68 comments Add a comment
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
Broadband Resources
Free Laptop
At Broadband Expert we research, test and compare broadband and mobile broadband packages to help consumers find the best broadband packages for their needs.
Leave a comment
Well, they sorted it out! Put it right without admitting the problem was theirs. I've now moved over to gmail and told AOL why.
Thanks anyway Petra.
28/11/12 grumpyoldwoman
Thanks anyway Petra.
-1
Hi Petra, no I hadn't tried that (it was one idea AOL didn't suggest). Have tried it now and will let you know. Thanks.
My email goes directly to AOL, I've never used anyone else until now.
I think I'm probably not the only one this is happening to; eventually they will sort it out and never admit there was a problem in the first place! They are known for it apparently, according to a friend who knows about these things.
27/11/12 grumpyoldwoman
My email goes directly to AOL, I've never used anyone else until now.
I think I'm probably not the only one this is happening to; eventually they will sort it out and never admit there was a problem in the first place! They are known for it apparently, according to a friend who knows about these things.
-8
I hit send too quickly. Also meant to ask, are you having your mail redirected from a web mail account to your AOL mail account?
26/11/12 Petra
-7
GOW, instead of turning the spam filter off, have you tried setting it to low and selecting "allow mail from all senders" from the drop down box?
26/11/12 Petra
-7
I just wish they could read!
Recently they managed to start putting all my emails in the spam folder. Having done nothing to cause this myself I assumed the fault must be with AOL. I turned the spam filter off and it was still happening so I contacted them, by email. I told them my spam filter was off; the first thing they told me to do was check the setting of my spam filter.
After reminding them it was already off they told me to make sure that all the addresses I want to receive mail from were in my contacts list, as mail from my contacts would not be marked spam. So they don't understand the meaning of "all my email".
Then they told me that if I kept marking wanted mail "not spam" the filter would learn. I have been receiving a weekly newsletter for over a year and every week it goes to spam, every week I mark it "not spam".
Then they told me to enter every address I want to get mail from and instruct them to allow mail from all of them. How long would that take me? And why should I?
They also, very patronisingly, reminded me how easy it is to get mail out of the spam folder.
Well, yes. If your postman suddenly started putting all your post in the bin you could retrieve it, but you shouldn't have to, should you?
The other idea they have come up with is for me to waste my time phoning an engineer, who probably would have an impenetrable accent and tell me to do all the same things they already told me to do by email (which all went to spam of course).
I think I'll be putting my email account elsewhere! Any ideas anyone?
26/11/12 grumpyoldwoman
Recently they managed to start putting all my emails in the spam folder. Having done nothing to cause this myself I assumed the fault must be with AOL. I turned the spam filter off and it was still happening so I contacted them, by email. I told them my spam filter was off; the first thing they told me to do was check the setting of my spam filter.
After reminding them it was already off they told me to make sure that all the addresses I want to receive mail from were in my contacts list, as mail from my contacts would not be marked spam. So they don't understand the meaning of "all my email".
Then they told me that if I kept marking wanted mail "not spam" the filter would learn. I have been receiving a weekly newsletter for over a year and every week it goes to spam, every week I mark it "not spam".
Then they told me to enter every address I want to get mail from and instruct them to allow mail from all of them. How long would that take me? And why should I?
They also, very patronisingly, reminded me how easy it is to get mail out of the spam folder.
Well, yes. If your postman suddenly started putting all your post in the bin you could retrieve it, but you shouldn't have to, should you?
The other idea they have come up with is for me to waste my time phoning an engineer, who probably would have an impenetrable accent and tell me to do all the same things they already told me to do by email (which all went to spam of course).
I think I'll be putting my email account elsewhere! Any ideas anyone?
-3
COPY OF A LETTER SENT TO BBC WATCHDOG. WE WERE ON AIR ON OUR LOCAL BBC CONSUMER PROGRAMME AS WELL.
We had a mail shot from AOL offering their “valued customers” 3 months ½ price broadband or a new router. Been with them 9 yrs.
It seemed good so I phoned up the number supplied and spoke to an indian rep who spoke poor english an spoke very fast so as I could not understand,fully so I asked for a letter to be sent with the details – nothing else.
19 Nov received a letter from aol saying our AOL talk package would start on 1 Dec. We couldnt understand this as we are on sky talk AND WE ONLY WANTED MORE DETAILS OF THE PACKAGE.
We left things for a day or two as we were busy. We got a letter on 24 Nov from aol dated 17 Nov to say that they were sorry that we were leaving aol broadband . WHAT?!?! It arrived 12 hrs before disconnection.
I phoned midday having to go through multiple options and had to give our phone no, name, address , DOB to customer services asking what was going on as we did not say anything about leaving. We were confused.
Nobody could explain, but I was told to contact the sales team as we had to re-apply as we were to be cut off and nothing could be done to stop it. So I had to phone again from scratch went through all the security questions again. I wrote a nasty letter to their complaints dept in Southampton.
They passed us back again to customer services 0844 499 5555 – same security procedure. Then back again. Eventually customer services informed us that BT had put a cease on the line and we were to contact them quickly. BT stated that there was no cease on the line . We phoned back to AOL and told them this. They said BT were lying, so back to BT. Operator said - “How can you say that there is a cease on the line when I am speaking to you???” I flatulated loudly.
Back to aol again redial – options- security questions and ended with an operator from Irish republic who advised us that she could do nothing but to ring them back Friday. About 1 1/2 hrs had passed by this time. My wife had a migraine because of all the stress caused by idiots who don’t know what they are doing. We were informed that we would lose out broadband at midnight Wed 24th.
Thurs 25th got a letter from SKY talk dated 18th Nov stating that we had decided to cancel Sky talk and another phone company was taking over and this would happen on the 18th Nov. I phoned up Sky talk ---what a difference. I just had to quote an agreed password and bingo! We asked them to stop the changes and do nothing. No prob.
Friay late AM we rang and after to going through multiple dialing options and had to give our phone no, name, address & DOB to customer services. We spent about another hour trying to get through to someone (Bob the builder would do). We were again passed from pillar to post. Told to ring 0800 954 0334 - the music when we were on hold was good to listen to. No luck though. Got a sore throat now
After dinner, we rang and after to going through multiple dialing options and had to give our phone no, name, address & DOB to customer services. We spent about another hour trying to get through to someone (Bob the builder or bugs bunny would do).
Breakthrough!!! We wre given a ref no 759717 to quote in any other correspondance and were passed onto a Christopher Murphy in I presume, a call centre in Southern Ireland. He seemed to be a supervisor higher up the line. I quoted the ref no afore mentioned. He knew nothing about it. We had to explain all over again. HE DID SOME SEARCHING AND THEN ADMITTED THAT ONE OF THE OPERATORS IN AOL HAD MADE THE MISTAKE. We asked him about compensation as we were not to be re-instated for 10 – 15 days. All we were offered was 1 month rebate of subscription. We were assured that we were to receive confirmation of the re-connection date by letter. Price of our phone calls 31/2 hrs @ 5p /min. This was covered by the rebate!!!!!!! We had to spend a lot of journeys to pay monies into our son’s a/c because of no broadband.
Now 1 Dec. Nothing yet. Nor any reply by letter or phone from the complaint letter sent to the complaints dept in Southhampton. Perhaps their mailbox is jammed??? No internet for us for 3 weeks. I use it daily for my business, banking, emails and much more. Eventually got a phone call from the Irish republic, a Barry Moinahan stating that AOL were at fault and there was nothing he could do about it. Our connection would recommence on 15th Dec 2010. DIDN’T TAKE THEM LONG TO DISCONNECT US ------ 12HRS! WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT BROADBAND SINCE 24TH NOV. WE WERE PROMISED RECONNECTION ON 15 DEC
We’ve been with for about 9 yrs and have never defaulted on payment. VALUED CUSTOMERS – I THINK NOT. xxxx A O L stands for assholes on line xxxxxx
03/10/12 art456hur
We had a mail shot from AOL offering their “valued customers” 3 months ½ price broadband or a new router. Been with them 9 yrs.
It seemed good so I phoned up the number supplied and spoke to an indian rep who spoke poor english an spoke very fast so as I could not understand,fully so I asked for a letter to be sent with the details – nothing else.
19 Nov received a letter from aol saying our AOL talk package would start on 1 Dec. We couldnt understand this as we are on sky talk AND WE ONLY WANTED MORE DETAILS OF THE PACKAGE.
We left things for a day or two as we were busy. We got a letter on 24 Nov from aol dated 17 Nov to say that they were sorry that we were leaving aol broadband . WHAT?!?! It arrived 12 hrs before disconnection.
I phoned midday having to go through multiple options and had to give our phone no, name, address , DOB to customer services asking what was going on as we did not say anything about leaving. We were confused.
Nobody could explain, but I was told to contact the sales team as we had to re-apply as we were to be cut off and nothing could be done to stop it. So I had to phone again from scratch went through all the security questions again. I wrote a nasty letter to their complaints dept in Southampton.
They passed us back again to customer services 0844 499 5555 – same security procedure. Then back again. Eventually customer services informed us that BT had put a cease on the line and we were to contact them quickly. BT stated that there was no cease on the line . We phoned back to AOL and told them this. They said BT were lying, so back to BT. Operator said - “How can you say that there is a cease on the line when I am speaking to you???” I flatulated loudly.
Back to aol again redial – options- security questions and ended with an operator from Irish republic who advised us that she could do nothing but to ring them back Friday. About 1 1/2 hrs had passed by this time. My wife had a migraine because of all the stress caused by idiots who don’t know what they are doing. We were informed that we would lose out broadband at midnight Wed 24th.
Thurs 25th got a letter from SKY talk dated 18th Nov stating that we had decided to cancel Sky talk and another phone company was taking over and this would happen on the 18th Nov. I phoned up Sky talk ---what a difference. I just had to quote an agreed password and bingo! We asked them to stop the changes and do nothing. No prob.
Friay late AM we rang and after to going through multiple dialing options and had to give our phone no, name, address & DOB to customer services. We spent about another hour trying to get through to someone (Bob the builder would do). We were again passed from pillar to post. Told to ring 0800 954 0334 - the music when we were on hold was good to listen to. No luck though. Got a sore throat now
After dinner, we rang and after to going through multiple dialing options and had to give our phone no, name, address & DOB to customer services. We spent about another hour trying to get through to someone (Bob the builder or bugs bunny would do).
Breakthrough!!! We wre given a ref no 759717 to quote in any other correspondance and were passed onto a Christopher Murphy in I presume, a call centre in Southern Ireland. He seemed to be a supervisor higher up the line. I quoted the ref no afore mentioned. He knew nothing about it. We had to explain all over again. HE DID SOME SEARCHING AND THEN ADMITTED THAT ONE OF THE OPERATORS IN AOL HAD MADE THE MISTAKE. We asked him about compensation as we were not to be re-instated for 10 – 15 days. All we were offered was 1 month rebate of subscription. We were assured that we were to receive confirmation of the re-connection date by letter. Price of our phone calls 31/2 hrs @ 5p /min. This was covered by the rebate!!!!!!! We had to spend a lot of journeys to pay monies into our son’s a/c because of no broadband.
Now 1 Dec. Nothing yet. Nor any reply by letter or phone from the complaint letter sent to the complaints dept in Southhampton. Perhaps their mailbox is jammed??? No internet for us for 3 weeks. I use it daily for my business, banking, emails and much more. Eventually got a phone call from the Irish republic, a Barry Moinahan stating that AOL were at fault and there was nothing he could do about it. Our connection would recommence on 15th Dec 2010. DIDN’T TAKE THEM LONG TO DISCONNECT US ------ 12HRS! WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT BROADBAND SINCE 24TH NOV. WE WERE PROMISED RECONNECTION ON 15 DEC
We’ve been with for about 9 yrs and have never defaulted on payment. VALUED CUSTOMERS – I THINK NOT. xxxx A O L stands for assholes on line xxxxxx
-2
I called AOL to complain about the speed of my broadband at less that 1 meg download and 64kbs upload (should be 20 meg). I spent half an hour on the phone going through the various baby steps with no resolution. They terminated the call suggesting I play around with the ADSL router and see what happens. I then called AOL again and said nothing had got better could I cancel. Their response was relatively stubborn but polite none-the-less offering to email a code. The code has not been sent within 1 working day but what sums up their attitude to their clients is that they immediately terminated the ADSL carrier. They have left me without the ability to port over to another provider and without any Internet despite payment by direct debit. You begin to understand the train of thought AOL in India has towards to customers, like a dog eat dog business!
15/05/12 Dave
-1
AOL barred me due to a technical fault on Jan 4th at 10am. ELEVEN phonecalls to the MUMBAI numptys, repeated lies of 'You will be reconnected within 12 - then 24 then 48 hours' two ignorant supervisors, hours wasted listening to the electric lights music on hold, and I only got re connected tonight when I asked for my MAC code..... :)
I asked for my MAC code and was put through to a British person who got his supervisor to lift the barring instantly.
Isn't it amazing what asking to cancel your contract can do? ... However after all the hassle, aggrevation, lies and time wasting, I am changing providers after 7 years with AOL.
If you are having a similar problem, ask the Mumbai numpty for your MAC code and amazingly you will get to speak to someone in the same country as you who is actually able to sort your problem out - it's worth a go :)
13/01/11 Mrs Grumpy
I asked for my MAC code and was put through to a British person who got his supervisor to lift the barring instantly.
Isn't it amazing what asking to cancel your contract can do? ... However after all the hassle, aggrevation, lies and time wasting, I am changing providers after 7 years with AOL.
If you are having a similar problem, ask the Mumbai numpty for your MAC code and amazingly you will get to speak to someone in the same country as you who is actually able to sort your problem out - it's worth a go :)
2
well i'm NOT an engineer but a very VERY good self taught aol problem solver! however ..... last friday after aol not being able to help me with a problem then told me to phone netgear. netgear lost my password so back to aol and now since 10.32 last friday morning and its now 9am monday morning i've been without broadband as the computer that generates the netgear router password has crashed. the only reason i'm typing this is because at great expense i've had to purchae a dongle! aol are the most patronising telephonists i've ever come across. they call themselves technical but wouldn't know a technical if it bit them on their butts! a technical department that don't know didly squat and as this is now way over my head and not something an engineer can fix as it has to be done in india via the main password computer. they can't speak to you they read off cards and whilst their manners and use of the english language is impecable i'm finding that for most of the phone call I cant understand a bloomin word because of their very thick accents and you can hear a slight annoyance in their voices when after 3 times i've said I really can't understand you. america on line? more like wherever we can get the cheapest work force to make you go off line! premium rate numbers with 27 options before you get to the most annoying music ever! even wanting to complain is impossible. wouldn't recommend them
27/09/10 sizkar9
7
I am having trouble via on line Billing the site rarely works.
I am awaiting for the 3rd month for a refund due to incompetence at accounts.
I have been with AOL for at least 15 years, if this is not sorted soon I am jumping ship.
Chief Exec of AOL is at tim.armstrong@corp.aol.com writing to him with one's problems is akin to expecting a reply for God.
23/09/10 MikeO
I am awaiting for the 3rd month for a refund due to incompetence at accounts.
I have been with AOL for at least 15 years, if this is not sorted soon I am jumping ship.
Chief Exec of AOL is at tim.armstrong@corp.aol.com writing to him with one's problems is akin to expecting a reply for God.
0
Hello - I am desperately in need of help with AOL. I cancelled my broadband with them to move to another provider and am finding it impossible to actually cancel my payment. Needless to say they have stopped my broadband and on-line account so I can't access any cancellation tools that way. Each time I phone the call centre I am either put on hold for 40 minutes or just not spoken to at all. I rather lost the plot a few days ago and got very heated on the phone and actually got a call back from a supervisor at AOL who assured me that my account was now inactive and I would not be billed further. Two days later, they took my monthly subscription. Another call to the call centre resulted in a further heated exchanged as they claimed the only payment they could see was at the beginning of August. I was told to email a copy of my statement to them and they would come back to confirm that the charges would be reversed - and that the credit back to me could take up to 30 days (!). I frankly don't have the energy to keep fighting them - is there a regulatory body I can talk to or anyone who can actually help me extricate myself from the worst company I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. Many thanks
19/08/10 MrsEddie
-9
It may be of interest for you to know that AOL as it was no longer exist. AOL is now just a brand name owned and used by TalkTalk so when you think you are speaking to an AOL team you are actually speaking to a TT callcentre in Mumbai. The only remaining AOL staff within the company are the cancellations team based in Dublin
21/06/10 Wolfy
1
If you don't do anything else in life. Stay well clear of AOL.
Writing via experience, they are nothing more than a corporate shower of mafia gangsters.
Having cancelled their shoddy service, monies to due myself were in excess of £400 for services unused.
They assigned a debt recovery agency for £69, namely Avantis Credit (another bunch of hoods), posting out threatening letters of court action with gignatic costs.
Be aware and avoid them if you know what is good for you.
09/06/10 John Bull
Writing via experience, they are nothing more than a corporate shower of mafia gangsters.
Having cancelled their shoddy service, monies to due myself were in excess of £400 for services unused.
They assigned a debt recovery agency for £69, namely Avantis Credit (another bunch of hoods), posting out threatening letters of court action with gignatic costs.
Be aware and avoid them if you know what is good for you.
-8
just unbelievable incompetence at the aol mumbai call centre. i've literally spent hundreds on the phone to them trying to get my problem fixed. I regret signing up to aol so much. I need a new provider but I don't have time.
25/05/10 chris
-5
racehorses