18 Replies Latest reply: Jul 7, 2009 9:52 AM by Barbara B. RSS

    Adobe customer service AGAIN......

    hrh gracie Community Member

      I am incredibly disappointed in Adobe customer service...  I don't know where they've outsourced it to,

      but I FERVENTLY hope some company will come up with comparable, competing software 'cause I'll

      switch in a heartbeat.

       

      Most recent example:

       

      Received Elements 6 from wife several months ago.  Installed on desktop.  Worked fine.

       

      Installed on laptop.  Worked FINE.....

       

      Recently replaced disk on laptop.

       

      Laptop complained and wanted me to RE-activate.  Activation failed.

       

      Called activation person.  Wasted 15 minutes, was told serial was invalid.

      THIS IS THE SERIAL NUMBER ALREADY IN ELEMENTS THAT'S BEEN WORKING FOR MONTHS.

       

      Was transfered to technical support "WHERE THEY'LL FIX THE PROBLEM"......  Wait for extended period

      on phone and get another person....  Who goes through same process and eventually tells me serial

      number is invalid.

       

      THEN tells me she'll transfer me to customer service where "THEY'LL FIX THE PROBLEM"...  Another

      extended wait on hold and another person from "customer service" comes on and goes through the

      same bunch of questions FOR THE THIRD TIME........

       

      And comes back and tells me the serial number is "invalid".....  Now REMEMBER, this is exactly the same

      serial that's on the desktop and has been working on the laptop for months - I'm NOT ENTERING IT, IT'S

      COMING UP WHEN IT DEMANDS IT BE REACTIVATED.........

       

      AND, tells me if I want a new serial number I'll have to send them the invoice from where the software was

      purchased...  So essentially, Adobe's stance is that we're apparently all liars and cheats, and they don't

      care that the software is already working on one machine and has been working on the other...  Sure

      hope my wife kept the invoice.....

       

      I'll use the term "dsappointed" since I'm sure we're not supposed to get vulgar in here...

        • 1. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
          Barbara B. CommunityMVP

          I'm very sorry you're having so much trouble, but PSE has no activation, so it's not surprising they couldn't find your serial number in their database, since so far only the Creative Suite programs would be in there.

           

          However, to fix your problem, download and run this (yes, I know it says CS3, but it works for PSE, too, when this happens):

           

          http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=kb401528&sliceId=2

           

          and try reinstalling with all antivirus software and any Norton/Symantec programs disabled.

          • 2. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
            BobGager Adobe Employee

            Actually, if your Elements was purchased from the 30-Day Trial, instead of as an initial purchase, it does use Activiation.

            But, if your wife purchased it, and you have the box, it doesn't use Activation as Barbera mentions, so there is something else going wrong.

            • 3. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
              Barbara B. CommunityMVP

              Hi, Bob. To the best of my knowledge there has never been a single case of anyone successfully entering a retail version serial number into the trial version, on either platform, despite what the adobe documentation says. Can you have them fix that statement to make it clear? It causes a lot of grief here. Having to run cleanscript is not a comfortable thing for a PSE newbie to start with.

              • 4. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                hrh gracie Community Member

                OK, it's VERY possible I"m having an exceptionally dumb day, but I definitely have
                some kind of serial number or activation code or something......  The software came
                in a box, it wasn't from the 30-day trial, and it's been working............
                The code starts 1057-1089...

                 

                The only reason it stopped working (apparently) is that I swapped out the disk on the
                laptop for a larger disk...  I transferred EVERYTHING, and everything else works
                fine - SQL Server, Photoshop CS4, etc...  BUT, for some reason ELEMENTS, decided it
                wanted to be "re-activated"...  And it won't reactivate......

                 

                I just tried the license recover script twice (once after rebooting) with no luck.  I'm
                leery of using the "0" option 'cause I don't want it to do anything stupid to CS4, which
                is also on this machine...

                 

                I don't have the box Elements came in 'cause the first thing I do is throw out the box. 
                BUT, I do always write the necessary codes right on the CD.  And when I installed I used
                the code from the CD on the desktop AND the laptop.  AND, the code that shows up on the
                laptop when it demands to be re-activated is the same code as what's on the CD...  AND the
                same thing that shows in the ABOUT on the desktop, which WORKS FINE....

                SO, I'm not sure what Adobe's playing at, but it's incredibly infuriating...  I think I"ll
                go find some puppies to kick.

                 

                Unfortunately, I can't do a reinstall since I'm in the middle of the north woods to teach
                this weekend, and neglected to bring the CD with me.  I'll have to use Picassa or
                Expressions Media for the Digital Asset Management stuff...

                 

                Just out of curiosity, does Adobe realize that an annoyed customer, who tells as many other
                people as possible about their problems with Adobe customer service, is with any luck, going
                to cost Adobe a WHOLE lot more in lost sales than what they save by refusing to believe the
                customer with the problem just activating the lousy software?  Or do they just not care and
                figure their market is big enough that it's better to treat everyone as a liar and a cheat
                until proven otherwise?

                 

                I have a hunch my wife didn't keep the invoice...

                • 5. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                  Barbara B. CommunityMVP

                  You do know this is a user to user forum, right? And that you're not speaking to Adobe, right? All we can do is commiserate, but just so's you know, we're not Adobe, although occasionally an Adobe person rambles through here. Just didn't want you to think you're telling these things to Adobe directly. If you want to do that, use the feedback tab in the Contact link at the very top of this page.

                   

                  Anyway, if you got your copy of PSE in a box, there is no way it has activation, only a serial number. I'm afraid it does sound like you need to run the licensing services update (clean script) to get it working again, and yes, you should de-activate CS4 before running it. Maybe Bob has a better suggestion, if you want to wait to see if he comes through again.

                  • 6. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                    hrh gracie Community Member

                    Yup, I know it's a user-user forum...  I was more asking you guys for opinions since I figure Adobe doesn't pay attention to these forums...  It just strikes me as bizarre that Adobe customer support would have such poor methods for dealing with customers...  When I came in today I had to search for this topic and I was amazed at the sheer number of horror stories I found relating to poor customer service.  But, it must work when you're the 800 pound gorilla 'cause it hasn't changed.....

                    • 7. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                      Confused Mike

                      You are not alone is being confused by the workings of Adobe. I purchased Photoshop Elements 6 in September and went to activate it today. It will not load. I am of the impression Customer Service is non-existent after six contacts and 45 minutes of trying to get help or recognition from Adobe.

                      Customer service was in Mumbai, India. They were only interested in verifying software was purchased. I was rerouted to Tech Support in Portland, Oregon. After explaining the problem, I was routed back to India Customer Support. After two more people, someone took my information and issued me a customer id number. Armed with that and my product serial number, I was again transferred to Tech Support, this time in India. I was now informed that,since Adobe has brought out version 7, version six is no longer supported. To assist me would require paying a $39 tech support fee.

                       

                      I refused to pay, and spoke with a supervisor who spouted the Adobe party line. I questioned her value as a supervisor, as she apparently has no authority to do the right thing. This could say something about how this company operates. I have never loaded my software. When the disc loads the first screen and I click the only option to install Photoshop Elements 6, up pops a message "Error 1327 Invalid Drive: W:\."The software does not open with inquiry of how or where you want it installed. It immediately went to install on a non-existent drive. They would not tell me how to bypass this screen and get to where I could indicate which drive to load to. The lesson is: DO NOT BUY OLDER VERSIONS OF ADOBE BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT WITHOUT EXTORTING A FEE FROM YOU.

                       

                      Please call with your complaint to Adobe headquarters in San Jose, California. Liklihood of getting through to someone helpful is not very high. You will likely be routed to the filter,a Helen Pathek (sp?) who supposedly trouble shoots complaints. You will get to her answering machine. If you leave a lengthy message, you will be cut off, so give your name and phone number early on. The answering machine message says she will call back. I

                      am still waiting. If not responded to,do not hesitate to call the California Department of Consumer Affairs and also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Companies that sell software should have some obligation to their customers for some reasonable period. If a company is not going to support their product, they should not sell it, or at the very least, notify us on the box. I did expect them to provide Elements 7,but I did expect they would at least tell me how to load this...

                      • 8. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                        Ankush Ved Community Member

                        Mike,

                        This error is related to the machine configuration and is not directly related with Adobe installer.

                        I have earlier faced this issue when i renamed one of my drive. You may check the following steps and see if it helps:

                         

                        Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
                        In Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
                        In the Computer Management tree, click Disk Management.
                        Right-click the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, or the drive that contains the operating system, and then click Change Drive Letter and Paths.
                        Click Change, and change it to the original drive letter. Click OK, and then click Close.

                         

                        Best Luck,

                        Ankush

                        • 9. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                          Ankush Ved Community Member

                          @ hrh gracie,

                           

                          Since you are having a serial number which was present on the box and trying to install from the same CD/DVD which come within the box then there is no reason why you should not be able to install and installer saying serial number as invalid is totally rubbish.


                          A few points here,

                          1. You may want to check that you are not launching the installer through the downloaded trial installer from the net, as trial installer marks the serial number extracted from the box as Invalid, this is faced by multiple users here.

                          2. If the above is fine, then you can delete the %temp% files and then initiate the installer again. Sometimes there are leftovers of previous installers which conflict with the current installation, although this is a very short step, you can still try it. Sometimes, bug problems have small solutions.

                           

                          i cant think of any other reason why installer isnt accepting the previously accepted serial number.

                           

                          Good luck,

                          Ankush

                          • 10. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                            hrh gracie Community Member

                            I absolutely agree......  I've uninstalled, deleted all the files everywhere associated with Elements, and reinstalled a couple times.....

                             

                            No good.  I've even looked at the serial number that shows up in the about on the desktop - WHICH IS WORKING FINE - and it's

                            ALSO the same as the one I'm entering on the laptop.....  This has now gotten utterly ridiculous........

                             

                            HYPOTHETICALLY last weekend, in a classroom full of people I started Elements.  When the activation screen showed up I explained to

                            the whole room that I couldn't show them Elements and WHY....

                             

                            Also hypothetically, one of the other instructors may have talked about using PSP and between us I figure we sold at least a half dozen

                            copies of competing products....  The participants were even provided a list of alternatives - especially those new to photography looking

                            for basic editing.

                             

                            Seems like it would have been a LOT cheaper for Adobe support to actually solve my problem than to play games and p*ss off another

                            customer.

                             

                            There was also a LONG session on asset management - showed 'em Picassa for basic management and Expressions Media for more

                            advanced...  Lightroom may have been mentioned, and of course, the activation problem came up again.

                            • 11. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                              pwiegman

                              Apparently there are many of us in the same boat.

                               

                              I imagine that most people just give up trying and resign themselves to whatever fate Customer Support decides is best for each of us.  Although there are a few here voicing their disgust and frustration I suspect that there are many more who aren't able to find this forum, or other outlets, simply because they aren't familiar enough with the Internet, search, and forum processes to even find this let alone post.

                               

                              Here's my story.

                               

                               

                              Paul g Wiegman

                              < personal info removed by forum host >

                              Adobe Customer ID number: < removed by forum host >

                               

                              Regarding: Photoshop CS4 software exchange.

                              Case # 0202119921

                              DATE \@ "dddd, MMMM d, yyyy" Wednesday, June 24, 2009

                               

                              On April 29, 2009 I ordered (Transaction # #< removed by forum host >), from Adobe Systems an upgrade of Photoshop from CS3 (Registered SN 1< removed by forum host >)  The payment was made via Paypal (Transaction ID: < removed by forum host >)

                               

                              These two upgrades of Photoshop were preceded by a full copy of Photoshop 7 (Registered SN < removed by forum host >) and an upgrade to PS 8 (Registered SN < removed by forum host >.

                               

                              At the time of the upgrade I was working on a Dell Laptop with a Vista operating system.  I was considering a switch to a Mac.  Prior to the switch I researched how many of my PC applications could be transfered to the Mac and how many I would have to repurchase.  A key point in my decision was my Photoshop since a new full version for the Mac would be $639.95 from B&H Photo in NY.

                               

                              I got on the Adobe website and posted an inquiry via the Customer Support Portal as to an exchange of my present CS4, PC version for a new copy of CS4, Mac Version.  The text of my post follows:

                               

                              Tuesday, May 26, 2009 10:42:22 AM PDT

                              I just recently, April 29th, purchased Photoshop CS4. The transaction # was #AD002332406.

                               

                              The software is running on a PC. I'm about to change from a PC to a Mac. Is it possible to disable the PC version, and exchange it

                              for a MAC version.

                               

                              I've been a photoshop user for years and would like to be able to take advantage of the software I just purchased during this change

                              .

                               

                              Thanks

                              Operating System: Windows Vista

                              Browser: Other

                              Printer model / driver version: Epson R1800

                              Video display card / driver version: NA

                              Scanner / driver version: NA

                              Type of network (server type and protocol for connection): NA

                              Has it ever worked? If so, what's changed? (provide comments in description field): Not Applicable

                              Same results with different file?: Not Applicable

                               

                               

                              I received a reply as follows:

                               

                              Thursday, May 28, 2009 9:24:44 AM PDT

                              Hello Paul,

                               

                              Thank you for contacting Adobe® Web Support for assistance with Adobe

                              Photoshop CS4.

                               

                              I understand that you just recently purchased the Windows® version of

                              the software and would like to switch your software to the Mac version.

                              We do have a system set up to do just that but you will need to contact

                              our Customer Service Department to do so.

                               

                               

                              For more information on Adobe products or services please visit us at:

                              HYPERLINK "http://www.adobe.com/support" http://www.adobe.com/support

                               

                              Kind Regards,

                               

                              Evan S.

                              Adobe Web Support

                               

                               

                               

                              Given this positive reply I purchased a MacBook.

                               

                               

                              On Friday May 29th I called the phone number provided.  My intent was to process the exchange as promised - “We do have a system set up to do just that .....”.  The system is called a “Xplat Swap”

                               

                              The Customer Representative asked for my Customer Number.  I provided it.  She then asked for the SN of my recently purchased copy of CS4.  I provided it.

                               

                              Then she asked for the SN’s of all previous copies of Photoshop I had purchased, including the original Full Version.  I didn’t have any of that data on hand.  That was software that I wasn’t using, had removed from my computer, and had disabled those versions.

                               

                              She then told me that without the old SN’s she wouldn’t be able to process the exchange.  She asked if I had registered the software.  I had.  She checked the Adobe files and couldn’t find any record.  She then suggested that that software might be registered under a different email address.

                               

                              Over the past years I have changed internet providers and indeed have had to change my email address with each new provider.  I wasn’t made aware at anytime during the years that I had owned and registered Adobe software that I would (1) be required at some point to provide the SN’s of all versions purchased, or (2) retain a record of the email addresses under which software was registered.

                               

                              The “system to do just that” was becoming very frustrating.  I asked to talk to a supervisor who could “solve the problem”.

                               

                              After a long wait I was transfered.  The new Customer Support Representative (CSR) asked for all the same information again.  After some discussion he informed me that I had been transfered to Technical Support, they were just closing, and he couldn’t help me.  With that I was transferred to another CSR..

                               

                              The third CSR again asked for a long list of information that I had given previously.  He listened to what I had to say and repeated that I would have to have all the necessary SN’s before the Xplat Swap could be processed.

                               

                              After some discussion I was able to provide an old, unused email address.  This address proved to be the one under which the previous upgrades and original full version were registered.

                               

                              He then began the Xplat Swap process.  His first step was to “destroy” all of the prior registrations.  These were read to me because I was told that he would be sending a PDF of a “Letter of Software Destruction” (LOD).  I would have to print the LOD, fill in the various items including all of the former SN’s, and sign the document.  Then the signed copy needed to be scanned, made into a new PDF, and emailed back to an address given.  He admonished me that this needed to be done “within” 48 hours or the case would close.

                               

                              All of the above took nearly 4 hours.

                               

                              The next day, Saturday, May 30th, I printed the LOD, filled out the form, signed the copy, scanned it, made it into a PDF and emailed it back to the address provided.  I was sent an acknowledgement (KMM10907345I51L0KM) that the email had been received.

                               

                              Then, on June 1st I received an email from Adobe. It noted that my case had been updated.  It also had another copy of the blank LOD.  I responded by sending another copy of the completed LOD.

                               

                              I regularly checked the Customer Support Portal (CSP) for updates.  There were none.  I had been admonished that “I needed to reply in 48 hours of the case would be closed” and was concerned that I was hearing nothing in return.

                               

                              After posting messages on the CSP, none of which elicited a response, the process was becoming very frustrating.

                               

                              Monday, June 15th I again called Customer Support.  After being on hold for 1/2 hour I got a CSR.  She told me that Adobe didn’t have my LOD.  I told her that I had sent it several times via both the email address provided, and the CSP.  Her response was simply that “Adobe didn’t have my LOD.”

                               

                              I asked for a supervisor and was transfered.

                               

                              The new CSR told me the same thing, that “Adobe didn’t have my LOD” and that without that the case couldn’t be processed.  I explained that I had sent it multiple times.  After he explained the same thing over and over I asked if he had access to the email.  He said he did.  I then sent a short message and attached a copy of the LOD.  He said he saw the message but didn’t see the attachment.

                               

                              I suggested that there might be a problem with the email system and was there another way to get the LOD to them, or might I have an improper file name, or could he suggest another solution.  The reply was simply that “Adobe didn’t have my LOD” and without that the Xplat Swap couldn’t be made.

                               

                              There was no attempt to solve an obvious problem and no concern for my frustration as a customer who was without critical software - I’m a freelance photographer.

                               

                              I sent the LOD once more via the CSP.

                               

                              On 16 June I sent a letter to the Adobe corporate office in San Jose, CA, to the attention of Customer Service.  The letter outlined the situation above.  To date - 24 June - I’ve had no reply.  Also to date - the case on the CSP remains as “Pending Adobe Response”.

                               

                              It has been nearly a month since this process has started.  What appeared to be a simple exchange of software which was purchased and registered has become a very difficult and frustrating experience.  Adobe Customer Service has been slow, unresponsive and at times rude.  The problem is being placed on me and it has been suggested that I’m not actually sending the LOD and until I do so the exchange will not take place.

                               

                              To add to the problem, when I check my account on the Adobe website the present copy of CS4 which I purchased in April in no longer registered.  I do have the option of using that software on my MacBook under a program which emulates Windows, but since the software was “destroyed”  by the Adobe CSR during the first call, I can’t use software that I purchased less than two months ago!

                               

                              I can only imagine that if I did decide to go back to my PC to use Photoshop and tried to install the periodic updates that are part of the purchased software package that I would be rejected, again because the Adobe representative cancel my registration before the new software was sent.

                               

                              At this point I’m at a complete loss to know how to solve the problem.

                               

                              Sincerely,

                               

                               

                              Paul g Wiegman

                               

                               

                               

                              -----------------

                               

                               

                              My present efforts have been to contact the BBB in San Jose, CA and file a complaint as well as talk to the "Consumer Advocate" with the local newspaper here in Pittsburgh, PA.  We'll see what that brings.

                               

                              Meanwhile, the Customer Support Portal continues to read "Reply pending from Adobe".

                              • 12. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                                athegn Community Member

                                Thanks for publishing all that personal information and your Adove serial numbers.

                                 

                                I should be able to steal a fair bit of your identity from all that detail!!!

                                 

                                Perhaps you or the moderator could edit your post?

                                • 13. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                                  Barbara B. CommunityMVP

                                  Personal info removed, but I don't know what this post  is doing in the PSE forum in the first place, frankly. I can only assume he hit every thread that came up in a search for disgruntled customers, so it's probably all over the forums and I can't do anything in the others.

                                  • 14. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                                    Fwot

                                    Customer service inept?  I can top that ... I've been so frustrated with Adobe not processing a refund and making promises they don't keep I wrote to the CEO in the States.  Even he hasn't bothered to get one of his underlings to reply.  So, I'm over £50 out of pocket having paid for an upgrade to Elements that wouldn't download correctly over a month ago and no-one in Adobe has done anything other than wind me up by failing to honour SLA promises.  Adobe - they must be the worst company I've ever had to deal with and I'm happy to share that view with anyone and everyone I come into contact with.

                                    • 15. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                                      goldman408 Community Member

                                      I absolutly agree.  I've just reported this company to the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

                                       

                                      We should all write a letter to Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer, effective December 1, 2007.

                                       

                                      If he cares about this company he should do something about this company's reputation.

                                       

                                      I waited on the customer service line for 1 hour on my first call.  A total of three hours today, and my software still has not arrived due to an error by the sales agent.

                                       

                                      Pathetic service.

                                      • 16. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                                        Fwot Community Member

                                        Hi - I did write a letter to the CEO two weeks ago ... no reply. I've had to contact my credit card company to sort out the refund as I cannot wait any longer for Adobe to reply.  That will takes weeks to process but at least I'll get my money back.

                                         

                                        Anyway, thanks for taking the trouble to reply - good job the web moderators haven't worked out why I chose "Fwot" as my screen name ...

                                         

                                        Charles

                                        • 17. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                                          Fwot Community Member

                                          BTW, has the Better Business Bureau got teeth to have an impact on Adobe?  If so, I'll follow your example and contact them too.

                                           

                                          Thanks

                                           

                                          Charles

                                          • 18. Re: Adobe customer service AGAIN......
                                            Barbara B. CommunityMVP

                                            locking thread.

                                             

                                            Start your own new rants, if you like, but there's too much in this thread that doesn't even pertain to PSE. This is the PSE forum, not the adobe customer service feedback forum.