Xbox Customer Service Experience Sharing

I chatted with Xbox support today and wanted to share my experience. Below is the transcript of the chat. The guy (Josh G.) took almost 2 hours of my time, was gone at times for up to 10 minutes between subsequent chats and repeated himself (likely cut
and paste with minor edits) on how he was trying to help me and how he was trying to figure out the code for me.

At the end when i told him this is going on too long, he told me to contact the retailer. Essentially the issue was that i had purchased a gold membership live card and the security foil on it was so tightly glueed that it took the paper behind it with
it when taking it out due to which the code is not readable.

Here is the transcript. Remember there were up to 10 minutes gap at times from his response which followed by patronizing comments on how he was trying to help me.

I am hoping that someone higher up in the Xbox customer service support will read this and try to figure out how they can streamline the service for their customers and what their agents do for 10 minutes or so at times between chat responses. Thanks

[table][tr][td]General Info[/td][/tr][tr][td]Chat start time[/td][td] Feb 28, 2016 1:58:16 PM EST[/td][/tr][tr][td]Chat end time[/td][td] Feb 28, 2016 3:50:23 PM EST[/td][/tr][tr][td]Duration (actual chatting time)[/td][td] 01:52:07[/td][/tr][tr][td]Operator[/td][td] Josh G.[/td][/tr][/table]



[table][tr][td]Chat Transcript[/td][/tr][tr][td]info: The current average wait time is 0 minutes.info: Privacy Statement You are now chatting with 'Josh G.'Josh G.: Hello, thank you for contacting Xbox Customer Support. My name is Josh G.. How can I help you today?you: Hi Joshyou: We purchased x-box live gold prepaid card thru GrouponJosh G.: By the way, I hope you don't mind if I ask for your name so that I can address you properly?you: Sure.xxxxxyou: xxxxx is fineyou: After taking the security strip off the card, the 25 character code is not readableyou: The security strip took off the code you: Also all instructions on it were in spanishyou: Groupon told me to contact Xbox directlyJosh G.: Hi Irfan , how are you doing today? I hope you are doing great despite the issue that you are experiencing today.you: I am doing okyou: Will do better once my son can start using the gold membershipJosh G.: I can see here that you’re having issues with the gold code that you get because you can't read it now, is that correct?you: Yes the 25 character code is not readable after taking the security strip offyou: you are rightJosh G.: I’m very sorry to hear that you’re having issues with that now Irfan, not a problem, I’m already here to help you out with your concern and let me provide you with the best options that we could do for your concern today, alright?you: okJosh G.: May I please have your gamertag and account email so I can pull up your account here? and also your good contact number so I can process a callback incase we got disconnected with our chat session Thanks!you: call back is Let me get the gamertag from my son in a minuteJosh G.: Sure, Irfan thanks you: xxxxxxyou:xxxxxxxxJosh G.: Thank you so much for providing those information here, Irfan.you: No problemJosh G.: I sent a code to the phone number that is linked to the account can you please check that for me?you: I got two of them on my emailyou: The last one isyou: the one that came up a few seconds before that was Josh G.: Thank you for providing me the verification code that you’ve seen on your screen to let us see the details on your account. Please bear with me for 2-3 minutes to review your account here on our end. Would that be alright?you: sureJosh G.: Thank you so much, Ifran.Josh G.: Hi, Ifran thank you so much for patiently waiting.you: no problemJosh G.: I have successfully pulled up the account here and here's what we are going to do now.Josh G.: We will check the code here for you, can you please send me a photo of the code please?you: sureJosh G.: Alright thanks, Josh G.: I have sent an email where you can reply with me there and attach the photo alright?you: I just emailedyou: The code cannot be read after taking out the security strip. I could figure out the first 10 digits which I wrote down, but the rest could not be readyou: Also instructions were in spanish so could not followJosh G.: I understand that, Ifran we will check that here for you alright?you: okJosh G.: Thank you so much please bear with me as I pull up the picture alright?you: okJosh G.: I am checking that in here, however seems that it is very small is that a paper?you: The paper on top that you see has been peeled off by the security strip that was hiding the code. Let me email you the back of the card. It is the typical X-box live pre-paid cardJosh G.: Alright thank you so much, Ifran I can't clearly see those digits, Ifran.Josh G.: Please send a new one thanks.you: What digits are you looking foryou: the 25 digit code?Josh G.: The Code, Ifran.you: That is the issueJosh G.: Yes.you: and the reason for the contactyou: the 25 digit code has been stripped off when taking off the security strip that covers ityou: If i could see it, I would not be contactingyou: When the security strip was taken off that covered it, it took off most of hte paper that was underneath it that had the codeyou: So it is not readable anymoreJosh G.: Yes, I understand that, however seems like we can't fully check it as it is fully removed in the paper, Ifran.Josh G.: I understand that, Ifran we can actually check the code by guessing here in our tools to check if it is the correct code combinations, however seems that we can't read the 15 digits remaining, I just thought that there are some parts that it is only blurd, Ifran.you: I can take a picture of the backside of the security strip and email too if it can help. It shows some traces of numbers tooyou: But is very hard to read if not impossibleJosh G.: Yes, no problem with that, Ifran I know how hard you really want to get the correct code that is why I am here to help you ifran I don't have any goal here but to help you with your concern, I hope you understand how I am also very willing to help you as much as I can.you: Yes, I know that. Thanks. I appreciate itJosh G.: Thank you so much for understanding, Ifran.Josh G.: Can you please send me another photo of it please?you: Sure. The inside of the card, where the security strip was and code is shownJosh G.: Yes, have you sent already?you: Just sentyou: two pictures. One is a redo of the previous one. Other is the backside of the security stripJosh G.: Alright let me check those for you.you: sureJosh G.: Please give me another moment, Ifran thanks.Josh G.: The photo that you send here now is now downloading please bear with me.you: sureJosh G.: hi, Ifran still there?Josh G.: I'm so sorry to keep you waiting.you: yes I am still hereJosh G.: Just pulled up the picture here.Josh G.: Please give me more time, Ifran.you: Well if you can get us online with the gold membership then that would be goodyou: Ok...you: Were you able to pull the pictures. ThanksJosh G.: Yes, I am now trying my best to guess, the codes, Ifran.Josh G.: Just to set proper expectation to you, Ifran that I will try to do my very best to help you find the right combination of the code, however if we can't find it, I hope you understand that we will try to find another best option for you alright?you: Ok. I have to get going on something in the next 15 minutes. If we could resolve it by then that would be great. Thanks Josh G.: Yes thank you so much for your cooperation, Ifran.you: How is it going? Any progressJosh G.: Still trying to guess the right combination, Ifran.Josh G.: My tools shows error.you: May be we need to go to Plan B thenyou: This pre-paid card has been bought and money paid for. How can we get a replacement codeJosh G.: Oh! for the code replacement it is actually from the retailer however, we'll still try to do our very best to see if we can get the right code here.Josh G.: I am trying my best to find it, Ifran.you: Hi Josh. It has now been 90 minutes since we started this chat. Kindly let me know what is the next step for us to get going. you: There has to be limit to the same thing againyou: And please don't reply that you are doing your best every time. There are 10 minute gaps between your responsesyou: If you cannot help can i get the second tier support please info: Your chat transcript will be sent to [Mod Removed] at the end of your chat.Josh G.: Yes, Ifran I perfectly understand where you are coming from, I hope you understand that I am checking the code here in my end that is why it took some time for me to response as I am also trying to guess the right code, Ifran.Josh G.: Sorry about that, Ifran.you: Josh it has been 90 minutes with the similar chat responses (likely cut and paste with minor modifications) from youyou: Covering two things I am trying to read the code and I am trying to do my bestyou: This is too much....you: Can i get level 2 support pleaseJosh G.: I perfectly understand where you are coming from, Ifran I know that you have lost your patience in waiting, I hope you understand that we are trying to decipher the code here that's why it take so much of your time, and if we could only replace this code for you I would really love to do, however you have purchased this to the retailer. We can actually ask for a replacement with this to your retailer, Ifran.Josh G.: I suggest to please do contact your retailer and ask for a replacement for this code, don't worry I we have already documented this case here and checked the code, however we can't seem to found the right combination that is why we suggest you to contact your retailer and ask for a replacement.you: I contacted them first and they directed me to contact Xbox customer serviceyou: Can i get a tier 2 support pleaseJosh G.: Don't worry we have documented this case here for you and I will provide you a reference number of this chat session so they can acknowledge your concern, Ifran. All you have to do is to provide the reference number to the retailer so they can replace the code for you.Josh G.: Oh! yes that's why they refer you to contact us that is to try if we can decipher the code, and since we can't get to find the right code, we will provide you a reference number as a proof that you have contacted us regarding the issue and so that you have a proof that we requested for them to request your code, I hope you understand, Ifran.you: Can i get both the reference number and xbox tier 2 support contact information. PleaseJosh G.: Yes, Ifran no problem with that, Ifran. Here is the reference number of our chat session case, Ifran[Mod Removed] Josh G.: And here is the contact numbers, Ifran.Josh G.: 1-800-469-9269 (toll-free) Voice 9:00 AM to 1:00 AM Eastern Standard Time Daily English | 425-635-7180 (tolled) | (866) 740-9269 (toll-free) Text | (425) 635-7102 (tolled)Josh G.: I apologize if I was not able to provide the resolution you need right now, but I'm glad we chatted and that we were able to get a proper resolution or options on your issue and have this concern moving and hopefully be resolved as soon as possible.you: Is this contact info for level 2 support or regular support lineJosh G.: That is the support contact, Ifran and also for the Level 2 support Ifran.info: Your chat transcript will be sent to [Mod Removed]at the end of your chat.you: Ok. ByeJosh G.: I greatly appreciate your time and effort in contacting us today. Ifran.You can always contact us if ever you need help with your Xbox.Josh G.: To email this chat session to yourself please click the icon above the chat window: Josh G.: If that was everything, I'd like to thank you again for contacting Xbox Customer Support. If you have any additional questions after you disconnect, feel free to contact us again. For your reference here is our phone number 1-800-469-9269. Have a wonderful rest of your day![/td][/tr][/table]

:)

 

Xbox Customer Service Bad Experience

Actually, it's probably not this guy's system that's the problem. I have a 360 Slim that's fairly new, but out of the warranty timeframe. A dashboard update, which Xbox forces you to do, killed my system, which operated perfectly fine up until the very moment
the update was installed.

Then, Xbox reps have the audacity to tell you to send in your system, which they just bricked, along with $90 to fix what they did to you. And, yes, I mean that in the strictest sense: Xbox is sending kill-codes to these systems to make you have to spend
money.

 

Xbox Customer Service Bad Experience

Hello Black,

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with Xbox Live Support ;however, you do have to keep in mind one of the down sides to an older game system is the cost to keep it repaired. Yes, It's a pain in the butt but I also had a older version and upgraded to the
newer one as mine over heated. May I make a suggest and visit the local pawn shop or store you can find a good xbox 360 for under 100.00 with no issues that's how I got mine and I only spent 59.00 at the pawn shop. If you don't wish to have it repaired this
may be another option for you.

 

Yeah I don't even bother with support anymore, just fellow Xbox players as support only tells me things I have already tried and read their same old script every time. As far as buying it off of Groupon not such a good idea. If you were going for cheap best
to go off Ebay or Amazon, there is another site I can't remember the name for but occasionally the have a 12 month card for sale for $30.

 

Hello PompousDragon6,

Please take into consideration that the Support agent which you contacted was doing his best to "guess" the code, even when this is not Xbox Support's issue. Seeing as you bought an Xbox LIVE membership from a third-party retailer (i.e. Groupon) the rights
to Support regarding the product then shift to Groupon, not Microsoft. Have you tried contacting Groupon regarding your purchase from them?

~Blitz

 

He could have told me that right up front without wasting 2 hours of time 'guessing' the code. How long does it take to guess the code when i sent them the picture knowing that it cannot be deciphered.

Are there any metrics used by Xbox Support management to gauge the efficiency of their support people and the time that they waste of their customer.

Being condescending and replying after 10 minutes gap with the excuse of deciphering the code is neither customer service nor trying your best.

 

Hello PompousDragon6,

I Agreed with Blitz you did purchase the product from a third party, That should not supports problem at that point he was trying to do his best to "guess" the code to help you out instead of saying I could not help you today because you did not purchase
this card from us. He was kind enough to attempted to help "Being condescending and replying after 10 minutes gap with the excuse of deciphering the code is neither customer service nor trying your best." Your comment there.... You have to understand there
are about 100-200 who knows maybe more People requesting chats at one time and there staff is limited, Not only are they doing chats but answering phones as well. Look at the bigger picture because if he would have said "oh I cant help you" up front more
that likely you would have still posted a something about this issue.

 

Hey, guys! I'm sorry to see the frustration with this situation. PompousDragon6 - You should have received a survey for this agent at the end of the chat. That would have been the best place to provide your feedback.

There's nothing we are able to assist with here. If you have a damaged code, your best option is to go back to the retailer to get a replacement. If you need assistance with any other support issue, please post up a new detailed thread so that our community
can help you out.