Inspiring

Answered

WHY do online agents seem incompetent and HOW to deal with that?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
March 6, 2019
6 replies
1392 views

This is a serious question.

I talked with an online agent nearly 20 minutes after waiting more than 20 minutes. My first issue was --- I just wanted to know what the last version /update number was for a particular, specific Adobe product, so I could know how to proceed for my issue.

Agents guess a reason for a problem, assume facts regarding your own system they know NOTHING about, provide irrelevant links, misdirect you to get rid of you, they'll try to get rid of you in a chat at any moment or chance they think they have, quick to point fingers, and they'll MAKE UP non-existant reasons (excuses) and there's absolutely no recourse for customers.

Or is there?

Adobe itself, like it's products have become so BLOATED, they're of no good.

If there's no real help, no actual support for Adobe - why should I keep using their products??

[Moved from the Forum Comments forum (which is for issues about these forums themselves) and into the Creative Cloud forum - moderator]

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Correct answer RenovatioLucis

RESPECTFULLY:

What I find interesting and further frustrating - - seeing some comments that have being marked as "helpful", and even though some remarks were presumptuous, and never addressed the issue. (basically - how to deal with unhelpful agents)

I guess? If someone gets side-points that are helpful - more power then. To the 'actual' issue: license /serial numbers being correctly registered with Adobe can be seen under the following subject and area.

How do I deactivate the license on Lightroom 5 in Lightroom Classic CC — The desktop-focused app

R

RenovatioLucisAuthor

Inspiring

No. -its already installed

aNd I already know where downloads are.

please “note” - I’ve previously addressed any compatibility questions/ potential issues. There none.

And LR itself can probably function fine as I’ve mentioned- Ive Used it before ... it use to be one of my top 5 apps.

the issue is in that adobe manager thinks my license is invalid. It’s valid, confirmed by two agents, besides the fact it shows as registered on my Adobe account.

i can appreciate the efforts but this is getting just as frustrating. I started this string more to find out how others deal with agents and the difficult Adobe support.

seems “putting up” with support & muttling thru this is the way to go.

R

RenovatioLucisAuthorCorrect answer

Inspiring

RESPECTFULLY:

What I find interesting and further frustrating - - seeing some comments that have being marked as "helpful", and even though some remarks were presumptuous, and never addressed the issue. (basically - how to deal with unhelpful agents)

I guess? If someone gets side-points that are helpful - more power then. To the 'actual' issue: license /serial numbers being correctly registered with Adobe can be seen under the following subject and area.

How do I deactivate the license on Lightroom 5 in Lightroom Classic CC — The desktop-focused app

Abambo

Community Expert

I do not know from which star you are from, but the helpful answers tried to find a solution to your problem that you did not have, because you did not lay out correctly your problem.

My 34 years of experience tells me that you should know after 34 years how to cope with helpdesk agents.

Technical problems I always ask here in the fora. Why? Because here the experts are answering who use the product each day. Helpdesk agents (everywhere) are great to answer basic questions or to resolve comon issues.

This has even nothing to do with the competence of an helpdesk agent. I suppose none of the agents can help as much as users experienceing the pain of unusual situations. There are virtually hundreds of users out here: one of them knows part of the solution, a second one the other part. And they know that because they are highly skilled and experienced in the use of that software. That is something that a support agent cannot get after a few hours of intensive training.

I wish you many successful years ahead...

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

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RenovatioLucisAuthor

Inspiring

I’m certain it’s nothing involving my macOS or LR versions.

Ive used the LR version(s) before, and on older macOS versions, and I know there’s no incompatibility issues.

I just performed another reinstall after clearing everything out. I didn’t get the stupid module error, but the applicat manager said my license /serial number was invalid but I know it’s good, and confirmed with a phone agent. But after starting up LR a second time right then - the stupid module error came back and still - s/n said invalid.

The agent was of no help, and didn’t even know 5.0 wasn’t available as he wanted me to downgrade, AND asked me to download it from a 3rd party site, rather than Adobe’s own site. I thought that irresponsibl, and besides 5.0 wouldn’t have helped anyway. I’ve never used less than 5.4.

Im not working with any suite, cloud etc. Never have - only stand alone LR (among other editing apps)

If you think it will help - I’m working STRICTLY with my 5.4 or 5.7, or I should say trying to get either of them to work. I’m not at my desk now so I don’t recall what macOS but it’s the last before Mojave - all compatible with each other.

jane-e

Community Expert

RenovatioLucis wrote
I’m working STRICTLY with my 5.4 or 5.7, or I should say trying to get either of them to work. I’m not at my desk now so I don’t recall what macOS but it’s the last before Mojave.

As I understand it, you are trying to install LR 5 on Mac OSX, maybe High Sierra. Is that right?

You can download older versions here:

Download Photoshop Lightroom

and you will need your serial number to activate it.

Note that old software does not always run on new operating systems.

Did anything happen to cause the software to stop working?

R

RenovatioLucisAuthor

Inspiring

Yes!! Please know... after 34 years, 25 at least - I do know differences of versions, and the reason I’m specifically looking at for my own reasoning - only looking at the newest /last version of the older software.

Put aside busy call queues. That’s not what I’m referring to. I can even tolerate that. But what I won’t excuse seems to sum up to either incompetency, lack of ability, or just lazy.

I just spent an hour with support that I won’t even go into because it was so ridiculous and didn’t accomplish or resolve one thing.

Short of it is - I have a perfectly valid license, perfectly good working software yet I can’t use it because of their licensing signature system.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Which product and version number are you trying to activate?

Which operating system do you have?

Legacy Creative Suite 2 & 3 activation servers were taken offline years ago. We can give you workarounds to follow but they might not work for everyone. Legacy software needs an older computer & OS.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

I think it's fair to say that Adobe support gets inundated with questions all day long. But there is a limit to how many customers they can help at one time which contributes to very long wait times for customer care response. Meanwhile, these user-to-user forums can give rapid replies to questions 24/7.

RenovatioLucis wrote
I just wanted to know what the last version /update number was....

The current Adobe product versions are 2019 which coincides with the current calendar year. If you need more specific information, we can help you if you tell us your product and operating system.

RenovatioLucis wrote

Or is there?

Next time you have a product question, post it in the public product forum. Use online chat / customer care for billing & activation issues that we cannot help you with.

A list of all product forums & links can be found below.

https://forums.adobe.com/welcome

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

dave1021

Inspiring

Adobe customer "service" is the worst - though in defense of the actual employees, they are probably minimum wage (if that) contractors with a hellish workload. But since Adobe charges us an arm and a leg every frigging month, they should really "upgrade" their CS.

Abambo

Community Expert

RenovatioLucis wrote
This is a serious question.
I just wanted to know what the last version /update number was for a particular, specific Adobe product, so I could know how to proceed for my issue.

Help->about will get you your version number.

The latest version number is normally published on the web site.

For all the rest of your request:

If you do not need the products, don’t use them.

If you have technical problems ask in the product specific forum.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

R

RenovatioLucisAuthor

Inspiring

Abambo

Although my post was accurate for my own situation - I posted more of a hypothetical question than anything due to a recent frustrating experience with agents giving completely inaccurate, incorrect information.

In terms of the "latest version" - you'd be incorrect assuming it was regarding my software. I was referring to what the latest version of a product on Adobe's site was. After 35 years computer & sw use, and only just a fewer for Adobe products - I believe I'm pretty well versed.

In standing by my question, but I guess in more broad, general terms I'd ask: How do 'you' (anyone) personally cope and deal with some of the questionable quality of support and the time wasted in doing so?

( ie: I mean... what do you do after you've been asked a fifth time if you performed a certain task, when you told the agent in your first chat statement- it's what you already did? ) That's an example of the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Oh! BTW ... it only took three agents to finally direct me to the appropriate & 'correct' source for my version question.

jane-e

Community Expert

RenovatioLucis wrote
I'd ask: How do 'you' (anyone) personally cope and deal with some of the questionable quality of support and the time wasted in doing so?
( ie: I mean... what do you do after you've been asked a fifth time if you performed a certain task, when you told the agent in your first chat statement- it's what you already did? )

Hi,

Here’s what I do when I’m in any chat with any company:

I post my initial question that they always ask for and I make sure it’s complete and then I copy it. When someone comes to the chat pod and says how can I help you, I paste it back in. When they ask me for information I have already given them, I paste it yet again. Five times? Keep pasting! You can add “Here it is again” to the beginning if you want to. I make sure I get the agents name at the very start, so at the end of the call so I can either praise them or tell the next person who I spoke to.

When I feel like I am getting nowhere, I copy the thread and paste it into Word and ask for a case number before I politely ask to be transfered up to the next tier. Why? Because a few agents like to disconnect at this point.

I haven’t been on Adobe chat and I am not talking about Adobe, but I have seen what you are reporting in other places. I would say that at least 90% of the time I am happy with the results of chat, maybe 95%. But companies don’t always know who the bad agents are until they get feedback.

So to directly answer your question, that’s what I do.

~ Jane

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