Posted on 07/19/2006 10:24:02 AM PDT by ShadowAce
The way to get rid of AOL is to state firm but token intent to cancel until the point that they offer you a month (or however long) free in order to try them out a bit longer. Then, take them up on that and call back in two weeks to cancel anyhow. It'll be very quick the second time around.
AOL thinks of customers the way the government thinks of taxpayers, except that you can't opt out of paying taxes.
thanks
bump
I had one experience with AOL. I had to work on the bosses computer, it had crashed because of installing AOL. I removed the offending file and called AOL support to see if they had a fix.
From what I can tell, at that time, they had their call queue set up to automatically drop calls after the queue got to a certain size. I was never able to get through to their tech support.
Nothing like crappy customer service on top of crappy software.
A couple of years back I did the free 30-days offer from AOL so that we would have Internet access at the beach. When I got home and tried to cancel, the phone call took me 45 minutes.
Fortunately I've now found a company that provides dialup for the week.
All your Interweb are belong to AOL.
[Follow-up to On Tape: Rep Won't Let Customer Quit AOL]
We're adding a little something to this month's sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anybody want to see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired
--Glengarry Glen Ross
ouch!
These are the new leads. These are the Glengarry leads. To you, these are gold; you do not get these. Because to give them to you would be throwing them away.
Hmmm. I wonder at which stage "no" is.
My attempt at cancellation went like this:
Me: I'd like to cancel this account.
Rep: No.
Me: What do you mean, no? I want it cancelled!
Rep: No, I'm not going to cancel it.
It was easy for me to ditch AOL. My HD crashed and I didn't want to fix it right away. I called and said my computer was dead. As I recall, they tried to dig for info about when I was going to get a new computer and I simply said I wasn't.
Me: I am calling to see how much I save with my EPP.
Dell: So, what do you use your computer for?
Me: I am just trying to figure out this disount.
Dell: Have any kids? How old?
This went on for 45 minutes and three sales reps before I found out I would save about $20. if I went with the three year warranty.
No thanks Dell, I am going to build my own.
Two things wrong with AOL.
1.Their so-called 'free trial' isn't, if you're not smart enough to understand that YOU must cancel after the trial period or be charged for the service.
2.AOL sucks!
And there is no such thing as a no sale call. A sale is made on every call you make. Either you sell the client some stock or he sells you a reason he can't. Either way a sale is made, the only question is who is gonna close? You or him? Now be relentless, that's it, I'm done.
-- Boiler Room (actually one of Ben Affleck's few decent performances)
I forgot. There is a 3rd thing wrong with them.
3.AOL's installation disk is automatic, and if you don't 'cntr-alt-del' it, then you are signed up and running before you know it.
If it were really a 'free trial' then the option of installation should be yours and the free trial period should 'expire' just like any other software!
It's a catch all that I'm surprised has been outlawed.
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