AOL customer services surprise...

Angilion · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:01

I've just had an unexpected experience with AOL customer services. I got to speak to a person after less than a minute of pushing buttons for nested menus and that person (a) knew what I was referring to and (b) arranged an appropriate solution quickly without any fuss.

There was a bit of a language barrier, but communication was adequate.

I was expecting to maybe speak to someone after 5 minutes of menus if I was lucky and that they wouldn't know what I was talking about.

I'm surprised enough to post about it. I've had to phone AOL once or twice in the past and I'd have been better off walking into town and asking the first stranger I met in the street for help.

Richiev4 · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:02

Nice - It works sometimes!!

Morbius · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:04

Surely not?

You might want to ring Guinness, this might be some sort of record.

Covert0ne · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:05

AOL, Support? I don't even....

Edrof · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:05

Is AOL still going? It reminds me of Netscape Navigator and dial-up modems.

Craig1981 · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:08

AOL? People still use that? I thought it went extinct like Napster and VHS.

Angilion · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:19

Forde said:
Is AOL still going? It reminds me of Netscape Navigator and dial-up modems.

I was with AOL when I was using Netscape Navigator and a dial-up modem. A 33.6Kbps modem. I remember upgrading to it from the 14.4Kbps I had before. It seemed so fast at the time. So had the 14.4Kbps - I first went online with a 300bps modem (although it was switchable to 1200bps downstream if you didn't mind only 75bps upstream).

I'm still with them because their service works adequately since I removed all the AOL crap from it and they haven't quite managed to annoy me enough to overcome my inertia and move to another ISP. Also, they're now giving me a pretty cheap unlimited service because I've been with them donkey's years.

Tom0 · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:19

The reason you had the problem in the first place: You're using AOL.

Angilion · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:29

Tom0 said:
The reason you had the problem in the first place: You're using AOL.

Not this time. The problem is that Windows 7 doesn't support the BT Voyager 105 modem that has been working fine for long enough to be completely obsolete. I wanted that sorted before moving to Win7.

Sho · 8 Aug 2011 at 17:34

Tom0 said:
The reason you had the problem in the first place: You're using AOL.

Lol..!

Lethal` · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:05

I flew from their contract when CPW took them over and started making it worse. I remember it took 3 phone calls of at least 2 hours altogether just to get the MAC!

Danfoss2011 · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:15

You do know there now talktalk but still under brand of AOL. They have been amazing with my switch over to 24mb

Edrof · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:38

^Did not know that.

fidget · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:46

You are using AOL and a BT Voyager 105 modem?? :eek:

Do you backup to a 5.25" floppy drive?

Reaper 392 · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:51

what? they didnt ask you to reset the router? :eek:

mate of mine called them up a few months ago and had a conversation something like this:

mate: "internet isnt working blah blah blah"
AOL customer service: "ok, lets try resetting the router"
mate: "no, ive tried that several times before phoning youand it hasnt worked"
AOL: "well, could you just reset the router once more"
mate: "no, ive already tried it several times and its made no difference"
AOL: "yes i know but could you just reset it once more"
mate: "no, it wont make any difference. ive told you that already"
... 1 hour later
AOL: "yes i know, but could you just try resetting the router once more please"
mate: "how many times do i have to tell you, i have reset the router several times and it isnt solving the problems"
AOL: "ok, it must be that our servers havent been working for the past hour or so then"
mate: "why didnt you tell me that in the first place. if you'd have told me that it was a problem down your end i wouldnt have had to sit here for an hour getting nowhere. i would like my money back for this hour long phonecall because you were blatantly waisting my time"
AOL: "ok, are you with AOL talktalk"
mate: "no"
AOL: "ok, we wont be able to refund your call then"
mate: "***** ****** **** ******* **** (etc)"

AOL's legendary customer service for you

*edit*
also, when my dad got a major virus (one of those fake antivirus ones) they actually recommended him to click the clearly fake "fix your computer" button :eek:

Pawnless Endgame · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:56

Craig1981 said:
AOL? People still use that? I thought it went extinct like Napster and VHS.

I still have VHS

Video player's plugged into the back of my PC using SCART-to-USB

PC plays DVD and blu-ray as standard, so it's a 3-in-1 video machine!

Danfoss2011 · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:56

Forde said:
^Did not know that.

Speed test showed me it the other day and when i google it yeah lots of info then when i called to jump up soeeds i got told

Noel Gallagher · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:56

Forde said:
Is AOL still going? It reminds me of Netscape Navigator and dial-up modems.

Exactly what I was going to post. Lol

contracteur · 8 Aug 2011 at 18:59

Compuserve > AOL tbh. Long live the '90s!

Angilion · 9 Aug 2011 at 04:38

fidget said:
You are using AOL and a BT Voyager 105 modem??

Do you backup to a 5.25" floppy drive?

I backup to a 20GB HDD via USB2.0. I move with the times!

I do have two working 5.25" floppy drives, though.

I've had a complete change of attitude with middle age. If something works adequately, I keep using it. No more upgrading just because.

The upgrading isn't really working, so I'm changing that for USB3.0 and a 1TB HDD.