Weird experiences with live chat lately.

[chayton]

I don't know if it's just me, but the last few times I've had to contact live chat (accredited casinos) it seems like they've farmed out the support to either:

a) high school kids who are too busy playing World of Warcraft to answer or type complete sentences when you do finally contact them, or

b) people who don't speak or understand English, or

c) one person who is chained to a desk on a caffeine IV who has to do support for 18 different casinos all at one time

The exceptions to this have been 3Dice, 32 Red and Belle Rock, which have excellent support via chat.

Last week I had to contact a casino to get my account number. I said, "I need my login name." They said, "We don't use login names here." I said "sorry I mean my account number." They said, "Can you give me your email address and account number?" sigh.

And I had a really bizarre chat with a support person from one casino group yesterday - I contacted them because I closed several casino accounts with the group several years ago and I wanted to reopen one. If this had been 32Red it would have been sorted in less than 5 minutes. But this chat took almost 45 minutes from the time someone finally answered - I type fast and the conversation wasn't that long, but there was a lot of waiting...for nothing as it turns out.

Waiting for available agent...
Found available agent: Brent . You can chat now.

Brent : HI there, a warm welcome to the casino! My name is Brent how may I be of help?

ME: Hi Brent
ME: I used to have accounts at all the *** group but closed all except the *** one
ME: just cause I didn't have enough to play them all
ME: that was oh maybe 2 years ago
ME: I'd like to now reopen my *** account if I can

---a very long wait here, the chat window tried to disconnect me for not doing anything for so long---

ME: still with me Brent?
ME: hellloooooooooo?
Brent : May I have your account number please ?
ME: lol sorry
ME: I have no idea what it was
ME: it was a long time ago
Brent : Email address?
ME: can't you find it using my....(typing at the same time)

---I had to enter this when I started the chat, but...---

ME: yes it's ***@***
Brent : I'll try that
ME: thanks

---short wait---

Brent : where about are you playing from?
ME: Canada
ME: edmonton alberta
ME: in the winter we say alBRRRRRRta
ME: lol
Brent : How far away are you from the U.S border?
Brent : hehehe
Brent : very alberrrrta ;]
ME: I'm about a 5 hour drive from the border
ME: I used to live in arizona
ME: but that was like 7 years ago

---short wait---

Brent : Ah ok
Brent : Luck number 7 :)
ME: lol, not lucky so far
ME: actually though I belong to a forum
ME: online gambling
ME: and lots of players from the US that aren't happy right now
ME: so I'm happy to be here
Brent : ehehe
Brent : that's good
ME: except in the winter
ME: =)

---another minute or so wait---

Brent : Here are our top 5 hot games to get you sorted out ;]
Brent : and yes i am not a fan of the cold hehe]

---another really long wait...several minutes, chat tried to cut me off again---

ME: did you find my account?
Brent : Ye i did
ME: oh good
ME: can you reopen it?
Brent : Lucky Darts; ; Chavin it Large; and
Brent : Spectacular Wheel Of Wealth; Sizzling Scorpions
Brent : and Your Lucky Day
ME: my lucky day if I win on your lucky day
Brent : hahaha yeah hehe
Brent : may I pleqase have your email address?
Brent : Date of birth sorry
ME: Sept 22 1964
ME: lol I typed 1864
Brent : hahaha

---wait---

Brent : For which casino?
ME: sorry what?
ME: were you talking to me or to someone else?
Brent : You
Brent : Yes I see
Brent : I have the *** account, id you used to live in America?
ME: no I opened it when I moved to Canada
ME: I never played online when I lived in the states
ME: I'm trying to reopen my *** account
ME: should I just send an email instead?
Brent : Oh ok, I have the account details however i would need to confirm your name and surname as well as your physical address ;]
Brent : Yes :)
Brent : That would be the best way then you can write a few questions
ME: ok I'll do that instead
ME: thanks very much
Brent : No problem :)
Brent : Will be waiting for your email :)
ME: great thanks again
ME: bye
Brent : You too :)
Brent : All the best
Brent : until we chat again ;]

Is it just me or was that chat weird? I mean I know I was weird, but I'm usually jokey like that, but the guy was weird too, don't you think?

Anyhow...I was just thinking that some people complain about certain casinos lack of online chat - but the support I've been getting from a large percentage of places who DO have chat has left me feeling pretty underwhelmed. They're slow to answer, and when they do answer they leave you hanging, and then most of the time they can't help anyhow.

Or maybe I'm just cranky.

[Nate]

I have used Live Chat at some accredited brands here and the response time is very annoying. You could type 5 lines and wait 2 minutes to get a response. I actually think that they are assisting multiple players at the same time.

Your chat above is an indication that the rep was probably assisting other people and was a bit spaced out... lol.

Nate

[H1_Roller]

I've been getting that sort of thing a lot lately. I just tell them that making me wait is annoying and that I'll go elsewhere.
If, after that, they still make me wait for what should be simple responses I just type "Like this..."

Then I close the chat window, close the casino, and go somewhere else

[secret2]

'Schoooooools out for summer!'

[chayton]

I went back to live chat today and got someone right away - I said, "I want to reopen an account, can you do that?" He said, "You have to contact support via email to do that and here's the address." I said thanks, he said no problem we both said goodbye...it took maybe a minute.

Interestingly enough, I wrote to support via email, got an auto-response AND a response that the account was good to go in less time than it took for the chat yesterday.

But seriously...what's the point of having live chat if the people are too busy to respond or can't help with anything anyhow?