Has anyone else had appallingly bad service from Dexcom sales? I’m not talking about their tech help, which has always been fine. Or their interpersonal manner on the phone which is fine (but which I don’t particularly care about it if it’s not linked to effective action). But this is the 4th time in a row I’ve had difficulties working with their sales staff to reorder my transmitter (and at least 2 times, that led to days without my Dexcom). Part of it is that insurance is complicated, but it’s amazing how consistently Dexcom drops the ball on any sort of follow up or communication and how much time and effort I’ve had to put in to get these reorders done. It’s to the point where if they had any sort of reasonable competitor (the Libre doesn’t have the functionality I need), I’d absolutely leave them in a heartbeat. I don’t think it always was this bad with Dexcom, but it seems like they have rapidly grown without growing their sales infrastructure and staffing to match. Also this issue is entirely of their own making—if they weren’t imposing artificial shut-off times on their transmitters so they stop working leaving such a narrow reordering window, it wouldn’t require such a fast turnaround that they are apparently not competent enough to pull off consistently. Last time this happened and I escalated things until I was talking with someone fairly high up in the company, they admitted to me on the phone this has been a widespread problem and that they had just implemented a new system they hoped would resolve the issues. But now I’m several weeks into trying to figure out what’s going on with my transmitter reorder and once again needing to hunt them down after they promise to do things and contact me back, and I am not encouraged…
Yes, I’ve also had problems.
It’s been worse in the last year. In my last order, I was told that Dexcom has some agreement with my insurance company that requires them to wait a week after they send a request to the insurance company before they can follow up.
This requires that I follow up with my insurance company to ensure they got Dexcom’s request. Then I have to follow up with the insurance company a couple days later to ensure it was approved. Then I have to follow up with Dexcom to ensure that Dexom received the approval. There’s also a middle-man at my insurance company that handles all DME. I have to escalate the authorization request nearly every time. Things always end up getting approved. Time is the main factor.
The whole thing is a joke. I feel like the sales company (Dexcom) is getting paid to do this run-around. Instead, I’m doing all the work because of some weird agreement between my insurance company and dexcom.
If I don’t do the run-around, then there are multiple communication gaps that can delay my receiving a Dexcom order by weeks. This whole process seemed much simpler a year ago.
Last time I ordered transmitters it took a full 2 months to get them…
I just requested new ones the other day and they said they are going to have to refer me to solara which will be my new dme company, and I should hear back from them eventually.
Yes, they’ve gone from very good to appallingly horrible in record time in my experience.
I don’t think their customer service was all that good 2 years ago. My insurance had no middle man, so we had to do all our transactions directly with Dexcom. We had so many ineffective interactions in a row where things were promised and not delivered, that we were given access to a senior employee that smoothed things over for us, and who we contacted directly instead of wading through the pool of stupidity and broken promises.
Our new insurance makes us go through a middle man, and things have actually been working out ok.
I would have to agree with the sentiments on this thread, I think that Dexcom service has gone downhill in the last 2 years. Specifically I think their insurance verification department is appallingly bad. While there are many forms of insurance and many variables to everyone’s insurance apparently the script that they are using blanket wide for everyone needs some modification. I generally have to inform the CSR of my insurance provisions, provide them with screen grabs of my insurance documents such as my evidence of coverage things of that nature and I have to follow up repetitively as in every other day with them. Generally speaking the insurance department has to verify my insurance three to four times, borking it each time before I get my insurance carrier on the phone ona conference call to which my insurance carrier says we sent you this information weeks ago what’s the holdup. Who’s at fault, I’m not really sure. However prior to two years ago I didn’t have this problem and nothing’s changed between the players other than Dexcom getting a massive Medicare contract.
It is both validating and very frustrating to hear that this has been a struggle for others as well! I’m going to call my insurance later today to find out if I can go through a middleman vendor, since that seems far preferable if it’s an option.
Kind of reminds me of how cable providers are pretty much all terrible especially when they are the only option in any given area, because they know they have a captive clientele. This is why monopolies suck, and why I wish Dexcom had better competition. They can get away with crappy customer service, because what are you going to do? Maybe if the Libre keeps getting better and starts luring people away it will help, but there are a lot of us that’s not going to be a temptation for unless it has automatic readings/alarms, so my suspicion is that Libre customers are mostly people who didn’t have a CGM previously and might not have qualified for Dexcom.
This is really disappointing. I always use a distributor, with poor results, due to our insurance. But my discussions with Dexcom sales have always been good. Hopefully it is an expansion phase and will get better.
My discussion with Dexcom sales are always great, and so far out of the many I have spoken to over the last two years three have stood out with outstanding customer service and follow through. The rest… Passable, OK, not terrible, but not superb because they truly don’t care one whit what eventually happens.
Given my experiences with Dexcom, I would be inclined to pay out of pocket at Costco for the G6 or try the Senseonics before beating my head against the wall with Dexcom. As a side note, I get fantastic service at Tandem, far superior to Dexcom. Any failed equipment I call Tandem for rather than Dexcom and generally have it replaced in 24.to.48 hours.
I go through a supplier so I don’t have personal experience with Dexcom sales staff. However, there was a pretty interesting thread on reddit a little while ago on what it was like working for Dexcom technical support right around when the G6 launched.
Hard to say if they’re a credible source, but interesting nonetheless. Could give a hint about what the workplace environment is like, not that that is any excuse for treating customers badly
Wow. Hearing that makes me wish all the more that I could refuse to support Dexcom without impeding my diabetes management. I imagine Sales staff has had similar issues; I know I make it a point to express my frustrations calmly though firmly (describing anger rather than showing it, and focusing on actionable requests) especially with the lower level staff (especially since I think the problem has much, much more to do with the faulty system than their actions). I’m actually on hold waiting to talk to a supervisor there right now…
@glitzabetes. Your Reddit link mirrors my experiences to date. Regardless of the source the explanations and time lines, not to mention quality of help mirror my CSR issues with Dexcom in the last 24 months. Sadly if the link is accurate, the problems start at the top, the CEO. This does not inspire confidence in product quality or product support for me going forward. Now more than ever I am very interested in the Senseonics CGM.
Just recently, since starting on the G6, I had problems with my transmitter and then with a sensor.
I must say that the process of calling support and getting a positive result in a very courteous manner has been the experience that Dexcom has always provided.
Even though the rep said that they were backordered, I received a new sensor and new transmitter in 1 or 2 days.
I’m sorry so many of you have had negative experiences, but that has not at all been mine.
I agree with @docslotnick and @elver: let’s not be hasty here. Dexcom is undergoing growth pains. Every company growing fast encounters those—just look at Tesla. There is always a weak link in a period of great growth: production, quality, customer support, shipping… Dexcom is hitting one of those and having a hard time. Let’s also remember that they need to turn a profit some day! Let’s give them a little time to get their ducks on a row 
Btw, I still use the G5, so I see the worst of customer care if you believe the Reddit thread. There are some times with a long wait, but on average I typically wait no more than 6-7 minutes, and sometimes not at all.
@Michel are you available for outsourcing? Next time I call Dexcom, maybe you could act as my agent so I, another G5 customer don’t unnecessarily tie up Dexcom’s phone lines, lol. I would at this point, almost find it easier to pay cash and do the Costco deal, but am hesitant because who knows how long it will last. If I make the transition the sensor longevity decreases and if Costco stops carrying the product them I am SOL.
I often have these quandaries, although typically it is about a new kind of olive oil 
You learn to love them then they are gone 
especially at Costco.
I’ve never had issue with their tech support myself, although I’ve rarely had to utilize it. But my experiences with their sales team have been so consistently negative for the last couple of years, and they have wasted so much of my time, that I absolutely would ditch Dexcom in a heartbeat if comparable alternative was available. Just today I spent almost an hour on the phone with them. Finally got it sorted out, and I should get my transmitter at a time and only one month’s supply of sensors (which lasts me longer, but still), but now apparently I’m only getting one transmitter at a time, I’m definitely going to be looking into alternative ways to get my supplies. I don’t have time to waste several hours a month on this process.
This is your insurance company’s fault 
Many of us received a warning of this in a letter. It is a PITA.