Authors note: My one regret is that they have conveniently omitted a clock next to the entries, as would normally best practices for any company that truly wanted to monitor customer service. This transaction took 47 minutes.
My actual chat with PeoplePc Tech Support:
Please wait for a site operator to respond. Your feedback is important to us! Please complete our Exit Survey by clicking on the Grey Close Button at the end of your LiveChat.
‘Shirley’ says: Thank you for contacting PeoplePC LiveChat, how may I help you today?
customer@peoplepc.com: you are telling me that my password is incorrect, but it’s the same one I’ve used for 15 years
Shirley: It is quite unfortunate that one of our best customers has to face such difficulty. Let me get this clarified for you.
customer@peoplepc.com: I was trying to send out a newsletter today, did I piss the system off?
Shirley: Please give me the last four digits of your Debit Card or a Credit Card (CC).
customer@peoplepc.com: 2607
Shirley: Thank you for the verification.
Shirley: I see that some fraud was detected on your account due to which our fraud department changed your password to prevent you.
Shirley: This is why you are not able to login.
Shirley: Let me guide you what needs to be done now.
Shirley: 1st, we will need to reset your password.
Shirley: 2nd, please do not use your old password ever.
Shirley: 3rd, when you make a new password now do not share it with any one. Please make a strong password for example: combination of letters and numbers in such a way that no one good guess it. Example: Ab45Cd
Shirley: 4th, please scan your computer for viruses.
Shirley: Thus, before we proceed with the change password option, Nowadays we receive lot of calls where a customer’s computer is affected by hackers or viruses and they end up having to spend a lot of money to get it fixed.
Shirley: Thus, may I know, is your computer protected from viruses, spyware, and other Internet threats?
customer@peoplepc.com: AVG
customer@peoplepc.com: I’m fine, I just need the password
Shirley: Great. How old is your avg though if I may know?
customer@peoplepc.com: and how many emails can I send without arrising the ire of your “fraud department?”
Shirley: due to security reasons, we will not be able to provide the original password of your email address via Live Chat.
Shirley: Instead I can reset the password and give it to you on this chat window.
Shirley: Then, you can then change it through My Account online.
Shirley: Once I do this, you will receive an email that your password has been viewed.
Shirley: Is that fine with you?
customer@peoplepc.com: fine, but and how many emails can I send without arrising the ire of your “fraud department?”
Shirley: This is not due to sending more email messages.
customer@peoplepc.com: then it is a very timely “coinsidence.”
Shirley: May be.
customer@peoplepc.com: and can you answer my question?
Shirley: Yes.
Shirley: Please give me five minutes.
customer@peoplepc.com: take your time
Shirley: Thank you.
customer@peoplepc.com: hard to find a supervisor at this time of night?
Shirley: Thank you for your patience.
Shirley: I apologize for the delay.
Shirley: I am yet researching on your issue.
Shirley: There is no specified limit, but it is best if you send an email to just a few receivers at a time.
customer@peoplepc.com: that is inconvenient with a mail list of 2700
customer@peoplepc.com: please see if you can find a number
Shirley: Okay. I would suggest you to send an email to as minimum recipients as you can.
Shirley: You can divide your address book into groups.
Shirley: Like school.
Shirley: College
Shirley: friends
Shirley: Official
Shirley: Then accordingly send an email.
customer@peoplepc.com: that is not a number. Say, my “minimum” is in one catagory, “newsletter” and my list is 2700. Can I use 2700 for a minimum ?
Shirley: No.
Shirley: Minimum would mean 10 to 50 receipts only.
customer@peoplepc.com: so your “fraud” department wants me to send 2700 emails in groups of 50?
Shirley: Again, there is no specific number or requirement.
Shirley: The smaller the list the better the results.
customer@peoplepc.com: well then whats wrong with 200?
Shirley: You can sure try 200 as well.
customer@peoplepc.com: I dont like the word “try” it has connotations of my haveing to reset my password again and again if i exceed your arbitrary number
Shirley: Okay.
customer@peoplepc.com: surely you must have some sort of written guidelines for your “fraud” department to follow?
Shirley: Let me check.
customer@peoplepc.com: thank you
Shirley: Please be on hold for five minutes.
customer@peoplepc.com: i was
Shirley: Yes, Please be on hold for another five minutes,
Shirley: Thank you for your patience.
Shirley: I would need some more time.
Shirley: I apologize for the delay. Please be on hold for another five minutes.
Shirley: Thank you for your patience.
Shirley: Please click on the link given below.
Shirley:http://www.earthlink.net/about/policies/use/bulkmail/
Shirley: Please fill in the form with your requirement to send bulk email messages.
customer@peoplepc.com: is PeoplePC owned by earhlink now?
customer@peoplepc.com: Anyhow, your form is filled out. Can I please have my password now?
Shirley: Yes. EarthLink is our parent company now.
customer@peoplepc.com: congratulations, I guess
Shirley: Sure.
Shirley: Thank you.
Shirley: step6243 is your new password.
Shirley: Your password changed successfully!
Shirley: This change will take 20 minutes for it to take effect.
Shirley: Though we can try it right now, to test.
customer@peoplepc.com: Thank you. Have a pleasant evening
Shirley: Please use this password to log into My Account and from there you will be able to reset your password. You can reach My Account from the following link.
Shirley: http://myaccount.peoplepc.com
Shirley: Please use just the first part of your email address as the member name. (All in lower case). Do not type @peoplepc.com For example: if abc@peoplepc.com is your email address. Use only abc as your member name. Then, type in your password. (The password that I gave you.) Then, Click on Sign in.
Shirley: After logging into My Account – In the Profiles area, click the your email address that you would like to change the password for.
Shirley: In the Primary Profile area, click Edit next to the password.
Shirley: In the Old Password field, type the password which has just been given to you.
Shirley: In the New Password field, type your new PeoplePC password. In the Retype New Password field, type your new password.
Shirley: Click the Change Password button.
Shirley: Let me know once done.
Shirley: Also, once done. Since we have gone ahead and reset the password on the account, and you would be then resetting the password again at your end via My Account, I would suggest that you also use the new password for your email program and connection.
Shirley:
Shirley: Do you want me to go ahead and provide you with the directions to change the password for the email program and connection software?
customer@peoplepc.com: please
Shirley: Please reset your password first by following the steps givven above.
customer@peoplepc.com: so I get to reset my servers, and my iPhone?
Shirley: Yes.
customer@peoplepc.com: I cant get to your server with this chat window open.
customer@peoplepc.com: Chrome wont open another tab
Shirley: You can click on the Minus sign at the top right of this window to minimize this window.
Shirley: You can always click on the chat window at the bottom of the screen when you need to read the chat.
Shirley: Please open another window.
customer@peoplepc.com: again, Chrome wont open another window. It just toggles this one back and forth
Shirley: Please use Internet Explorer.
customer@peoplepc.com: kk
Shirley: Okay.
customer@peoplepc.com: I think were good. According to your form, it WAS the number of emails I sent (400) that caused your “fraud” department to suspend my account. When you change companies and enforce a new set of restrictions, it would be nice to inform your customers.
Shirley: We always send an email alert for each and every change.
Shirley: Which email program do you use in order to send and receive email messages?
Shirley: Is it Web Mail or Outlook Express or Windows Mail?
customer@peoplepc.com: Outlook
customer@peoplepc.com: and if you sent a notice, it must have gotten trapped in my spam filter. Ironic.
Shirley: May I know the version of your Microsoft Outlook that you are using?
Shirley: Is it Outlook 2000, Outlook 2002, Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007 or is it Outlook Express?
Shirley: If you are not sure, open your Outlook.
Shirley: Click on Help > About. Let me know the version for the same.
customer@peoplepc.com: why?
customer@peoplepc.com: its 2007
Shirley: So, that I can help you changer your password there.
Shirley: Okay.
customer@peoplepc.com: i got it covered. Thanks
Shirley: Great. Make sure you use your new password the next time you connect.
Shirley: Do you use the peoplepc software ( blue smiley face icon ) to get connected to the Internet ?
customer@peoplepc.com: I’ve already changed it. No, I set up the POP and SMTP servers on my Outlook and connect through that.
Shirley: Okay.
Shirley: Connect better with PeoplePC dial-up software. Our Smart Dialer technology automatically chooses the best local dial-up access number for you each time you go online. You can download the Software fromhttps://myaccount.peoplepc.com .Login to Myaccount then click on my Downloads on the left hand side and then download the Dial up Connection software. I will also mail you the CD of the Software on your Mailing Address, which you will receive in two to five business days. May I have the Mailing Address?
customer@peoplepc.com: God how retro. I have a T1
Shirley: Okay. I understand.
Shirley: 7th is your bill cycle date of every month. You were last charged on 08/08/11 for $12.95.
Shirley: PeoplePC will occasionally need to send important administrative emails to you about your service. Do you have a specific contact email address you would like us to use when sending these messages?
customer@peoplepc.com: No thanks. Were good. Bye now!
Shirley: You are welcome.
Shirley: Is there anything else I may assist you with today?
customer@peoplepc.com: No thanks. Were good. Bye now!
Shirley: I was indeed glad to get this opportunity to help you.
Shirley: You’re welcome and thank you for using PeoplePC LiveChat. Should you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us again. It was a pleasure assisting a friendly customer like you.
Shirley: Thank you for your understanding and patience. Have a wonderful day. Take care. Bye.
Shirley: Please click on ‘X’ button on top of the chat window to end this chat session.
But Shirley, whatever happened to: Your feedback is important to us! Please complete our Exit Survey by clicking on the Grey Close Button at the end of your LiveChat?
By the way, I changed the password back to my old one (which she told me never to use again) rather than changing all the other instruments I use it on. It works fine.
My Black Lab 