Adobe has HORRIBLE customer service!

[paul campagna]

So since November I've had nothing but problem with Adobe. First I thought it was mandatory to buy the CS5.5 upgrade to be elligible to upgrade to CS6. The employee I talk to said it was mandatory, so unless I wanted  to pay full price for the Suite, I had to purchase CS5.5 Year end money was used and approved which if anyone who works for a company knows, is not the easiest thing to do. Prob two hours of paperwork, dicussion etc. I was suppsed to get the Volume license version, but they sent the wrong version (not my fault) then I had to jump through all kinds of hoops and talk for prob 4 hours trying to get the software to work, but ultimitely had to get an exchange for the correct version. Total of 5 hours on that problem. I get the new version and the zoom is all screwed up in photoshop. It doesn't act like it shuld jumping all over the place. not being able to use the scroll wheel to zoom, etc. I know i spent a full day trying to fix it talking to support, on forum, etc, etc. So add another 8 hours. (NO CASE OPENED ON THIER END) THEN i find out I didn't have to buy the software to be elligible for the CS6 upgrade!!!! WHAT? Adobe tries to pass this off as doing it's users a "Favor" but to me all it did was cause me work I never needed to do and now I have a product, I never wanted, that doesn't work. NICE!

I contact Adobe and say I want to use the Money spent on cs5 toward cs6. No, but they would give me a copy of Lightroom and I could keep my defective software. What kind of solution that is, is beyond me. If I wanted Lightroom i would've bought it!  Just give me a credit towards CS! NO, they can't do that. Hours on the phone trying to get this resolved. (so 3 more hours) They finally say i can get a refund, but wait. Nobody understands issues on my end. With year end money, and credit cards being replaced, etc. It is not as easy as it should be. So they do tell me they will refund and I have to fill out the letter of destruction, which i did and sent. Then my case is closed. WTheck? so i reopen, and it is closed. I spend another long chat session trying to get it igured out, complaining to everyone that will listen on forums, twitter etc. Each time I basically start over with adobe asking me the SAME QUESTIONS over and over again. Even after i input them with the keybord seconds before. Each time I'm offered lightroom as consolation, each time i have to put up with people on Inda thanking me for everyresponse.

So now after a good 16-20 hours, I STILL DO NOT HAVE A REFUND! Now they clsed the case again, I reopen, they re-close. I know at this point they are just being ignorant. Nobody will return my call when i fill out the "Call me" feature that apparently is broken. Waits when i call range in the 45 minute range, only way i can comminicate is throught the stupid chat where i have to enter all the info again and again, then get offere lightroom for the 5th time. It rediculous.

ADOBE GIVE ME MY REFUND! '

I wil never NEVER NEVER buy directly from adobe again. They lied to people, to get them to buy an outdated software package riddled with bugs, then have this fake plan inline to offer another program up for consulation for people who are mad and want their money back.  They refuse to call me. Keep making me jump through hoops to get a refund and now they say I need someone else in my company to call them (which would go throught the same exact thing i've been going through for weeks!) he has no information on the order. His adobe account is empty, yet they want him to contact them?

On a side note, i had a problem with my macbook battery yesterday. filled out the "call me"  feature on apple's site. Withing two minutes I got a call back and spoke with an actual person who seemed like he cared. He went out of his way to make sure I got to the appropriate apple store location, called them to make sure they had a battery in stock, before i got there, so i wouldn't have to leave my computer there. Was very professional and caring about my situation and then sent me two follow up emails with all the information and it took less than 15 minute!  I LOVE APPLE'S CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! why adobe can't at the least be 1% as helpful i will never know, but I'm so P.O.d at adobe, i complained on the BBB, and multiplle forums. This kind of thing needs addressed and their shady practices need investigated. Them trying to pass off Lightroom, to mad people, who fell for their scam on photoshop is laughable.

Still waiting for my pone call adobe!

[Phillip_M_Jones]

Adobe.Hacker wrote:

77Balloons wrote:

Is there a better or more appropriate forum for posting issues about Adobe customer service?

You must be joking.  Adobe knows that if they provided an appropriate posting place for such issues, they will be inundated with complaints left, right, and central.  It is not in their interest to provide such things here.  I believe somebody tried to start a new forum privately but it was shut down by Adobe lawyers.  Can't remember the guy's name but who cares about complaining when you can opt for alternatives.  I believe in mixing and matching the applications to get optimum values out of them.  Last time I ever bought an Adobe product was when CS4 Dreamweaver was released.  I haven't bothered to upgrade it because Microsoft Expression Web 4 is in my opinion the best product around.

Why did Adobe sic Lawyers on the person . what were they afraid of . That someone would actually proved help.

Your Lucky the only serious Web design Program there is for Mac is Dreamweaver.

[the_wine_snob]

Phillip,

While we all know that this particular forum is for discussions of the forums, themselves, there ARE some Adobe staff members, who are starting to spend some time reading here, and elsewhere. Their mission is to improve things, from the Adobe front. Adobe IS listening.

Personally, I would like to see a forum, dedicated to Adobe support, both Customer & Technical (maybe sub-forums?), but that might just not happen.

Still, when things do go wrong, and they will, it is incumbent on posters, to give as much info, as possible, so that those Adobe staff members can help out, where possible.

As I have posted elsewhere, I once considered Adobe Support to be up near the top of all software companines. Reading the various forums, that does seem to have changed, and I cannot counter their rage. I have just been fortunate, to not have to rely on either C/S, or T/S in many, many years, but I do not discount the various threads. There is obviously an issue, but Adobe is trying to rectify some of that.

Good luck to all,

Hunt

[Phillip_M_Jones]

Well I posted about my issue with the PDF Viewer Plugin in this forum. In Plugins Forum. The one in Plugins Forum I even provided a link to a Forum showing exactly what's happening. It been posted about two weeks and nothing but crickets have been heard out of it not even an acknowledgement of some kind I've Posted a Bug report on this issue every time a new version comes up since Mac switched from C++ (OS9) to UNIX Based OSX The issue is affected on Gecko Based Web Browsers.

So I don't see where anyone is listening and after 10 years or more. I just don't have any faith in Adobe.  Us Mac Users always get treated like turnips anyway.

Strange from a Company owes their very existence as other than a Font House to Apple users. Apple users tried Adobe products long before PC people did. We did the guinea-pig work.  If anything they owe us a debt of gratitude.  All we ask for is an even shake.

[the_wine_snob]

Phillip,

I'm sorry to hear of your plight. Now, I always thought that the Mac-users got the larger "slice of the pie," but I suppose that was because I was viewing things from the "PC side-of-the-street?"

It is too bad that your issues have not been addressed. While I do not know who is doing what, I have seen a greater Adobe presence in the Adobe product forums, that I frequent. Even the Premiere Elements Forum (not a product that has gotten a lot of direct forum support in the past), has been blessed by the presence of a few Adobe Staff members, and we greatly appreciate that.

Don't know what to tell you, as it sounds like you have posted of issues, where I would have suggested. Hope that things change soon.

Good luck,

Hunt

[Phillip_M_Jones]

I'm not betting on. IF they have been draging there feet on this issue for 10 years. Just wait me out and wear me down.

But when XII and XIII and XIV and XV come out I'm still going to post the bug unless they get their act together and fix it. I have no desire or willingness to Use Safari, Chrome, or IE. My products of choice are FireFox, and SeaMonkey.  They better fix it.

[jackthedog952]

It goes way beyond even what you are saying. I have never been more frustrated with a tech company than I am with Adobe. Their products are generally good, but good luck trying to get any service help. All you get in "Chat" is some poor $5/hour fellow--AND you can't just send an email--unbeievable. I avoid Adobe as much as poosible.

[professional_pirate]

jackthedog952 wrote:

All you get in "Chat" is some poor $5/hour fellow--

Well, in that case you have made the worst decision of your life by  posting your grievances here because here you'll get jobless MVPs to listen to you.  So now decide, what is better ... Somebody getting paid $5/hour or an MVP getting paid $0.00/hour?

[ylnk11]

There are situations that are frustrating to resolve. However, in case of Adobe, their utter disregard for the value of the customer time and the service staff that is not empowered to deal with any issues. For no fault of mine, I have now spent hours and hours of my time explaining things and getting a refund that I deserve and getting my product to activate. No luck so far. It is only a matter of time when companies with such terrible customer service are doomed to perish. Boy, I have an even greater admiration for Steve Jobs for choosing to rid Adobe Flash off of iAnything and the whole world is seeing the benefits of it.

[pwillener]

ylnk11 wrote:

Boy, I have an even greater admiration for Steve Jobs for choosing to rid Adobe Flash off of iAnything and the whole world is seeing the benefits of it.

Have a look around the Flash Player forum and see how many people are crying bitter tears because they cannot get Flash Plyer on their iPad or iPhone...

[professional_pirate]

ylnk11 wrote:

There are situations that are frustrating to resolve. However, in case of Adobe, their utter disregard for the value of the customer time and the service staff that is not empowered to deal with any issues. For no fault of mine, I have now spent hours and hours of my time explaining things and getting a refund that I deserve and getting my product to activate. No luck so far. It is only a matter of time when companies with such terrible customer service are doomed to perish. Boy, I have an even greater admiration for Steve Jobs for choosing to rid Adobe Flash off of iAnything and the whole world is seeing the benefits of it.

Why are you guys posting your grievances on Adobe forums where almost everybody, including MVPs are sworn Adobe faithfuls.  You guys need to go some where else to air your grievances.   How about facebook or twitter or even Microsoft Forums if they allow you there!!

[Adobe_Pirate]

If the customer service is so horrible, why  has the subscription service surged so fast?  Look at this news article:

<http://finance.yahoo.com/news/adobe-systems-profit-beats-creative-cloud-subscriptions-grow-202100643...>

The man who said this is this guy once again:

This guy must be brilliant to make Adobe so popular and in doing so to make its loyal customers jealous of him!!!!!!!

It's me again, Indian born fanatics.

[Phillip_M_Jones]

Adobe.Pirate wrote:

If the customer service is so horrible, why  has the subscription service surged so fast?  Look at this news article:

<http://finance.yahoo.com/news/adobe-systems-profit-beats-creative-clou d-subscriptions-grow-20210064...>

Because they have the ones subscribing by the short hairs.

The man who said this is this guy once again:

This guy must be brilliant to make Adobe so popular and in doing so to make its loyal customers jealous of him!!!!!!!

It's me again, Indian born fanatics.

Surely you jest?

Its not Popularity is because to continue their work flow they have no choice.

[paul campagna]

Having no choice on a matter makes making the choice easy. It's either this, (subscriptions) , or you get left behind and no updates. Of course it is going to increase in numbers. 

It'd be like every car company only painting cars black, then claim that black is the most popular color for a car. It must be because it's the best selling color of all the colors.

Sure it's your only choice, but black is the most popular.

Adobe makes the only viable option for certain people, so they can do whatever they want. 

Their customer service is still horible. This thread's title doesn't have to do with race. It has to do with NOT getting support. It took me months and since this thread is popular, I'm guessing they haven't changed.

Sad.

Their subscription model "debate" should be o another thread. - There is nothing anyone can do. Either buy into the plan, or get left behind....

[AGF206]

Trying to stay with the thread, in the UK Adobe's customer service is a nightmare. I ordered an update for Lightroom and tried to pay with Paypal. On the system returning me to the Adobe site from Paypal I was informed that 'an error had occurred' and that I should call the Sales Team to complete the purchase. Got through to the sales team and was told "we aren't taking Paypal payments at the moment, just go through the purchasing process again and use a debit/credit card". This I did and the purchase went through OK, BUT an email from Paypal 5 minutes later said I had made a Paypal payment to Adobe. Sure enough, I then received two emails from Adobe with two different serial numbers and my bank account has been rifled twice! Then the fun began, trying to get through to somebody (anybody) who could sort out the mess. After 3 HOURS of going through umpteen levels of "press 1 for this, 2 for that" etc only to have line go dead at the fifth level I decided to use the online chat process. That lasted 20 minutes and eventually I was advised that a refund was being organised and I was given a case number and instructions to leave it for 24 hours and then ring and ask for the refund!

24 hours later I checked the email that had confirmed my case number and, guess what, the telephone number was the US support number and no use to me whatsoever (it seems that somehow I have both UK and US logins for Adobe and there is no 'tie-up' between the accounts.

I then had to go through the 0800 sales line in the UK and after hearing 3 separate ring tones it was obvious that I was no longer connected to the UK support team and I had to explain all over again. The case number (remember that from earlier?) seemed to be of little help as I had to go through the "what's your login etc" all over again.

48 hours on I have received a number of emails saying that I have "a case number outstanding and that if I need help I can call 800-xxx-xxx (yep, the US number again) and a further email saying that the refund has been processed! All I can do now is wait for the money to appear in my account.

Come on Adobe, let's have some logic back in the system and if it's UK support let's have a consistent UK response and UK phone numbers that don't then divert all over the world (or, if it IS going to divert then make sure the agents give responses that are relevant to the country from which the support request originated.

There, rant over and I feel a bit better already!

[joanns414]

Feeling your pain, as I'm sure anybody seeking help through Adobe does. First of all, if customer service was a priority for Adobe, you would not have had to make a second call. It should have been taken care of for you. I understand waiting for both of the charges to show up in order to refund one, but that shouldn't have been your responsiblity. The first person you called should have assured you that you would receive a confirmation of the refund within 24 hours.

Adobe just doesn't get it or they don't care. I'm sure it's a cost issue. However, doesn't it make more sense to have quality people handling the issue on the first call rather than have an issue continue with several different people over several hours of frustrating conversations until the customer gets so frustrated they write their story on social media and send a complaint to the better business bureau and write a letter to the company president to finally get your issue resolved. Seems to me, getting it right the first time would save Adobe a lot of money.

[paul campagna]

I don't want to rehash my details, but when I  spoke with "chat" the very first thing I did was give a "case number" - from that, they should be able to get all the information they need. RIGHT!?!?!? - well, no.  Why should I have to repeat myself when i gave the info to seven other people and have a case number that gives all the details they need?

[mytaxsite]

disillusioned wrote:

Trying to stay with the thread, in the UK Adobe's customer service is a nightmare. I ordered an update for Lightroom and tried to pay with Paypal. On the system returning me to the Adobe site from Paypal I was informed that 'an error had occurred' and that I should call the Sales Team to complete the purchase. Got through to the sales team and was told "we aren't taking Paypal payments at the moment, just go through the purchasing process again and use a debit/credit card".

When Adobe staff told you that ""we aren't taking PayPal payments at the moment, just go through the purchasing process again and use a debit/credit card".  you should have starlight away logged into your PayPal account and checked the transaction history.  In my experience, PayPal updates the history within 3 seconds of the transaction.

I am from UK as well and I use PayPal quite a lot because I can check the transaction history immediately. 

When you paid by credit card second time without checking on PayPal website was the biggest mistake on your part.  There was no need to pay by credit card if the transaction went through on PayPal account because at that point the onus was on Adobe to cancel it; not you.  The cancellation takes place when your PayPal history shows that the transaction has been canceled.  I can send you copies of how it looks on PayPal account because I have canceled a transaction when dealing with John Lewis.  I paid £299 for a Blu-Ray Recorder only to find that that John Lewis didn't have any in stock but their website wasn't up to date at that point.

I think sometimes some common sense is required from the customer to avoid the problems.  I am not saying that Adobe Customer Service is brilliant;  Far from it but some control on the customer's part is required to avoid any problems.  We are conducting transactions online without looking at the face of the person who we are delaing with so some care is required here from the person making the payment.

[AGF206]

I appreciate the comments but to be honest I am very familiar with Paypal and use it all the time. I knew my Paypal payment had been made because the transaction was completed to the point at which the system returned me to the Adobe website. That is when the error message advised me to contact Sales "TO COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION" (i.e. the one I had just initiated). Surely from that point on it was reasonable for me to infer that the Sales agent would either check whether the transaction (payment) had worked and advise me that the email confirming my purchase and issuing the license key was on its way or, as was the case, tell me to run the purchasing process again (from which it was also reasonable for me to infer that the payment had failed as far as Adobe was concerned and that the transaction would be voided in favour of the new one.)

Actually, focussing on the payment misses the key point which is that Adobe software is fantastic (I have thousands of GBPss worth of it) and that when transactions work first time there is no problem. However, the nature of any problem that occurs is almost an irrelevance because it's how Adobe handles it that matters and the reality is that Adobe's customer service processes are seriously flawed, especially for anybody outside the US.

[XercesCorrupt]

Adobe is a garbage, scummy company run by a garbage, scummy, avaricious people. They DO NOT give one flick about "customer service" - their primary concern is getting your money (and I GUARANTEE YOU, none of their products that take your credit card/payments WILL EVER CRASH, OR EVER FAIL, UNLIKE MOST OF THEIR PRODUCTS.)

Adobe suffers from the CEO culture - the customers are PEONS and idgits to make money off of and are thus inconsequential. They really have no value. Their "Indian connection" (i.e., their customer service) is such a laughable, insulting joke that one can't help but shake his head in disbelief. No one IS RACIST here or any such nonsense at all - the reps seem to be barely able to speak english and their communication skills are EXTREMELY POOR. They don't monitor calls - THEY'RE JUST THERE TO FILL AND ADOBE JUST WANTS TO CAPITALIZE ON THE CHEAP LABOR.

Adobe- I'm done with your products. How dare you disrespect me and my money with such poor service. Good luck with your "cloud...."

[Guest]

Sales do not mean customer satisfaction. In an industry where only Adobe is providing such level of functionality through their softwares, most people have no choice. Not many enterprises are like Pixar or ILM which has the resource to develop their own in house applications.