"RoseGarden" - - - - - - - from - nscave

I have to say I like my Sirius radio, especially when traveling long distances. being able to choose favourite radio stations and sticking to them on journeys thousands of kilometres long is worth the subscription cost - I think.

After today's experience I am almost ready to go back to plain old FM, MP3s and CDs.

Account Adjustment

My subscription is due in Jan. I had purchased a new vehicle this year that included a year subscription to Sirius. I already had a Sirius subscription for a year, so they credited my account with the difference.

I begin receiving generic e-mails that my subscription will expire in Jan. and that the new amount will be deducted off my credit card on file. 

So the adventure begins as I try to call them, using the number on the Canadian Sirius website and the one given in the e-mail warnings. 1-888-539-7474

I didn't get that.

They've combined the Press 1, Press 2, what do you want to do stuff, with voice recognition animation software.

"Please say your account phone number!"

I give the number.   "Is that xxx-xxx-xxxx?"  No? It is not!

"Say the number again."   I repeat the number.

"I can't locate your account under that number. Please say your ESN number or account number if you know it."

"Did you say xxx-xxx-xxxx?"   No!

"Say the number again."

That process is repeated 3 times and again, "I can't locate your account under that number. Transferring you to an agent."

Now I listen to the most horrible loud i irritating music I have ever heard on any telephone system anywhere. You would think Sirius satellite radio with all its glorious channels could at least put its worst channel on there for music. Even static would be pleasurable to listen to compared to their phone music filler.

Welcome to Sirius

Finally a human voice says "Hello, Welcome to Sirius, how can I help you today?"

I explain my situation and what has happened on the phone so far.

Please read the first 5 lines under 'I didn't get that,' above to save me some typing.

It seems my account can't be found under any of the information given. So I say: "All the information is correct. I am sitting right here looking at it on your website." 

Finally 'my' light bulb comes on. (More like a strobe light by now.) "Is this the Canadian Sirius system I am talking to, or the US one?"

"No sir this is the US Sirius, we do not handle Canadian accounts here, that is a separate identity. You have to call the Canadian system for Canadian accounts."

"I realize that, I called the number listed on the Canadian Sirius web site and the one shown in the e-mail."

"I will give you the correct number to call," she says, "1-888-539-7474."

"That's the number I called!" I informed.

"Call that number, you will get who you need." she says again, and if that doesn't work, try 1-877-438-9677."

If that number doesn't work, call this number, and if that doesn't work,  make up a number . . .

"Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

Geeze lady you didn't help me at all yet. You don't really want me to answer that.

Let's do the whole thing over again

So I call 1-888-539-7474, which Skype tells me is the same number I called before. The same routine as listed above is followed, same questions, same "I can't find your account" answers. 

Eventually I end up being transferred  to an agent, a different one, same problems, same questions, same, same, same. Even after I explain I have a Canadian account, dialled the number given for Canada, I end up with the same American loop.

"I'll give you the number for Canada," says the second lady. "1-888-539-7474."

"That's the number I have been calling and I end up talking to you people," I say.

"For sure that will get you Canada," she assures me, "and if it doesn't, call 1-877-438-9677."

I like confidence!

"Thanks for calling Sirius, Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

Well at least they have the same computer screen to read off of. At least their internal network is working.

Hello Canada

So again I dial 1-888-539-7474 as instructed, and the same sequence begins once again, so I hang up.  I don't need the animated mouth piece advising my account can't be found, please repeat so she can repeat.

So I decide to call the next number, the one that was said is a direct line to Canada. 1-877-438-9677.

Almost the same sequence of events, except this time I'm told to use the buttons to input numbers instead of speaking them. I don't know all those accents anyway.

Hot diggity they are going to pass me to an agent. But before they do, the biggest high volume blast of hearing damage high decibel worst sounding music I ever heard. Hey Canada you are right up there with the US, and your distortion is better.

So a guy comes on the line, and the first thing I tell him in short form is the adventure I've had. I say, "I know this is XM radio because the animated phone chick said it a dozen times. I was given this number to call Sirius. Do you handle both Sirius and XM?"

"We are merged together, but only handle XM calls," he says " but I can transfer you to the Sirius division if you can hold for just a minute."

Here comes that burst of static distortion infested music again. But this time just a burst.

Finally after a couple minutes, a gentleman says, "Welcome to Sirius Canada, my name is J ..., how can I help you?"

I briefly explain the situation I just went through, knowing full well it is not his fault. I supply the information that I have  supplied more than six times before, adding there is a credit on my account that needs to be applied rather than charging renewal to my credit card.

He says: "If you can hold for just a minute, I need to check some things." This time the music was almost acceptable. He comes back on shortly and says, "Thank you for waiting. I am sorry to have to do that, but my computer was acting a bit slow. I have fixed that up for you, your subscription is renewed from the money on your account and your card will not be used."

I know you won't. Its expired, and I will never give you another.

"Thank You Joseph, I appreciate your help. You have done everything I need."

He ended the conversation by saying: "Merry Christmas, thanks for calling Sirius." That made for a remarkable ending to a frustrating 50 minutes.

When something as simple as this causes so much frustration, and takes so much time, there has to be something wrong. Sirius Satellite radio, your customer service needs to be fixed. Not the personnel answering the phones, but the system.

At the time of this publication my account online still does not show any sign of renewal. Lets see what happens by January.

This work by NSCAVE is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License