Comments on: Form-Letter Customer Service Is An Oxymoron http://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/ Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: dancohenhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62918 dancohen Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:02:15 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62918 And indeed I got a message from an upstairs support person. I'll keep<br>you posted. And indeed I got a message from an upstairs support person. I'll keep
you posted.

]]> By: Michael Andersonhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62906 Michael Anderson Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:31:02 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62906 A few things:<br>- Yes, we realize that new releases always unleash new issues ... but since they know it as much as we do, they should be prepared in one way or other.<br>- The response they got was made to look like they had 'studied your situation and found a solution'. That is obviously not true. So instead of a canned 'we'll contact you soon' reply he got a 'we are closing your issue' reply.<br>- You assume that he got a follow-up, but we aren't sure yet. If you follow Dan's stuff (like his whole Amazon thing) you know he *is* diligent about updating articles based on 'what happens next'. A few things:
- Yes, we realize that new releases always unleash new issues … but since they know it as much as we do, they should be prepared in one way or other.
- The response they got was made to look like they had 'studied your situation and found a solution'. That is obviously not true. So instead of a canned 'we'll contact you soon' reply he got a 'we are closing your issue' reply.
- You assume that he got a follow-up, but we aren't sure yet. If you follow Dan's stuff (like his whole Amazon thing) you know he *is* diligent about updating articles based on 'what happens next'.

]]> By: someone132http://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62890 someone132 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:42:14 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62890 Do you realize how many thousands of support requests Vlingo is probably getting each month? With each release there are tens of thousands of new users, so you can imagine that support is a little overwhelmed right after a new release. I bet you got a follow up to your canned answer that was more helpful, right? Why not post that part of the story as well. Do you realize how many thousands of support requests Vlingo is probably getting each month? With each release there are tens of thousands of new users, so you can imagine that support is a little overwhelmed right after a new release. I bet you got a follow up to your canned answer that was more helpful, right? Why not post that part of the story as well.

]]> By: Michael Andersonhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62711 Michael Anderson Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:31:50 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62711 Agreed - I can understand a sort of 'we are looking into your issue, here is a link to our support FAQ in case you can find something helpful there' thing. Something that lets you know they've seen your question, don't have an immediate answer, but are working on it.<br><br>But the fact that you have made it pretty clear what your issue was makes it pretty useless that they just dumped you a form letter! Agreed – I can understand a sort of 'we are looking into your issue, here is a link to our support FAQ in case you can find something helpful there' thing. Something that lets you know they've seen your question, don't have an immediate answer, but are working on it.

But the fact that you have made it pretty clear what your issue was makes it pretty useless that they just dumped you a form letter!

]]> By: markntravishttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62637 markntravis Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:11:27 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62637 They invented telephones to contact CS and/or the company. They invented telephones to contact CS and/or the company.

]]> By: Carly Zhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62627 Carly Z Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:06:09 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62627 Here's what I don't get:<br><br>With how cheap and easy it is to have someone send emails from just about any location and any device, why not just staff your support service with real people? Arm them with netbooks and blackberries, and even if their responses are effectively form letters anyhow, at least they are form letters with a person behind them. Anything beyond basic questions still needs to go to a level 2 tech, but at least the customer feels like someone took care of them, instead of feeling combative and angry at the first real person they encounter. Here's what I don't get:

With how cheap and easy it is to have someone send emails from just about any location and any device, why not just staff your support service with real people? Arm them with netbooks and blackberries, and even if their responses are effectively form letters anyhow, at least they are form letters with a person behind them. Anything beyond basic questions still needs to go to a level 2 tech, but at least the customer feels like someone took care of them, instead of feeling combative and angry at the first real person they encounter.

]]> By: gorkonhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62626 gorkon Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:01:55 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62626 Customer service by bots is NOT customer service. It's crap. Customer service by bots is NOT customer service. It's crap.

]]> By: Gadget Freakshttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62615 Gadget Freaks Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:51:28 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62615 <span class="topsy_trackback_comment"><span class="topsy_twitter_username"><span class="topsy_trackback_content">Form-Letter Customer Service Is An Oxymoron #gadgets http://bit.ly/5O7PCp</span></span> Form-Letter Customer Service Is An Oxymoron #gadgets http://bit.ly/5O7PCp

]]> By: Chris Loganhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62616 Chris Logan Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:50:27 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62616 <span class="topsy_trackback_comment"><span class="topsy_twitter_username"><span class="topsy_trackback_content">RT @geardiarysite: Form-Letter Customer Service Is An Oxymoron | Gear Diary http://bit.ly/7sFpgV</span></span> RT @geardiarysite: Form-Letter Customer Service Is An Oxymoron | Gear Diary http://bit.ly/7sFpgV

]]> By: Allistair Leehttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/13/form-letter-customer-service-is-an-oxymoron/#comment-62617 Allistair Lee Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:41:56 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64564#comment-62617 <span class="topsy_trackback_comment"><span class="topsy_twitter_username"><span class="topsy_trackback_content">GD: Form-Letter Customer Service Is An Oxymoron http://bit.ly/6aEwCJ</span></span> GD: Form-Letter Customer Service Is An Oxymoron http://bit.ly/6aEwCJ

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