disappointed with the support system and how it's handled

[OptimusBain]

Hello everyone,

I thought a couple of times about the possibility of not writing this message, but I finally made up my mind, and I am doing it.

I am paying IPS for support. I need them to support me because there are many times where I just can't fix something, I find a bug, I report an issue that I just can't fix, not even my webmaster. I am happy to pay for that extra help.

However, the guys at IPS have decided to change the way support tickets are created.

1. It no longer is possible to send an email with the ticket.
2. There is no option (I couldn't find any) in my Client Area to see an archive of all support tickets opened, not even the newest ones. Maybe there is such an option, but I just can't find it. It should be easy to locate it
3. The new support ticket in the client area DOES NOT have an option to upload screenshots and documents. How am I supposed to report a problem in detail if there is no option to upload images/documents?
4. I am not receiving any email with a ticket number that I can refer to if I want to add something or reply. No archive in the client area either.

And on top of this... I was NOT informed by IPS that the support system was going to change. I am a paying customer paying for this extra service, and they didn't even send me a simple email. A simple email saying, "Our support ticket feature will change from Date X. Please read this article or watch this video to learn how to create a new support ticket".

It's a very simple thing. I created a couple of tickets in the client area because I have an important issue with duplicate payments. It is a bug in the system. Nobody contacted me. No reply from them in 10 days and I'm getting more and more complaints.

It's as if they were doing this on purpose and auto-sabotaging their business since they are not treating their loyal customers the way they should, not even sending them an email with updates.

Yes, IPS explains what they are going to do next in the community blog. They announce this and that feature many won't use (like badges), instead of focusing on very simple concepts and ideas to keep loyal clients. It's like having a relative at the hospital and not being informed of the patient's progress personally.

I want to be informed of what's happening or what will happen to a service that I'm paying for. You just cannot change the policy and how it works without letting your clients. That's a basic 101 customer support policy.

Support has helped me a LOT. I am not saying that they aren't helping. Understand me. The software is a piece of art. It's great. But I am not happy with how they manage it, how they report, and often the type of answer they are giving me.

They always blame "others" before blaming themselves for a potential bug that I've found. It's as if it was my fault for having a buggy feature. It's not my fault, maybe I am missing something, or the feature is not explained correctly. It could obviously be my fault, and sometimes it's been the case. But others, I've reported a bug, and they told me that it was "my fault", I repeatedly insisted, until they finally agreed. 

Right now, there is a critical bug or problem with the payment system. This is essential for anyone monetizing the community. 

Renewal payments are duplicated. My clients are charged twice every month, with PayPal or Stripe.

What did they tell me? Initially that it was my problem, then I insisted, and they agreed that there was a problem. It's been a few weeks, and the problem is still there.

Recurrent payments with a renewal fee smaller than the initial price

ACP allows you to create such a membership. Let's say, charge $100 as the initial price and then $50 a month. The feature is there. It does NOT work. It will not work. I reported it, and they said that it was not possible. So, if this feature is not possible, why is it even available? You are telling me that IPS creates functionalities and that they do not test all the combinations.. Ooops sorry, that precise combination of this feature is available but it just doesn't work. You are not warned, you deploy it and you are f***.

ACP should not allow you to create such a plan if it's buggy and it doesn't work. It will let you do it. I warned them, nothing has been done. I even asked them, "hey, add a message in the product creation process where at least you show a warning about this feature. If someone wants to do that, warn him! Otherwise, they will end up like me with failed payments, duplicate payments and losing clients. 

There has been a couple of updates, and these problems have not been solved. The suggestions have not been accepted. However, they keep on adding features instead of fixing and improving the ones that are already available. They want to add more and more features. Yes, some of them are great. But what about something as simple as making the payments and renewals WORK?

They also blamed PayPal for not processing renewal correctly, that PayPal is charging the renewal fee whenever they want. Again, they were blaming someone else, not accepting that there was a problem or a bug. I've used vBulletin and amember software for payments for 8 years. I did not have a single issue with renewals, neither with Stripe nor with Paypal. But they told me that the problem lies with PayPal. That cannot be true. Why? Because I would have had similar issues in renewals charges in 8 years, but I had ZERO issues with renewals. There is definitely a problem with the way IPS is handling some of these issues. They are not being fixed.

Hopefully, someone will hear me out and help fix these critical issues because I am losing clients. I've reported the problems. These problems should exist for any other client, not only me.

Thanks a lot

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by OptimusBain

[Marc]

Someone will respond to this as soon as possible. We will need to go through your support items first of all to see what has been happening before we respond. Just wanted to reply to ensure you are aware this has indeed been seen

[Charles]

Soooooo in reviewing your feedback I discovered that I had broken submitting email requests via the Client Area for some clients 😞

I can see why you would be upset about the setup because you were not getting confirmations properly.

If you could try submitting a request again, it should work now and you will also get confirmation emails.

[Core4D]

So support is now only for clients who are paying additional $$ for support?

[Jim M]

1 minute ago, Core4D said:

So support is now only for clients who are paying additional $$ for support?

Support is still available for all. Just how you obtain support has changed. Support will be available via our support forum and is completely staffed by our support team. You can submit a topic as you previously submitted a ticket with an issue. We have the ability to transfer your topic to a ticket for items which need to be escalated or warrant it. So far though, things are going great on the forum 🙂 

Our priority support is available for purchase which does include email support, along with same-business-day response time and software upgrades performed by us.

[OptimusBain]

16 hours ago, Jim M said:

Support is still available for all. Just how you obtain support has changed. Support will be available via our support forum and is completely staffed by our support team. You can submit a topic as you previously submitted a ticket with an issue. We have the ability to transfer your topic to a ticket for items which need to be escalated or warrant it. So far though, things are going great on the forum 🙂 

Our priority support is available for purchase which does include email support, along with same-business-day response time and software upgrades performed by us.

Thanks a lot. But I've not had ANY reply from you regarding very basic things like:

1. I am paying for the priority support. A) How do I upload a screenshot, image or documents? There is no possibility

2. How can I see a list of the latest support requests on my client area? I can't find it. I have to add new documentation to the problems I am having and I can't find my tickets history, nor can I upload any image 😞 How is that even possible? I have always been told by IPS email support that I should avoid duplicating support requests. And now I can't even see my tickets history support or add new things to any of the opened ones 😞

I am having problems with payments, you know that. It's a bug in the system, or lack of a certain functionality. I've had to do a partial refund to some members and once these refunds are done, members will lose access to the community and their user group changed to member, thus, losing access 😞 😞 😞 That's crazy, it's even worst. And I cannot add it to the opened support tickets because there is not (at least I couldn't find it) an archive of opened/closed tickets nor the possibility of uploading an image to a suppor ticket.

Do you think that this is normal? I mean, no way to see a history of all the tickets, and even worst, NO possibility to upload an image or document to explain the problem?

Its surreal 😞 See screenshot attached. I made half a refund to the client and he lost access. I have had to manually edit his user group to let me in again. Once I do this, the recurrent payments will stop working correctly because I've done manual user group change. But if I don't, then the client won't be able to access the community. It's a loop. Problem after problem. And I cannot even add this to my support tickets because I cannot find them or upload an image, and I have to do it over here 😞

 

[Jim M]

I apologize for the delay in someone responding to your concerns/questions. My reply was merely to correct the confusion from other members stemming from this topic. Someone will be with you as soon as they can to address your concerns.

[Charles]

Email support is just normal email like you would send anyone else. They are not “tickets” (though sometimes that word is used) they are just email conversations.

Your history is in your email client or provider just as it is with the rest of your emails.

If you are unsure on the status of an email conversation you have going with us, just reply and ask for an update.

You can attach files to an email reply you send us just like any other email you send.