Read this chat conversation that I had with a tech support specialist today.
By cream97
@cream97 (29087)
United States
June 7, 2010 8:56am CST
Erik: eGlobal Wireless live support chat, my name is Erik, How may I assist you?
Erik: Hello (my name).
Me: Hi, Erik.
Me: I am contacting you all because I want to send my 7" notebook back so that I can receive a refund. The notebook is not picking up Wifi at all and Internet Explorer is not giving me a faster browser connection. I would like a complete refund once I return this product back to you in saleable condition.
Me: Do I have to pay 25% for a restocking fee?
Erik: That is not my call
Me: Can you please elaborate on what you mean when you say, "That is not my call?"
Erik: I am not in the returns dept, I am tech support, a returns specialist is the one who applies restocking fees.
Me: Okay. I know that. I wanted to know what steps that I take into receiving a refund, not an return/exchange.
Me: I will contact a returns specialist. Thank you Erik.
Erik: Is there anything else I may help you with today?
Me: No, that will be all. Thank you Erik. Have a great day.
*** This is the conversation that I had with the tech support this morning. I bought a 7" inch notebook from this company. And I want to return it so that I can receive a complete refund. I had this product in my possession for about 4 to 5 days now. It is still in perfect condition. It has Windows CE Embedded version. And it also has Internet Explorer as the browser. I am not happy with the notebook because, it runs too slow. The keyboard is too small for my fingers and the mouse pad pointer is so easily to touch the wrong keys.. I cannot pick up Wifi at all. I could probably keep this notebook. But I would just be spending more money too. If I keep it, I would have to get a router and a Wifi booster. I am not too thrilled on spending extra money, especially, if I don't want this notebook. I also paid for a one year warranty for my insurance of this notebook too.
When Erik said in the chat, "That is not my call." I feel that he should have said this in a more professional kind of way, like, "I am sorry that you are unhappy with your product, but I am unable to assist you with this matter. I only handle technical support issues at this time. The returns specialist will be able to handle this for you. I will give you the link or instructions to contact them regarding this issue." That is what he should have said, instead. I have been doing some researching and this company has many negative reviews on them. And one of the main complaints was bad customer service. And the other one was, product issues. It figures. I read the positive feedback on their site. This is what determined me into making a decision in ordering from this company. I wished that I had read the other negative comments that were on other sites before purchasing this notebook.
5 people like this
13 responses
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
hello there,
I hope this agent got sanctioned for such unprofessional and unpolite remarks, in that conversation he could have been polite but i guess he was in a hurry not to expand his Call per limit thingy that he is trying to butt you out.
I am sure he got punished, calls like these are recorded and no agent can get away what he/she said during a live recored call.
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
7 Jun 10
Frankly, the conversation you had sounds as if "Erik" is a bot (software that is programmed to produce certain answers when triggered by certain words).
It sounds as if you are generally unhappy with the product anyway and should return it for refund. Do this quickly, however (and endeavour to speak to a real person who will log your call, give you a tracking number and will send labels, &c for its return).
You are generally much better off spending your money with a reputable local company with customer support that consists of real, intelligent people. You may have to pay a little more for this but it sure is worth it!
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
7 Jun 10
Hi, owlwings. And that is the thing here. It is so hard for me to get to speak to anyone on the phone. I called this company Friday and I waited on the phone for over an hour. No representative ever came to the line. I have emailed this company and no one has responded back at all. I seem like I can only reach the chat line, which is always, Erik... I really do hope that they are prompt into giving me back my refund. When I try to contact all of the departments, the prompt voice just tells me to leave an message pertaining my email address. They are experiencing this high call volume from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. It seems like I can never speak to a live agent. I call within these hours but no one ever is available for me to speak to.
I call within these hours but no one ever is available for me to speak to.@cream97 (29087)
• United States
7 Jun 10
Yes, that is what I am aiming at. I don't want a replacement, because all of their netbooks are the same size. They just have four different colors. I want a refund only. And I won't let them talk me into getting an exchange either. All they will do is give me the same crap that I already have at home. No not again..
All they will do is give me the same crap that I already have at home. No not again..
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
7 Jun 10
I thought that comment, "That is not my call" sounded unprofessional. So were you able to contact the return specialist? And were they helpful?
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
7 Jun 10
I hope you get it straightened out soon, I can't imagine dealing with this company like that..for computers and such, I feel safer buying local than online..That way I can take it back myself..
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
7 Jun 10
Hi, caramelanirel. Yes, I did contact the returns specialist. I submitted an ticket, with an ticket ID. I explained to them, that I want a complete refund. I don't want an exchange. I hope that I don't have to pay a 25% restocking fee either. This is for an exchange only. I hope that they don't plan to put this notebook back on the shelf. Then it would be considered refurbished.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159572)
• Boise, Idaho
13 Jun 10
I am having a run in with Verizon right now on the same issue. I hope you get it all worked out. I know these companies sure like to gouge you coming and going. It sure pays to do your research. I didn't on this cell phone and USB stick I got and BOY! am I sorry. Hope it works out for you!
1 person likes this
@goddessjes (788)
• Philippines
7 Jun 10
hi there. from what i understand Erik might be a bot. i've experienced a lot of this. and whoever you paraphrase your questions, the will give you direct answers which are not necessarily to customer friendly.
however, if Erik was a real person, i would be devastated with the answer. being exposed to a customer-service oriented environment, that conversation should be escalated to upper management. i live by the rule that the customer is always right. and shouldn't be treated otherwise. ;-)
1 person likes this
@himanshuorange (1145)
• India
7 Jun 10
well you are right he should not have said this in the way he said .......the way you said was the better one ........we i wish you a good luck for replacing that product .........take care .......
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
7 Jun 10
Hi, himan. Don't you mean returning it so that I can get a refund??
I know what you were trying to say. I was just being teasingly sarcastic. I want a complete refund. All of their netbooks are the same and I don't want to risk getting another dummy.
I know what you were trying to say. I was just being teasingly sarcastic. I want a complete refund. All of their netbooks are the same and I don't want to risk getting another dummy.
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
8 Jun 10
Well, indeed, he should not have said that.. INstead, he should say "he will refer u to the returns dept" instead, of saying 'this is not my call'..
Customer service is very important in any kind of business, and when the service is lousy, it will tend to put off any potential customers.. haha =D Especially those after-care, customer services..
Just like when we are browsing at products, salesperson will tend to attend to us in the bets sweetest way, to sweet talk us into buying their products, and be promising everything under the sun, as long as we buy it..
BUt after we paid for it, all those promises become crap, and services is like non-existent!! As such, i hate those kind of companies!! haha =D
BUt back to u, where did u buy your laptop from?? Din u try it before buying, or u bought it online?
As such, i hate those kind of companies!! haha =D
BUt back to u, where did u buy your laptop from?? Din u try it before buying, or u bought it online? 1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
8 Jun 10
hi cream97 that person was probably very new as when for example I call up my HMO on some matters, if the woman who is helping me says, that is not my department, but just a moment , I will connect you with billing and she really does, its all done in maybe ten minutes.So some companies train their employees well and some don't seem to have made a dent in their customer treatment skills. the tech support guy should have said, sorry but that's not my dept, but I will connect you with a returns specialist . I am sure that like other companies they all have a set of proper phone numbers for the various departments.
1 person likes this
@neildc (17239)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
9 Jun 10
i can also believe the Erik is bot. i never been in a call center industry but i have experienced something like this before. it was not a product purchase thing but a customer support which i need help with the software i installed with my laptop. and the other party was so prompt to answer me after i send my message. meanwhile, i don't think a refund for the return of a purchase or an item being purchased could be returned just because you didn't like the product, at least in some of the establishments and stores here in our place.
@sanuanu (11235)
• India
8 Jun 10
I have worked in a call center where I had to take 200-300 calls every day. I was so pissed off at the end of the day that I could have behaved more rudely than the guy you talked to!
But even then the person must not talk un professionally. That was wrong.
BTW: did you get any updates on returning your notebook?
and if you didn't like the product then why did you buy it?
@bodhisatya (2384)
• India
8 Jun 10
Hello Cream,
As far as my experience with Customer Service goes I find that when they are about to sell a product or if its a pre-sales Demonstration, the executive will be extra polite and would make it seem like he/she is putting you first.
Once you have been sold, then its like darn you with our darn product.
Its a simple fact "We want that money of yours from your pocket to be transfered here in my pocket".
Go for it Cream, and have every penny refunded if that notebook is a lousy one.
1 person likes this
@gen0272001 (39)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
i have been a call center agent for a number of years and i have had my share of that in customer service and the technical department....he should have asked yopu if you wanted to try and troubleshoot the problem first before he advised you to get in touch with the returns department. he could have also transferred your call to the proper department since it is out of his job specifications...or he could have given you some information of how to go about in returning the product..that would all depend on his experience, initiative, true concern for the client and the limitations to his job....hope that helps you better understand the call center industry..;)..good luck..
1 person likes this
