Comments on: The Breakdown That Plagues Us All http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/ The joy is in sharing the discovery. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:34:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Foovay http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-538 Foovay Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:36:07 +0000 http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-538 All of this is so true - and so irritating. "Customer Service" is well on it's way to being an oxymoron. One thing I have found very useful myself, is when I've set up a new website I invite some barely computer literate pals over. I sit them down at my computer on the website and let them see if they can navigate, search, make an order, etc. Equally interesting is to park them at google.com - or turn them loose at their own favorite search engine - and tell them to find something. Those of us who are very computer literate forget how complex some things that seem simple to us really are. All of this is so true - and so irritating. “Customer Service” is well on it’s way to being an oxymoron.

One thing I have found very useful myself, is when I’ve set up a new website I invite some barely computer literate pals over. I sit them down at my computer on the website and let them see if they can navigate, search, make an order, etc. Equally interesting is to park them at google.com - or turn them loose at their own favorite search engine - and tell them to find something. Those of us who are very computer literate forget how complex some things that seem simple to us really are.

]]> By: Chuck http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-536 Chuck Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:59:13 +0000 http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-536 Hi Z, It seemed even more egregious to me with LunarPages. They tout the "customer experience" all over their front page (with pictures, testimonies, web links, etc). In fact, that was one of the major factors that sold me on them in the first place. I'm sure it's a company filled with good people and I'm sure they do serve people fairly effectively every day...but in my personal experience, they demonstrated ZERO flexibility and accountability in a situation where they had created the emergency...and then to see that complicated by no accountability from "the folks upstairs" (despite lots of assurances to the contrary)...those kinds of signs would scare me away from any company. I still have a paid shared hosting account with them until October 2009, but they host none of my sites now and I would never again trust them with my data based on what I've seen so far. Thanks for the comment! c- Hi Z,

It seemed even more egregious to me with LunarPages. They tout the “customer experience” all over their front page (with pictures, testimonies, web links, etc). In fact, that was one of the major factors that sold me on them in the first place. I’m sure it’s a company filled with good people and I’m sure they do serve people fairly effectively every day…but in my personal experience, they demonstrated ZERO flexibility and accountability in a situation where they had created the emergency…and then to see that complicated by no accountability from “the folks upstairs” (despite lots of assurances to the contrary)…those kinds of signs would scare me away from any company. I still have a paid shared hosting account with them until October 2009, but they host none of my sites now and I would never again trust them with my data based on what I’ve seen so far. Thanks for the comment!

c-

]]> By: Zazsis dolphin rings http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-535 Zazsis dolphin rings Fri, 11 Jan 2008 07:09:26 +0000 http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-535 We are in the process of starting another website and looking around for hosting recommendations on the net and LunarPages is one we are shortlisting. So glad to have read about your experience. Sometimes, you only get to know about a company's customer service level through dissatisfied customers. We are in the process of starting another website and looking around for hosting recommendations on the net and LunarPages is one we are shortlisting.

So glad to have read about your experience. Sometimes, you only get to know about a company’s customer service level through dissatisfied customers.

]]> By: Steve Mills http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-531 Steve Mills Mon, 07 Jan 2008 04:10:00 +0000 http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-531 It sometimes seems as if companies make the process of complaining or getting follow service so hard that eventually you just give up and forget about it. It sometimes seems as if companies make the process of complaining or getting follow service so hard that eventually you just give up and forget about it.

]]> By: Terry Heath http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-530 Terry Heath Sat, 05 Jan 2008 05:57:24 +0000 http://braindump.chuckbrown.com/putting-food-on-the-table/the-breakdown-that-plagues-us-all/#comment-530 I have a similar problem with my cell phone; I keep turning down the volume when I pick it up to answer. I thought I was developing a hearing problem until I figured it out. I didn't realize I was pushing anything at all. I've gotten testy with "customer service" reps when I get passed around and keep having to say my account number. I once told someone who asked for my account info . . . I think the third person on that call . . . "I'll only tell you if you're going to be the person who can actually fix my problem." And don't they talk to each other? By the time I've finished I have my problem down to one well-rehearsed sentence because I've explained it so many times to so many people. Sometimes, I even have to tell them what I tried with the last person so they won't tell me to do the same thing. And what's with the phone recording at my internet service provider telling me I might get faster service on their website, when I'm calling because my internet service isn't working? My blood pressure is rising. Interesting post. BTW, I've tagged you in a meme on my website. ;-) I have a similar problem with my cell phone; I keep turning down the volume when I pick it up to answer. I thought I was developing a hearing problem until I figured it out. I didn’t realize I was pushing anything at all.

I’ve gotten testy with “customer service” reps when I get passed around and keep having to say my account number. I once told someone who asked for my account info . . . I think the third person on that call . . . “I’ll only tell you if you’re going to be the person who can actually fix my problem.” And don’t they talk to each other? By the time I’ve finished I have my problem down to one well-rehearsed sentence because I’ve explained it so many times to so many people. Sometimes, I even have to tell them what I tried with the last person so they won’t tell me to do the same thing.

And what’s with the phone recording at my internet service provider telling me I might get faster service on their website, when I’m calling because my internet service isn’t working?

My blood pressure is rising.

Interesting post. BTW, I’ve tagged you in a meme on my website. ;-)

]]>