Magic Jack Customer Support

The BBQ Pit
1

We got a message that our Magic Jack account needed to be renewed which we did. It did not activate the account. The following is a transcript of a ridiculous support chat in which they didn’t seem to have ANY correct information:
Please wait for a site operator to respond.
All operators are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. An operator will be with you shortly.
All operators are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. An operator will be with you shortly.
All operators are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. An operator will be with you shortly.
All operators are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. An operator will be with you shortly.
You are not currently in a chat session.
All operators are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. An operator will be with you shortly.
You are now chatting with ‘Rena’
Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK554077214425X
Rena: Hello, how may I help you?
louis: can’t use phone… i just renew my subscription.help i need somebody!!!
louis: r u there
Rena: I’m sorry to hear tha.
Rena: Since when you have been experiencing such problems?
louis: as of now
Rena: Okay, I see.
louis: can u please activate the number?
Rena: Do you have the device right now?
louis: yes
Rena: Please plug in the device to the computer so that we can fix that.
louis: It was plugged in, but we did it again
Rena: Do you see a dial pad on your screen?
louis: Yes
Rena: Thank you for that.
Rena: May I have the phone number please?
louis: When we try a number it says "a phone number on your magic jack has expired
louis: 818 478 5009
Rena: Thank you for patiently waiting.
Rena: As I double checked here in our database, your custom number was expired.
louis: we renewed with order number TS19956420
Rena: Yes you are correct, as I checked here you renewed already. However, the one that you renewed was for the service, I would like to inform you that custom numbers has an annual fee.
louis: It is not a custom number. It was assigned when we got the jack.
Rena: Please wait while I check that for you
Rena: Thank you for patiently waiting.
Rena: As I double checked here, you purchased a custom number on this date 09/24/2009 with an order number TS01725428 and the number was (818) 478-5009.
louis: We never did. It was assigned. We have no need for a custom number.
Rena: I’m sorry but the transaction was made here in our database.
Rena: For your convenience, you can renew the custom number for $3, you can make that through logging in to your account.
louis: For your convenience, you can assign us another number that is not custom.
Rena: One moment please…
Rena: I’m sorry to keep you waiting, I’m sorry but the assigning of free numbers are only available during registration of the device.
louis: We have had the device for three years and never paid for a custom number before, and we are quite certain we did not order one in the first place. What kind of custom number is 478 5009? It is a non custom number that was assigned to us by you.
Rena: I am transferring you to one of our top 10% agents as rated by our customers. Please hold while I transfer you.
Please wait while I transfer the chat to the best suited site operator.
You are now chatting with ‘Jessamae’
Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK554077214425X
Jessamae: Hi Louis.
louis: Hi
Jessamae: Please give me a few moments to review your previous conversation, thank you.
Jessamae: One moment please…
Jessamae: Thank you for waiting. as I have checked it here, you did renew your magicjack device licence and purchase a magicjack device… but you still not yet renew your U.S. Phone Number - Custom (818) 478-5009. Are you still login to your magicjack account?
louis: Yes. It is NOT a custom number.
Jessamae: it is Louis, because you did choose to select your own last 4 digit number for only $3
louis: We are quite certain we did not select a custom number. We have no use for it, and as a matter of normal practice, we do not pay extra for any extras of frills on any business we do. The object of using your service was to save money, not spoend extra.
Jessamae: You can check that in your magicjack account.
Jessamae: are you still login to your magicjack account?
louis: ye3s
Jessamae: okay,
Jessamae: Please click on Phone Numbers tab
louis: Yes and…
Jessamae: then click “Add a Year” below the Number Status Expired 09/24/2010
louis: We already added a year. Nothing on your site makes sense. We used the phone YESTERDAY. Why would it say expired 09/24/2010?
Jessamae: as I have stated above, you did renew your magicjack device licence which is now License Expires: 09/24/2013 and purchase a magicjack device,.
louis: We tried to use the phone today, and it said that we needed to renew. Yesterday it worked. Why would the expiration be 09/24/2012? It makes no snese at all.
louis: And it seems that we renewed already a few months ago.
Jessamae: You may check that in your magicjack account
louis: I don’t see where.
Jessamae: Thank you for waiting. I’ll be with you in just a moment.
Jessamae: I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll be right with you.
Jessamae: Please click Phone numbers tab
louis: Yes.
Jessamae: then in there notice that your Device Status “A92105040501E3”
Jessamae: magicJack
Jessamae: Expires 10/11/2012
Jessamae: and your Number Status Expired 07/07/2011
louis: It doesn’t say any of that.
louis: It says device number “A92103000343C4”
Jessamae: I will be right with you.
Jessamae: I will be right with you.
Jessamae: yes
Jessamae: and that is your magicjack number…
Jessamae: you can see the option Number Status Expired 07/07/2011 right?
louis: No. Not right.
louis: It says expired 09/24/2010 which is ridiculous because it was working YESTERDAY.
louis: “A92103000343C4” magicJack Renews 09/24/2013 Add Year(s) (818) 478-5009 U.S. Phone Number - Custom Expired 09/24/2010 Add a Year
Jessamae: Oh, sorry for that, I made a mistake…
louis: And again, it makes no sense at all, as the phone was working yesterday.
Jessamae: Please be aware that we allow you to use your number for free from 09/24/2010 until yesterday Louis… because Custom number will be charged yearly, however you were not charged before and did not have any charge after a year .
Jessamae: We were late in charging for the number you selected and you were charged now instead.
louis: We never selected a number. It was assigned to us.
Jessamae: I believe that I have already provided you all the information needed; I would like to ask permission to end this conversation with you. Thank you.
Since we haven’t heard from you, we must release this chat. Please click here should you need further assistance: Live Chat | Help

At that point the tech couldn’t handle the truth and dumped us. Fuck Magic Jack.

2

Do you think there might be a language barrier here? You think? :slight_smile:

3

You were chatting with a bot.

Your problem does not compute.

If you ever “chat” again, with them or any other tech support ask them where they are and the current temperature where they are. Ask them if they are into sports. A bot won’t answer but steer you back to its prepared script.

4

So I guess we all have your phone number now?

5

Actually this is my neighbor’s phone. And we may be cancelling the service, if they can’t resolve this clusterfuck.

6

A bot with poor English? Seemed like people to me.

7

It’s a person, and they failed the Turing test.

8

“For your convenience, you can assign us another number that is not custom.”

LOL.

(FWIW, my assumption is that this sort of thing is a bot/human hybrid: ie. a person responding to many chats at once with prespecified messages. No actual bot could be near this coherent, but the human obviously didn’t have time to understand or care about the problem.)

9

Nice.

10

And using a script that requires them to preface every second sentence with “Thank you for patiently waiting.” Maddening.

11

I understand that you are concerned that we are using a script that requires us to preface every second sentence with “Thank you for patiently waiting,” and that you find that maddening? I will be happy to assist you today. For security purposes, may I have your maternal great aunt’s inseam size on May 17, 1957?

12

Why are you chatting with MagicJack about a neighbor’s phone?

13

Eliza, is that you?

14

And why would he be cancelling the neighbor’s service, for that matter.

15

all make perfect sense to me. they want more money.

16

Aint magic, Jack!

17

If you can manage to keep one of their agents occupied all day, at least you’ll have cost them $3 in wages.

Assuming it’s a supervisor.

18

I don’t think it’s anyone’s number now.

19

But I could shell out $3 to make it mine!

20

Is chat the only way you can contact a customer service rep? This alone would be a reason I would never use this company. Don’t they have a contact phone number?

I once had a problem with my TiVo and got absolutely nowhere with a half-hour web chat. When I finally picked up the phone and called them, the issue was resolved in about 5 minutes.