<H3><U>Business not wanted</U></H3> <DIV ALIGN=CENTER><FONT FACE=HELVETICA ARIAL SIZE=+3><B>Technical support is great, <BR>Customer support is not</B></FONT></DIV>

 

It's a funny thing: a company with which I want to do business has an excellent and responsive technical support group.

But its Customer Service group must be non-existent.

The company is netTALK, located "down the street" from my address. It markets a product called the DUO VoIP device.

I'm interested in, and have "bugged" netTALK's tech support folks about the company's netTALK DUO WiFi. All my questions, submitted via email, were answered in good time.

But I can't seem to order the product.

The netTALK equipment seems to be the most economical device to do what I want done: a wireless network that includes

1. Modem and wireless router
2. Wireless VoIP adapter
3. Corded (POTS) phone connected by wire to the adapter (#2)
4. Cordless base unit (in kitchen)
5. Cordless extension in the home office

The problem

Ordering the DUO WiFi VoIP adapter on line (online? on-line?) requires a credit card. I have one I use for on line purposes.

When I tried to use it with netTALK, the vendor's computer kept telling me the address for the card and the billing address I entered were at odds.

I tried a couple of times then gave up.

I tried again the following day. Same results, same message. I sent an email to netTALK Customer Support. So far, no answer.

I tried calling netTALK's number - the Live Chat was off line at the time.

I got the usual recorded Push this button for … The button for Customer Service routed me to an announcement to try Live Chat.

The following (third) day Live Chat showed it was on line. I tried it. After 3 minutes I gave up and sent a second email to Customer Support. Still no answer.

MEANWHILE, I ordered a product from a different merchant using the same card; that purchase went through without a problem. The suggestion now is that netTALK's computer hiccupped - repeatedly. (Is it just me or are all prospective customers blocked from buying?)

netTALK brags about its TECHNICAL SUPPORT with numerous customer testimonials, and that's encouraging. But if I can't get CUSTOMER support's attention, how can I order the VoIP adapter in the first place?

Customer support in general - not just netTALK, but many other organizations as well - seems almost non-existent. If I was trying to sell product, believe me, I would make it VERY easy for a person to contact customer service, and I would make certain that Customer Service provided service.

Maybe netTALK's building "down the road" is just a façade; the tech support folks live elsewhere.

Funny way to run a business.