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Telephone Support Changes?
Travis Lambert
White dog, red collar
Join date: 3 Jun 2004
Posts: 2,819
05-15-2006 11:29
I'm used to calling into telephone support at the 800 number whenever I have an issue that I feel I need to speak to a human about.

Up until recently, the US/Canada number on the support page was: 1-800-860-6990.

Today, I noticed that there's a new number: 1-800-961-6851

So, I called it. Whoa - the support options have totally changed, along with the 'sound & feel':

Old number behavior:

-You're greeted by a female recording with a California accent
-You have choices for Billing, Technical Support, or "All other issues"
-If no one is available, the phone rings a few times, and you go to voicemail.

New number behavior:

-You're greeted by a recording of Jack Linden, with a *thick* british accent
-You have choices for "Joning or using SL", "Payments or Billing", or "All other inquires"
-Funky electronic hold music
-Intermittently, Jack Linden comes back on with a "Customer Service" spot about the Lindex. When you first hear it, you think he's actually answering the phone.... psyche! Its just a recording!
-You go thru two repeats of the spiel about the Lindex, then go to voicemail - much longer 'tieup' than before.


I don't know about anyone else, but I'd rather just cut to the chase when calling support. If no one is available, send me to voicemail as soon as you can - don't make me listen to two spiels about the Lindex.

And now I'm all self-conscious about *my* accent :D If Jack's accent is thick & hard to understand to me.... I wonder how intelligible my Michigan accent is to a brit :eek:
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Lorelei Patel
was here
Join date: 22 Feb 2004
Posts: 1,940
05-15-2006 11:33
From: Travis Lambert

And now I'm all self-conscious about *my* accent :D If Jack's accent is thick & hard to understand to me.... I wonder how intelligible my Michigan accent is to a brit :eek:


But we don't have accents here in the land of the mitten, eh?
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Broadly offensive.
Travis Lambert
White dog, red collar
Join date: 3 Jun 2004
Posts: 2,819
05-15-2006 11:36
From: Lorelei Patel
But we don't have accents here in the land of the mitten, eh?


Ya - everyone else has da accent, eh? :D
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The Shelter

The Shelter is a non-profit recreation center for new residents, and supporters of new residents. Our goal is to provide a positive & supportive social environment for those looking for one in our overwhelming world.
Lorelei Patel
was here
Join date: 22 Feb 2004
Posts: 1,940
05-15-2006 11:39
From: Travis Lambert
Ya - everyone else has da accent, eh? :D


/me runs off to play Da Yoopers.

Sorry to have hijacked your thread. About the phone system? Yuck. There are some companies that would rather do anything than talk to their customers. Hate that.
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Broadly offensive.
Nolan Nash
Frischer Frosch
Join date: 15 May 2003
Posts: 7,141
05-15-2006 12:36
I won't subject you nasally Michiganders to my MinneSOHtah accent. :p

More on topic, I am disappointed. Are you saying that now you can't pass through the menu and get a human? That you have to leave a voice mail?

If so - UGHH!

When a business grows, I have never understood why sometimes they become more impersonal - they are realizing more $$$ right? - so shouldn't they be able to afford more staff?. Hell, even Microshaft will have a human talk to me, same for Blizzard.
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Zonax Delorean
Registered User
Join date: 5 Jun 2004
Posts: 767
05-15-2006 12:47
From: Travis Lambert
I'm used to calling into telephone support at the 800 number whenever I have an issue that I feel I need to speak to a human about.


You should be glad that it's not an Indian person yet, answering the phone.
That would be the end... :-)

BTW, Britain is INSANELY expensive, I cannot imagine they could've outsourced anything to there.
FlipperPA Peregrine
Magically Delicious!
Join date: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 3,703
05-15-2006 12:50
This sounds pretty cool! No one can stay angry for too long listening to a wonderful British accent! I don't know how John Cleese pulled it off!
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Travis Lambert
White dog, red collar
Join date: 3 Jun 2004
Posts: 2,819
05-15-2006 12:51
From: Nolan Nash


More on topic, I am disappointed. Are you saying that now you can't pass through the menu and get a human? That you have to leave a voice mail?



Well, I can't be sure on that one. Maybe if someone was actually available, I would have gone to a human. But no one was, so I just got the voicemail experience.

What was frustrating was how long it took me to get to voicemail, and the subtleties of thinking Jack was actually answering the phone when it was just a recording.

Its kinda like those home answering machine message that say "Hello? Hello?? Fooled ya! I'm not home right now....." :p
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The Shelter

The Shelter is a non-profit recreation center for new residents, and supporters of new residents. Our goal is to provide a positive & supportive social environment for those looking for one in our overwhelming world.