my experience with Kayako billing dept..gesh

[kykane]

Not a flame. Not trying to call anyone out here. Just my honest experience. Trying to figure out if I'm in the minority here or what in the world is going on.

I have all of the emails and chats saved if anyone wants to see them. This is not fiction.

I am a longime user of the software. It's been good. It's a solid product and it fits the needs of our business well. We launched a new site and wanted to buy another license. I had remembered reading that we could add an addditional domain/license for a discounted fee. So I live chatted with a Kayako rep. I asked him about it. He said that I had to purchase a totally new license at full price. I quized him about it and he said that was the only way to do it. It was impossible to add a license on to my existing one and that I should "use a totally different email address to add this site" and that I "must pay full price". I asked him if that was the only way. He said. Yes, this is the only way to add an additional domain and that I had to pay full price for it. I did this.

Then a day later I went back to the site... and found, of course the area on the site that says you can add another domain for 49. This is unavailable in the actual account manager. I was upset. I figured the rep was uninformed.

I talked to them and they said this was an error and that I was told something that was not true by the sales rep. They said that they would credit me back right away. I waited. 1 day... 2...3. So I contacted them again. They said they were "working on it".... then I emailed them all of the correspondence and proof. They said that the refund would be done in the next 4 hours. 4 days... 5 days... I contacted them again. same story.. "in the next 4 hours it will be refunded"... 6 days. Talk to the same "manager" he says it was an error and that it will be credited asap. 7 days... same issue. we're now on 8 days. every time I contact them they say the billing department is unavailable. They say the manager handling my case is "in a meeting". They promise to issue a refund and then don't.

The run around over and over. Is this pretty much par for the course for these guys? Has anyone else had such a nightmare with them? I don't know that I've ever been treated so poorly by a software company ever... and yes, I've dealt with a ton of them.

I'm worried now though... something is definately fishy.
Can anyone enlighten me? I'm hoping that they are just slow... and not trying take me for a ride.

I can't get anyone to tell me what's going on over there... turning to the forums for some help.. anyone?

[kykane]

update... just talked to them AGAIN. Same story... "oh, we are looking into it" "it will be done today, we assure you."

Uh... something tells me that something is fishy here.
I really am worried if I'll ever get that credit from them.

Anyone else experience the same nightmare scenario?

[murugan]

I havent heard such bad things so far.

Even i bought my second licence for $49.00 couple of months back.

[supportskins]

I suggest you contact Varun at varun AT kayako.com. I am sure he will help you out with the refund.

[Varun Shoor]

Hi,
I have talked with Raghav in this regard and he will be posting you an update shortly.

Regards,

Varun Shoor

[kykane]

I did finally get a resolution to this issue. I wanted to post and let all know that it was resolved. It was quite an ordeal to get it back... but they did finally credit my account.

I don't know why I was told in the first place that there is "no way to add an additional license" and that the only way to get it on another domain "is to purchase a totally new version at full price"....

It just makes me wonder if that is what they tell you if they think you might not know about the discount? I don't know... probably an innocent mistake (by an uninformed sales rep), but it sure was annoying and it cost me hours and hours of time trying to get someone to respond and resolve the issue.

Glad it's behind me, that's for sure.,,,and thanks for gettin it resolved....finally!

[Evan W.]

I have had the same problem, only I've been waiting for 3 months.

I wanted to purchase a new yearly leased license to use along with the monthly lease that I used. I did not realize that it was an upgrade, and my monthly license was supposed to be cancelled.

However, I was billed both $270 for the upgrade, and then 4 months of $29.95 for the eSupport monthly lease that I used to have. I have had no way of logging into and cancelling the lease through WorldPay, so I asked them to cancel it last month. However, I was billed again a couple days ago. So that brings the total owed to me to $389.80.

As of right now both supposed licenses are not being used and I am still being charged for it. I have been talking with support since August 13th about this issue and they gave me the same run around with the "5 days, this weekend, 6 days, 4 days" day after day. I have 3 support tickets open, have been on live help with them just about every day for the last month, and have emailed Raghav Arora twice about the issue, and the refund still has not gone through.

I am completely and utterly disgusted with how Kayako has treated me as a customer, especially since I have been using them for a couple years and as a matter of fact, still have a license that I bought through MBLicenses.com that has nothing to do with this situation.

I'm not sure whether I will renew my lease through MBLicenses next year when it expires because I am in awe as to how I've been cheated for the last 4 months.

If I don't get this situation sorted out very soon I am going to have to start taking it to the next level with legal attention.

[kykane]

I suggest that you contact your credit card company and file a chargeback. Most times, you'll get a credit within 48 hours (as long as you can show them documentation)... and Kayako will get hit with a surcharge just for having the chargeback filed against them. That is there to keep them from routinely doing this to customers. The cc company is there to protect you, and they will.

Thankfully, my situation was resolved here a day before I filed the chargeback. It did take hours and hours and days of complaining and wrangling etc. I saved all correspondence, and I would suggest that you should do the same.

I'm not sure if this company is negligent, or if they like to hold on to your cash for as long as possible and use it for whatever they want while you are waiting. Either way, it's not fair to the customer.

I should warn you. If you wait too long to file the chargeback, the cc company won't let you (time varies per cc company). You are still within the allowed range, or course, but make sure you either get a refund from them today, or file a chargeback in the next 48 hours. That will certainly solve the problem and I have no doubt that you'll get the refund asap from Visa/MC/AM or whomever.

best of luck to you.

I'm sorry you're having to go through the same nightmare.

[Raghav Arora]

The refund has been issued. The reason for the delays also includes the problem that Evan's email got stuck in the spam folder and I was not able to provide him the timely updates.

Any refund related issues can be marked at raghav.arora[at]kayako.com and I will answer them as soon as possible.

[kykane]

They actually claimed the same "glitch" with my issue:

"The reason for the delays also includes the problem that Evan's email got stuck in the spam folder and I was not able to provide him the timely updates."


I'm not saying that it didn't happen. It could explain the long delays in both cases... but, much of my correspondence was actually done through live chat (so, I'm sure they got it).

I really like the Kayako software. These guys are innovative and they know how to build slick stuff... but the billing department needs some work.

For reference, the Credit Card companies are there to protect you from similar issues. A chargeback is the last line of defence, but it can be used if you keep getting ignored repeatedly by the staff.

I would check with Visa/Mastercard, but I believe that the merchant is required to refund your $ within a window of a few days (48 hours?) once the problem has been called to their attention. It's against visa/mc/amex rules and regulations to hold a credit due for a lengthy period of time. Admitedly, I'm not clear on the exact rules, but I know that there are guidelines that merchants need to follow.

If they hold your funds for more than a few days, you have a legitimate gripe.

I trust the Kayako will get better. And hopefully, the service will match the software soon.

[Varun Shoor]

Originally Posted by kykane

They actually claimed the same "glitch" with my issue:

"The reason for the delays also includes the problem that Evan's email got stuck in the spam folder and I was not able to provide him the timely updates."


I'm not saying that it didn't happen. It could explain the long delays in both cases... but, much of my correspondence was actually done through live chat (so, I'm sure they got it).

I really like the Kayako software. These guys are innovative and they know how to build slick stuff... but the billing department needs some work.

For reference, the Credit Card companies are there to protect you from similar issues. A chargeback is the last line of defence, but it can be used if you keep getting ignored repeatedly by the staff.

I would check with Visa/Mastercard, but I believe that the merchant is required to refund your $ within a window of a few days (48 hours?) once the problem has been called to their attention. It's against visa/mc/amex rules and regulations to hold a credit due for a lengthy period of time. Admitedly, I'm not clear on the exact rules, but I know that there are guidelines that merchants need to follow.

If they hold your funds for more than a few days, you have a legitimate gripe.

I trust the Kayako will get better. And hopefully, the service will match the software soon.

We are always trying to improve the entire process, We will be moving our billing staff to 24/7 Live Chat starting first week of december and then eventually to phone support when that starts.

If you have any more suggestions then do let us know.

Thanks!

Regards,

Varun Shoor

[Evan W.]

I did receive a refund for the year's lease, but have yet to receive $119.80 for the 4 months of the monthly lease.

Will let everyone know when this is finally over with.

[Evan W.]

Still waiting for the other lease refunds. I will file a chargeback tomorrow if I do not receive a refund.

[eddconnect]

Its been almost a month an no refund. They keep saying it will happen in 24 hours and the it never does. For the past 2 weeks they weill not even respond to any of my emails. I would hate to think that I have a good product and had the worst support I have ever seen. Having a good product will get youa few years in business. If you have decent customer service you can make it a lifetime. The product is a very small part of the overall business life. I am now having to fight my credit card charges. No product and no refund. So basically I suppose you could say they stole my money. Buyer beware

[Raghav Arora]

Originally Posted by eddconnect

Its been almost a month an no refund. They keep saying it will happen in 24 hours and the it never does. For the past 2 weeks they weill not even respond to any of my emails. I would hate to think that I have a good product and had the worst support I have ever seen. Having a good product will get youa few years in business. If you have decent customer service you can make it a lifetime. The product is a very small part of the overall business life. I am now having to fight my credit card charges. No product and no refund. So basically I suppose you could say they stole my money. Buyer beware

Can you please send me your issue at raghav.arora[at]kayako.com and I will update you as soon as possible.