Valve Scores an F with the BBB

[GhostEye]

I've only ever had two issues that I needed to take up with Steam Support, let's just say they both have been horrible experiences.

I decided to check the BBB to see if anyone else has been having similar frustrations. Guess so.

http://www.bbb.org/western-washington/business-reviews/computer-software-publishers-and-developers/valve-corporation-in-bellevue-wa-27030704

It would appear they don't even seek accreditation. Based on the description of accreditation given by the BBB, some people may take this to mean that Valve does not have "a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints". Either that or they are just unwilling to pay the fee. Either way... this is a pretty horrible thing for a company of Valve's size.

I've seen a lot of other discussions on here lately about people having bad experiences with Steam Support. In the interest of acting and not simply talking, how would you guys feel about starting a petition with the intent to motivate Valve to improve the quality of their customer service? Is that something other Steam users are interested in? Has this already been attempted?

[Spawn of Totoro]

That is because they don't pay the BBB for a higher rating like many other companies do. Hence why it states "This Business is not BBB Accredited".

The BBB doesn't mean anything this day in age. It realy should just be disbanded.

[aiusepsi]

500 closed complaints over the last three years, against just the 5 million logged in at once earlier today, is a 0.01% complaint rate. Could be worse.

[Silv3r9]

I see a few legit issues but also there is plenty of the same hilarious crap we read here on the forums:

Problems with Product / Service
Complaint: Hi,
I purchased Far Cry 3 from Valve via their Steam software client for $49.99. About 24 hours later, the game went on sale for $29.99. I sent a nice email to their customer support team asking to be refunded the difference or be given credit. They gave me a canned answer and in no way attempted to assist me.

*facepalm...BBB style*

[Irregular Seconds]

Цитата допису Silv3r9:

I see a few legit issues but also there is plenty of the same hilarious crap we read here on the forums:

Problems with Product / Service
Complaint: Hi,
I purchased Far Cry 3 from Valve via their Steam software client for $49.99. About 24 hours later, the game went on sale for $29.99. I sent a nice email to their customer support team asking to be refunded the difference or be given credit. They gave me a canned answer and in no way attempted to assist me.

*facepalm...BBB style*

To be fair this is a fairly standard retail procedure now...

But it is true, Valve does not give two ♥♥♥♥♥ about the BBB. You'll find that if you look through the complaints they all look like this one, or are regarding refunds.

[GhostEye]

I noticed this is the case with a lot of the resolved complaints, however looking at the unresolved or completely ignored complaints, you may notice a much more consistent and valid pattern.

I suppose you could rationalize the legitimacy of these complaints all day, the point is people are complaining and Valve isn't doing a very good job of handling it...

Suppose we forget all about the BBB for a second. Have any of you ever tried contacting Steam Support? It's like talking to a wall. They constantly claim to have no ability to help you even if they wanted to. I don't want to call them liars but common sense would indicate that may not be an entirely truthful answer... Their queuing system is horrid. My latest experience yielded around 48 hours between responses, no matter how quickly I responded back to them. How about resolving your oldest issues first Valve? That is at least a step in the right direction.

[Satoru]

Цитата допису GhostEye:

]Their queuing system is horrid. My latest experience yielded around 48 hours between responses, no matter how quickly I responded back to them. How about resolving your oldest issues first Valve? That is at least a step in the right direction.

Like all centers they address tickets in the order they are received

[Felphordeez]

i rarely ever use customer service, they are always way to slow. i find that finding the answer yourself is much easier. although steam really should include some game patches ex. masseffect.

[Ender]

FWIT, I've never had a problem with Steam. One of the complaints I've seen is that many people don't understand on the line between what is Steam's responsibility and what is the game developers (for example, Steam can only deliver the patches/updates the develpers give them). Also, many people get frusterated when things aren't responded to quickly during their major sales, but this is the equivalent of people complaining their are long lines at a store during a Black Friday sale after Thanksgiving (granted, I know people who have complained about that too).

[Spawn of Totoro]

Цитата допису GhostEye:

I noticed this is the case with a lot of the resolved complaints, however looking at the unresolved or completely ignored complaints, you may notice a much more consistent and valid pattern.

I suppose you could rationalize the legitimacy of these complaints all day, the point is people are complaining and Valve isn't doing a very good job of handling it...

They do handle complaints, but they do not do so with BBB oversite, so the complaints are never shown as "fixed" by the BBB.

http://business.time.com/2013/03/19/why-the-better-business-bureau-should-give-itself-a-bad-grade/

That article provides some good insight into what the BBB does and doesn't do.

For example, they rely only on the BBB "Accredited" businesses for funding.

Цитата допису GhostEye:

Suppose we forget all about the BBB for a second. Have any of you ever tried contacting Steam Support? It's like talking to a wall. They constantly claim to have no ability to help you even if they wanted to. I don't want to call them liars but common sense would indicate that may not be an entirely truthful answer... Their queuing system is horrid. My latest experience yielded around 48 hours between responses, no matter how quickly I responded back to them. How about resolving your oldest issues first Valve? That is at least a step in the right direction.

Yes. The few issues I have had were handles quickly and efficiently by Support. They answered with in two days for most of them and one around a sale took 3 days. All were fixed quickly.

My questions follow Steam's policy too. Steam does not offer support for 3rd party games, only with account/billing issues and Valve games.

As for a 48 hour wait between answers, each reply you make is added to the que again so they are still going in the same order as any other ticket.

Цитата допису Caer:

i rarely ever use customer service, they are always way to slow. i find that finding the answer yourself is much easier. although steam really should include some game patches ex. masseffect.

That is on EA, no Steam. Steam doesn't touch another game's code. It is left to the devleoper to support their game.

[Felphordeez]

steam can still push for the updates can't they?
yes steam can only use the data they are given but they can still push for updates, or maybe they have and im just an ignorant ♥♥♥♥.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Цитата допису Caer:

steam can still push for the updates can't they?
yes steam can only use the data they are given but they can still push for updates, or maybe they have and im just an ignorant ♥♥♥♥.

Steam has two sets of customers. Users (us) and the Developers/Publishers. They have to balance them both.

If they tried to force the developers to spend money on a patch, the developer would just pull their games. Then there would be no games to sell.

The users would then be forced to go to another service or even a developers "new" service, in order to get those games.

It is easy to make a digital distrabution store. Every Developer/Publisher has that option and will take it if they feely forced into something.

[Ender]

Цитата допису Caer:

steam can still push for the updates can't they?

Yes you are an ignorant (wait, it uncensored that when I quoted you? Cool!). The short version is that if Steam asks for something EA will just say that their fan base hasn't shown that it's a priority at this time. Really the only thing EA will do for Steam is add some integration into the Steam client (achievements/tradingcards...), Steam can push all they want, but EA has their own priorities.

[Felphordeez]

fyi patch is released on on their site.
http://masseffect.bioware.com/me1/pc/updates/
that is why i dont understand why they do not include update 1.02 in the steam store.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Цитата допису Caer:

fyi patch is released on on their site.
http://masseffect.bioware.com/me1/pc/updates/
that is why i dont understand why they do not incluse patch 1.02 in the steam store.

Because EA didn't release it for Steam. That is on EA and just shows how they feel about their customers.

[Ender]

Цитата допису Caer:

fyi patch is released on on their site.
http://masseffect.bioware.com/me1/pc/updates/
that is why i dont understand why they do not include update 1.02 in the steam store.

Licensing issues. Steam can only push out patches that they are explicetly handed by the publisher and told they can push (and in all likelyhood are also required to push out every single patch that is given to them, even if the Steam population hates it).