Comments on: Help me? No, drop dead

If you've put in a Web site inquiry, consultant Terry Golesworthy explains why you shouldn't hold your breath waiting for a response.

So true.

This is so true; it describes my experience with many vendors related to computing. I especially hate the stock responses which so often miss the intent of the query and provide no further alternatives, i.e., indicate no further response will be coming, and assume you're too stupid to already have searched their web site.

It does seem to be getting slowly better as we vote with our fingers....

[djysrv]

Artificial Intelligence - NOT

Many firms use automatic response software to answer consumers on the first round. These firms include Yahoo, Dell, and others that receive massive number of legitimate email inquiries each day. Unfortunately, the result is frustration for the consumer. Case in point. An inquiry about an order with Dell produced an automatic response telling a customer to check with the third party vendor of a software package bundled by Dell. The answer had nothing to do with the inquiry. An inquiry to Yahoo about page content not refreshing produced a referral to a help page about login procedures.

In point of fact it takes two or three rounds of messages that start off telling the firm their CRM software is brain dead before you get a real person in the loop. By then you are annoyed and less likely to do business with the firm again.

Firms like Yahoo and Dell may think they are saving money by using automatic response software, but they are losing customers in the bargain.

[Michael Grogan]

And that's the leader...

Dell was referred to in the article as having the best response for the computer industry. How sorry is that? Figures though, judging by the quality of their garbage computer systems.

[msalsbury]

Amen, brother!

This article really struck home with me. Following is from my weblog:

ONLINE CUSTOMER DISSERVICE

I can't tell you how many times I have tried (online) to ask a simple question of a company I do business with, wanted to do business with, or needed help from, only to have that inquiry drop into a black hole. In my own experience, response rates are far worse than 4 responses out of 5 inquiries. It's more like 1 out of 5 or 1 out of 10. It's abysmal.

Earlier this week, I was working on a technical problem for a fellow employee at work (I work in tech support). The tool the user was trying to run crashed at startup with an odd error message. I had tried to find the cause of the error message on their web site, but couldn't. So I submitted an online inquiry (which, by the way, was what they said they preferred customers do). That was Monday. It's Thursday and they still haven't answered.

The other thing that really ticks me off about online customer support is when the company's response to your online inquiry comes, but isn't helpful at all. Many times when I actually DO get a response, that response is along the lines of "You'll need to call us at xxx-xxx-xxxx to fix this problem." In the case of a bank, a mutual fund, or some other financial institution, I can understand why some transactions aren't appropriate to complete by email. But if I'm already logged into your web site, if I am asking a simple question or making a minor request, there is no reason I should have to call the company. I think many organizations think it's easier to shove you into the phone queue rather than take an extra step to try to help you.

For example, in January I purchased an MP3 player from Buy.com and decided to buy a 2-year replacement warranty on it in case it died on me. I ended up having to order the warranty separately from the device. It seemed to fall into a black hole in Buy.com's system. When I emailed with a warranty question using their customer service form, I got a response a couple of days later, saying that I'd have to call them to sort the problem out. That was ridiculous to me. I'd provided both order numbers (the one for the MP3 player and the one for the warranty). I'd provided contact information and other proof that I was who I said I was (including the fact that I had to login to the same account in order to send the message). In my opinion, there is absolutely NO REASON their employees couldn't have handled that simple transaction for me. They could just as easily have picked up the phone and called the warranty department on my behalf, resolving the problem. But they didn't. They told me I had to do it. I haven't yet. It's the principle of the thing.

As another example, I had some dental work done last April that was recommended by two dentists in two independent practices. Confident that it must indeed be necessary, I had the work done and submitted to my insurance company. Months later, they declined to pay for it, leaving me stuck with a $1,900 bill. I went to their web site, providing all the relevant contact information, only to have them tell me they couldn't find any record of me being a customer and that I'd have to call them to sort this out. I find it hard to believe that given my social security number, name, address, and phone number that they couldn't find my record in their system. Instead of calling them, I complained to our HR people, telling them that I really don't like their customer service personnel. Interestingly, they pre-approved me for exactly the same work this year, on two teeth that were in less-bad shape than the two they denied my claim for last year. So not only is their customer service lousy, their coverage is inconsistent. For those of you who care, this experience was with MetLife Dental.

Aside from the fact that I personally dislike using the phone, there is a reason I prefer online communication for customer service when my issues are not urgent. What I often find to be the case is that I call a place and eventually reach a human. I explain who I am and what I need to that human. Often, they have to hand me off to someone else. I have to explain myself again. Sometimes even a third time. This level of redundancy is time-consuming and frustrating. In an online inquiry, I can explain the situation clearly and concisely, then ask whatever question I need to ask. That one explanation can be forwarded around the destination organization to whomever needs to see it, without a detail being lost and without my having to repeat the same story until I'm blue in the face.

With Internet access being so widespread today, you'd think companies would be leveraging online customer service more and better than they do... and the smart ones will be.

[DAL]

my story

I worked at a credit union in Michigan from 1995-1997. I urged the credit union to create a customer service based website to facilitate the transfer of information that was convenient for our members. No matter how much information was on the site, some members (particularly expatriates) preferred to contact the credit union via email with exact questions pertaining to their accounts. I answered email questions first thing in the morning and repeatedly throughout the day. Sometimes the expatriate CSR would call me informing me that an email was on the way and to forward it to her so she could answer the question. Back in 1996, this was almost unheard of. I took a lot of pride in that service and to this day I like to think that I provided those people with an experience that increased loyalty and reduced attrition.

I provided the same service for a ski resort in Arizona. Timely responses to email inquiries that provided detailed answers based on a per situation basis.

In the end, the management of the credit union valued the service I provided, while the ski resort viewed the service as unnecessary. Every time I take the time to send an inquiry to a company I do business with, I expect a level of service equivalent to what I would provide a customer of my own business. IMMEDIATE!

If I do not receive the proper respect, I search for alternatives for that product/service.

Consumers determine which businesses survive and thrive in this economy. Make your voice heard with choice.

[powerclam]

Network Solutions is the worst...

Network Solutions is atrocious.
When they have a technical problem, you will get 3 auto respsonses, then deal with a series of folks sho don't seem to actually read the message, or intentionally miss the point.
Most insulting and offensive is the assumption that everything is always fine on their end and the customer is simply too stupid to read a (useless) help page. (Yes, their system is USUALLY just fine, but when it isn't, burrowing through "customer-sevice" types to someone who knows anything is simply impossible.)
I truly regret having pre-registered my domains so far in advance.
Thing is, they USED to be pretty good, IMHO.

[bdennis410]

Terry Golesworthy - Web site inquiries

Terry is SO right! As a Marketer and PR agency, I spend 6 hours a day PLUS on the Internet, a lot of that on research, some involving inquiring about products and services, legitimate inquiries intended to elicit enough information to make a purchase.
It is amazing that companies that promote their service products, products designed to provide service in turn for their customer's customers are... what? Too busy to Reply? Don't have CSRs that know what to do or say? Aren't automated enough to deal with the process? How can that be?
They offer service, but don't provide it. Do I have that right?
When I was in the Mail Order and Direct Marketing business, my rule of thumb was that if we processed the order and shipped it as agreed; anticipated and dealt with normal transaction- based questions at the time of sale, we would solve over 90% of our "service" related problems before they occurred. The ten percent that inevitiably arose from cirumstances were to be dealt with in one call, or a callback the same day, as agreed. There were few unresolved problems at the end of the day, even based on shipping thousands of orders each and every day, seven days.
Today, automated voice systems that match keywords verbally to answers are getting better every day, Social Security Administration and others a case in point. Recruiters use "intelligent" scanning to search for keywords and phrases through thousands of resumes posted electronically for job openings. AI can be a significant part of the CS system dealing with email, in fact better, because keyword technology is so adaptable to email Customer Service problems.
What an opportunity for a CS software company!
Oh, and no matter what system is used, the customer has to have the option AT ANY TIME to say "Enough! I want to talk to a real person", whether the initial communication was by email ("click to talk" is now available), telephone, snail mail, IM, or whatever.
Great CS is doable, and the companies that don't provide it will lose to the companies that do.

[billjr0548]

E-Loan online vs. ING Bank online

E-Loan is a bit too ?new age? for my taste, when they flat-out refuse to accept an e-Savings Account Application via the U.S. Postal Service, whereas, on the other hand, potential online banking customers who contact ING Bank are allowed to print an Account Application Form off of ING?s primary website, fill-in the necessary confidential account information -- such as Social Security Number, etc., and then mail their completed account application form to ING?s Midwest Processing Center via Standard, U.S. Mail. ING then, goes on to provides its NEW online banking customers with account verification info and their online account password, also via Standard, U.S. Mail ? just like the credit card companies regularly do.

- Bill Jr.