BrainSack

I was trying to sign up for an earthlink basic dial-up accountto use when in hotels instead of paying for access at each hotel I go to. I wanted a service like earthlink where I can just take my username, password and dial-up number and dial-up without using any isp software (annoying).

I shopped arount and I first called netzero an reached someone in india and I asked him if he was in india and he said yes. I asked if there was a US based netzero customer service dept. and he said no. Then I asked him if I could dial up without using netzero software and he said NO that I MUST use their software to dial-up. I then said: “are you sure, can’t I just dial-up with a number and log-in and not use  the software” Then he said YES. So I say ok so I don’t need the software afterall? He said YES YOU DO, you must be using the software to dial-up. This went on for 5 minutes him saying yes and no to the same question over and over. I got irritated and said is there anyone in the USA I can speak with about this? He said NO that netzero is based out of india only. WOW! I was shocked that they had no US phone numbers or agents. With the economy in the USA so bad why can’t they spread some jobs back to the USA and help their country and help their main customers, Americans.

So I then go to earthlink, where I was sure I would reach a guy names Tom living in the USA. Well I launched earthlinks onsite chat support and here is what I got:

Thank you for choosing our secure EarthLink Sales chat. All agents are currently assisting other customers. Thank you for your patience. You are number ‘1′ of ‘1′ customers in line. Your estimated wait is ‘0′ minutes and ‘2′ seconds.

(I am Will)

Roger P.: The service does not come with a contract, so you will not be under any obligation. There are no cancellation fees as well.
will: Monthly is what I want - first 3 months 9.95 then I will cancel in after 3 months
Roger P.: Yes.
will: i want to sign-up - can I call to do this
Roger P.: This is a secure 128 bit encrypted connection. Any information you send is entirely safe.
Roger P.: Let me help you with that.
Roger P.: May I please have the Information listed below:
Roger P.: 1)Your home phone number.
Roger P.: 2)Your full service address.
Roger P.: 3)Your complete name.
Roger P.: 4)The operating system of the computer.
will: I want to call in, what is the number
Roger P.: I am sorry we don’t have numbers.  <—— EarthLink has no phones?
Roger P.: We are chat agents.
will: what is the customer service number to earthlink
Roger P.: Shall I call you now?    <——– Answers a question like that with a question
will: No - I want to call in myself. What is the number to earthlink service
will: Well? Whats up? You cant give me the number to customer service?
will: Hello?
Roger P.: Yes.
will: What is the phone number to earthlink
Roger P.: I may call you?       <———— What is the Damn Number Roger!
will: Why is it so hard to get the number from you?

This Sales chat session has ended. If you would like to start a new Sales chat please click the chat link any time from 6:00am to 1:00am EST. Thank you.

As you can see he “hung-up” the chat session and refused to give me a phone number to sign-up for earthlinks service by phone. So I find the phone number on the site. I get an associate after a 3 minute wait. The associate sounded Indian. I was getting worried they would not be able to really help me. I told them about the chat session and they said “Our chat agents are in India and sometimes get confused…” OK….

I say where are you located, are you in India as well? She says yes I am in India…

Finally I just went to the website and online forums to find my answers and signed up online.

Lesson: Stop outsourcing everything to India when people in the USA need jobs and these Indians are losing your company money! I think that outsourcing some tasks and Jobs to India is okay, like finding a programmer or web developer in India since you will save some money as a small business. I do not think companies like earthlink and netzero should force us to deal with and talk to people like this that can not satisfy the American customer service expectation.

Do we even still have call centers in the good old USA?