quality comparison of the exchanges' support

[whoknowsthisnose]

Welcome to my threat, which is dedicated to the quality comparison of the exchanges' support!

More like a guppy as a whale, I try as well as some other to expand my small portfolio through a little trading. We traders, trodlers or whatever are reliant on the stock exchanges function properly and that they respond quickly when things do not. Then the support is needed.

Who - like me - acts on different exchanges, has certainly found that there are large differences in the quality of support. This should be the theme here.
However, this threat is not intended for exchanges-bashing. Rather, experiences should be exchanged and - in the best case - the exchanges be inspired to improve their support.

My personal criteria are
- promptness in the first reaction (this does not mean the automatic reply mail!)
- Information policy about the process of problem solving
- Speed of problem solving
- kindness

Feel free to add some more criteria, if you find the need of completion.

Once again:
This thread should not be the dumping ground for personal anger, but a guide for other users and inspiration for the exchanges. Insults are unwanted, please try to practice objective criticism, it can also be positive.

I hope to encourage extensive participation, perhaps we can make a difference.

[whoknowsthisnose]

I will start with my personal experience. So far I needed the support of 6 exchanges - in some cases more than once. Today I want to begin with my experiences with BTER:


23/06/2014, issue: deposit of XMR not arrived

After 24 hours, the missing XMR were credited. Friendly support.

Comment: I must admit that I did not expect to ever get a response, because I had previously read everywhere that the support on Chinese exchanges for non-Chinese is hardly usable. A prejudice as it turned out.

30.06.2014, issue: My mistake, I withdraw XMR with BTER code without understanding what had happened.

After less than 2 hours I got reply on my ticket. I was very relieved that I had the XMR only posted to my account BTER code and easily could book back. I found the prompt response was so positive that I had to report it in the XMR thread to put something contrary to the permanent Chinese-bashing.

08/16/2014, issue: deposit of XMR not arrived

Two and a half hours after my request personal first answer with the question, whether I had given my payment ID. I did. 12 hours after my first request I wrote a reminder and another after 24 hours. Then I received a reply that I should be patient "... Our dev will fix it as soon as possible ..."
30 hours after my first request the missing XMR were credited to my account.

comment: First reaction promptly, the solution to the problem took too long. However, it was the 16/08/2014, when NXT was hacked on BTER, and I confess the technical staff to give priority to this problem.

conclusion:
The support of BTER is certainly better than its reputation. Yet I see a need for improvement: My impression was, that the technical support is not available 24 hours, which is neccessary at an exchange used from all over the world.



Feel free to comment and/or tell us about your own experiences with the support of whatever exchanges you are using.
The topic of my next post will be the support of hitbtc.

Thanks for reading!

[smooth]

I had a problem several months ago with BTER where a database error resulted i some of my coins being lost.

Despite emails to support (no reply), PM to freeworm (no reply), two native Chinese speakers trying to contact them on my behalf via phone and QQ (both unsuccessful), my coins remained missing for almost two months. Then eventually another native Chinese speaker tried to contact them on my behalf and was able to successfully get the coins returned.

Again, this was several months ago and their support may have improved since then. However, even with the issues I had it is true that I did get my coins back so it could have been worse.

[whoknowsthisnose]

Thank you, smooth, for your report, even if it does not show the actual situation. As mentioned in my above post, it were reported experiences like yours, that lead me to the prejudice - as it turned out. Furthermore it shows, that there was obviously a positive improvement at BTER.

But now, as announced, to the today's topic: the support of hitbtc

Originally I wanted to write this report yesterday, but due to a currently ongoing issue I was so upset that the report would probably not have been very objectively.

Meanwhile, though the problem is not solved, I got at least I little more information and found my contenance again. But more on that later.

Let's start with my first use of the support of hitbtc:

07/04/2014 issue: deposit of XMR at hitbtc not possible

First answer about 20 minutes after my request with explanation of how I would make a deposit (payment id etc.). I confirmed that I had done in the described way.
3 hours later I got on Mintpal (from there I had the XMR sent) the status message that the withdrawal was unsuccessful, so I hitbtc communicated. After another 2 hours, I received the message that the Technical department would look at the issue.
At that time XMR was just listed on hitbtc and I had the impression the handling was not yet mature. I decided not to proceed for the moment and to let expire a week or two before I would actively use hitbtc.

Comment: Very positive I found the quick initial response and the open admission that a more comprehensive problem exists. Otherwise, I would not have been returned to hitbtc.

07/22/2014 issue: balances suddenly invisible

First answer in less than 15 minutes: asking for a screenshot. This I sent and also informed that a test-trade worked, although balances not visible.
10 minutes later I received answer: probably it was because of my browser. That seemed unlikely to me, but I have yet rebooted and sure enough: all right. I notified hitbtc immediately.

Comment: Once again, very prompt response and also quick fix. (That I thought the suggested cause was unlikely, only shows what I'm a noob sometimes)

07/22/2014 issue: several withdrawals did not arrive and are not to find in the block chain

I had done that day very many transactions and was a little messed up, so I had to add my request an hour later with a missing deposit. In the meantime, I had made inquiries as well in the exchanges, to whom I had sent the missing XMR.
First response I received 9 hours after my initial request: demand, whether the withdrawals were for private wallet or other exchanges. I immediately sent the precise details of the individual transactions and asked in a further mail to send me the transaction ids.
4 hours later told me the support that the cause was found and the problem will be resolved soon and gave me the affected transaction ids.
It then took another 17 hours before the support told me, that after the last update of the XMR-wallet the transaction-IDs were not sent to the block chain. hitbtc had informed the other exchanges and that I should contact their support to get credited the missing XMR.

Comment: It was clearly too long until the first response. I also would have liked more timely information on the state of the problem solution, as it was are larger amount I missed in total and I was very worried therefor. That in the transaction-history of hitbtc only internal operational ID is displayed and not transaction-ID, proved to be very cumbersome for my research on the other exchanges. That should hitbtc change in any case!

08/17/2014 issue: unable to withdraw XMR

First answer by 31 hours (!): "We have forwarded an info on this issue to our Tech Department and they will take a deeper look into this problem." In the meantime, I did sent several reminder emails and additional informations on further attempts of a withdrawal.
46 hours after my first request still nothing, except the mentioned first answer. I was more than annoyed, because I at least expected some intermediate information in response to my multiple requests for the state of things. (In that mood I wanted not to write the experience report on the support of hitbtc)
Today (55 hours after the first request) I received the information that the technicians had discovered the problem at the weekend and since then they were investigating. I would be notified by mail when the problem is solved.
After another 2 hours, I received another message: The problem solution is somewhat complicated and would still take some time.

Comment and conclusion: I have to admit, I was really angry. Less, because there is a problem (which is still unsolved). What annoyed me was the long wait before I ever got a response or any information about the progress of the problem solving. I have full understanding that in a complex coin like the XMR technical problems might arise , but the feeling of talking into the void is really frustrating. My impression was, that the support at hitbtc is a 9-5-job, on 5 days a week. If so, hitbtc has to change it, because the need of support is 24/7. But I might be wrong with my assumption.
What hitbtc definitely has to change: its information policy. And please add the transaction-Ids in the history!

So far my personal experiences with hitbtc up to now.
Feel free to comment and/or tell us about your own experiences with the support of whatever exchanges you are using.

The topic of my next post will be the support of Poloniex.

Thanks for reading!

Update:
Today (08/21/2014) I got the information from hitbtc that the issue was finally fixed, but the transactions will still be monitored, to react immediatly, if the issue occurs again. It is also noteworthy that yesterday I received an intermediate information, possibly in response to this thread. Hitbtc will improve obviously. Keep it up!

[whoknowsthisnose]

As announced, this time the report on the support of Poloniex. Here we go:

19/07/2014, issue: unable to use the trollbox:
10 hours after the request I received a first reaction: "Clear you cookies, log out then log back in, alternatively try it in another browser. If the Problem persists just reply to this message.."
I did so, the problem persists. 2 minutes after informing the support I got the reply, the ticket would be escalated to another technician. 24 hours later I received the message that the problem was solved and I could login.

Comment: It was definitely too long until the first response. Luckily it was only a small problem and not time-critical.

19/07/2014, issue: duration of deposit:

that was the real reason I ever wanted to use the Trollbox. Since at the time it was not possible, I have made a ticket, as deposits of XMR lasted at that time extremely long. 34 hours later I received a reply: "I'm afraid there is nothing we can do about this right now, as it is a limitation of the XMR API. We are working with the developers to get the API changed. The reason it does not take so long on other exchanges is precisely because they do not have as much volume as we do. We have to go through every payment ID one-by-one, and this takes a long time because we have so many."

Comment: Once again, it took too long until I got a first response. Although it was not satisfying, I could understand that the support could not solve the problem in these circumstances. But in fact a revised API soon became provided by the developers. Since the transactions are much faster.

07/23/2014, issue: missing xmr deposit

In this problem, I have made myself for the first time use of the great advantage of Trollbox: The direct address of mods. We then discussed the problem on IRC and only after the mod had exhausted its possibilities, I made a ticket.
After 19 hours, the first response: ticket is forwarded to a technician. How to read in the previous post, the cause was hitbtc and the credit could be made only after there had been recognized and investigated the problem.
Two and a half hours later, I received message that the problem is now solved and the missing xmr would soon be credited. Another six and a half hours later, the message about the credit. One credit was still missing (of another exchange), this was credited 22 hours later.

Comment: Once again, it took too long to the first reaction. The duration of the actual problem solution is not to blame Poloniex, there the support depends on the assistance of other participating exchanges.

07/31/2014, issue: missing deposit of xmr

First reaction within an hour: Transaction is not in the block chain.

Comment: The cause was another exchange, there was the withdrawal incorrect. No possibility for the Support of Poloniex to solve the Poblem. Very fast first reaction.

Conclusion:
Up to the first response to a ticket, mostly it takes a relatively long time, then the issues are done quickly. Compared to other exchanges Poloniex offers the great advantage of being able to speak directly with mods in the Trollbox. For smaller problems and information request these can then help immediately. In addition, it is possible via IRC issues to discuss. This division of labor (small problems directly by mods and serious problems per ticket by technician) is indeed very efficient. The anytime possible rapid request for a mod and the announcements visible in a prominent position, give the user the feeling of being well informed. I find this exemplary.

So far my personal experiences with Poloniex up to now.
Feel free to comment and/or tell us about your own experiences with the support of whatever exchanges you are using.

The topic of my next post will be the support of Mintpal.

Thanks for reading!