My experience with EA customer service.

[Sansha]

I pulled my ancient copy of Battlefield 2142 out of a box the other day, and thought I'd give it another try. After failing to be able to boot up the game a few times, I got it running and completely failed to log in. After too many password failures, I realized I had to face the black abyss that is EA's customer service.

The following is what transpired:

- - -

info: You are now ready to chat with Cathryne.
Cathryne: Thanks for contacting EA Customer Experience, my name is Cathryne. How may I assist you today?
you: Hello Cathryne. I need my password reset for my Battlefield 2142 account, please.
you: I have tried in-game; it has returned a 'too many tries' error and directed me to customer service.
Cathryne: Hello! I'm sorry to hear that, I can definitely help here though.
Cathryne: Are you able to go to this link to reset your password?
https://signin.ea.com/p/web/resetPassword?execution=e888321774s1
you: This might be the where the problem lies; I don't have an Origin account. I'm attempting to access the game directly, as it was before Origin was created.
Cathryne: This game is actually linked to your Origin account now - the username you wrote in to me on is your Origin ID:
https://help.ea.com/article/ive-lost-or-forgotten-my-password-how-can-i-recover-it
you: I see... you're not able to access my 2142 account directly?
Cathryne: I'm not, no. But I would be happy to wait here and make sure you're able to get into the account through this password reset link.
you: I see. I'll have to actually get an Origin account, then; I'm currently logged in via Facebook.
Cathryne: Ah, yes. As of right now - it does show you have an Origin/EA ID with us. That's what BF 2142
Cathryne: signs in with.
you: Ah, I see. I guess that shows how long it's been since I played 2142; EA must've consolidated the login systems to just go through Origin.
you: I'll let you go while I get that downloaded and installed.
Cathryne: Oh wow, yes - I guess that does show how long you've been playing!
Cathryne: That's not a problem. Definitely feel free to reach out if you have any further issues.
Cathryne: Have a great weekend!
you: Thanks very much for your help. Have a good weekend, and I hope you don't suffer too much abuse at the hands of my fellow gamers.
Cathryne: They're usually quite pleasant. But, thank you! You as well.

- - -

So she answered pretty much immediately why my game wasn't working. Upon (reluctantly) installing Origin, I ran into the issue of how to link the game to the account. So, I went back, and got a new guy:

- - -

info: You are now ready to chat with Akhilesh.
Akhilesh: Thanks for contacting EA Customer Experience, my name is Akhilesh. How may I assist you today?
you: Hello Akhilesh. I'm trying to link my copy of Battlefield 2142 to my Origin account, but it says the code is invalid.
Akhilesh: Marco, do you want to activate game in Origin?
you: I'm trying to input the serial number written on the game manual.
you: Yessir.
Akhilesh: May I have your Origin(email) account and registration code(CD key)?
you: Right away - my email is <sansha's email lol>
you: And the CD key is: <DERR-lol, derr>
you: I have a photograph of the CD key if that would help.
Akhilesh: Thank you for providing requested information
Akhilesh: May I put your chat on hold for couple of minutes?
you: That would be fine. I'll be right here.
Akhilesh: Thank you for patiently waiting.
Akhilesh: Please activate code: by logging in at https://activate.ea.com/activategame.do
Akhilesh: Once you have activated code, please click on Refresh My Games option in Origin then you'll find Battlefield 2142 downloadable version game in My Games section of Origin.
you: I'll get right on that.
Akhilesh: Take your time.
you: It's telling me to input a screen name for the game - would you be able to reset/disable my old one so I can use that?
you: I already have a profile/soldier in the game - am I going to lose his progress?
Akhilesh: You can link that screen name without any problem.
Akhilesh: No, it won't affect your game progress in anway.
you: It seems I've forgotten the password for the profile.
Akhilesh: I can send reset password email.
you: It's been a while - and it was very long.
you: Yes, please.
Akhilesh: I've sent reset password email for your screen name 'SanshaXII'.
Akhilesh: Please check your inbox and you should have received an email from pogo.com which is part of EA.
Akhilesh: You can also create new screen name and activate code using the provided link.
you: Alright I've put in the new password and that seems to be working. How do I refresh the Games tab in Origin?
Akhilesh: Once you have activated game, you'll be able to play game using screen name 'SanshaXII' without any problem.
you: I'm on the 'Select' tab of the screen name - It keeps coming up with 'System Error. Please try again later.'
Akhilesh: If you are logged into Origin client then click on Origin menu and select Refresh/Reload My Games option.
Akhilesh: Good news for you.
Akhilesh: I checked and found that the digital download of Battlefield 2142 Deluxe Edition has been activated on your account.
Akhilesh: You may check it now.
you: It works!
Akhilesh: Good.
Akhilesh: Marco, is there anything else I can help you with today?
you: I think I'm good to go for now, Akhilesh.
you: Thanks for all your help - I was afraid I'd have to pay for the game all over again.
Akhilesh: It's my pleasure assisting you.
Akhilesh: Enjoy your game!!
Akhilesh:
Akhilesh: Have a nice day. Take care, bye!
Akhilesh: If all your questions have been answered then please click on 'End Chat' button.
you: Enjoy your weekend. G'bye!

- - -

Not only did he see to it that I wouldn't have to buy the game on Origin again for $70, I found out that he also upgraded it to the deluxe version.

Before you accuse me of being an EA cocksucker, go through my posts and behold the sea of hate I have for EA. I still do - their practices are shitty, their games are stupidly overpriced and their ability to prepare for new launches is appalling.

But in my first experience in dealing with EA since buying a copy of their game seven years ago, they were friendly, efficient and helpful, when they could have easily told me to eat shit and buy a new copy.
It got me thinking about EA as a corporate hivemind compared to the individual customer service reps... and that maybe the reps aren't always the problem.

 

[BQE]

That's a nice story, it's always nice to see things like that. When one better understands the machinations of corporate enterprise they can learn to take issue with the right folks rather than first line responders.

As a side note, I'd hate to entertain the thought that our fellow members here might be shifty, but you may want to censor your e-mail address and perhaps spoil the two logs into separate spoilers for ease of reading. That way, people will be more likely to see your final thoughts rather than glazing through everything.

 

[Weaver]

I'm glad you had a pleasant experience!
I feel that 99/100 times everything in customer service with EA is probably great, but no one posts "everything went well" encounters.

Also, I'd probably censor the CD key if I were you.
Not that it can do anyone any good since it's linked to your Origin account now, but still

 

[Eve Charm]

Well they are trying to improve their image after getting voted worst company in the world twice in a row. Also doesn't hurt that they have BF4 coming out this month to and pissing someone off now probably will get them to not buy BF4 if they were interested.

 

[Sansha]

I'm glad you had a pleasant experience!
I feel that 99/100 times everything in customer service with EA is probably great, but no one posts "everything went well" encounters.

I thought I should, because as pleasantly surprised by the experience as I was, it'd be only fair to share it.

Also, I'd probably censor the CD key if I were you.
Not that it can do anyone any good since it's linked to your Origin account now, but still

It's pretty much invalid anyway - it didn't work for me so it's definitely not going to work for anyone else. But, better safe than sorry.

 

[Abomination]

As a side note, I'd hate to entertain the thought that our fellow members here might be shifty, but you may want to censor your e-mail address and perhaps spoil the two logs into separate spoilers for ease of reading. That way, people will be more likely to see your final thoughts rather than glazing through everything.

Don't be silly. I know this Nigerian Prince who loves to send other people e-mails, he even offers them money in exchange for opening a temporary transfer account.

I'm certain Sansha would love to hear from him.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

As a side note, I'd hate to entertain the thought that our fellow members here might be shifty, but you may want to censor your e-mail address and perhaps spoil the two logs into separate spoilers for ease of reading. That way, people will be more likely to see your final thoughts rather than glazing through everything.

Don't be silly. I know this Nigerian Prince who loves to send other people e-mails, he even offers them money in exchange for opening a temporary transfer account.

I'm certain Sansha would love to hear from him.

ah yes, thanks to our nigerian prince, 6 degrees of separation is always possible across the world

OT: lovely experience, can't say they could do much better than what they did with you.

I don't have it anymore, but I did have a somewhat decent experience with EA last time I had to deal with them via customer support, however it took fucking 45 minutes in a waiting line to get to it...so clearly they had shit tons of problems when origin was first coming out.

they combined my bioware ID with the EA origin account, and i didn't have access to that email anymore (it was from an old cable provider that wasn't around anymore) so i literally could not access my account for anything as it was locked/had a new password sent to that email, thankfully EA was able to accept my wonky ass answers for security questions that i answered fucking 8-9 years ago about.

 

[PirateRose]

The last time I contacted EA Customer Support, I was having a terrible time trying to get into ME3 multiplayer. The EA customer service rep told me to turn off Origin so it wouldn't run in the background and try again. The very thing that is required to access ME3 multiplayer he told me to turn off.

Friendly, but not efficient.

 

[Caiphus]

Well, I came into this thread expecting a rant about poor customer service.

Didn't happen with the first rep. 'Okay, the second guy must end up being an idiot' I tell myself. Nope. He's fine too.

Wat happen!!?!

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well I'm glad your experience was good, but many aren't that lucky.
My all friends who frequently use Origin multiplayer games had enormous problems with it and every time they would contact customer support they would just be sent around in circles with "we are working on it", "reinstall origin", "reinstall game", "reinstall drivers",... just generic nonsense because no one had a clue what was going on.

 

[Sansha]

Well, I came into this thread expecting a rant about poor customer service.

Didn't happen with the first rep. 'Okay, the second guy must end up being an idiot' I tell myself. Nope. He's fine too.

Wat happen!!?!

I don't know! I went in expecting to me told to go fuck myself and buy the game again. Instead... I don't even know.

 

[Autumnflame]

I had a terrible experience with psn tech support recently.

very unhelpful and not willing to fix the problems they would say. good to see others do the right thing

 

[Zeckt]

Reminds me of the bang up job they did when I first got origin and the game I bought was not showing. They sorted everything out pronto and were polite while doing it. EA customer service for me was A+.

 

[SKBPinkie]

I came in expecting a rant, but I love that the OP actually had a nice experience. Genuinely glad to see feel good topics every once in a while.

 

[thethird0611]

Thats the funny thing, like someone said earlier, we only hear the 1/100 person have a bad experience (or possibly make a situation up, it happens), but everyone else who may have a small or large problem and have a wonderful experience never speak up, because they are content and happy.

To much hate on the internet, not enough praise.

 

[putowtin]

Get good customer service, tell no one
get poor customer service, tell 4 or 5 people
get bad ea customer service, tell da whole world!

It's easy to hate on EA, afterall they do the most stupid things sometimes, however I'm with you, everytime I've had to contact them directly, they've been great and I've even ended up with free goodies (they know the way to my heart!)

 

[GoaThief]

Really good to hear, OP.

I was expecting the worst with the second rep but you disappointed in the most agreeable way. I wish more positive stories about anything were prevalent.

 

[teqrevisited]

I had to contact EA support a few years ago when my TFD Zero Hour key didn't work. I showed them a picture of the box & manual, they instantly gave me a new key and that was that.

I do feel sorry for any customer service staff though. Being the first point of contact for a business to customer relationship can be hell.

 

[RikuoAmero]

I remember when I called up Microsoft because my Gold account was locked. I was expecting a wave of incompetency. Not only did we fix the problem in record time, the guy was one of the nicest blokes I ever had the pleasure of talking to. Absolutely stunned me how well my problem was handled.

So yeah, you don't hear the good side of customer service often. Negatives=more hits.

Same story. About two years ago, my Xbox Live account got hacked (although I honestly don't know how, since I follow standard safety practices when on the web). The hacker had bought a subscription for Gold IIRC (or was it points?), but stupidly had applied it to my own account, instead of doing what hackers are supposed to do and add it to theirs or an account they can sell. When I'd gotten home from work that night, I checked my email, scratched my head as to why during work hours I had bought Gold time when I was nowhere near a PC. I called up Microsoft and the rep was very friendly, even explained a few things like MD5 hashing. I got everything sorted out, although I never did hear back about if they had caught whoever the perp was.

 

[Vrach]

But in my first experience in dealing with EA since buying a copy of their game seven years ago, they were friendly, efficient and helpful, when they could have easily told me to eat shit and buy a new copy.
It got me thinking about EA as a corporate hivemind compared to the individual customer service reps... and that maybe the reps aren't always the problem.

You got lucky. I don't know if their EU department is worse or something, but I've contacted them on several occasions and they were unhelpful, slow (I'm talking 10 minutes to answer a single line of chat 70% of the time and that was not a "let me just see if I can help" thing, they weren't doing anything) and completely ignorant of their games, asking remarkably stupid questions that shouldn't be asked by anyone working in customer service (ex. "What platform is your game on?" when I asked about SWTOR, you'd think a customer service agent should know that's available on PC only). Their absolutely atrocious English that literally made some sentences unintelligible didn't help either.