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Participant
December 12, 2013
Question

Why is Adobe so bad at customer service.

  • December 12, 2013
  • 7 replies
  • 2335 views

Over the last 9 years as a private individual, I have spent over $8000 on adobe products. Every time anything goes wrong, the only reply I get is it will cost you. I have to put up with the ridicules exchange rate, and excuses that downloading the same product worldwide is dramatically different. Its not that I get anything but US English. What is that by the way, I live in England, we speak English.. So today like any other I am trying to get a simple thing like Acrobat to read a file without constant warnings, I mean I have bought the product more than 5 times but this does not matter. So I try to get through to customer support. An oxymoron in this case). Have been on a phone line now for 27min no luck, just the same incredibly poor music drifting in and out so you think you may have lost contact. When your customers pay so much for the privilege of using your product, stop crapping on their heads....

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    7 replies

    Participating Frequently
    March 18, 2017

    I'm only into my second month of a PS/LR subscription. I've had to use the chat help for a few issues. I'll say this: they are not bad people, but they are mostly incompetent. I'm normally patient and understand that certain issues might be known bugs waiting for an update. Other issues are things that can be fixed on the spot. The whole workflow and follow-up is very inefficient and you might find yourself spinning your wheels in frustration. In my case, a week went by, they did not solve the problem, and sent an email saying the case was closed, try this or that, and good luck. Oh, and you can't reply to that email. You have to get back on chat, go through a useless customer service rep, and only when you scream at him, they will hand it over to tech support where they ask numerous time-wasting questions like "what version of Photoshop are you using" in order to buy time and make it seem like they're helping but are not. Miraculously, my login problem to the forums was fixed after venting my frustration. Seriously, they make you want to go back to using a bootleg version of Photoshop 3. Just incompetent and not what you're supposed to get for a paid service.

    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 18, 2017

    winofigments2  wrote

    I'm only into my second month of a PS/LR subscription. I've had to use the chat help for a few issues. I'll say this: they are not bad people, but they are mostly incompetent.

    Why are you not  posting questions in the product user forums?  It's available 24/7 and in most cases, you'll have an immediate reply and solution from fellow product users who really understand the software.

    Customer Care is mainly for handling billing and activation issues.  Beyond that, they have little hands on experience with Adobe products.   They cannot teach people how to use the software.  That's not their role. 

    Nancy

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    Participating Frequently
    March 18, 2017

    Nancy, there is no indication when first looking for online or telephone support direct from Adobe that their service is only for activation. However, I soon realized I'd rather look to the forums...but, I could not log into the forums page. I'll spare you the details but it was something on their end, not a user end issue. And that was the point of me adding my experience to this thread. I wasn't looking for their support in "how to use the software."

    Participant
    March 7, 2017

    I had a billing issue that was not resolved as customer service (csr) assured that it would. The next CSR advanced the resolution after I explained my disappointment ( and mentioned my many trips to the Philippines). I do agree with outsourcing being a penny-wise, pound-foolish policy for one of the wealthiest creative software giants ever, as a loyal customer base made Adobe and will be open to alternatives as frustrations evolve to actual disappointment, even rage. I too spent thousands since Photoshop 4 and was sucker-punched when my CS3 would no longer work from an Adobe registry sabotage.

      I recently became aware of the fact that my email address was different years ago which precludes -to some degree -association of my old AOL address to my current Gmail for my Adobe ID. If I can get that consolidated, I, loyal in nature, will post to the Planet 

    Ussnorway7605025
    Legend
    December 28, 2016

    because they think in terms of we spend $X on this issue

    not we fixed this issue

    Participant
    December 27, 2016

    For me I run two small business [website addresses removed by moderator] the support is very good and i am satisfied with adobe

    lp777
    Participant
    December 23, 2016

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT BUY any kind of Adobe membership. I bought a one-year membership for my daughter last Christmas. When I tried to cancel it (this Christmas), they informed me that I would be charged $100+ because they had automatically renewed my membership. I did not receive any renewal information/notification. This is criminal. There is NO customer service. They should be ashamed.

    Ameteur Ps Artist
    Known Participant
    December 26, 2016

    My friend.. Simply put, this is the direct result of out sourcing. Plain and simple.

    wasdwasdwasdwasdwasd
    Participant
    December 23, 2016

    completely agree wih you

    Participant
    December 26, 2016

    Just a wild guess: they don't want to spend the money on good service.

    Participant
    December 21, 2016

    I havent the answer, just that I concur with your view. A bunch of tools is what they are.