In the review of VantagePoint software I noted some problems with Genesis Data services. Considering what they put me through in their tech support department I was pretty soft on them in the review but I didn't want to bore the readers with a lot of frustrating trivia. Since then I've had worse problems with them and, while VantagePoint recommends them as a data provider, I recommend that you do not deal with them. The frustrating technical problems I had with them pale in comparision to how they have handled the financial side of my account.
When I signed up with them there were only two data provider choices. I first called CSI data services. I was told there was a 60.00 sign up fee plus the monthly charges. I then called Genesis and asked their representative what fees were involved. I asked if there was a sign up fee and I asked what the monthly charges were.
I was told that the first 30 days were free, that the fee was 25.00 a month, and that there were no additional fees. I confirmed that with several other questions.... I mentioned that CSI had a sign up fee and confirmed that Genesis had no sign up fees. The lady repeately assured me that there were no other charges than the 25.00 a month. Surprised that anyone would even use CSI when Genesis had a much better deal I also asked if I cancelled at any time were there any other fees. I was told that there were not. I revisited the question about additional fees a few times throughout the conversation and was consistently assured that there were not.
About three months later I noticed a 138.00 fee on my account and called to find out what it was about. After numerous calls to the accounting department and only getting voice mail during normal business hours I finally called the sales department and the woman who answered told me that she could help me. Her explanation of the charge on my card was for a 60.00 sign up fee plus monthly charges. I told her my story and she told me that she was having trouble believing it. She said that what I described was not what Genesis offers and that Genesis does not give refunds.
I asked her "you mean if I call in and ask questions about your service and you tell me what the service is going to be and I agree to that -- that if you later charge me differently than what you agree to -- that you do not give a refund? She began to dispute the verity of my comments at that point. I repeated to her the things I asked the rep I signed up with and what I was told. She denied that Genesis offers that and told me it was a misunderstanding telling me that the rep must have been having a bad day and that the actual charges were valid. I told her that I did not agree and that I wanted the situation corrected according to what I'd agreed to and I wanted it done today during normal business hours. I told her that I'd paid for far too many overseas calls to Genesis and that there was no reason why this problem could not be solved now during business hours. She tried to get rid of me by telling me that she would forward my request. I told her I wanted to talk to someone who could resolve the problem without making any more expensive overseas calls. The line disconnected.
I kept detailed notes of my original call to Genesis because it was part of my review of the data provider and have a record of my discussion with the representative. I spend a lot of time communicating on the telephone because it is my primary way of doing business around the world. I have bought millions of dollars worth of various kinds of gear and equipment by phone and have a lot of experience in communicating in pretty clear terms when talking on the telephone. I also have a well developed ability to ask verification questions and when I spoke to the original representative I was very careful to ask sufficient cross reference questions to determine that there were no additional fees other than what I was told.
Those who've read my posts here have told me that my written communications are pretty clear. The fact remains that I'm much better at both listening and talking in live conversations than I am in writing.
My take on this is if you want to deal with a company that has given me an abundance of trouble and has cost me a LOT of time and money in overseas calls then Genesis is your company. Given the legacy of trouble I had with this company years ago when I used this service I'm surprised I used them this go round but I was paying the data costs for this review out of my own pocket so I went with the cheaper provider. Turns out they did not tell me the truth about their charges and have billed me fees that they did not advise me of and have not responded in a helpful or cooperative manner. All I got from the representative at Gensis whom I talked to today was argument to try and convince me that I was wrong in my understanding of their service and what they offered. As a result of they way I have been handled by Genesis I have strong suspicions that there is deliberate deception being used here and I know that it is not from me.
FT
When I signed up with them there were only two data provider choices. I first called CSI data services. I was told there was a 60.00 sign up fee plus the monthly charges. I then called Genesis and asked their representative what fees were involved. I asked if there was a sign up fee and I asked what the monthly charges were.
I was told that the first 30 days were free, that the fee was 25.00 a month, and that there were no additional fees. I confirmed that with several other questions.... I mentioned that CSI had a sign up fee and confirmed that Genesis had no sign up fees. The lady repeately assured me that there were no other charges than the 25.00 a month. Surprised that anyone would even use CSI when Genesis had a much better deal I also asked if I cancelled at any time were there any other fees. I was told that there were not. I revisited the question about additional fees a few times throughout the conversation and was consistently assured that there were not.
About three months later I noticed a 138.00 fee on my account and called to find out what it was about. After numerous calls to the accounting department and only getting voice mail during normal business hours I finally called the sales department and the woman who answered told me that she could help me. Her explanation of the charge on my card was for a 60.00 sign up fee plus monthly charges. I told her my story and she told me that she was having trouble believing it. She said that what I described was not what Genesis offers and that Genesis does not give refunds.
I asked her "you mean if I call in and ask questions about your service and you tell me what the service is going to be and I agree to that -- that if you later charge me differently than what you agree to -- that you do not give a refund? She began to dispute the verity of my comments at that point. I repeated to her the things I asked the rep I signed up with and what I was told. She denied that Genesis offers that and told me it was a misunderstanding telling me that the rep must have been having a bad day and that the actual charges were valid. I told her that I did not agree and that I wanted the situation corrected according to what I'd agreed to and I wanted it done today during normal business hours. I told her that I'd paid for far too many overseas calls to Genesis and that there was no reason why this problem could not be solved now during business hours. She tried to get rid of me by telling me that she would forward my request. I told her I wanted to talk to someone who could resolve the problem without making any more expensive overseas calls. The line disconnected.
I kept detailed notes of my original call to Genesis because it was part of my review of the data provider and have a record of my discussion with the representative. I spend a lot of time communicating on the telephone because it is my primary way of doing business around the world. I have bought millions of dollars worth of various kinds of gear and equipment by phone and have a lot of experience in communicating in pretty clear terms when talking on the telephone. I also have a well developed ability to ask verification questions and when I spoke to the original representative I was very careful to ask sufficient cross reference questions to determine that there were no additional fees other than what I was told.
Those who've read my posts here have told me that my written communications are pretty clear. The fact remains that I'm much better at both listening and talking in live conversations than I am in writing.
My take on this is if you want to deal with a company that has given me an abundance of trouble and has cost me a LOT of time and money in overseas calls then Genesis is your company. Given the legacy of trouble I had with this company years ago when I used this service I'm surprised I used them this go round but I was paying the data costs for this review out of my own pocket so I went with the cheaper provider. Turns out they did not tell me the truth about their charges and have billed me fees that they did not advise me of and have not responded in a helpful or cooperative manner. All I got from the representative at Gensis whom I talked to today was argument to try and convince me that I was wrong in my understanding of their service and what they offered. As a result of they way I have been handled by Genesis I have strong suspicions that there is deliberate deception being used here and I know that it is not from me.
FT
