How a positive customer support experience turned to a negative

[Olahorand]

Since all the methods to get the expansion (PayByCash, EA Store Germany) are certainly more expansive than uogamecodes.com I tried again today to buy an account code there.
Used a different account, a different credit card, a different E-Mail address. Only to end up with that mysterios Processor Error #31 after clicking Check out.
So I looked and found that link on uogamecodes, called Help.
Here "Contact Promotional Store".
Had to logon with EA Member account, what I did, planning to send a mail. But that Chat button looked interesting, so I clicked it.
Waiting - only about 30 seconds! Great.
Got an EARep and started to chat with him.
Explained him the situation (also that it is impossible to buy the 11th Anniversary items and other stuff, which is only offered there) and that I intended to purchase 4 account updates in total.
Some time later:
EARep: "I'm in a process of charging your card in the amount of 149.95 for 5 upgrade codes."
(Hm, I asked only for 4 codes, but since he was so helpful, why not? A friend, who is unemployed, would be happy about that extra code as gift.) So I agreed.
EARep: "And here are the five codes ..."
Wonderfull, until now that person made a nice job, and I was a happy customer.

EARep: "Is there anything else?"
And now it comes:
: yes
: there belong promo codes to each of the account upgrades
EARep: "I am sorry but the promo codes are only available if you place the orders directly through the respective stores"
What? If I ask the support of exactly that store, which offers the promotion in its program, to help me with a purchase, this is no longer the same???...
EARep: "we have received a lot of complaints regarding this"
So he did know before and felt no need to inform me before the agreement to the purchase?

So not only the mysterious processor error got not resolved or explained (so that I am still not able to purchase any other codes there, which are not offered via other channels), but I feel now seriously cheated. Without the codes is no jumpstart for existing chars to the new race. Since I play multiple shards, I would have needed them for each account - a reason to purchase all upgrades in that month, although I was earlier the opinion to upgrade only one account due to the non multiple account upgrade package availibility.

I was in complaint mood before, but that may be even the nail in the coffin of my love to this game, if this can't be resolved in an accurate manner.

*Salute*
Olahorand

 

[Shelleybean]

Wow, I think that's absolutely terrible. The company needs to make this right fo you. There's no reason shouldn't get the promo codes. Besides, if the website actually worked, you wouldn't even be having this problem.

 

[neocron79]

Yea they need to make this right for you and all the other people who have found themselves in a similiar circumstance regarding the expansion. Doing a Digital Distribution is all fine and well but the system needs to work for your customers and there is no reason for this kind of chinanigans by EA.

 

[Chrissay_]

Please pm me the incident number you received so we can further review this.

 

[Theo_GL]

First I feel for Olahorand here. That's not a fair situation.

However, to the rest of us - you just have to chuckle at a company/division that is dying a slow death with subscribers dropping daily and when they do have an opportunity to TAKE PEOPLE'S MONEY - they fail at that as well.

First lession of business - once a customer has made the decision to purchase - make it as easy as possible for them to complete the transaction.

I can recall many times leaving stores where I was going to purchase something but long check out lines or other issues caused me to drop the item and walk out never to return.

 

[neocron79]

First I feel for Olahorand here. That's not a fair situation.

However, to the rest of us - you just have to chuckle at a company/division that is dying a slow death with subscribers dropping daily and when they do have an opportunity to TAKE PEOPLE'S MONEY - they fail at that as well.

First lession of business - once a customer has made the decision to purchase - make it as easy as possible for them to complete the transaction.

I can recall many times leaving stores where I was going to purchase something but long check out lines or other issues caused me to drop the item and walk out never to return.

I partially agree with you here. While you are correct that once a customer makes the decision to buy something, make it as easy as possible for them to complete the transaction.

However, your example of leaving a store and never to return because of a long check out line is, if you'll pardon me for saying, ********. If a checkout line is crowded, it's ok to put the stuff down and come back later. Refusing to go back to a store because they were to busy to help you on your time-table is heavy-handed and more than a little arrogant. If everyone shared that paticular mentality of "Help ME because I am Important and intend to spend Money RIGHT NOW so you better help me NOW", there'd be a lot of unhappy customers in the world.

Now if there are other issues like a clerk being rude to you, that I can understand. There is no call for rudeness, either by the clerk OR the customer.

 

[Theo_GL]

I partially agree with you here. While you are correct that once a customer makes the decision to buy something, make it as easy as possible for them to complete the transaction.

However, your example of leaving a store and never to return because of a long check out line is, if you'll pardon me for saying, ********. If a checkout line is crowded, it's ok to put the stuff down and come back later. Refusing to go back to a store because they were to busy to help you on your time-table is heavy-handed and more than a little arrogant. If everyone shared that paticular mentality of "Help ME because I am Important and intend to spend Money RIGHT NOW so you better help me NOW", there'd be a lot of unhappy customers in the world.

Now if there are other issues like a clerk being rude to you, that I can understand. There is no call for rudeness, either by the clerk OR the customer.

One of the reasons circuit city collapsed was becuase their checkout process was horrible. Most stores had 2 cashiers tops. I recall leaving the store several times with hundreds of dollars of purchases on a display stand as I exited. Eventually - I never went back. Meanwhile they'd have 2 or 3 yahoo's hanging out in the little cell phone shop trying to hawk phones and plans to everyone who walked by. A few of those people converted to checkout personel or backup checkout personel would have gone a long way. I had similar experiences with Comp USA.

Gee -its no wonder those went out of business. I vote with my $$. Don't spend $$ with companies that don't treat you well. Eventually companies that do will take over the market.

Again, the most expensive sale is the one you lost at the checkout line. You spent advertising getting them in the store, you spent store personel time helping them pick out the right item - and then you lose the sale because you cannot take their money. Again - business 101. Always make sure your sales closure process is working like a well oiled machine.

EA spent alot of development time in SA, alot of money doing roadshows and website advertising. To fail in being able to take people's money for the expansion is not acceptable. To screw people out of promotion codes because the website doesn't work is even worse.

If they can give an account code over the phone - why not a promotion code?

 

[the 4th man]

Okay, you come to stratics to tell people your problems..........fine.

Lemme ask you, when you got the error message, were you using IE?(Internet Explorer)

If so, I would have seriously DL'd Fire fox, and tried again.
I understand, you saw the word help and figured you'd get it.

Well, guess what, It's not advertised for customer support to get it for you.
Given UO's customer support history, did you not expect headaches??

As for the ones using the word "********", may you be blessed one day, ok??
A child or adult with this handicap is nothing to take lightly.

EA is not dying........think so?.....prove it, or shut up.

later

 

[Magdalene]

The issue is being handled, so ta-ta...