Update: LinkedIn has redeemed themselves

I’m frustrated….and I can tell you I’m a pretty easy going, understanding individual most of the time.

I’m hoping enough people read and pass around this post so that the big dogs over at LinkedIn are at least forced to respond to my futile cries for help with a service for which I paid LinkedIn!

Here is my story.

I use LinkedIn everyday, participating in groups, discussions, connecting to others, etc.  I love the network and have found it adds value to my business, as many others have realized as well.

LinkedIn recently launched their DirectAds network.  Basically, you can pay to have a text ad displayed on targeted profiles.  You pay a certain amount for 1000 impressions of the ad.  I decided I would try out the network to advertise my service to lawyers and law firms on LinkedIn.  I started with their minimum of $25, to see the results and I would take things from there.

On February 18, I opened my DirectAds account, paid LinkedIn my $25, and created my ad.  I set the ad to run for 2 weeks.

LinkedIn provides a DirectAds login where you can view your current ads, completed ads, as well as stats updated each day showing impressions, click throughs, amount spent so far, etc.

After 5 days of running my ad, and about $9 spent, I went to my DirectAds account and all information was gone.  It says no ads exist, there are no stats, no funds in the account, nothing.

Since LinkedIn provides no phone contact information, I went to the customer service portion of the site.  I submitted a request stating my issue and received the following automated response:

So I waited in vain for a response from customer service….nothing.  The next day I went to the feedback section of LinkedIn’s site and submitted the same request stating that I had an issue and would like a response…..nothing.

I waited another day and then decided to repeat my futile efforts by submitting another request to the same unresponsive customer service dept., the only known outlet I have to address this issue.

This time I stepped up the rhetoric, letting them know I have received no response at all about my issue and they seemingly have taken my money without providing me the service they said they would.  I only want a response to let me know they are addressing the issue or I would take it up with my credit card company (which frankly is a road I don’t want to go down and one I haven’t done yet)……nothing.

That final attempt at contacting customer service was on February 26th. It is now March 3 and I have yet to receive a response from them.  My DirectAds account is still not showing there ever was an ad that existed, and I am an unhappy customer.

I understand that problems will occur and I know that the DirectAds network is in Beta.  I am willing to deal with technical issues and mistakes, but I am unwilling to pay money to a company that has no ability to handle customer service issues  (especially for their paying clients).

Here’s me hoping that a small time blogger can be heard, and at the very least get a response to my issue from LinkedIn.

Visitors who read this post also read:

• LinkedIn has redeemed themselves (follow up to yesterday’s post)
• Vonage vs Comcast….The Importance of Good Customer Service
• Marketing Your Law Practice: LinkedIn and AttorneySync
• 9 Ways To Enhance Your Law Firm’s Brand On LinkedIn
• Attorney Advertising Definitions: Click Through Rate