As someone who travels to over a dozen different countries; in any given year - I have been an avid user of Skype’s wonderful (or not so at times) service since it was initially launched in beta. Sure, less often that not; the line quality is poor & you need to reconnect, but for the most part, the experience and savings have made me a loyal customer. To the tune of several thousand dollars in skype in & skype out charges.
Up until this week, you could almost have called me a Brand Champion, a Skype Evangelist, a VOIP hero if you will. I’d happily convert other non-skype-using nomads whom I pass on my travels; almost taking pride in the fact that I was able to introduce them to such a great product.
That was until I was forced to experience their levels of customer service (or lack there of), over the last two weeks. An experience that seems to be frustrating users by the thousands, as reflected in their forums.
This blog was initially created with a focus on Design, Brands, Trends & Traction. We tend to write about achievements in design, discuss the positive happenings of a given brand or outline burgeoning trends. Almost always, we attempt to keep things positive.
Occasionally however, a brand beckons the request to be called out on how poorly they are handling an aspect of their conversation with their customers. I mean, isn’t that precisely what branding is all about? Your specific persona, the way in which your product or service is perceived, and in today’s marketplace - the conversation and experience your current and prospective customer base has with your brand.
Skype - with claims of great value calls to anywhere in the world, fail to inform you; of how poor their customer service is. Nor, how many weeks you may have to wait for a response to your support inquiry (if they respond at all). Don’t be so quick to think that a Telecommunications company like Skype, actually has a Telephone number you can call; in fact, I dare you to try and find one on their site. It is non existent.
As aforementioned, I have been an avid user for quite some time - spending a great deal on both personal & business calls as I travel. This week however, when attempting to make a rather urgent call to a disgruntled customer of our own (see, we actually have a telephone number), I was confronted with this screen.
My initial thought was that there had been some sort of billing error, had my credit card expired? Did my last auto-recharge via Paypal not work? After a little investigation, I came to realize that in fact; there was no billing error, no issue on my part, my account is in good standing & furthermore; I have an abundance of prepaid credit on my account.
So what gives? I best contact Skype’s customer support department I thought. If I could find it. After weaving through a minimum of 6 different areas of their website, and ‘finally’ finding the place to submit a support ticket when your account has been blocked; I submitted my request & I waited. And then I waited, and I waited - and some two weeks later; 4 support tickets later, and a bunch of posts on their forum. I am still waiting. The only correspondence received, in over two weeks; has been auto responder emails, as below:
Thank you for contacting Skype Support!
This email is confirmation that we have received your request and a Customer Support Specialist will be working to get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.
Because the majority of requests require research to resolve, it can sometimes take us up to 48 hours to respond, though we make every effort to get back to you as quickly as possible and most queries are answered within 24 hours.
Though we will do our best to respond to you as quickly as possible, sometimes the best way to get immediate answers is to search our knowledgebase at http://support.skype.com where you can find answers to questions like:
• How to Use Skype
• Skype In/Skype Out
• Skype Voicemail
• Skype Privacy & Security
• And many other questionsYou can also find helpful step by step User Guides at http://www.skype.com/help/guides/ that will help walk you through things like:
• Getting Started Using Skype
• Installing Skype
• Adding a Skype Contact
• Making a Skype Call
• And many moreWe hope this is helpful and again, thank you for contacting us. We’ll be getting back to you as soon as possible!
Sincerely,
Skype SupportPlease do not reply to this automated email,
we will reply to you directly from your support request.
What I would like to know, is how on earth Skype can claim to offer a business grade service? Nobody responds to your emails, nor your support tickets, there is no telephone number to call; and by the looks of the support forums & a quick google search - there are several thousand people with the same problem.
It is completely evident, that Skype, whom are owned by Ebay, have absolutely no regard for their customers. The savings I have made over the past several years by using their service - do not account for the time I have wasted, and frustration that has accumulated over the past two weeks; as I try and get in contact with ‘anyone’ from within their company.
They never explained in their slick marketing messages, that cheap calls, would amount to pathetic levels of customer service. When ebay purchased skype for $2.6Billion back in 2005 - did they not allocate a budget to a customer service department?
Can any of our readers suggest an alternative? I’d happily take my business elsewhere.
February 25th, 2009 at 11:54 am
I’m sorry you’ve had a bad experience with our customer service team. We treat blocked accounts as a matter of priority, but we’ve clearly messed up somewhere with yours.
One of our senior customer support staff is now investigating things, and should be in touch soon.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
True are the signs of what happens when small companies get swallowed up by big conglomerates like Ebay, they tend to forget about their most important asset. Their existing customer base.
February 25th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
the article is 100% correct, but sometimes even worse than what article stated.
comment from “Peter Parkes (Skype Blogger)” is totally wrong given my experiences with skype (the world’s worst customer service) and according to many, many post across the web which describe how bad the service is in many ways.
skype sometimes even continues to bill after account blocked. you cannot use it, but you can still get charged
i believe an active attorney general like the one in new york will someday look into how skype offers service plans with hidden terms, terms that limit the service but are not shown to the user. skype is selling one thing, but delivering much less, and i can see zero excuse for blocking a user while continuing to bill that user.
on the other hand, skype sometimes recognizes its mistake and reopens blocked accounts, but not possible to tell when skype chooses to reopen an account and how many weeks it will take.
February 26th, 2009 at 12:49 am
Check out http://www.zoippe.com
February 26th, 2009 at 6:40 am
I bought the MagicJack device after seeing a TV commerical. Although I was not sure it would work completely satisfactorily for the price it seemed like a good idea in case something went wrong with Skype. Well, something did happen with my use of Skype over a week ago. I was trying to top up and there was a glitch with the payment. I still have credits on my account but it was blocked. I have contacted Skype twice without any response. I made some mistake with the payment, but I still have credits, I don’t think Skype should be punitive about this. Well, maybe now that MagicJack, which I only used a few times before now, will come in handy. Other companies whose services look promising include Raketu, Allvoi, and Nymgo. All three of these have unlimited calling plans (although perhaps with some “fair use” limitation) for reasonable rates per month. As I have already paid for the MagicJack maybe I should try that out before turning to other options. But Raketu and Nymgo also offer a range of choices, such as TV channels, other than phone service, which make them additionally enticing.
March 8th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
My account has been blocked and they don’t respond. I have the same issue.
March 10th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Since my Skype account was blocked about a month ago, I have sent about 7 messages asking for my problem to be resolved. I still have money in my Skype account, so I don’t understan why they don’t let me use it.
SKYPE HAS THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I’VE EVER SEEN
***************************************************
March 15th, 2009 at 5:46 am
my account was blocked without given any explanation and i was charge for nothing, no emails from support. i did only 1 phone call and then blocked. i paid for yearly subscription.
hey Peter Parkes (Skype Blogger) how can you say that you messed up with author’s account only? skype ignoring all user’s request not only 1 person here.
i never seen such a company with shit support like that. it’s completely illegal to do business like that. i call skype, to stop charging us for nothing.
March 16th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
@hajimsamat Please let me know your Skype name, and I’ll do my best to sort things out.
March 17th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Peter Parkes (Skype Blogger),
I’m in the same boat as hajimsamat and the other thousands which I’ve learned because of this blog…..
Please help, I get the same message, “your skypeout account has been blocked”
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance
(if problem’s resolved that is…)
March 18th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
@MikeMacSkype – I’m sorry you’ve been affected too. The best thing to do in the first instance is to contact our customer support team - they’re the people who actually do the unblocking, and you can find them here:
http://www.skype.com/go/help
If you don’t hear back from them in the time stated on the confirmation email, then please get in touch with your Skype name and I’ll investigate.
March 22nd, 2009 at 3:04 am
i have been using skype for some time now having spent is it 200 euro dollars, +over the last 189 months, Now,,, 11 march I pay for skype credit, 10 euro dollars (through Bank transfer here in australia, ) 12 days later still no credit??? then I go and pay for more credit another 10 Euro dollars, 20 march 2009 , so I should have 20 Euro dollars, = australian $20 , Now isend Yes lots of “”"those” help fix this problem through Skype help!! nothing, nothing ,Then I get a”" pay this amount as it is not paid???? this was paid on the 11 march Deposit (have bank reciept, sent that also to Skype )So skype want me to pay a second time????? (this is through GlobaloCollect Sydney account, (I sent them a email, GUESS,,,, NO REPLY! ) wHAT THE HELL CAN WE ALL do with SKYPE, THEY ARE JUST PLAYING WITH US ,,AND OUR MONEY !!! WHAT ABOUT A CLASS COURT ACTION AGAINST ,SKYPE ?? THERE ARE THOUSANDS WITH THIS PROBLEM! i KNOW MANY HERE THAT HYAVE PROBLEMS WITH CREDIT CARDS WITH SKYPE!!!!!!!
March 22nd, 2009 at 3:07 am
mistake in writing, it should read “over the last ,18 months, 2008-2009
March 27th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
I have the same experience, first with drop calls and then have been informed my account has been blocked. At first I thought it is to do with some censorship in China, but after google search I realize that this is a worldwide epidemic.
I still have HK$102 in skype credit, and if possible would like to transfer it to my friend. Does any one know if this will work? Please help!!
April 10th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Skype is the best communication free software Pc to Pc. All my long distance calls are from PC to land phone no’s, unlimited talks US and Canada cost $29/year. However, I am not happy with the latest version skype 4+ and have switched back to Skype 3+, luckily I had the earlier version still in my download file. The latest version calls are dropped, have to click ‘view ‘to get to contact or history,history cannot be cleared. A display in Skype 3+ is simple, easy and fast, all I need to communicate. I use Skype for years and version 4 is worst rather than better.
Customer service doesn’t exist, perhaps eBay the owners, should look into that. I am sorry for paying customers when in trouble as there is no one to contact.
April 13th, 2009 at 11:09 am
I have the same problem. Yesterday I called my iff father in Germany, all was fine. Today - I have apparently no credit. How come when I am on automatic re-charge. Spent hours to try to find custome support e-mail - it does not exist on their web. No contact us either…..:-( very frustrating
Liba
April 25th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
I also have the exact same problem. 4 support requests in the past 2 months and NO REPLY!!!!
This is inadmissible from such a company, somebody should take action against that, or simply unblock our accounts!!
skype name: rayssa777
HELP!!!!
April 27th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Are too many software companies forgetting the indiviudal user?
May 1st, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Liba - you can contact our customer support team here: http://skype.com/go/help.ticket.submit
Raissa - I’ve asked someone to investigate your blocked account; I’m sorry it’s taken so long.
May 2nd, 2009 at 3:04 pm
My skypeout is blocked from my iBook G4 (Mac OS X 10.4.11) but when I use my skype account from my friend’s computer it works fine. Even my wife’s account is blocked when she makes a call from my laptop.
We both have credits in our accounts. This is making us go crazy as we don’t have any other computer to use but just my laptop.
Skype IDs’:
lookwhiteeagle
hicham.muhammad
Your help is highly appreciated!
May 9th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Peter Parkes knowsnothing. I have had an ongoing email conversation with Skype CS for the past two weeks. I have logged four tickets and it just goes round and round. I purchased credits in February and used about a third of my credits on calls. I travelled to another country in mid April and still successfully used my credits. Then suddenly I was unable to make calls. I tried to access my account and received the message that my account was suspended and I could not purchase more credits or use vouchers???? Each time I request support I received an email asking for my credit card number, full name, country of credit card origin and other highly sensitive information. I did give partial information but that was not enough….That email was ignored. I refuse to email my credit details in full in an unsecure vehicle.
I received the same vacuous response. Peter PARKES..I do not believe you know what you are talking about. I am weary of trying to get any assistance and have reported Skype’s dubious business practices to an internaional authority. I cannot believe in 2009 Skype are asking for confirmation of credit card details via email. I dont believe it can be that technically impaired. I am very angry that two months after a successful credit card transaction it looks like Skype itself has compromised many customers. Perhaps Skype are phishing?? I want a refund or some kind ofrecompense. It is appalling.
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:50 am
I am glad to have found this blog as I share the same with the author. I have convinced many to use Skype yet sadly when it came to request some customer support, I was shocked. So much so, that I too decided to setup a blog and advise as many people as possible about my experience in the aim that someone at Skype realises how poor they are treating the people who help make them.
My problem has to do with Skype cancelling Unlimited World subscriptions simply due to credit card expiry (what card doesn’t expire!!) and forcing us to re-subscribe again but with less features than before and the customer ends up paying nearly double! When complaining to Skype Customer Support I got NO response (apart from the automated one) and I sent my request twice.
So far and only because of my persistence, I am getting responses from a ‘Skype’ moderator on their forums. I don’t really know if I will get anywhere with my issue but I will keep trying as well as making everyone I know aware of this very poor service.
Bottom line, Skype shouldn’t be allowed to get away with stuffing up their customers unfairly and should adhere to what they claim in their automated emails that a response will be made within 24 to 48 hours.
My blog describing my issue is at http://newsonf1.co.uk/blog/poorsupport/3
The thread I created on the Skype Forums is at http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=319901
I also setup a blog post looking into alternatives and this is an active post as I will keep looking http://newsonf1.co.uk/blog/poorsupport/12
And just a note to Peter Parkes, sorry but perhaps you should try sending an email to Skype Customer Support and see how long it takes them to reply.
Tim
June 4th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Muhammad and Trishy - let me know if you’re still having problems, and I’ll do my best to help out.
June 5th, 2009 at 1:19 am
I submitted my comments a couple of days ago describing a similar experience with Skype yet I don’t see it here. Is there are reason for that ?
Please advise
Tim
June 5th, 2009 at 1:44 am
Hi Tim, the comments were caught up in the Akismet spam filter on the blog - as your post had a bunch of links in it. We have since approved it.
June 9th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Yes, Skype does indeed have the world’s worst customer service. I strongly recommend that anyone considering going to VOIP service NOT consider Skype at this point. The company has proven that it is unwilling to commit the resources required to provide acceptable customer service when something goes wrong with its systems. The company also has shown that it is unwilling to commit the resources required to properly design and implement those systems in the first instance. When Skype works, it works fine. When it does not work, or when some kind of a billing or log-on issue arises, Skype is pure nightmare, as there is no one who will help you. All you will get — only by email — are canned, scripted responses telling you to go do the things you already have done which have not worked. After that, Skype will not respond to you at all.
Skype is not living up to its promise. It is not a service which can be seriously used for either home or business use. Do not invest your money or yourself in this internet feature at this time, because you will eventually regret having done so. Take your money elsewhere, and find a service that actually works, and has human beings ready to stand behind it when it does not.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:29 am
@ted_egan do you have a particular experience you’d like to share? I’m here to help.
June 24th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Peter, I grew weary of trying to get some help. My Skype account still shows a healthy credit but I cannot make calls. I want my money refunded or the ability to use that credit to make calls. I had an ongoing email battle with various CS agents at Skype who just continued to ask for my credit card details again. I had given them once and feel they have no right to ask for a repeat of the details. I had used half my credit and have to wonder what on earth brought on the dispute. If they messed up my credit card info at the outset I am certainly not emailing such sensitive information repeatedly to some rude CS person.
June 25th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Well…blocked account sent several tickets and no reply. If someone can help it would be great…my user name is llopsided.
Thanks.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:03 am
@Trishy what’s your Skype name?
@Llopsided I’ve asked someone to investigate.
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:35 am
Well, after much research, I realize I have been dooped by SKYPE. My card is perfectly fine…it’s a business card!!!!I travel the world on this card…it is a check card…cash…current with 3 years to expire…Skype has cancelled my account! Yes…to renew (which means I have to get a new number) goes from $29.99 to $5.95 per month. This is Sypes approach to raising the prices…ya know, if they want to raise the prices, just raise the prices…but to doop me with there is something wrong with my check card it utter crap. Trust me…I’d rather pay the long distance to an honest company than to be treated in this manner. The hours I have spent trying to resolve this, then find out this is the Skype way of doing business does not inspire me to do business with these people any longer. I am a business consultant and I promote values or integrity and ethic of which this company has none. When they want to raise the price you will be blocked or cancelled…and you are left with no choices but to accept this method of doing business. so tomorrow I guess I no longer have or want Skype…any one know of an alternative? oh, incase Mr. Blogger has some influence linda.s.carter
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:41 am
I also plan on informing everyone in my email database and on facebook…but when you figure they have some 30+ million customers, do you think my couple thousand contacts matter to them? Doubt it…but I’ll still do it anyway and hopefully protect someone from doing business here.
September 8th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Peter Parkes, why, instead of putting out fires of customers who have about had it with Skype (myself included) don’t you suggest to homever can do something about it to improve your very poor customer service???, my skype acces phone was blocked and I can’t make calls any more from my cel, I’ve sent out 5 requests and no one has gotten back to me or fixed my issue, It’s been a month already!!!!! user: pita.y.manuel.marti
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:47 am
I would like someone from skype to contact me by e-mail concerning charges from skype I never made.