insignificant thoughts - Latest Comments in What Customer Service Really Means

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

mat987 — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 07:26:08 -0000

I couldn't agree more. Well put Vinny.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

teri — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 20:22:29 -0000

Kari, I think you need to learn how to read. (I learned how in 1st grade, isn't it a shame you didn't...)

Your comment (#27) makes no sense at all. You must have a very low I.Q to think that Vincent's comments about this AOL situation was generalized to mean *all* CSR's. Really now, that's a really pathetic attempt, on your part to discredit Vincent.

I hope you realize (before you continue to post here and further embarass yourself) that only people with lower IQ's than you will believe your BS...doesn't leave you with much support at your end of the Bell Curve.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

bemused — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 08:52:57 -0000

What I find amusing is the fact that not a lot of people mention the 15+ mins Vinny had to spend first going through the automated menus / on hold.

After that I'd be ready to be a little beligerent... if anything he was probably a bit more polite than I could expect

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Belf!!! — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 18:13:05 -0000

Kari,
Since (according to you) Vinny got paid to promote Audible, I assume you have a copy of the contract he would have had to sign. Please post it so we can all be as enlightened as you are on this topic. Thanks. Moron!

Jon,
You (along with all the other idiots who think Vinny provoked a CSR into giving bad service) are just a moron. I'm getting really tired of hearing people accuse Vinny of provoking Jon into bullying him, harassing him, being condescending to him, and just plain being rude to him. Vinny called to cancel his account and made that clear from the get go. He did not antagonize Jon, nor was he rude in any way. He simply stated the reason for the call up front and got 20 minutes of crap handed to him by someone who was supposed to help him.

Tammy,
If you bothered to actually read anything else on this site, you would know that there are FOUR AND A HALF YEARS' worth of posts that AREN'T about bashing AOL. So it seems that you're a moron too.

Any other morons wanna come out into the open with their utter and complete stupidity?

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Susanne — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 15:47:26 -0000

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for standing up to the corporate tyrants! Way to go.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Andy — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 14:07:26 -0000

Good customer service experiences:
Andersen Windows
Southwest Airlines

Two very large companies, two very different products. What they have in common is that they treat both their employees and their customers as people deserving respect.

Vinny, thank you for now giving us a chance to share positive customer service experiences.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Anthony Lemons — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 09:27:42 -0000

Alright, this is for all of the unintelligent people who think that Vinny provoked the sour conversation. Vinny said:"I would like to cancel my account" That was provacation? Only an idiot would consider them fighting words. The AOL pitchman should have responded with: "no, problem sir, this will take just a minute to deactivate your account". That is not how the AOL drone answered. The employee purposely backed Vinny into a verbal corner, and I will tell you, I would come out swinging. Vinny, keep the New York pride my man. Wake up U.S. http;//anthonylemons.blogspot.com

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

TERRIE — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 06:37:16 -0000

Thank you for bringing this out into the open regarding AOL. A few years ago I too had a real disheartening experience with AOL. I was given the run around, first it was not the name on the original account (which it was as I was the only one in the household) then it was not the right card number (as I had changed that over the years), but they were still getting payments from the same account). I gave them the name and address, everything they needed to verify the account.
I was so frusterated at the end of the phone call I ended up cancelling my bank account over an automatic payment of less than $30.00.You know what we have to do everytime we cancel a bank accout.
I have been in Customer Service/Sales for many years and I know all about quotas, still sometimes we have to step back in order to move forward. Thanks again.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

AOL: Den of thieves — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 05:44:59 -0000

Oh, and we've had excellent customer service over many years by Southwest Airlines as well.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

AOL: Den of thieves — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 05:43:51 -0000

Kari is probably an AOL stockholder --- ha ha ha.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Tammy — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 03:51:26 -0000

I find it interesting that the only posts on this site are aol bashing and that posting a comment is no guarantee of it's publication....a tell tale sign that someone has something to hide or has an alterior motive.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Jon — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 03:48:34 -0000

Vincent, dude, you brought the topic of AOL this AOL that upon yourself? You didn't let Jon help you, instead you badgered him and provoked him into acting the way he did. His customer service wasn't abhorrent, your behavior as a human being was abhorrent towards someone who was trying to help you. You were abrasive, unfriendly, and totally rude towards him. Then you went to the media and acted as though you did nothing wrong. That's pathetic dude!

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Vinny — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 03:22:32 -0000

Kari, you're a moron.

I did not accept any money from Audible. Consumerist, in their post about them doing an interview with me, left the question for their readers "What would you like to ask Vincent?"

One of the readers mentioned they would like to hear any good experiences since we've been harping on the bad (read comment #2 here if you're able to read). The question made me think, and I came up with Audible.

And by the way Keri, the only difference between the entire call that I've posted here and the 2 minute shorter on they played on TV is the part where I said he was annoying the shit out of me after he wasn't listening, and he replied "That goes both way, my friend," something played on CNN, CNBC, and most of the radio shows I was on.

Oh, and one more thing Kari you twit. Belf!!! is my wife. If I took any money, she'd know. Yet another shining example of your unmitigated stupidity.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Barbara — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 02:49:14 -0000

Kari must me an AOL rep. No one else would react like that.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Lisa L. — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 02:29:03 -0000

Whether he got paid or not, I don't care. That is Vinny's business. My AOL experience was 95% exactly like his was. I don't know how many times I had to re-express my intention to cancel. I was very pleased with AOL for many years and I was expecting to be treated in a civilized manner.

I don't have any particular opinion of "customer service people" except that I expect to be treated with respect. Some days service is extraordinary (bigger tip) and some days it is poor (little or no tip).

I don't believe you egged anyone on. The AOL rep. just didn't "get it." You wanted to cancel your account. It shouldn't take more than a few moments to make changes in their database and show appreciation for your loyalty for so long. Boom, done!

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Kari — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 23:49:56 -0000

Vinny, I never said you got rich off of your comments, all I said was you got paid, which makes it even more disgraceful that you would sell out for just a few bucks.

Yes, if it takes a moron to figure this out then what does that make you Belf for not realizing it? The proof is in his writing. To begin, I first heard edited versions of the AOL call and applauded Vinny's effort, but later I was bothered by Vinny's tone when I listened to the WHOLE recording. Vinny knew that he wanted the call to blow up and basically egged the AOL rep on. From the very beginning of the call Vinny was rude and confrontatious with an aggressive tone. MANY people would have acted the way the AOL rep acted when someone confronts them the way Vinny did. Unfortunately, regardless of how big an a$$ a customer is, a company employee should always be polite... but morally, a customer should be polite as well.

So after reading his latest, Iâ€šÃ„Ã´ve realized that instead of being this â€šÃ„Ãºheroâ€šÃ„Ã¹, Vinny is simply manipulating circumstances to meet his needs. So now his writing tone has changed and he LOVES customer service people- â€šÃ„ÃºEspecially those from www.audible.com, where you can pick up any variety of your favorite audio books. Pick up a membership for your mom, or a friendâ€šÃ„Â¶ audio books make a perfect wedding present. I cancelled my membership once and I cried myself to sleep every night. But recently I have renewed my membership and have lost weight and even grown fuller thicker hair.â€šÃ„Ã¹

By the way Belf, youâ€šÃ„Ã´ll notice that Vinny hasn't denied receiving â€šÃ„Ãºpitchâ€šÃ„Ã¹ money.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

David Wendt — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 19:04:21 -0000

Hey Vinnie, I live in Chicago and heard you on the loop talking about AOL. I recently was one of 12 litigants in a class action suit against AOL for double billing customers due to "spin off " accounts. Aol settled for $25 million dollars. The scam was they would spin off a sub account without permission and charge your credit card or checking account for it. I was double billed to the tune of $635 for over 2 years unknowingly. I used my checking account for my billing method and they would bill me at the begining of each month for my main account and as I found out they billed me at the end of the month for the "spin off" account. I didn't realize this till I called to cancel my Aol account ( which was an adventure in itself) and 2 months later after I bounced a check I noticed I was still being billed for a 2nd account which I never authorized. You think it was tough cancelling your account, try cancelling a spin off account and trying to get a hold of thier fraud department. I was told I could not cancel the spin off account and that the fraud department had to do it. I called the fraud department 4 seperate times and was on hold for an average of 1 hour each time and I never was able to talk to anybody. Thats when I found out about a class action suit that was forming for the double billing practice Aol had and got onboard. Aol just settled in February of this year(2006)and if you or anyone who reads your site was double billed they are entitled to some monetary compensation from Aol. I was told it could range from $60 to $80 dollars or ( hold onto your hat) 6 months free Aol (LOL). The lawsuit went on for almost 2 years before it was settled. I also had a very interesting taped deposition but there's not enough space to write that here.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Jeremy (Kathryn's Nephew) — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 15:24:11 -0000

Hi. My name is Jeremy, Kathryn's nephew. I think what you've done is wonderful. You proved that AOL is REALLY tough to cancel and I think that is great. You've had lots of interviews and all of them have interested me. I like what you've done so much that I want your autograph. Bye.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Lisa L. — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 14:00:49 -0000

I'll try to keep this short,which I wish my conversation with AOL would've been. My experience was relived when I viewed your recorded phone call online. It has been 4-5 months since I cancelled and I still get angry. I have NEVER in my life experienced such a hellish phone call as I did that day when I cancelled. Within 2-3 minutes of the "actual" phone call, not the waiting part, the customer service rep. upset me so much that I knew I would never subscribe to them again or ever recommend them. I was astonished at how angry I became over the phone. It was "NOT ME." Just keyboarding this comment makes my stomach turn all over again. My husband listened to me during the conversation and looked at me wondering: Why is this cancellation taking so long?, Where is AOL coming from and treating a long time customer like crap?, Is this my wife, I've never seen her so riled up during a phone call?, and so on. This comment gives me the opportunity to vent. Thanks for sharing your experience so I know I'm not the only one, and this certainly is an issue. AOL certainly has gone too far. I've never been treated so rudely in my life!! All 44 years!!

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Anthony Lemons — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 13:16:32 -0000

Vinny, thats my brother's middle name...anyway, I can't stand how some people act as if you did something wrong. I am glad that there are people, like you and I, just common folks who get the edge on big corporation. Don't worry, the majority of clear thinking adults see that you did the right thing. My site is devoted to explaining issues that most Americans don't see or bother to pay attention to. Wake up U.S. http://anthonylemons.blogspot.com

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Vinny — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 13:05:24 -0000

Apparently some people aren't happy unless you're in a bad mood and bitching about stuff.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Belf!!! — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 13:00:41 -0000

Kari,I have to ask this because I can't believe the utter stupidity of your comment. Where on earth do you get the idea that Vinny took money for his comments on Audible? If you are serious in making such an accusation, then you obviously DON'T know Vinny well at all.

Either that or you're a complete moron.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

aleks — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:27:00 -0000

Sorryâ€šÃ„Â¶ Got a nickel stuck in my ass.

like my old friend used to say: its a bad luck to have a nickel stuck in your ass ;)

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

yep, aol sucks — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:43:26 -0000

Vinny said: "They werenâ€šÃ„Ã´t thinking short-term loss, they were thinking of keeping me happy so that one day I might return, and I did."

You nailed it and I agree 100%. This is exactly how customer service should be done. Bullying and harassing a customer into keeping an account they don't want is not good or smart business.

AOL's aggressive tactics do nothing to regain a lost customer at a future time. They lost a customer forever....and earned a million dollars' worth of bad publicity in the interim. Hope they thought it was worth it.

Kudos to Audible for excellent customer service.

Re: What Customer Service Really Means

Tara — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 09:57:05 -0000

I am so relieved that someone else had such a hard time cancelling their AOL account. I hadn't used my account in months and they still could not understand why I wanted to cancel my account. . . . after telling them over and over again they FINALLY cancelled my account. I will never ever deal with AOL again. :x