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Using instant messenger or IM to communicate is definitely the most dynamic way of engaging into conversations with people. The immediate response coming from the parties involved makes it faster and much easier to send and convey information. What if this dynamism is put into question with vague security policy and poor customer support? Will you still be using it?
If you are familiar with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or if not that much because of the term, you probably must have heard about Skype.
Making telephone calls over the internetthrough Skype is possible. Many people utilize Skype for business and personal reasons.
Installation of this software is easy and the user-interface is just friendly. However, if you might assume that this would be perfect in all terms better think again.
Software developers normally have a help or support center that cater to user’s different needs and queries. What if this help center cannot help you?
Now let me share to you how Skype support center responded in my query to change my username and here’s what they said:
“Unfortunately, it is not possible to change a username and due security reasons we cannot make an exception.”
This statement was copied “as is” from the email they sent me. Looks canned isn’t it?
Have a look at the email below:
How helpful do you think is this response? They even mentioned security reasons?
The Skype security they are talking about does makes sense but why can’t they not change my username when in fact I am the legitimate account holder. I can have my user details, email and even password to provide them if they want.
For the few emails I’ve sent them, it always bears the same opening paragraph. Most customer service people use canned documents. They just cut-and-paste them to make it easier to respond to an email however, even if they do such system, their focus should still be in resolving their customers concern.
They kept on implying security reasons as another alibi to cover up their mistakes. Why can’t they just change it if I cannot do it on the application itself as it runs?
Here’s an excerpt from a forum thread about how Skype handle usernames in their database:
“So this is total bullsh….Even if you don’t allow me to delete physically my old unwanted name, one should allow to remove it at least from all directories!!! If not, there are lots of wrong addresses in Skype. Therefore after some time nobody trusts the directory anymore. If I was Skype I would change that as quickly as possible…”
Having read it, Skype can’t even delete your username which true.
From the letter below reads
and I quote,
“After approximately 10 – 21 days, your user profile will no longer appear in the Skype user directory. Please be aware that if you try to log into your account after the 21 day period, your user profile may re-appear. Please also be aware that your username will not be deleted and the same username cannot be used to open another Skype account.”
Why did they say that the user profile will no longer appear in Skype directory after you stopped using their service for several days but when you log back into your unwanted account, it’s replenished?
What in the world are they trying to say? Confusing isn’t it?
After exerting efforts trying to get resolution, I finally got a voice so I can get heard.
I’ve got email survey form that allows me to share my experience with Skype. I don’t really know if they take their surveys seriously but I answered it anyway.
Here’s how it looked like,
Dealing with my Skype username change request is really a pain. In fact, it was not resolved. I have also stopped using my Skype because of it. I certainly value my security as much as they do (Skype) but it just doesn’t make sense to me why they cannot change my username nor delete it? Why do they have to keep unwanted usernames?
It’s not just me who has rants about this issue. I’ve found some Skype username issues over the internet to help strengthen my case and I have also read from Yahoo!Answers UK telling Skype to stop remembering Skype name by a nameless fellow.
If Skype cannot do anything about it, they should have stated in their sign-up form that a Skype username is unchangeable once it is registered.
Having said that, we cannot discount the fact that people makes changes to their preferences most of the time (in so many ways including basic necessities). Customers have many reasons why they make changes to their preferences and if they feel that they are deprived of this option, they go somewhere else and this is something that Skype has to think about.
The ease of implementing our decisions and choices that we make in a timely fashion makes the consumer powerful enough to make or break any form of business. Where will we go if this freedom is denied from us?
Using a VoIP service is advantageous. However, the personal security of a user must be of primary importance while also taking into consideration their preferences, options and the help that they can get out of using the products and services these VoIP companies provide.
Suggested for further reading:
- Looking for Cutting-Edge VOIP Services on the Internet? Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes While this is not the first time VoIP has been covered on this blog, today’s post focuses on the companies providing VoIP services. For simplicity of facts, VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol which refers to a system of transmission technologies that delivers...
- Have You Already Spokn? Reading time: 2 – 4 minutes The holiday’s isn’t over yet and I’m sure that right from the start of this season, you have been calling your families and friends and checking them out after all these years and wishing them happy holidays. Like how many among you call your...
- Hosted PBX for Small Businesses Explained Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes I have discussed before the benefits small businesses could get out of VoIP services and where to get them. Although I haven’t explained thoroughly the more detailed concepts of VoIP for the sake of just getting the gist out of this technology, let me...
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