pricing & customer service

[clarkschool]

Dear Adobe,

You are possibly the most difficult company to deal with.

1) Pricing.  Your non-profit (schools) pricing is, simply stated, a joke.  The last time I checked, which I admit was about a year ago, you have no bundle pricing.  Why?

2) Customer service - again, a joke.  EVERY time I ask to talk to a manager, they are in a meeting!  What a line of BS.  I called in to fix a tax exempt issue only to be told that because I changed the email address on the account it lost the exempt status.  Turns our your database uses email as a unique ID and when it changes it loses something as simple as tax exempt status.  Seriously, why are you using that as a unique ID these days?  Better yet, if that gets updated why does your database dump such important data.

We have multiple accounts that I now need to go through to verify you have not been ripping me off for the sales tax.

[Sheena Kaul]

Hi Devin,

I apologize for the experience you had with our support and believe me, this is not what Adobe wants to provide to its customers.

I tried to check your account but I was unable to find a recent interaction with the support. Is there a case reference number that you can provide me for the issue so that I can look into it and help you better?

Regards,

Sheena

[clarkschool]

Case 0223134305.  The Lead supervisor handling it so far has been good (exception not the rule with Adobe).  I am seriously considering file a complaint withe Attorney General's office in MA as Adobe has been incorrectly, and possibly illegally, collecting tax from us for almost three years.  The Lead is working on a refund, but I do not want a credit on our account as that forces us to use the Adobe products.  He is well aware I am seeking a check for the full amount sent to us.   What I find most disturbing is I thought we had solved this in October of 2015. 

Now, let's talk about why you have such terrible and confusing bundle pricing for non-profits/schools.  If you want future generations to use your products you really need to work on making it more accessible to educators.  You could be building a generation of customers but instead you choose to alienate.  I have talked to resellers who are even confused by your pricing models.  $20 a month or $239 a year.  SAME THING!!!  Where is the discount if I prepay for a year?    I know it doesn't seem like much but we have 5 licenses for CC.  Private schools are not swimming in money (yes some are with endowments).  We rely on every dollar that comes in the door and have to spend wisely.  I recall something about bundles needing to be over a certain size?  The bottom line is no one at Adobe can give a straight answer about it because Adobe doesn't even know the answer.

[Sheena Kaul]

Thanks Devin for providing the case number. I am getting this checked and escalated.

[clarkschool]

Sheena, 

I can see you are trying to help, however your response indicates that you did not even read the rest of my message as there was no comment regarding anything else.  You got the case number and then provided a stock answer.  This is a prime example of the lack of customer service provided by Adobe.  As I outlined in my message the Lead handling the issue was doing a fine job thus far and I did not ask for any escalation.  Believe me I do ask for escalation when necessary and appropriate. 

Maybe you do not have a good answer to the rest of my post.  FIne, but say that.  At least make me feel like there is some concern on the part of Adobe.  Or how about "I am not in a position to respond to your pricing inquiry, so I have passed it along to the appropriate team who will be in contact."  Basic Customer Service 101.