Dear SquareEnix: please re-evaluate your [technical/billing] support

[Zenoxio]

I started FFXI in 2003 and I rarely have the need for support (phone/chat support). But when I do, I dread it. First and foremost, the support phone number isn't even toll free. When I need support, I don't even go to SE first. I go to community fan sites first.

Let me tell a story. Back on the 4th (4 days ago) Guildwork updates my feed saying I left my Linkshell. I was confused for a moment, but then realized my credit card had expired and so my Contest ID was probably disabled for that reason when SE tried charging it at the first of the month. Would be nice if I got an email saying that, instead of finding this out from a third party.

So I login to PlayOnline and I'm greeting with a message saying I need to update my payment information etc. I go to it and I have to enter my POL ID/password and SE ID/password/token. A bit much, but necessary I suppose (I already used my token to login though). I go through adding my new credit card and there are a number of things that irk me. You have to be almost exact with your billing information, or it won't be valid. Fairly normal. First of all, there's no place for my middle name for my billing information. I have a middle initial on my billing information, where am I suppose to enter that? There's also no place for the second line of your address. And in the credit card expiration field dropdown, you can select 2008/2009 etc.

Anyway, moving on. I finish entering my details and submit. I'm greeting with the "UCS-60257" error (the servers are busy or my information is wrong). So I check PlayOnline.com to see when the billing cycle maintenance ended. Says it ended March 2 at 3:00 (PST), so I'm not doing this at the wrong time. It's around noon on the 4th, and there aren't any other maintenance/issue notices for PlayOnline. So I go back and double check my info, and submit again. UCS-60257 again. I have no idea if it's an error on my end or SE's servers. I try once more and I'm hit with UCS-5111: "You cannot register this card as your current payment method. Please register a different card or contact your card company." What is this? There's nothing wrong with my card, I just used it on Steam. It sounds like SE just banned my card from being used ever again. I can't re-submit either.

So I give up and glance on Alla, coming across people with the same issue. And not a word from SE. I post I have the same issue and someone explains that UCS-5111 is only temporary. Why can't the PlayOnline message say that or be more explanatory? I also post on Twitter asking if anyone is having this same issue. Within 30min, someone replies with a tweet saying they are and not only that... the person had created a Twitter account for the sole purpose of replying to me.

A few hours later after it not working, I go into chat support. I'm told it's due to the billing servers being "very busy". I ask how long and I'm told "Typically the first week is the busiest and subsequent weeks are less and less". I wanted to ask about my middle initial and second address line, as well as the UCS-5111 error. Instead, the rep follows up with this:

Agent Londin: Thank you for visiting the SQUARE ENIX Support Center, x! Take care and hope to see you online!
Thank you for contacting the SQUARE ENIX Support Center. You may now close this window.
Your session has ended. You may now close this window.

I wasn't even asked if I had more questions nor the chance. I was thrown out. I post my log on Alla and apparently the same rep is handling all of chat support. One person..?

It's not until almost midnight that SE posts a notice about the issue. I wait and a few hours later, another notice is posted saying the issue is still being looked into. Then another few hours and SE says the issue has been resolved. I try again... and the same errors occur. People report on Alla one person got through, but no one else. I try again on the 6th and still the same issue. To this day, the same issue is occurring for people. I even posted about it here.

If a new player ran into this error while adding a Content ID, do you think they would even attempt to contact support? And if they did, do you think they would keep trying to register after being thrown out of chat? Or if an old player was on the fence about coming back, but then ran into this and see that SE support hasn't changed... would they still try to come back?

Or how about me, who just wants to give SE money so I can play? I can't even do that.

Forgive the long thread, but I wanted to illustrate a bit more than just the issue with support. These issues have been around since essentially the start.

Issues/concerns:

• Server congestion for days. The billing service has been down for 5 days now.
• PlayOnline error messages are too obscure. We should at least know if it's an issue on our end or Square's without having to contact support.
• Lack of communication from Square. The billing service has been down/congested for 5 days now and there is nothing about it on Playonline.com or elsewhere.
• Phone support is not toll free.
• Support is rather impolite & uninformed. Ending a chat session without notice is just like hanging up on someone. Square should do customer care surveys where we can rate our support experience after any chat/phone session.

[Wade]

Shouldn't this be under feedback? :P

[Zenoxio]

The only feedback section is for the website/forum, not feedback about SE or FFXI.

(It's categorized under SITE FEEDBACK, so the impression is that any section under that is regarding the website)

[Wade]

The purpose of this forum is for players to submit feedback and suggestions on FINAL FANTASY XI, the FINAL FANTASY XI Official Website, the FINAL FANTASY XI Forum and other official websites concerning FINAL FANTASY XI.

Wouldn't this fall under "Other official websites"?

[Zenoxio]

I... guess? I mean I also include SE's phone support in my post, but I suppose feedback is feedback?

[Wade]

I would think feedback is feedback, guessing from what they say, but there does seem to be confusion as to what feedback they want. Maybe they can clarify a little better. For now though, I would put any kind of feedback in the specific section. *Shrugs*

[Topdogg]

I agree about this being a headache. It's such a headache that I make sure I always have enough money in the bank by the first of the month just to not have to deal with updating card/reactivating characters. Its like a days work it seems like and you're right, everything has to be typed perfectly in billing address field. I really wish they'd fix it but hell, if I've lasted 7 years, i'm sure i;ll be just fine till the end.

[Zenoxio]

Mods are moving anything in feedback related to the game out of the feedback section, so I guess it is only for website feedback.

[Wade]

Interesting, well at least we know now

[Zenoxio]

Spoke to chat support again today, they asked how I was doing today. This is how it ended:

Agent Nehemiah: Are there any other issues I can assist you with right now, x?
Me: Will there be a notice posted when the issue is resolved?
Agent Nehemiah: Likely, that will not be the case.
Agent Nehemiah: Thank you for visiting the SQUARE ENIX Support Center, x! Take care and hope to see you online!
Thank you for contacting the SQUARE ENIX Support Center. You may now close this window.
Your session has ended. You may now close this window.

Slight better..?