What's your experience of customer service with DNA testing companies?

[Maciamo]

I am curious to compare people's experience of customer support at various DNA testing companies.

Here is my impression based on my experience.

- Family Tree DNA: I have often been critical of this company (high prices, terrible MyOrigins and AncientOrigins report, etc.), but they do have a very responsive and efficient customer support, I have to grant them that.

- Genographic Project: I have sent several inquiries about their tests, but they either didn't reply or the reply was completely unhelpful. It looks like the people answering emails have no knowledge of genetics at all.

- 23andMe: I have made a few inquiries and their response was always fast and professional.

- Living DNA: I sent several inquiries and always got a fast reply. When their support staff didn't know the answer to my question, they asked their scientists and got back to me with the answers to my questions.

- BritainsDNA: I sent an inquiry, but never got any reply.

- My Heritage DNA: I sent an inquiry, but never got any reply.


So I would classify companies in two categories: those with fast and efficient support (FTDNA, 23andMe, LivingDNA) and those with inexistent support (AncestryDNA, BritainsDNA, MyHeritageDNA).

Of course that is based on just a few exchanges and other people could have had a very different experience from mine. Hence this thread to compare.

 

[Boreas]

I used FTDNA. Even 23andMe doesn't have service to Turkey, so obviously in my decision the first thing I looked it, was that. Then able to find somebody from the customer. They give this impression well.

Once in my second order process, customer servise immediately returned me and changed my wrong test type. But I agree about high prices.

 

[Sile]

- Family Tree DNA: good ..................very good from project managers

- Genographic Project: never used for inquiry

- 23andMe: poor

- Living DNA: N/A

- BritainsDNA: N/A

- My Heritage DNA: very good ............helpful in issues

 

[ajc347]

I've only had experience of Living DNA's customer services and can only describe them as nothing short of excellent. They responded to an email I sent regarding which SNP's they had tested, within 6 hours and provided a full and complete answer to my question.

 

[Guivre]

I tested with FTDNA a very long time ago, when they first made kits available to the public because I was SO excited about the science and because there were so many questions still about Bulgarians. My experience may or may not be relevant in the future.

At some point, it's hard to remember when, FTDNA took down my test results. They did not reinstate them after several years -- they had a message on my dashboard saying that they would return them at some point, which is why I waited patiently (very hard for a Bulgarian to do). I inquired if I had to order a new test to be able to have my results again, or even if I had to order a new kit, and they gave me a very vague answer.

Knowing about all the tools and ways to use your data that have come out since I took my test so many years ago, and not wanting to give them $200 for them to take down my results somewhere along the line, I ordered a test from AncestryDNA with the intent of getting the raw data, not to use their service.

I still may get an mtDNA test through FTDNA, I am not that stubborn, but I think it it worth mentioning. We know what they promise but it's really hard for me to want to give them any money after my results were removed. I have zero security that my results will still be available in ten years.

 

[Highlander]

Good enough for basic information.

But then I don't expect much from customer service cogs-in-the-wheel because I ask hard questions. The sort of questions that come with having a well-researched family tree as well as a background in world history, science, and statistics. As such I track down the actual researchers, such as those involved in POBI / Living DNA, and ask them the questions rather than waste my time having customer service reps recite scripted responses.

 

[SoloWarrior]

FTDNA - passable

Genographic Project - passable

23andMe - good

Living DNA - crap

BritainsDNA: passable

My Heritage DNA: passable

 

[don_joe]

I only have experience with Living DNA. They've responded to my email in half an hour. I wanted to know if they can tell me which subclade of E-V13 I have but it turned out that the Oracle chip they use doesn't provide this information and that in the close future they don't plan to change the chip.

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