Have questions about poker site customer service?

[holdem2000]

Here's an example of something CSRs (this was PartyPoker's notoriously bad customer service dept. circa 2004) are not trained to handle:

My friend was in a large tournament, I believe a Saturday 200K guaranteed, somewhere near the bubble, on a somewhat short stack. Due to some programming glitch, he received the big blind on two consecutive hands (as he didn't get a table change this was contrary to the forward-moving big blind rules posted on their site... one or more players around him had changed tables causing the glitch). He emailed support wanting some sort of refund or compensation, and support asked if the issue hurt him in the tournament. He said of course, having a forced bet that he isn't supposed to is obviously bad. The CSR replied that since he made the money and profited in the tournament while the problem happened before he was guaranteed any money, the extra big blind must have helped him. Over a series of emails the CSR refused to admit either that the blind hurt him, and refused to admit that players weren't supposed to be double big blinded in tournaments.

Over the years this sort of incident was par for the course for Party. Some (most?) of Party's CSRs barely understood poker. No real question here, just explaining the sort of issue I think another poster was discussing.

[basementproject]

[ QUOTE ]
If you don't mind me asking, what is the problem that you had that required three different CSRs before you received an answer?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi, sorry, I forgot this thread even existed.

Back when I played at 888 I did something really stupid that led to my account being compromised. Trying to regain control of my account was the issue.

[Pyrosis]

[ QUOTE ]
Here's an example of something CSRs (this was PartyPoker's notoriously bad customer service dept. circa 2004) are not trained to handle:

My friend was in a large tournament, I believe a Saturday 200K guaranteed, somewhere near the bubble, on a somewhat short stack. Due to some programming glitch, he received the big blind on two consecutive hands (as he didn't get a table change this was contrary to the forward-moving big blind rules posted on their site... one or more players around him had changed tables causing the glitch). He emailed support wanting some sort of refund or compensation, and support asked if the issue hurt him in the tournament. He said of course, having a forced bet that he isn't supposed to is obviously bad. The CSR replied that since he made the money and profited in the tournament while the problem happened before he was guaranteed any money, the extra big blind must have helped him. Over a series of emails the CSR refused to admit either that the blind hurt him, and refused to admit that players weren't supposed to be double big blinded in tournaments.

Over the years this sort of incident was par for the course for Party. Some (most?) of Party's CSRs barely understood poker. No real question here, just explaining the sort of issue I think another poster was discussing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Holdem2000,

Unfortunately the response and situation you face here is not uncommon and apart from Partypoker there are quite a number of other sites that have under trained and undeveloped csrs who lack a thorough understanding for the game of poker.

Provided the site has some degree of training, there are two general possibilities as to why this is happening with their service. CSRs who do have a strong poker background are moved into other areas or promoted removing them from the front lines. If they are promoted then usually they provide the training themselves, but this isn't always the case.

Secondly, turnover rates might be high and that means there is a constant influx of replacement CSRs who arrive and have not had the time yet to understand this game on a level that a more experienced CSR.

There is also the question as to how much focus and emphasis management puts into customer service as part of what I call the core. We all see that Pokerstars has the best support in the industry and how it correlates to their success as being the best poker site in the world. Then there are sites like Partypoker and FullTilt that have placed more emphasis on marketing and have mediocre customer service at best. Such sites will always be playing the chasing game to be number one. Marketing gets the players, but without providing the right services that players want it won't keep them.

[Pyrosis]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you don't mind me asking, what is the problem that you had that required three different CSRs before you received an answer?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi, sorry, I forgot this thread even existed.

Back when I played at 888 I did something really stupid that led to my account being compromised. Trying to regain control of my account was the issue.

[/ QUOTE ]

If understanding English was the problem, then I would definitely ask them to escalate your question to someone who could understand it. I just hope they weren't brushing your inquiry aside and not dealing with it because they were worried about metrics. Sad to say, too many CSRs are worried about achieving quotas and as a result sacrifice service.

[MicroBob]

Once again, we need to link the famous 'What Time is it?' chat with a Party rep from way back in the day.

[MicroBob]

Okay...I found the classic chat with CS from Party from way back in the day.

So I guess I'll ask the OP:
Whether they speak english or not how it is even possible for the CSR to be this stupid and seemingly not realize how little sense they are making?
Also, do CS people just mess with their cusotmers sometimes for the hell of it? Chats like this make you wonder.


Lobby - Service Person: Hazel
Hazel: Hello, how may I assist you?
Spike_tt: An email said I would be automatically taken to my table for the
PPM warm-up... this hasn't happened...
Spike_tt: It also said there would be a button labelled "Take me to my PPM
table". There isn't...
Hazel: That's because you will be taken there after 7
Hazel: Yes, all of this will load after 7
Hazel: EST
Spike_tt: Maybe I have a time difference problem then! What time is it
now?
Hazel: It's 7
Hazel:
Hazel: Is there anything else you'd like to ask me?
Spike_tt: What time is it now EST?
Hazel: It's 7
Hazel: EST
Spike_tt: I don't understand... it's 12.20 here in the UK... but it's 7
there? Not 7.20? or 6.20?
Hazel: It's 7
Spike_tt: So... the seating takes place at 7... and it's 7 *now* you say?
So the seating will start now?
Hazel: It will start at 7
Hazel: That will be in 10 minutes
Spike_tt: And what time is it now?
Hazel: It's 7
Hazel: Now it's 7
Spike_tt: Okay... I'm very confused... it's 7 *now*... but it'll be 7 in ten
minutes... never mind... I'll wait to see what happens.
Hazel: Just wait 5 more minutes
Spike_tt: Okay.
Hazel: In 5 minutes, it will be 7
Spike_tt: So... now it's 6.55?
Hazel: NO
Hazel: Sorry
Hazel: It is 7
Hazel: Where are you getting 6
Spike_tt: You said in 5 minutes it would be 7... and you're saying *now* it
is 7.
Hazel: No
Hazel: In 5 minutes, it will be 7
Spike_tt: So what time is it *now*?
Hazel: I keep saying that it's 7
Spike_tt: Never mind... I'll wait.
Hazel: Ok
Hazel: Thanks
Hazel: Just wait 5 minutes
Spike_tt: Yes... I'll wait until 7.
Hazel: Just 5 more minutes
Spike_tt: Thankyou.
Hazel: You're welcome
Hazel: Have fun!
Spike_tt: I am already!
Hazel: Great!
Hazel:

[DMoogle]

Woooowwwww... that's hilarious.

[MicroBob]

yeah, this was pretty famous for us zoo'ers back in the day but it hasn't been bumped in forever and I'm guessing a majority of zoo'ers have never seen it.

I always think of it when the topic comes up of completely incompetent customer-support who can't even seem to figure out something extremely basic.

[Wilco666]

[ QUOTE ]
Okay...I found the classic chat with CS from Party from way back in the day.

So I guess I'll ask the OP:
Whether they speak english or not how it is even possible for the CSR to be this stupid and seemingly not realize how little sense they are making?
Also, do CS people just mess with their cusotmers sometimes for the hell of it? Chats like this make you wonder.


Lobby - Service Person: Hazel
Hazel: Hello, how may I assist you?
Spike_tt: An email said I would be automatically taken to my table for the
PPM warm-up... this hasn't happened...
Spike_tt: It also said there would be a button labelled "Take me to my PPM
table". There isn't...
Hazel: That's because you will be taken there after 7
Hazel: Yes, all of this will load after 7
Hazel: EST
Spike_tt: Maybe I have a time difference problem then! What time is it
now?
Hazel: It's 7
Hazel:
Hazel: Is there anything else you'd like to ask me?
Spike_tt: What time is it now EST?
Hazel: It's 7
Hazel: EST
Spike_tt: I don't understand... it's 12.20 here in the UK... but it's 7
there? Not 7.20? or 6.20?
Hazel: It's 7
Spike_tt: So... the seating takes place at 7... and it's 7 *now* you say?
So the seating will start now?
Hazel: It will start at 7
Hazel: That will be in 10 minutes
Spike_tt: And what time is it now?
Hazel: It's 7
Hazel: Now it's 7
Spike_tt: Okay... I'm very confused... it's 7 *now*... but it'll be 7 in ten
minutes... never mind... I'll wait to see what happens.
Hazel: Just wait 5 more minutes
Spike_tt: Okay.
Hazel: In 5 minutes, it will be 7
Spike_tt: So... now it's 6.55?
Hazel: NO
Hazel: Sorry
Hazel: It is 7
Hazel: Where are you getting 6
Spike_tt: You said in 5 minutes it would be 7... and you're saying *now* it
is 7.
Hazel: No
Hazel: In 5 minutes, it will be 7
Spike_tt: So what time is it *now*?
Hazel: I keep saying that it's 7
Spike_tt: Never mind... I'll wait.
Hazel: Ok
Hazel: Thanks
Hazel: Just wait 5 minutes
Spike_tt: Yes... I'll wait until 7.
Hazel: Just 5 more minutes
Spike_tt: Thankyou.
Hazel: You're welcome
Hazel: Have fun!
Spike_tt: I am already!
Hazel: Great!
Hazel:

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks, never seen that one before. It's hilarious.

[Pyrosis]

[ QUOTE ]

Okay...I found the classic chat with CS from Party from way back in the day.

So I guess I'll ask the OP:
Whether they speak english or not how it is even possible for the CSR to be this stupid and seemingly not realize how little sense they are making?
Also, do CS people just mess with their cusotmers sometimes for the hell of it? Chats like this make you wonder.

[/ QUOTE ]

Up until recent, most of Party's support was based out in India due to the low cost of labor which partially resulted in a lot of poorly trained csrs who couldn't understand English well enough. That might be the case with this one here, although from the transcript of the chat it appears she was nervous and a result got more confused. If I were her manager I would put her under some more training with more a more experienced csr so she can deal with common situations like this where there is obviously a bug issue and nothing else.

CSRs are not suppose to "mess with the customers." Although, there have been a few isolated incidents where some csrs just seem to lose common sense and insult the customer. Needless to say they get fired on the spot and some damage control needs to be done. Using humor to handle a situation is one thing, but down right bad sarcasm and insults should not be tolerated.