Cryptocurrency is a fascinating concept, and the idea of decentralized money that no one else can touch or control has won over millions of people all over the world. Yet for all of its benefits and plaudits, it’s still a fairly nascent technology that doesn’t always run so smoothly, and that can be worrying when it comes to buying and selling.
Thank god for customer support. Pretty much all of the big crypto exchange platforms have support services in place to deal with any issues plaguing customers. Anyone who experiences slow transaction times, problems signing up or completing KYC, money being stuck, trouble withdrawing funds and so on can always ask for help…
But wait! The reality is that not all crypto exchanges cut the mustard, and in fact many platforms are routinely slated for their inadequate support. Indeed, internet forums like Reddit and Discord are littered with complaints about endless waiting times for tickets to be resolved, the difficulty of getting in touch with a real human, and so on. More often than not, customers walk away feeling even more frustrated. Fortunately, there are a handful of crypto exchanges that go above and beyond in terms of customer support. They place the highest priority on customer care, and go all out to ensure that every single user has nothing to complain about.
1: Kraken
By far and away the most widely praised crypto exchange in terms of customer support is Kraken, which has been hailed on forums such as Reddit, Discord and Telegram for doing everything humanly possible to keep its customers happy.
Kraken’s support extends to a 24/7 live chat service (with humans), email support and even a telephone number that anyone can call – globally – to speak to a real human being. It also boasts an extensive Help Center, which contains a library of answers to common questions, covering everything from funding your account to trading and KYC verification. Somewhat happily, you’ll find that Kraken leaves little ambiguity about its processes and its policies.
Kraken also stands out because of its former CEO Jesse Powell, who has been extremely vocal in his warnings to users to withdraw their money from crypto exchanges. It’s a pretty wild thing for an exchange CEO to say publicly, because it obviously goes against his business interests, but it’s also evidence that Powell is a true believer in crypto and the need for self-custody, and shows that he genuinely cares about his customers.
Moreover, Kraken excels in getting its support team out there, with a solid presence on platforms such as Reddit and Discord, where it knows its customers are. Indeed, on Reddit’s r/CryptoCurrency thread, one can simply type “release the Kraken” in a comment and it will immediately summon Kraken’s support staff. Oh, and most reviews say Kraken is likely to respond pretty quickly, too.
2: On-Demand Trading
On-Demand Trading’s customer support can only be described as “fanatical”. Quite simply, customer service is ODT’s number one priority, and to that end every single customer, from the moment they create an account, gets his or her own dedicated account manager, on call 24/7, to provide immediate assistance whenever or wherever they ever need it.
The dedicated support begins at the onboarding stage, continues through the KYC process, and then it really makes its presence felt at the crypto purchasing and selling stage. The difference is due to the fact that ODT is not a typical crypto exchange, but rather an OTC trading desk, where users buy and sell their crypto directly and privately, with a counterparty instead of through a public trading platform.
The process of buying and selling crypto is completely different. Instead of staring at a bunch of charts and struggling to find the correct asset pair, users simply deal with a human and tell them how much and what sort of crypto they want to buy and sell. The account manager will then confirm if it’s possible (usually it is) and then lay out the terms, with confirmed rates, volume and timelines, leaving nothing to chance. It guarantees that the price specified is what the trader will actually pay, with no slippage or delays of any kind.
Because of the unique way users buy and sell crypto by interacting directly with a human, ODT doesn’t actually need to offer customer support. Users are in contact with their account manager at all times, and they can speak via chat, over the phone or by email – whatever their personal preference is – and if any issues come up, they can immediately raise it there and then and get it dealt with. So there’s no support tickets, no escalation, no lengthy waiting times. Whatever needs sorting gets sorted there and then, just the way it should be.
3: Gate.io
The stellar support offered by Kraken and On-Demand Trading is tough to beat, but Gate.io deserves a lot of credit for trying to match them. It’s clear that the company has worked hard to create an extremely efficient support system for its customers, which can be accessed on its main website and mobile apps by going to the highly visible and comprehensive Help Center page.
Unfortunately, Gate.io doesn’t provide a telephone number, but it does offer quick access to human assistance through its live chat service, which is staffed by real people. It also offers email-based support at [email protected], and reviews suggest it’s pretty responsive, with most tickets getting a reply within an hour or two.
The Help Center also provides an extensive FAQ section covering various topics such as creating an account, using the platform and even advanced stuff like trading futures. It also offers a selection of webinars, which are aimed at turning users into pro traders.
Unlike most other crypto exchanges, Gate.io has solidly high reviews across most major review sites. For instance, G2 reviewers praise it for its prompt, 24/7 customer support across multiple channels, including social media, while on Capterra, it has achieved an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, with many reviews highlighting the speed and helpfulness of its support staff. It also scores 3 out of 5 stars on Coincub.
These scores are significant as most online reviews skew towards the negative, because human nature dictates that dissatisfied users are much more likely to share their experience than someone who was happy with the service. The scores therefore reflect an overwhelmingly positive experience with Gate.io’s platform and support teams.
The only real stickler we have with Gate.io is its lack of live phone support, which may frustrate those customers with more nuanced problems that need to be explained at length. But for most users, it’s pretty slick overall.
Final Thoughts
It’s not just the crypto industry that comes up short in terms of customer support. In fact, it’s really a global phenomenon. No matter if you’re trying to deal with a traditional bank, an insurance company, an internet service provider or simply book a doctor’s appointment, it’s highly likely that you’ll struggle to speak with a human. Automation has become king, to the detriment of customer service, leaving millions of people unable to solve their problems.
Thankfully, there are still some crypto exchanges that truly care about their customers and remain laser-focused on keeping them satisfied. The only way to do that is to ensure there’s always an easily approachable human helper on hand, providing customers with a vital lifeline when the going gets tough.
In the case of Kraken, On-Demand Trading and Gate.io, these three platforms truly excel at crypto customer service, and we pray that will never change.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice
