AOL helpline can be patronising
13-May-2008
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AOL helpline can be patronising

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A network cable, AOL helpline can be patronising

My gripe is about the AOL helpline and how patronising and inflexible they are.  I am a freelance computer engineer for home users by the way.

With other Internet service providers, when I speak to them on behalf of the customer, they get the message straight away that I know what I am talking about and they don't ask stupid questions.  Alas this is not the case with AOL.  I have to go through the whole rigmarole as if I don't know anything.  For example, take the following conversation:

Me: Hi, I am an engineer speaking on behalf of the customer who is with me now.  The customer has called me out to have a look at this problem.  There is no broadband connection.  We are using a router and there is no ADSL synchronisation because there's something wrong at the telephone exchange, please get BT to fix it.

AOL Helpline: Is the "i" light on the router flashing?

Me: Yes.  The problem is being caused by the BT telephone exchange, so can you please report this as a fault to British Telecom.

AOL Helpline: What colour is it flashing?

Me: It is flashing amber and I know what that means, I have checked everything and there is a fault at the exchange.

AOL Helpline: Are you sure it's flashing?

With other ISPs, it's okay that they ask me questions about whether I put the bits and pieces in the right places.  That's all right, because it's a helpful reminder.  However the AOL helpline insists on taking me through baby steps all the way and it is quite infuriating.

Eventually it is possible to get through to the mythical AOL Second Level Support where there are people that start being properly helpful, hurrah!

As for AOL "Live Help", the AOL Live Help text chat operators have less authority and fewer tools than the helpline people. Anything non-trivial they just have to direct back to the helpline, whereupon there is the recorded message, "If you can get online, why not try AOL keyword: Live Help?"

AOL only helps with a few specific makes and models of connection equipment and everything else is "unsupported".  So I have to carry a Netgear DG834 as it is one of the few routers that AOL will help with, even though any make and model is capable of working fine with AOL when set up correctly.

With AOL it is at least possible to get through to the helpline and to get broadband problems fixed.  It's just that they ask a lot of basic questions and it all takes longer that I would like.

By: Phil


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I have a lap top and got into AOL for awhile but suddenly I could not get into AOL even talking to a technical advisor, but he has made it worse, I have had my lap top for three months and have had trouble with AOL ever since. I have even deleted it and put disc in again but still cannot get into AOL. Also AOL does not let me play in certain sites when I have been on AOL.
*marganne  07-Apr-2008 11:54

 
Yes I'm using the yellow ethernet cable and the softwere and I went to the sites that they gave me it just doesnt want to work on my laptop
*misty  31-Mar-2008 22:39

 
are you using a yellow wire? if not go to the market and buy one...
*aol spud  31-Mar-2008 21:27

 
Can anybody help me Ive just installed aol In to my computer it lets me sign on and then nothing all I get is a blue screen same with the aim except thats a gray one I took it to a bloke who I thought would help but no I now have what seems to be the American aol so anyone who could help I would be very grateful
*misty  28-Mar-2008 21:23

 
AOL is lousy provider. Their software invades your computer and is harder to get rid of than a virus, and it is rubbish. Their helpline is 'free'. They offer cheap contracts to lure customers, which is why they have so many, and why they can't provide adequate service.
When will people realise that buying the cheapest is invariably asking for trouble? It's like flying Ryan Air and then complaining.
*MikeP  23-Mar-2008 08:21

 
HELPLINE USELESS! CAN NEVER GET THROUGH,to speak to anyone.so frustrating.thought this was a 24 hr helpline online. bye bye aol
*gaz  23-Mar-2008 01:23

 
Heck I can't even get them to update my billing. I had to change my bank acct. gave them my new acct.# and they still haven't charged me! Wish I could find a phone # for them.
*Pat Hammond  19-Jan-2008 01:59

 
hahha, whats funny is that everyone this is complaining about AOL are the small majority. If you look at the bigger picture, AOL are on of the main market leader at the moment...thats no coincidence.

In relation to the so called "computer engineer". Lets just say I know of a lot of people that call in that say "im a computer engineer" and you say ok, can you unplug the ethernet cable please..and they say...eh...whats an ethernet cable....which is why they are treated like retards....
*mmhmmm  03-Nov-2007 13:45

 
I am really getting angry. I signed up for slingo and every thing is done and I got ready to play and there is no place to log in to the game. can you tell me why and how ro get into the game for its my favorite. thank you very much.
*wilodean@aol.com  20-Sep-2007 03:01

 
aol are without a doubt the biggest load of idiots around, I wouldnt normally say that about any other person, but I have never came accross people who have less common sense than the lot that work for aol. they cannot get anything right, each one telling you a different story when you phone them, thats if you can understand them, and them understand you..avoid aol, if you want an easy life
*gillfife  25-Jul-2007 12:42

 
line is that adsl is a rubbish service and does not work as bt new from the start and was supposed to work on only one wire and having a dacs on the line will cause it to drop out 4 5 times a day also having the old phone lines with the bell wire will drop the line out also check the exchange bandwidth limits as they only alow 5mb +
*aqs  22-Jul-2007 15:12

 
AOL help is NO HELP and the new home page I requested to be removed was forced upon it's users and takes forever to download and has slowed down my computer drastically. I am tired of AOL deciding what I want and what I can open or not open. There is little regard for the customer and too much control.
*Anon  07-Jun-2007 19:29


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