Having Problems With Skype Technical Or Customer Service? Use Twitter And, Well, Skype
A lot of Consumerist readers use Skype. (I mostly use it to call my cell phone when I can't find it, but I also use SkypeIn for my business line.) Many of said readers, such as George, have technical or billing problems with Skype, but can't get a response out of the Web-based customer support system. What should they do?
Peter, who runs the English-language Share Skype blog, has a Twitter account. You can contact him for help when the regular support channels aren't working quickly enough for you. His Skype ID, as well as those of other employees, is available at the blog.
Share Skype (English) [skype.com]
Peter at Skype [Twitter]
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Comments:
Skype to find my cell phone?! Genius!!
@calquist: Buying $10 in Skype credit was cheaper than a land line and easier than e-mailing my friends and asking them to call me.
I tried their web based support once for a minor issue. After about 2 weeks I received a response that basically told me to re-install. This of course did not resolve the problem, and subsequent help requests were ignored. I will have to give this a try.
As for the problem, it's really just more of an annoyance. I have a SkypeOut Unlimited account, but the client (on multiple computers) still tells me that I need to purchase SkypeOut Credits. I can still make SkypeOut calls, I just get the error message.
You should also publish the executive email address.
If you use Skype mostly to make phone calls, I suggest switching to MagicJack. You plug it into your computer, plug in the phone, and call anywhere in the USA and Canada for free. Take it with you to other countries and as long as you can connect to a high speed internet you can call any phone back in the USA and Canada for free. If someone else has one you can call each other any time anywhere in the world. It has one button 911 and can forward the calls to your cell phone or other phone if you want.
I have been using mine for over a year and am glad I got it. It only costs $40 to get it and $20 per year (not month) after that. They give you a 30 day free trial. I am guessing that eventually all calls will be cell or through computers. Customer support is great too.
So I've had a skype account for a while, but I just created an account for calling meatspace lines. Skype's advertised billing rates are not in line with reality.
Example - calling the US, advertised at 2.1c/minute, a 7 minute call cost me 30 cents. A text message to a US phone, advertised as costing 11.2 cents, billed at 22.
Not much money, but this is my first foray into skype, and I'd like to see it work properly. I'm afraid I won't see much of a quick response, which is a shame, because if it billed as advertised, I'd use it a lot more.
Why should I have to use Twitter or a blog to get support for something I pay for. Free sofrware I use for my blog has better email support than Skype.
I ended up suing them because they simply could not or would not understand that I wanted the money back I had not authorized them to take from me through PayPal.
They do respond to a summons. They can be reached through their registered agent which may be obtained from the California Secretary of State.
Give me a shout on Skype (peterparkes) and I'll investigate - sorry you had a bad experience with our customer support team.
@AldenMarburger: If you don't have a subscription, all calls are subject to a small connection fee - in addition, all calls are subject to VAT (value added tax) at 15%.
At the time of writing, calls to US landlines outside of Alaska are $0.024 US per minute, with a $0.045 US connection fee. So, your 7 minute call should cost approximately 21 cents, and an SMS to a US number approximately 13 cents.
Could you let me know your Skype name so I can check your account?
Skype customer service? What is that? I have given up on them. I could not make any outgoing calls, even though I had an active account no one could find me via Skype search using my profile name, email account or full name. I contacted customer service several times and all I got were canned responses that had nothing to do with the problems I had. Three times and the same three canned replies. I finally told them to forget it and refund my money. They said sure send us your last invoice. I did, and got an email telling me sorry we can't refund your money. This was from their email "We kindly like to draw you attention to the fact that accoring to our Terms of Service we are unable to refund orders which have already been used up or which payment period are not in due." I have credit but can anyone tell me what the last part of that quote is supposed to mean? "..or which payment period are not in due."????
The worst take a pass on Skype.
Excellent work, Laura and Consumerist!