Any suggestions welcome ... BEYOND frustrated!

[pmb65]

After HOURS on hold and having to type and re-type my issue to Customer Service (because nobody seemed to read an email thread) ... I finally sent the following letter to John <removed >@ PayPal HQ. I was hoping I would hear something from him, rather than to continue wasting my time regurgitating this story over and over ... all for $69.99. This was sent on May 24th and once again ... I have been ignored! I realize this isn't a lot of money, but it's the principle that still irks the heck out of me. Anyone out there have an idea on how I can go about getting MY MONEY back. A magic wand, maybe?  

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Dear Mr. Rainey:

I am writing to you for two reasons. One is out of sheer frustration. The other is because if I were in your shoes, I would want to know when a customer has had an avoidable experience which has left such a negative impact on her/him. You are the lucky winner because as noted on the PayPal website, “John is also responsible for leading the company’s Global Customer Operations team and guiding PayPal’s efforts to deliver on its promise of offering great services and experiences through its customer service centers around the world.”

Unfortunately, my challenge started on February 26th and I didn’t throw in the towel until today. Out of respect for your time, I will spare you (and a tree) from a printout of all the correspondence. For your convenience, I have provided a summarized recap below. I realize this may be tiresome for those of you reviewing it; however, imagine being in my shoes as the customer who has had to experience it. I am really hoping someone in your office can take the time to understand my frustration and help put an end to it.

• 2/26/18 ~ Microsoft deducted $69.99 from my PayPal account (and old email address) for a software license I no longer own.
• 2/27/18 ~ I disputed the charge and PayPal was kind enough to credit my account.
• 3/19/18 ~ PayPal debited my account and informed me that I would need to take up my dispute with Microsoft.
• 3/25/18 ~ Microsoft found in my favor and credited my account (and old email address) the $69.99.
• 4/22/18 ~ I reached out to PayPal and asked why the credit hadn’t posted to my account. I provided the correspondence received from Microsoft, including my case number.
• 4/22/18 ~ In short order, PayPal responded with an automated message explaining where I could find my refund.
• 4/22/18 ~ Being a fairly resourceful customer, I had already taken these steps. I explained that the refund hasn’t been recorded. I then mentioned my old email address and asked if that could be causing the confusion.
• Customer Service responded and informed me they didn’t see any record of my dispute with PayPal.
• 4/23/18 ~ I responded and reiterated that my dispute was with Microsoft.
• Customer Service responded and requested additional details regarding the transaction.
• 4/26/18 ~ I responded by copying the email I received from Microsoft, complete with case #. I also requested they research my old email address.
• 5/1/18 ~ I emailed Customer Service again, once again repeating all the pertinent facts.
• Customer Service responded with the automated message … again … proving they hadn’t read any of the email thread.
• 5/1/18 ~ I responded and asked them to read the thread.
• Customer Service responded requesting the transaction id.
• 5/2/18 ~ Once again, I copied the information provided to me by Microsoft.
• Customer Service responded, mentioning that they would add my old email address to my account.
• 5/7/18 ~ After checking the website … and not seeing the refund … I reached out again and requested status.
• Martin from Customer Service reached out and told me that since the payment was sent to my old email address over a month and a half ago, it was canceled due to being unclaimed after 30-days. He indicated a courtesy email would be sent to Microsoft requesting they refund the amount to my current email address.
• 5/7/18 ~ I requested to be advised when this had been completed.
• Roy from Customer Service responded and advised me to contact Microsoft directly.
• 5/8/18 ~ I responded and informed Roy that I had reached out to Microsoft, twice. I requested that PayPal make the call at this point.
• Sathya from Customer Service responded and requested I contact PayPal from my old email ID.
• 5/8/18 ~ I responded, informing them I had long-since closed that account and asked why Microsoft so easily debited my account under the old email address but PayPal can’t make this right under my current one. This is NOT a NEW account … it’s an account UPDATED with a new email address.
• 5/22/18 ~ I requested information on who I could resource for escalation.
• Roopa from Customer Service responded and requested I call Customer Service directly, following online steps to obtain a passcode.
• 5/23/18 ~ I responded explaining that I did call on the 22nd. I spoke with a lovely person named Colleen who placed me on hold. After 49-minutes, at least 20 of which I was on the line without any communication, I hung up. I expressed my anger and frustration and told Customer Service I want MY money back even if it has to come from PayPal directly.
• Martin from Customer Service sent an email informing me I would receive a call from management within 24-48 hours.
• Nathan, a PayPal Manager, called me the same afternoon. Unfortunately, I was working and couldn’t answer the phone. He left me a message to call the 800# if I still need assistance. <HEAVY SIGH>
• 5/24/18 ~ I called the Nebraska number registered from Nathan’s incoming call and was immediately back into the black hole of Customer Service. The young man who answered was very helpful and kind … but when he put me on hold to transfer my call … I was once again left on hold for 10-minutes. I hung up. I’m done wasting my time on this issue … it has cost me far more than $69.99 and my employer doesn’t pay me to sit on the phone with PayPal.

I realize this has been quite an endeavor to recover a relatively nominal amount of money. That said, it’s the principal of it that really chaps my behind. Many of your customers have much less time and limited resources and an experience like this would be very difficult for them.

Refund aside, your Customer Service personnel are great. The response time to an email is fantastic. But somewhere the process is broken. Too many scripted responses, not enough ‘listening’ to the customer and by the time I finally had someone who ‘got it’ … it was too late and they threw the responsibility back to me, the customer.  

I hope you can refund my account. I also hope this feedback can assist PayPal in refining the customer experience.

Sincerely,