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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

I thought I would relay this here as I am sure you can all relate.  This
is copied and pasted from a chat window, a conversation I had last night
with McAfee customer service.  I have edited out my last name and phone
number, but otherwise the conversation stands as written.  I am about
ready to scream.
I tried to go into this with empathy after watching some news magazine
piece on Indian workers who do this sort of customer service work for
American companies.  Those folks have a hard life and I tried to keep
that in mind before I even logged on to the chat help screen.  They are
mostly women (and I do think my CS rep was an Indian woman, despite the
masculine American name) who are struggling to survive, but in the end,
these companies are really doing themselves a disservice because it is
almost insulting to have someone try to be so professionally nice and
respectful, but knowing that they are reading from a card or script.  It
could all be forgiven if in the end they were really helpful, but they
are not.
Without further adieu, here is the transcript that I am now calling,
"Here we go 'round in circles"


Please wait while we find a customer service representative to assist you...
You have been connected to Jack Vincent.
Jack Vincent: Thank you for contacting McAfee customer service. How may
I help you today?
Beverly  : I purchased this Gateway back on 11/2/2006 with 3
years of mcafee service
Jack Vincent: Beverly, I'll be happy to help you.
Beverly  : a few months ago, I had a problem and CS sent me a
recovery disk(not what I really needed, but it worked)
Beverly  : since then, my internet security suite shows an
expiration of 4/2 and of course, today is 4/2/2007
Beverly  : and it quit
Beverly  : but I should have until 11/2/2009
Beverly  : paid in advance
Jack Vincent: Beverly, I see that you have valid McAfee products
registered under the e-mail address erthnsky AT bellsouth.net.
Beverly  : yup
Jack Vincent: I see that you have both valid and expiring the software
under your account.
Beverly  : no software should be expired
Jack Vincent: Please use the following link to login to your account
under erthnsky AT bellsouth.net and to know the exact status of your account.
Beverly  : i have already done this
Jack Vincent: Are you able to see the products listed under your account?
Beverly  : yes, and it is WRONG, they should ALL be 11/2/09
Jack Vincent: Please uninstall the software from your computer and
reinstall it from your account page to resolve your issue.
Beverly  : I requested a disk to upgrade since I have a slow
connection and Cs sent an 'upgrade disk' labeled recovery disk, and
since then the date changed
Beverly  : I cannot do that.
Jack Vincent: You will then have the valid software and it will be valid
till the actual subscription that came with your computer.
Beverly  : I connect at 24.6 kbps, which is why I needed the disk
to begin with
Beverly  : I cannot download from your website. It would take
DAYS and I have one phone line
Jack Vincent: I am sorry, Beverly. As much as I want to resolve your
concern at my end, your concern is technical by nature. To resolve your
concern, please feel free contact one of our Technical Support Engineers
as it is beyond our support boundaries.
Jack Vincent: The latest version of the software will not take much of
your time to download the software, so please contact them to resolve
your issue.
Beverly  : how can a technical person pull up my paid account
and make it say that it is good?
Jack Vincent: The latest version of the software will not take much of
your time to download the software, so please contact them to resolve
your issue. They will help you to install the software on your computer.
Beverly  : I DO NOT NEED HELP INSTALLING SOFTWARE
Beverly  : I DO NOT NEED SOFTWARE
Beverly  : I HAVE VALID SOFTWARE
Beverly  : I DO NOT HAVE TECHNICAL ISSUES
Beverly  : THIS IS A CUSTOMER SERVICE MATTER
Beverly  : PLEASE ESCALATE THIS COMPLAINT
Jack Vincent: Please let me know the color of your M icon along with its
background color.
Beverly  : RED
Beverly  : BACKGROUND IS SILVER
Jack Vincent: Thank you for the information.
Jack Vincent: I will do my best to resolve this issue in better and in
timely manner.
Jack Vincent: Please open your security Center and click on View Details
and let me know the expiry date listed there for the individual software.
Beverly  : where is view details?
Beverly  : ok, sorry
Jack Vincent: Are you able to find it?
Beverly  : security center v. 7.2.147 last update 3/22, no exp date
Beverly  : none of the products have expiration dates
Jack Vincent: Thank you for the information.
Jack Vincent: Shall I remove expiring software from your account page?
Beverly  : ????
Beverly  : I do not want to remove the software. I have the software
Jack Vincent: Are you able to see Security Center Information on the
bottom of the home page of the security center.
Beverly  : I just want the update page, and the program, to
recognize the correct expiration date of 11/02/09
Beverly  : yes, and it says 4/2, which is wrong because I paid
for 3 years
Jack Vincent: I see that you have expiring McAfee Internet Security
Suite under your account and you have valid McAfee VirusScan, McAfee
Personal Firewall Plus, McAfee Privacy Service and McAfee SpamKiller.
Beverly  : they should ALL be valid
Beverly  : and I miswrote, on my security center page, it shows
a subscription expiration date of 4/1/2007
Jack Vincent: You will need to uninstall the expiring McAfee Internet
Security Suite software from your computer and reinstall the valid
software in order to resolve your issue.
Beverly  : I have asked before for you to escalate my problem to
a supervisor, I am asking for the second time
Jack Vincent: Based on your issue, I will need to escalate this case to
our Tier3 customer service team. Please provide me with your contact
number and the time of day that is most convenient for you to receive a
call back. Our escalation team will be in touch with you within the next
7 business days.
Beverly  : perhaps I should uninstall all mcafee programs and
then file a lawsuit for fraud?
Jack Vincent: I understand your concern. This issue will best be handled
by my supervisor. Unfortunately, my supervisor is unavailable at this
time. I would like to schedule a contact on your behalf though. Please
let me know what your phone number is, preferred email address, and the
best time of day to reach you.
Beverly  : XXX-XXX-XXXX Afternoon and evenings EST
Beverly  : You already know my email address as you are
supposedly looking at my account: erthnsky AT bellsouth.net
Jack Vincent: Thank you for the information.
Beverly  : This is not a concern, by the way, this is an ultimatum
Jack Vincent: If you uninstall and reinstall the software your issue
will get resolved, however as per your request, our escalations team
will contact you and help you with this issue to resolve in better manner.
Beverly  : ah, but I have to reinstall from your website, which
is not possible for me
Beverly  : I have to install from a disk, which I have, but one
that records the wrong date
Jack Vincent: I completely understand your frustration and would like to
apologize for the inconvenience caused. Our escalations team will reach
you within 7 business days in order to resolve your issue completely.
Jack Vincent: Is there anything else I may assist you with today?
Beverly  : I don't think you do understand. This is my second
'chat', first one also ended in an escalation because you people don't
seem to understand that not everyone has high speed internet access
Beverly  : so I am 0 for 2 on the chat
Beverly  : and then it took 2 more escalations via phone to
finally find someone who understood slow dialup and send the disk,
Beverly  : the same disk that now shows the wrong date...the
"most recent updated" software, less than a month old
Beverly  : so here we go again.
Beverly  : I feel that I have been defrauded by McAfee
Beverly  : and am ready to totally uninstall the program and
request a refund, but I will take that up with another supervisor
Jack Vincent: I am sorry, Beverly. I really understand your situation
and our escalations team will really help you to resolve this issue, as
we do not have live team currently I have escalated this case to my next
level of support with high importance, who can assist you better.
Beverly  : Thank you.
Jack Vincent: You are most welcome.
Jack Vincent: Is there anything else I may assist you with today?
Beverly  : no
Jack Vincent: Thank you for contacting McAfee Customer Support Center.
If you need further assistance please visit us again.
--
Bevanron of EarthNSky Farm   Sleep well tonight, for somewhere in the
ocean's depths, MY son is protecting YOUR freedom.