The more I play this game, the more reluctant I am to use the in-game Help option to contact Customer Service because it is a complete waste of time that only frustrates me more as I deal with the subsequent emails that follow.

While I am sure the actual human CS reps are hard-working and well-intentioned, some of the processes and communicated information need a complete overhaul. I have no doubts the CS team is remarkably understaffed and the sheer volume of email Help requests dictate the automated first responses based on keywords which are sent. These first responses are absolutely useless apart from annoying people with how unhelpful they really are. I no longer pay any attention to these first responses and I always reply with my own automated text about my issue not being resolved because these first responses always assume your issue somehow magically fixes itself during the several hours or even days it takes to receive that first response. Seriously, who reads these any more? It's the second and subsequent emails where things become more human interactive and even more maddening.

These second or third or whatever response emails seem to have some human thought behind them (sometimes). However, they almost always start with the assumption that the player is a complete idiot and has not already tried logging out or /reloadui or searching forums or YouTube or Google for an answer during the indefinite amount of time that transpires before the first auto-reply is received. Like many other players, I have already tried these tactics and avenues for assistance and nothing was found, hence the need to contact Customer Service in the first place. Essentially, the email responses are little more than ZOS ending electronic insults to its players by assuming they are complete idiots.

If that weren't bad enough, if you happen to receive multiple responses from more than one CS rep or alias, the information is often completely contradictory except for the times when it is repetitive. Either way, rep #2 seems to have no knowledge of what rep #1 told me and the same goes for rep #3. Does the ticketing system not have a History section which details what information has already been communicated so that it appears my ticket is being reviewed by people who actually care and they approach a solution with some professionalism and common sense? The lack of team coordination is truly mind boggling. Then there are instances where you receive a reply which has absolutely nothing to do with the issue you reported. These responses drive me straight to my Stoli.

It gets worse. Even after several emails, including one or two that may have actually been crafted without the use of an automated script, I still never receive any actual solutions to my problems. Sometimes the responses simply stop arriving after I repeatedly confirm my problem still exists. Sometimes the CS rep claims the issue has been escalated to a developer or some unknown higher authority where my issue evidently goes to die because I never hear another word about my issue. The automated responses the CS team loves to send would be ideal to deploy every three or four days to let the player know that their escalated issue is still in the queue or being researched. Anything would be better than the nothingness of the black hole that seems to swallow my Help requests - especially ones that result in a response similar to a bug ticket has been logged.

This whole mess ultimately ends up with my issue not being resolved and with the CS team coming off as anything but helpful. This begs the question, why is the CS team not empowered to actually help players? Why do they spend so much time pushing unhelpful emails when they could easily log into the game as a game master and reset a quest or NPC/mob/boss or achievement or interactable object or whatever else my in-game problem is that other games have somehow figured out ways to resolve? Why is it a complete and utter waste of my time to contact CS - one of the few actual benefits of paying a subscription fee - when the rep either cannot help me or refuses to help me? It does nothing but make the actual customer service being provided seem like it is ABYSMAL as it does nothing but deter me from wanting to contact Customer Service. Again, I am sure the CS team is populated with wonderful people. It is a shame these people are unable to help the people who are contributing to their paychecks.

And don't get me started on the utter pointlessness of the game's /feedback option which I am convinced automatically deletes the feedback after the player submits it. I have been providing feedback since the November Beta and I have never received a single response or acknowledgement or follow-up question. If the game has no interest in reading or listening to the feedback of its players, it should never solicit it in the first place.