"Live support" actually a bot?!!!

[NutKitty]

Ugh!  I'm getting SO annoyed!  My "dsl" is only connecting at 156kbps at the moment, actually much better than the usual 18kbps I seem to usually get with this crappy service..  (sbc yahoo dsl)

Anyways, I tried to use their live chat thingy since Dave is at work and couldn't call them over the phone.  (easier for me to pass as Dave via the net since he wouldn't have a 12 year old girl sounding voice, eh?)  

So..  here is what I got:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vanessa:  Hello johnnysubway@sbcglobal.net, we have received the following information from you,
upon entering this session:
Operating System: Win 2000
Email Client: Yahoo Mail
Computer Type:Self constructed
Processor Speed: 500Mhz - 1Ghz
Ram:256MB - 512MB
Modem Type:speedstream
Modem Speed:DSL
Browser:Internet Explorer 6.x

How can we assist you today?

johnnysubway@sbcglobal.net: Hi there.. I'm not happy with the connection speed I'm getting
(currently around 156kbps) I'd like to upgrade, but was told I couldn't. Do I have any options?

Vanessa: Please visit http://help.sbcglobal.net/dsl/speedtest/

Vanessa: Let me know the speed that you are receiving as indicated by this test.

johnnysubway@sbcglobal.net: I already DID. That's how I know I am currently getting 156kbps.

Vanessa: Okay.

johnnysubway@sbcglobal.net: I just told you the speed I was getting..

Vanessa: Yes, actually we need to know the speed as indicated by this test. There are many other
test sites as well so I needed to confirm.

Vanessa: Thank you.

johnnysubway@sbcglobal.net: 156kbps. I've said this three times now.

Vanessa: Yes, I got it now.

Vanessa: Sorry to ask you to repeat.

Vanessa: I see that you have the basic plan with 192-384/128 speed package.

johnnysubway@sbcglobal.net: Yup, we wanted the standard plus but were told we couldn't have it.  Is it possible to upgrade?  I already asked you this too.

Vanessa: Well, power cycling the DSL modem should help you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's all of it!  "Vanessa" didn't respond afterwards whenever I tried to say anything, so I guess they were waiting for me to "power cycle" although I told them we'd already tried that.

Pretty ridiculous, huh?  I REALLY wanted to avoid having to call these idiots on the phone!  They always give you the run around and assume you don't know what the fudge you're talking about.  Grrr...

The only GOOD thing this bot did was let me know the minimum I should be getting is 192kbps..  at least we might have a little leverage now to get the darned thing cancelled without having to pay the $200 cancellation fee...

[GeekGrrl]

Probably a script monkey (some one that just follows a set troubleshooting script) that didn't know how to respond.

you can't teach troubleshooting skills, as some one that works in the techsupport industry sometimes i think it might be a zen thing, you either have it or you don't.

[NutKitty]

You'd think a "major" company like Yahoo would at least use some decent support people though.    All I wanted was to find out my options regarding upgrading, and get taken on a whirlwind of how to fix my so called modem problem.  (which wasn't the problem, power cycling didn't change a thing.)

[GeekGrrl]

Yahoo probably doesn't even supply you with the dsl, or the support, they probably just resell some one elses dsl and support is done by third party in india. india has been stealing alot of techsupport contracts lately as they work for rupees with are worth slightly less then peanuts.

[Lin]

The same thing happened to me when I thought somone hacked into my AOL email.  The "live" help guy, Glen, I'll never forget his name, started repeating the same things over and over and saying how sorry he was.  

BTW, Nutkitty, what tips me off that your situation really is a bot is that when I call for service on my Sprint PCS account I get the automated "Claire".  So when you're speaking into the phone and it interprets something wrong, "Claire" always says, "Yes, I got it now".  

These companies are ridiculous with service.  I've since cancelled my AOL and when I call Sprint I just stay quiet so "Claire" can't hear me breathing and finally she connects me to a real person.  Not that they're any better.