Jun 20 2006
Whirlwind Time:
UPDATE:
HERE’S THE SCHEDULE:
CNBC: 7:30 AM (TUNE IN A BIT EARLY) WITH BECKY QUICK (WHO IS REALLY ULTIMATELY NICE ON THE PHONE)
NBC: THE TODAY SHOW AT 7:44 AM (AGAIN, TRY TO GET THERE RIGHT AFTER INTERVIEW ONE) WITH THE MAN HIMSELF, MATT LAUER.
How about that?
Topic of Conversation: The AOL Call. If you haven’t heard it by now, I really can’t help you.
June 20th, 2006 at 5:16 pm
So are you gonna be in studio or on the phone? I’m gonna try real hard to see the morning shows - it’s hard to get around Playhouse Disney here with these kids. If they don’t get to watch their JoJo’s Circus and Little Einsteins all Hell breaks loose for the remainder of the day.
… Hmmmm. I do have a tv up in my room… maybe I can set the kids up in the living room quietly with some Fruit Loops and chocolate milk then escape to my own room?…. we shall see….
June 20th, 2006 at 10:53 pm
Way to go V-Man, keep up the good work and someday we will rid the world of the fraud that is AOL!
June 20th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
You’re my new hero. No, really. I mean it. A champion for the underdog. A fighter for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Yada, yada, yada!!!
June 20th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
I am so glad to see you do this. This happened to me, too. I am still so infuriated from the first time that it is hard for me to speak coherently about it!
June 20th, 2006 at 11:20 pm
Well, aren’t you Mr. Popular. You should TiVo it and post it to youtube or something for those of us who don’t have TVs… please.
June 21st, 2006 at 1:33 am
I found it quite odd that MSNBC didn’t print or link to the name of your blog in their story about this.
June 21st, 2006 at 6:46 am
Just wanted to post a message saying Well done on exposing the god-awful custmer service we all experience with tech support lines - I’m in Ireland so have never had any dealings with AOL, but believe me when I say that it is a global issue!!
Well done exposing this problem - the web has facilitated an international soap box to aiur your story - what a wonderful world!!
Well done and take care!
Conor.
June 21st, 2006 at 7:22 am
Hi Vinny -
I just read the article on CNN about your disasterous phone call with AOL. ULTRA-lame. However, I recieved the same treatment in 1998! I had AOL for 2 months (post-college, pre-first-real-job), then I started working for a dot-com, so I didn’t need AOL anymore. They gave me the run around for about 20 minutes until I started shouting a bunch of high level computer jargon at the poor call center person until they said my account would be cancelled “promptly”. If AOL says this is a “one-off” incident, they are liars. They have a history of this sort of behavior.
I hope that AOL actually comes forward with some sort of “new and improved” call center processes because of you coming forward with your incident. Maybe they will also stop their incessant mailing of AOL CDs. Maybe pigs will fly. HA!
Have fun at the Today Show.
Amanda
June 21st, 2006 at 7:33 am
Just saw the bit on CNBC. Way to hold your own. And plenty of nice references to IT.
June 21st, 2006 at 7:44 am
AOL cancellation: I heard that cancelling AOL is very difficult. I am busy and knew that cancelling AOL would take a lot of time because AOL doesn’t allow cancellation online and I knew that I would have to call AOL to discuss my reasons for cancellation with a CSR. I finally called them to cancel when I knew that I could spare 30 minutes (which was about one year after I knew I wanted to cancel). The CSR did not immediately accept my request to cancel and offered me free anti-virus software but did not clearly state that keeping AOL was required to use the software. The CSR was pleasant but after 30 minutes of discussion, I finally advised the CSR that I had only allocated 30 minutes for this phone cancellation, that the 30 minutes had been exhausted and that I had to end the call. He finally agreed to cancel my account. My advice to anyone else: expect the call to take 30 minutes, stand your ground, expect to have to repeat your request 10 or more times, be polite but firm. AOL could possibly benefit from automating the cancellation process (i.e. allowing members to cancel online) and from offering a plan for only $2.95 per month to use AOL only in conjunction with a broadband connection. I would spend $36 per year to keep it, but not $132 ($10.95 per month). It is so ironic that AOL, the pioneer in providing internet access to the public, has become the internet dinosaur.
June 21st, 2006 at 7:47 am
Way to go V! It’s about time somebody made this company’s customer abuses public and you did it about as big as it gets. Excellent! But don’t make the mistake of thinking their “appology” is anything mode than damage control. They will probably go back to their old ways as soon as the initial publicity dies down. They initiated this “AOL for life” policy many years ago. I seriously doubt anything will be different unless the shareholders start screaming as well.
June 21st, 2006 at 7:53 am
Nice interview. When Charlie asked you why you didn’t request a supervisor, my first thought was, “Why should you have to?!” Charlie can be a right wing, unnecessarily-pro-business jackass.
June 21st, 2006 at 7:58 am
So, did they cancel the account???
June 21st, 2006 at 8:00 am
INCREDIBLE AOL STORY - Glad you took the time to write & fight!
Think you’re the only lucky one???
Earthlink, In an attempt to move my service, ‘right next door’ I too accomplished a very similar customer service reaction.
My issue only took 6 months to resolve. A cancellation fee of $145.00 was going to be billed. Needless to say, I fought it.
After receiving numerous ‘dun’ calls & letters, I opted to call, one more time. Luckily I found a critical center customer service # & tried it & it worked! I spoke with the most pleasant woman who accomplished within 5 minutes which only took the months of previous anxious.
All I have to say to those in customer service, “take the shoes (the position) of the caller & listen to their needs!” There are always going to be distraught clients, there will be happy ones. Got an upset client, take care of them.
Better to lose buisness w/ a smile on your face than to face the insult of having to write notes such as this and - or have the name AOL, Earthlink etc being announced on CNBC
Have a little respect for yourself or your company!
sean ty
June 21st, 2006 at 8:12 am
Just saw your interview with Matt Lauer. Hearing that conversation with AOL was very much like the one I had too. - and to top it off, after pleading with them to cancel my account, To quote that annoying voice on AOL that I no longer have to hear, it’s good to say “Goodbye” to AOL!
June 21st, 2006 at 8:15 am
..typo from my last comment. I started to say to top it off, after pleading with AOL to cancel my account, they continued to send me a bill and threatened to turn me over to collections! OYE VAY.
June 21st, 2006 at 8:21 am
I just saw you on the today show. I think it is great the you recoded a convo with an AOL guy. I had a similar issue with a Dell guy. We were trying to get our computer fixed (I knew what the problem was but they would not do anything about it), and the Dell guy just told us to reformat the HD when we knew it was a hardware issue. We were on the phone for over 4 hours. These customer service people… they are all the same. Anyway, glad he finally let you cancel your account.
June 21st, 2006 at 8:27 am
I had the identical experience. I don’t understand how they can fire someone for sticking to the script they require, albeit insluting and ignorant. The guy was doing his job as he was instructed to do it. It’s the management that created the procedure who should be fired.
I used the Jackie Mason approach, myself, as follows:
I don’t want the account.
I don’t want you to help me.
I don’t want any offers.
I don’t want any specials.
I don’t want to answer any of your questions.
I don’t want you to keep the account open just in case I change my mind.
I don’t want you to save my screen name.
I don’t want to continue to use the service for free.
I don’t want anything but to close this account right now.
So, can we that? Yes or no?
It was over at that point; he caved.
June 21st, 2006 at 8:33 am
Vinnie - I hoped someone taped it for posting because despite setting my alarm and the coffee pot to start up in time, I didn’t wake up until after 8am. I’m so bummed. However, my niece saw it and said you were awsome! She said you really seemed like you knew exactly what you were talking about on all issues and that you really seemed like a nice guy. She said it’s obvious why I’m proud to call you a friend. She said you looked great. I’m sooo bummed that I could kick myself a thousand times! I’m so sorry!! IM me later when you have a chance and we’ll talk more.
give Beth some *hugs* for me!
June 21st, 2006 at 8:38 am
I have heard horror stories too.
Here is the Today interview video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIVZ9b0RgmY
June 21st, 2006 at 8:44 am
Good morning Vincent. I just wanted to pop in and let you know that I was pleased to see you on Today. All I could think though was, ‘damn, I could have been on TV’! I recently had a similar, very similar experience with AOL when I called to cancel service. Only we didn’t get ‘Jon’ we got someone with such a thick accent that we couldn’t dicipher his name. The conversation was strangely similar to your exchange with ‘Jon’. During this young man’s 20 minute conversation wth my partnerI became so enraged that I took the phone from her and told him, quite firmly, “listen, the lady told you that she just wanted to cancel the service. So just CANCEL THE SERVICE!” He stumbled over himself trying to determine what to say next and I handed the phone back to her. He then said to her, in his thick Indian accent, “I was only trying to help you, there was no need to put someone else on the phone!”. Therefore I am led to believe that the apology you recieved is far less than sincere. It seems to me that these CSRs are trained to react in this manner. Perhaps your exposure will help to curb such behaviors. I wish I had thought to record my experience….Kudos Vincent!
Blessings-
Tracie
June 21st, 2006 at 9:03 am
Dude, you pretty much made my day hearing about this! HOW CAN WE GET YOU ON OUR RADIO SHOW? HOLLER BACK AT MY E-MAIL!!!!
-Darik
June 21st, 2006 at 9:15 am
I’m a webdesigner and one of my clients just told me about an experience much the same except instead of cancelling like she requested, they sent her a thing saying they were giving her a month free and if she didn’t call after that, they’d resume billing. She specifically told them she didn’t want a month free, that she wanted to cancel. Someone needs to knock King AOL off his throne!
June 21st, 2006 at 9:17 am
Yup, had the same experience, but I had gone through this several years ago and knew it would be a nightmare to cancel again, so I had an ace in the hole, an answer they couldn’t refuse. I told them I had an internet addiction and had been told to cancel the account. Get this… The guy on the other end laughed! How’s that for inconsiderate?!?! He didn’t belive me at first and made me repeat what I had just said! Then he said “Wow… I’ve never heard of that… I mean, I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never heard of it as a reason to cancel an account.” I guess there is nothing I can say to that.” OK, so I don’t really have an addiction (I don’t think… but I do spend way too much time on the internet). But the company obviously trains or selects these kinds of sociopaths that have no guilt over harrassing their customers… Thanks Vinny for getting the word out. Wish I had recorded my conversation with them.
June 21st, 2006 at 9:18 am
I just watched the clip on NBC.
Amazing man! You did a good job!
That should give them a lesson.
- Nard
June 21st, 2006 at 9:31 am
Excellent job man!
I just saw your segment on NBC.
That will teach AOL!
June 21st, 2006 at 12:53 pm
I work as a computer tech in Zephyrhills, FL. Lot’s of older people and alot of long time customers of AOL. I have cancelled many AOL accounts for people when they switch to high-speed.
I have heard many calls like this before from AOL reps. I just never recorded them. Most of the horror stories for AOL is people cancel then get charged for months and get double billed, etc. Reps must be taught never to take no for an answer. Thank you for doing this and bringing it up. AOL needs to fire alot more reps than Jon. AOL sucks!!!
Do a thing on all customer service reps!!! Some are good, and some are just plain awful.
June 21st, 2006 at 1:31 pm
:o. You are so right. I called the first time and they talked me in to keeping it until Feb. 2006 for free. When I called back in Feb.I was on the phone for 10 mins trying to cancel. Then my husband got on the phone and was on there another 10 mins. Almost just like your call. All we kept saying was CANCEL PLEASE CANCEL OUR SERVICES. I would not care if they were the only ones out there now I would go back with them.
June 21st, 2006 at 1:33 pm
Two years ago I had the same thing happen to me trying to cancel AOL…I ended up cancelling the credit card so they could not charge their fee anymore and told my credit card company that was why I was canceling my card because I couldn’t get AOL to cancel my account. I spoke with a woman who would not let me speak to her supervisor after I repeated my request…had to hang up on her and turn to my credit card company. So when I saw you on the am news I was thrilled you got on first of all to tell the world and also can now let go of my anger over the way that AOL’s “customer service representative” treated me!
P.S. Try dealing with Direct TV….yike!
June 21st, 2006 at 1:34 pm
sorry mistake in first comment You are so right. I called the first time and they talked me in to keeping it until Feb. 2006 for free. When I called back in Feb.I was on the phone for 10 mins trying to cancel. Then my husband got on the phone and was on there another 10 mins. Almost just like your call. All we kept saying was CANCEL PLEASE CANCEL OUR SERVICES. I would not care if they were the only ones out there now I would NOT go back with them.
June 21st, 2006 at 2:08 pm
When your AOL challenge was brought to my attention by a coworker, I just had to find your blog and add my experience to the big giant heap! It was probably around 1995. I had signed up with AOL, it was my first internet experience. However, I did decide to cancel it for some reason. It took me 4 months, with probably 4 to 5 phone calls that lasted one hour each. And each month, there was the debit again on my credit card. I can tell you that this was deliberate and they knew exactly what they were doing. I told them I would call VISA and have them reverse the charges back to AOL and AOL promptly told me that I would be liable for 3-months worth of the dispute anyhow. They are completely evil, utterly worthless, dishonest, and pray in the innocent. Thank you for bringing this to everyones’ attention. –Maureen,
Washington D.C.
June 21st, 2006 at 2:14 pm
I had the same experience and frustrations with AOL! I couldn’t believe how nasty the rep was and then expected me to continue service. Finally he got frustrated with me and said “F— it!” and hung up on me. I tried to get ahold of some sort of supervisor, but that didn’t work. Evidently my service was cancelled since I have not been billed since. I seriously doubt they “fired” John for being rude to a customer. If anything, they might reprimand him for getting recorded and then use your recording for training purposes.
June 21st, 2006 at 2:52 pm
I was so glad to see your interview exposing AOL’s ridiculus “customer service”. I had the very same experience, except after canceling they tried to continue billing me for two more months. After numerous letters and inquiries they finally droped it but it was truly a nightmare. Thanks again!
June 21st, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Just wanted to let you all know, especially those who are rejoicing in that CSR losing his job. I can tell you from experience on his side of the phone. He was following company policy. AOL decided to scapegoat him, but if anyone out there has worked in a call center, they KNOW that I am tellng the truth. He probably was reprimanded before this incident for not trying hard enough to save accounts, he was merely following the script to keep his job, and now the public is busy blaming one of the victims. I think it should be noted that he was not in the Philipines or in India, which is a miracle, considering the off-shoring of call center jobs. I also think that discussion needs to focus on the Call Center concept, not just AOL. THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES DOING THIS.
June 21st, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Very similar experience.. I had AOL for 4 years. I cancelled my AOL account to sign up to Netzero. Only problem is I could never download Netzero. evidently AOL put in a firewall I could not delete..Same thing happened with Juno… finally got disgusted and returned to AOL.. I’m so sick of speaking with reps with thick accents that I cannot understand and being on hold only to hear “have your credit card ready.” My computer still does not work well… I figure I’ll just buy a new computer to get away from AOL…. Unfortunately, it’s the company policy… not just 1 individual.
June 21st, 2006 at 7:36 pm
I had the exact same comments made to me when I tried to cancel my AOL account in September, 2005. The conversation recorded and shown on Today was a carbon copy of my conversation. If AOL actually fired John they shouldn’t have because he read the script exactly as it was written by AOL! Shame on AOL!
June 21st, 2006 at 8:32 pm
What would happen if say, several million people went to this link:
http://free.aol.com/tryaolfree/wr6_cntrl/non_qualify.adp?error=-2&rsd=promo%3d713557%26service%3daol%26template%5fid%3ddefault%26page%5fset%5fid%3dwr6%5fcntrl%26session%5fid%3d1150592671%26soap%5fsession%5fid%3d34723%2e1150935660%2e1148300%3aREGISTER2%26offerPeriod%3d3%26offerPeriodType%3dmonth%26offerHours%3dunlimited%26
and requested the free AOL cd - Then threw it in the trash where it belongs. Repeat daily. Many times.
Not a major economic impact for them but hey, you’ll feel better!
June 22nd, 2006 at 5:34 pm
Mr. Ferrari I would love to know if you have a website. I have had more than my share of bad customer service experiences. And I have found that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. If no one speaks up nothing gets changed. I am an avid couponer. Try using coupons and see the cs reaction.
June 22nd, 2006 at 5:35 pm
Sandy, this is my site… Welcome aboard!
June 22nd, 2006 at 7:45 pm
Just one more reason we refer to it as AOHell.
June 23rd, 2006 at 3:00 pm
Hi,
Same story as those above. Only my cc company told me that I could not put a stop to their charges without going through the AOL company. I finally closed the cc account / changed the number. The AOL charges transferred to the new number!!!! All the while talking and emailing to someone with the same script as “john” I still wasn’t able to cancel. In the end I finally quit paying the credit card bills(only aol charges on there) and the cc company turned my account over for collection and inevitably ruined my credit. After the cc company wouldn’t apply any more of their charges on my account AOL actually found another of my credit card numbers and started charging the same charge on that. Of course then I had to start all over with the CANCEL MY ACCOUNT!! I WANT NICHOLAS GRAHAM’S EMAIL address so that I too can email him. Can you please provide that to me????
The best part of this all…!!! I don’t know who set up the account in the first place. The “john” would not give out that info. He told me that i had to cancel on line… which was impossible because I didn’t know the password to the account!!
Way to go!! I hope that this story of yours don’t end here. If you ever hear of an attorney wanting to press charges regarding this please let me know.
June 23rd, 2006 at 4:55 pm
I CAN UNDERSTAND,HOW MR.F. FEELS. I WENT THROUGH THE SAME THING.AOL JUST KEEPS BLA,BLA,BLA, UNTIL YOUR’E READY TO EXPLODE,ALL THIS TYPE OF SERVICE WANTS FROM YOU,IS TO KEEP THEIR SERVICE,AND CONTINUES TO TALK ABOUT EXTRA FITURES. I WAS A MEMBER OF AOL,FOR A FEW YEARS,I JUMPED OUT,AND NOW,I AM SO HAPPY WITH MY NEW SERVICE. NO INTERUPTIONS,AND THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS.
June 23rd, 2006 at 5:00 pm
So long AOHELL!!! Vincent, I know you will find a better internet service. I did.
June 24th, 2006 at 2:03 am
Hi, I have been following this AOL catastrophe and the same thing happened to me. In fact, that guy sounded like the one I spoke to-it was about 1 1/2 years ago. They made me wait 2 hrs on the phone before actually canceling my account. The problems didn’t stop there, I was still being billed on my credit card-and month after month I called and they kept saying we can’t find that cancellation number, and they would issue me a new one and the same thing continued for 3 months. Finally, the fourth time I was yelling and screaming and losing control and then finally I authorized my sister to take over and talk to them. She endured the same frustration for 45 minutes and when she asked for a Supervisor the CSR actually said “there’s no supervisor to speak with right now”- unbelievable!!! Finally my account was cancelled. I swear those customer service reps are like possessed by the devil!!!
June 26th, 2006 at 11:24 am
I just cancelled my service in May, due to the fact that I hardly use the account, and because they raised rates AGAIN, without me ever receiving the notice they claim to have emailed to all their customers. I signed up for basic dial-up (unlimited, up to 6 email accounts, free web pages, etc.) through my phone company for $5.95 a month, which makes more sense if I’m only going to sign on from home once every month or two.I got the same run-around as everyone else. Also, since I cancelled TWO DAYS after my billing date, they charged me for a full month instead of prorating the bill for that month. I then told the CSR that I would rather suffer without internet than to EVER use AOL again. So far, I have not been charged for service past my full month of canceled AOL. Glad everyone in America now hopefully knows how AOL treats their customers. I have told everyone I know, especially AOL customers, about how they did me. If everyone gets as mad as you did, AOL could stand to lose quite a few customers. Poor AOL….