It is 2015, almost 2016. I think it is safe to say that everyone has experienced at least one unpleasant interaction with an online provider in their life.
However, in this day and age, there is no shortage of customer support links, online forums and YouTube videos that show you how to resolve your issue. So you can imagine my frustration when I recently ran into an issue with my LinkedIn account and was unable to do any of the following:
A) Resolve the problem myself
B) Find the answer on their “helpful” forum
C) Find a customer support phone number ANYWHERE (really, who doesn’t have one of those?)
How It All Began...
This past summer, someone hacked into my LinkedIn account and sent a spammy message to all of my contacts. After I realized this, I promptly changed my password, apologized to anyone who had read the message and informed them that it was from my spammy doppelganger.
Still, a couple of days later, LinkedIn restricted my account. I respect this action by LinkedIn because it shows that they are trying to protect their users. However, they have taken it TOO FAR.
Resolving The Issue (A.K.A. The Neverending Story)
I used LinkedIn’s Help Center to request that my profile be unrestricted and explained to them what had happened. A couple of days later, a LinkedIn customer support representative emailed me back and said they would be happy to unlock my account if I could provide them with a copy of my drivers license to verify that I was who I said I was.
This seemed a little intense, and I was skeptical about sending them my information (I mean, my account had just been hacked on their system) but I really didn’t want to start all over with my LinkedIn profile and have to reconnect with the 357+ connections I have so ardently procured over the years. I ultimately gave in after a month, scanned my drivers license and sent it over to LinkedIn. Then I waited…
One week...
Two weeks...
Three weeks...
OK, come on guys, how long does this usually take? Maybe they're just busy. I’ll just try emailing that customer support rep back and asking about the progress. Then I waited…
One week...
OK, this is weird. I’ll just submit another form on the Help Center explaining what happened. So I did that, and then I waited…
One week...
Two weeks...
Still nothing. Now I’m mad. I went to submit another form and was informed that I could check on the progress of my trouble ticket by logging into my account.
HA! Wouldn’t that be great?! Too bad I can’t get into my account!
Guess what I did? I submitted another trouble ticket. This time using a few more “!” than the previous messages. (At this point I’m like that crazy ex-girlfriend that LinkedIn just can’t shake.)
That was yesterday. I still haven’t heard back from anyone, which isn’t surprising given their previous track record. So I think to myself, ”You know what would resolve this quickly? If I could talk to someone from LinkedIn directly!”
I do some digging to try and find a direct customer service phone number. Nothing. They don’t have one. I don’t mean they don’t have one that is easy to find. I mean, THEY DON’T HAVE ONE, AT ALL. When you call LinkedIn and the automated woman inquires if you need customer service, she tells you to go online… (insert angry, frustrated emoji faces and weapons here).
And I’m not the only one who is upset about this. Here are just a few comments I found on the network’s forum submitted by other irate LinkedIn users:
And in case you were wondering, they don’t even have a customer service number for their PAYING customers. Bravo LinkedIn, bravo!
Poor Marta, it’s OK, we all feel your pain. Especially poor Jack, here.
Just like many of these concerned, angry users, I, too, have been blamed by LinkedIn for not supplying them with what they requested. That is an utter lie because I did send in my personal information. I would have jumped in on these conversations and shared my story, but I can’t. Why? See if you can guess. Give up?
Because I still can’t login to my LinkedIn account!
Here’s one of my biggest beefs: LinkedIn is one of the most utilized social media networks today. As of the second quarter of 2015, it has more than 380 million registered users in more than 200 countries and territories.
How can LinkedIn get away with such poor customer support? We’re letting Hillary get away with the email scandal, but LinkedIn just goes about its merry business? J/K. My emotions are getting the best of me.
Stay tuned for the next installment in my LinkedIn Customer Support Saga, probably coming next week.
