The Poor State of Riot Customer Support
Riot Customer Support in its current state is pretty horrible on all accounts. I have had a technical issue on this account since the beginning of the season and literally no Riot CS takes it seriously. I took this issue to the Better Business Bureau and I am the reason that Riot was moved from a D rating to an F.
Riots to blame for the state of their CS department, they seem to apply their awesome manifest(http://www.riotgames.com/riot-manifesto) to every aspect of their company except their Customer Service Department.
I think Riot as a video game company in terms of Game Play, Passion, and Innovation is cutting edge, courageous, and amazing, but their Customer Support is basically comprised of 20 something intellectually stunted narcissistic idiots who answer tedious tickets from a Que in a delusional attempt to climb a non-existent latter into the company. I know because I was a one of these idiots who Game Mastered at Sony Online Entertainment about 5 years ago.
I wish Riot would apply the same ideals they express so beautifully in their Manifest(http://www.riotgames.com/riot-manifesto) to their customer support and legal team. How can a Customer Support Employee live up to these standards expressed in the manifest when they are comprised of 10 dollar an hour temps who have their dreams exploited by a billion dollar corporation.
You might think there is no other choice but for Riot to treat their CS employees like Bus Boys. You might think that Riot has to simply recruit individuals from the Food Stamp line in order to field CS Employees, But Blizzard Customer Support is amazing. It fanatically strives for service ideals that put Riots current Customer Supports to shame. Blizzards CS employees have a passion and vigor that makes Blizzard Customers feel really appreciated and loved. I wish Riot could strive to have a CS department close to their level.
I think Riots next round of improvements should be in Customer Support. I really hope someone at Riot reads this and takes it seriously.
"Make League Great Again" "Make League One Again"
Sailor Moon Ball Z
Below is the exact Situation:
My League of Legends account in 2016 has experienced an AFK rate(AFKS from Team Mates) between 15-19% or 16-21% which rose in May 2016 to over 66%. The average for other users this season is well below 0.1% and within low gold(where I am on this account) its well below 2.0% by all statistics that I can find online. You might think that I am lying about this rate, but I have sent countless tickets to Riot with logs that confirm this rate. And two Riot Customer Supports have confirmed this rate. Furthermore, I have had this rate for well over 500+ games(16-21% rate). This rate(16-21% rate) started immediately after I went 7 wins and 3 losses in my promos for this season.
The first month I thought that I was just getting super unlucky, but after I started taking logs for AFKS for the three MOBA accounts I play, I realized that there was something very wrong with this account:
my HOTS(Blizzard Game) account: AFK Rate 0.0066667 % My Other League Account(DocterGirlfriend In Silver 1): AFK Rate in Ranked Around 1.0003% This League Account(Sailor MoomBallZ in Gold 5): AFK Rate in Ranked was 21% rose to 66% before I quite playing on this account. Not quite sure but between 16% to 21% or 15 - 19% over the course of 500 + games.
I started playing League of Legends sometime in early September or late August 2014. I have enjoyed the game thoroughly during 2014 and during 2015. During this time, I willing put in over a thousand dollars to purchase permanent Champions and Skins on this specific account. You might judge me for spending this much money on a game? And I understand that. But I have an extremely high income for a 20 something year old, and I love the game so much that it was worth it to me. But I can't enjoy these skins and Champions on this account with this insane AFK Rate that I am experiencing.
Of course I had AFK'S during the 2014 and 2015 season on this account, but there never was a point in any other season where I would have to waste 25 minutes of my life playing 4 vs 5 once every 5 games Consecutively over 500 + games. But even bigger is the length of time someone leaves, I don't report people who leave for 5 minutes or who don't connect right away and begin the game 5 minutes late. The AFK's I am talking about this 2016 Season are Sever. Like Tyler1 Severe. THEY NEVER COME BACK!!!!
I honestly didn't have the foresight to log the severity(Length of time) of the AFK's I am talking about, but I know they are well above the average below:
AFK Length(min ) 5+ 10+ 15+ 20+ 25+ 30+ 35+ 40+ Silver League 0.225% 0.108% 0.078% 0.066% 0.060% 0.056% 0.054% 0.053% Gold League 0.156% 0.077% 0.058% 0.049% 0.044% 0.040% 0.038% 0.037%
Relation to Win Rate:
Time Needed to Connect Win Rate Occurrence 0 - 1 minutes 50.12% 95.617% 1 - 2 minutes 49.14% 3.605% 2 - 5 minutes 43.12% 0.552% 5 - 10 minutes 35.55% 0.117% 10 - 15 minutes 29.69% 0.030% 15 - 20 minutes 24.05% 0.011% 20 - 25 minutes 27.78% 0.004% 25+ minutes 41.18% 0.003% never connects 11.55% 0.060%
After my AFK rate rose to 66% and Riot Customer Support confirmed this rate, I asked them to have a Developer look into this account for me or to refund all purchases:
Something(Censored for my privacy),
Austin, TX, ######
05/08/2016
Customer Service Department Riot Games
Dear CS Representative:
Since 2014, I have purchased several hundreds of dollars worth of RP.
Unfortunately, your game has met inadequate standards. The rate of AFKS that I experience "On this Account" has made the game both unplayable and completely un-enjoyable. Furthermore, all actions I have taken with Riot Customer Support has resulted in no effort to take my claims seriously. I estimate that since the start of this Season, after I went 7 and 3 in my promos, I have experienced between 15 to 19% AFK rate in ranked from my team mates.
To resolve the problem, I would appreciate you refund all RP purchases on this account and/or have an actual developer look into why this specific account experiences AFKS at such a high rate. Enclosed in this ticket are my records on AFK's this weekend. I played 6 games with 4 AFKS. That's a rate of 66.67 % that is higher than most Challenger players win rates, if I am not mistaken. How can I have fun climbing the ladder if I am almost guaranteed to experience AFKS at such a high rate?
I look forward to your reply and a resolution to my problem. I will wait three weeks before seeking third-party assistance. Please contact me at the above address or by phone (###) ###-####.
Sincerely,
Jane Doe(Censored, for my privacy)
[Summoner Name: Sailor MoonBallz]
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When no one at Riot truly responded to this final attempt to resolve the situation after over a month of trying to resolve the situation with Customer Support. I went to the Better Business Bureau because I was tired of getting Cookie Cutter Responses to claims.
After the BBB filed a claim to them, Riot did not respond in an appropriate time. Because of their apathy to the situation, my BBB agent demoted Riots rank from a D to an F. Then after almost two months I believe Riot responded with this:
Hi Jane(Censored for my privacy),
Our apologies for the delay. I'd like to apologize for any troubles you have been encountering. In regards to leaves, this is an unfortunate circumstance but our system does not intentionally match players with other players who leave. Possible reasons for players leaving may be due to technical issues or if the other player is trolling. Unfortunately, I am unable to refund any of the transactions you have made.
You can find the full policy here:
http://leagueoflegends.com/en/legal/termsofuse
Below is an excerpt from the Terms of Use:
From Section IX. FEES
Some aspects of the Game may require you to pay a fee, and you agree that you will provide accurate and complete payment information to the third-party payment provider used by Riot Games. You further agree to pay all fees and applicable taxes incurred by you or anyone using an Account registered to you. Riot Games may revise the pricing for the Game or any item associated therewith at any time. All fees and charges are payable in accordance with payment terms in effect at the time the fee or the charge becomes due and payable. Riot Games may, from time to time, modify, amend, or supplement its fees and fee-billing methods, and such changes shall be effective immediately upon posting in this Agreement or elsewhere on the Site or in the Game. If there is a dispute regarding payment of fees to Riot Games, your Account may be closed without warning or notice at the sole discretion of Riot Games.
YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT ANY APPLICABLE FEES AND OTHER CHARGES FOR FEE-BASED SERVICES (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION RIOT POINTS) ARE PAYABLE IN ADVANCE AND NOT REFUNDABLE IN WHOLE OR IN PART. YOU ARE FULLY LIABLE FOR ALL CHARGES TO YOUR ACCOUNT, INCLUDING ANY UNAUTHORIZED CHARGES.
Feel free to reach out to us via [email protected] if you have any other questions. Thank you.
////////////// Of course their recommendation of going back to Customer Support made me go ballistic. So I responded with this:
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Hi Riot,
I would prefer that you referred to me as Sailor MoonBallZ please. I am complaining as a player to your amazing game. I should be considered a fan and player by you, not as just a reply that you wish to paste a template too.
First off, I thought your response ending on this was hilarious: "Feel free to reach out to us via [email protected] if you have any other questions. Thank you."
Mr/Ms Riot Corporate Lawyer or CS Manager, why do you think I am here talking to you at the BBB? If you haven't figured it out yet, its because your customer support failed me. The way you ended this message alone makes me realize that you don't take my complaint seriously, you haven't read through my logs and tickets with Riot Customer Support, and after over a month of waiting you merely copied and pasted a cookie cutter response in. Which to me is more offense than you not responding at all.
I did not consent to the terms of service you are referencing when I made any purchases for this account. For one the terms you reference are from May 2016 which I did not agree to when making these transactions. Secondly, these terms only apply if you have actually provided me with the service that I paid for. And you have not provided me with the service I paid for.
I paid for numerous skins that you agreed to provide me with until the game is no longer operated by Riot Games or my account is banned by you guys for any reason. And I can not enjoy this service from your company with my account in its current state.
If you wont ban my account for complaining a ton and you are still operating the game, than please resolve this issue that I am experiencing or refund me the cost of purchasing your services.
I have another account at the same league level, that I play the same roles on, that I play on the same client, that I play at the same times, that doesn't experience these issues that I have on this account. I don't understand how, but there is an issue with this account that is effecting my game play to a degree that the game has become unplayable and your Customer Service Representatives won't investigate the issue in any meaningful way.
I have given you countless logs and data to prove that my afk rate is beyond any statistical deviation possible. My AFK rate that rose to 66% is far beyond the games average of 0.01%. Its not possible that I am simply unlucky if you compare it to other averages for silver and for gold level players over the course of 500 + games that I have played this season.
Its frustrating to talk to a CS manager or corporate lawyer who didn't do well enough in Law School to start a real Law Career, whom is just quoting the Terms of Use to say no.
If you could, please have a Riot Developer look into the aspects of my account to humor me, I would be thrilled.
If you won't to this humblest of requests or you won't refund me, than don't write back because it will just be a waste of time.
Sincerely,
Sailor MoonBallZ
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So here I am, now writing on these forums. The BBB kept Riots rating at an F and recommended that I file a complaint to the Attorney General of Silicon Valley(or Something like that, which doesn't make sense to me because Riot is in Santa Monica California). But to be honest, the amount of Money wasn't worth my time. And I had become disenchanted with League of Legends over the whole ordeal. So I told my agent at the BBB thanks, but I wouldn't need her help in contacting the Attorney General of whatever.
So I honestly just hope that Riot doesn't become the Hammer Corp to Stark Industries(Blizzard) and that they truly apply their Manifest to their Customer Support Team.
