountered the absolute worst phone-based customer service of my life

[Orrex]

A long rant.


We're having trouble with our Belkin router. Our wireless devices work just fine, but the desktop PC that's physically wired into the router can only connect about 3 out of 5 times. And when it doesn't connect, it's a 20 minute process of unplugging and re-plugging the cable into any of the four ports on the back of the router in hope that one of them will show signs of life. Usually to no avail.

So in desperation I called the customer service number. I outlined the problem, and the rep clearly wasn't listening; instead, she was waiting for me to pause so that she could start her script:

"Okay sir, I'm sorry to hear that, but I'll be happy to help. May I have your first and last name, please?"

I told her my name, which isn't especially complicated. Then I spelled it. Then I spelled it again. And then a third time. And then I spelled it with the famous military letter-designators. Then I spelled it again. Then she got it.

Then I started on my last name.

I realized that I don't give a fuck whether she has my name right, so I said "yeah, that's it."

At that point we started on my email address, spelling it repeatedly until, again, I decided I don't care if she has it right.

By now I've been on the phone with her for six minutes, and we still haven't actually started working on the problem.

"Okay sir, can you tell me how many devices you have connected to the router?"

"Four. A desktop, a laptop, a Wii, and a mobile device."

"Okay sir. How many of those are laptops?"

"One," I say tightly. My wife at this point has rigged up a defibrillator kit because she can see my pulse in my forehead.

"Okay sir. How many of those are desktops?"

And on and on. After we confirmed the desktop's OS (I had to spell VISTA three times), she started on the OS for my phone and laptop.

So I hung up.


Holy shit!

I'm sympathetic to the plight of the customer service representative, because that's what I do for a living. But because I know how difficult it is, I'm also quite skilled at identifying a horrible service format, and when it comes to horrible, Belkin hits it out of the park.

It's a shame, too, because their router is the first one that's actually worked with my Acer laptop. Why it can send a signal through two cinderblock walls but not through a four foot network cable, I have no idea.

End of rant. I'm going to go sit in a dark, quiet room for a while to collect my thoughts.

[trueblue2007]

1. was the rep based in the USA or outside the US ??

that person should be fired

[Orrex]

2. I usually try not to make that the issue, but it really was front and center in this case

Not 100% sure where she's from, but I suspect that her name isn't really Lisa.

[trof]

3. Was it 'Peggy'?

:rofl:

[WillParkinson]

4. From California?

:)