#RESOLVED - Poor customer Support - Sky Deny technical issues

ianos

In all fairness everyone has been experiencing these issues today (see SNG Lobby thread)

The site has been really slow in updating tables on SnGs and MTT's so it definitely isnt just you experiencing these problems.

It is worrying to learn that Sky havent actually recognised theres a problem at 11pm though, when many have been complaining since about 6pm.

ianos

EDIT: Well Sky have redeemed themselves.  Today I received a phone call from a member of the Sky Poker Team, he acknowledged the issues with the site and the mis-information of the online help team. Citing that it was a commucation issue between the 2 and the information about Site issues hadn't been properly internally communicated. He also offered me a seat in an 8pm main event which I wasn't expected and am extremely delighted with.  I'm not one of those people who complain for free stuff, I had a genuine grievance and I feel it has been appropriatley handled and resolved.

Too long to read? - Summary: I'm an unhappy person right now, this site is faulty today and sky won't accept it. This is my rant.

Well what a way to introduce myself, probably in the wrong forum etc but brace yourselves for my rant.

This is regarding the technical support of this site. 

I've been a member here for about 5 years or so, not played much since 2008 -2010 maybe come back once or twice to poker over the years. However I've recently rekindled my love for the game and decided to invest some time and engergy and even bloody money into the virtual felts. Sky poker for some reason feels like home to me so here is where I like to play.

I went to Vegas in September and on my last night in the MGM Grand decided to finally sit down at a cheap cash table where I got my bottom handed to me on a plate by regulars and walked away a broken man. I thought I knew poker but I knew nothing.

So i've spent the past few months reading/playing/watching/learning as much as my old brain can soak up nowadays which isn't much but I've come a fair way since September and my small budget is currently stable... ish. Needless to say I've been playing Sit N Go's, DYM's MTT's and even a bit of cash poker here every single day for the past 2 months. I've managed to rack up what in my opinion is a decent return on Sky Poker Rewards for my efforts and am now quite comfortable sat at the table. I've stepped up a level from Donk to absolute amateur but I'm happy with the progess!

Ok enough background. Today when I tried to play my early morning DYM with a cuppa and a bowl of porridge I was greeted by the old "Site down for essential maintenance" page. 'This is odd' I thought. However it said it would be back by 8am and sure enough it was.

For the rest of the day my playing experience has been.. problematic. Mainly with the Site not reloading when I (or anyone else) registers to a table/tournament/SNG. Essentially the system seems a little sluggish/laggy and not refreshing quick enough... 

Usually with Sky poker SNG's if 5/6 people are already registered it's usually approx 5 - 10 seconds between the last person registering to the table launching and the game has a cooldown period before the first hand is dealt i assume to allow each player time to say their prayers before the action begins.

Today however I noticed that everytime I registered for a table that when the table finally launched on my screen I was already 1 or 2 hands into the game. On more than one occasion I had missed the nuts in pots that I would have played in. Frustrating indeed when I come to bow out of a DYM in 4th place! Oh what could have been? Or not but that's not the point. Money is at stake and the site is not behaving fairly to each user.

Now here is where the Crack pot 1st line of defense SkyBet technical support LiveChat staff come into play. I've finally had enough of the site being buggy today and potentially costing me pots that could lead to cash. I'm paying to play here and I don't need any extra handicaps from server performance. Of course SkyBet's immediate response is;

1. Try a different browser

2. Update Java/Flash etc

3. Windows 8 and above is know to be problematic to some users (although they don't seem to advertise it)

4. You're Internet provider is at fault/speed problems/Internal network issue

Well here's the rub. I've been playing SkyPoker for at leasy 3 hours per day 2 months solid on the same Devices.

1. Android Nexus 4 phone - At work and Home

2. Windows 8.1 professional PC at home

3. Windows 8.1 Pro PC at work

4. Windows 7 Pro PC at home 

5. iPhone 5 at home

6. Android Galaxy Tab 3 at home/work

7. Windows 7 Pro laptop at home

All these machines are fully patched and Virus/Malware scanned and protected

My home broadband is Sky unlimited and is a steady 40mbps download, I've had no connection problems since it went live in october. 

My work Internet is Zen fibre business line at 30-50mbps down / 15mbps up.

I've used 3 of the 7 devices to play SkyPoker today and all 3 had the same issue: Windows 7/Windows 8/Android nexus 4 with Lollipop 5.1

Guess what I do for a living! (not play poker) no but I'm a 3rd Line senior IT Support technician Microsoft certified (yaay) I hate to say this but I know my way around an IT issue or 2. I also know when the fault is my end or a server/data centre and it just so happens that on the day SkyPoker is down for mainenance that throughout the day the site is suffering? What a bloody coincidence! 

If you've read along so far I can only thank and applaud you. But next comes some Sky Livechat transcripts! I come accross like cockasaurus because:

a.) i'm a cockasuarus

b.) I'm a frustrated customer losing money due to a faulty system that shouldn't be live.

MOD EDIT - PLEASE SEE FORUM RULES POST AT TOP OF PAGE - * Offers and conversations – including PMs and chat transcripts – between Sky staff and customers should not be posted on the boards.

CHAT LOG DELETED

So other players have noticed too huh? 

I get through to another member of staff with my findings and I'm assured that my issue will be passed to the technical team and I will be emailed with their findings. I'm not holding my breath.

I'm not one to complain like this usually however I am finding this rather cathartic! I do have my other transcript from the SkyChat however I'm sure this post is quite long enough..

I hope others have experienced these faults today as well as me. I know i'm not going insane and I'm sick of the table launching mid-hand where I would have had the nuts.. Money is on the line here as small as the amounts may be this is a gambling site and it's giving certain users disadvantages.

ianos

She flat out refused to accept that there was anything wrong. There was no escalation process to pass to a site engineer. Except when I spoke to a different chat adviser and posted the table chat to her she said she would forward the message to the "Technical team". 

It's complete and utter nonsense. They are fully aware of it. They are keeping the site running to earn their rake whilst costing users money with a slow poor performing server. 

Nothing will come of it but this site should be offline until fixed.

RLT16

Hi ianos, your defiantly not the only person to have these problems any have today tiers another post in the poker chat forum about it, i an slightly amazed that sky have taken no responsibilty for it or aren't doing anything about it, they havent responded to the other thread and it's been up all day, luckily for me i play Dyms and missing the first 2/3 hands isnt going to be the end of the world for me. But like u say it can effect the outcome of games for sure.  Would really be nice if someone from sky could respond to either of the threads an atleast say they are aware of the issue. It's quite nice if u manage to be first to load a table though a few extra blind steals at begging of the game  is always a nice start

unknown_username

Only played two games yesterday and I missed hands due to tables not loading quickly enough....

In case you hadn't noticed sky very rarely ever admit that there are technical issues unless there are lots of people posting on the forum. I  imagine the reason for that is there are always people who will always try to take advantage of it. In this wonderful modern world we live in nobody says sorry that was my fault anymore and a lot of people are quick to try and take advantage of a situation and  get something for nowt....

Personally I'd suggest next time you phone the helpline,  I think the online chat people are reading from a sheet and don't actually listen to what people are saying whereas the phone support guys do actually seem to possess a brain!!!  

shakinaces

Even I don't have the will to read all of that, but very well done for the use of the word cockasaurus in your very first forum post.

That sort of vocabulary will fit in very well here while you are posting for something to do during the periods the poker tables aren't working.

bbMike

 "Your account is fully active, so there is no reason why you would not be able to win"

Rant might be better directed than to this poor girl, but yeah site issues after maintenance is not new unfortunately.

hhyftrftdr

In Response to Re: Poor customer Support - Sky Deny technical issues:

 "Your account is fully active, so there is no reason why you would not be able to win" Rant might be better directed than to this poor girl, but yeah site issues after maintenance is not new unfortunately.
Posted by bbMike

lol, that's what caught my eye in the whole OP.

There are plenty of reasons why I don't win, love. Alas I can't blame the software for my shortcomings

ianos

Well Sky have redeemed themselves. 

Today I received a phone call from a member of the Sky Poker Team, he acknowledged the issues with the site and the mis-information of the online help team. Citing that it was a commucation issue between the 2 and the information about Site issues hadn't been properly internally communicated. He also offered me a seat in an 8pm main event which I wasn't expected and am extremely delighted with. 

I'm not one of those people who complain for free stuff, I had a genuine grievance and I feel it has been appropriatley handled and resolved.

Good luck to me in the BH tonight.

Enut

In Response to Re: Poor customer Support - Sky Deny technical issues:

Well Sky have redeemed themselves.  Today I received a phone call from a member of the Sky Poker Team, he acknowledged the issues with the site and the mis-information of the online help team. Citing that it was a commucation issue between the 2 and the information about Site issues hadn't been properly internally communicated. He also offered me a seat in an 8pm main event which I wasn't expected and am extremely delighted with.  I'm not one of those people who complain for free stuff, I had a genuine grievance and I feel it has been appropriatley handled and resolved. Good luck to me in the BH tonight.
Posted by ianos

Nicely resolved Sky. I read your original post (yes the whole thing) and it reminded me of the daily battles I have with insurance company and investment company 'support' lines in my job. Sadly they are rarely resolved as efficiently and to my benefit.

wynne1938

I do not know if this is a coincidnce or not,but there is a Flash Zero bug affecting IE and Chrome browsers,but not the downloaded client!