Need Customer Service For an App? Prepare To Lose Your Mind (wsj.com) 145
App-based services have made our lives easier in so many ways. But when things go awry, they offer few paths to real assistance [Editor's note: the link may be paywalled]. From a report: There's a trade-off between the speed of apps and their ability to provide timely help. Customer service isn't dead, it's just hiding very well, often under a maze of preset menu options that seem designed to make you want to chuck your phone out the window. I recently ordered a Lyft ride from the airport. As the driver loaded my bag into the trunk -- something he didn't seem happy about -- he started talking under his breath. I asked if he was talking to me. His eyes got wide, and he said no, he wasn't. Then he removed my bag and told me I had the wrong car. His license plate matched my app, but he said, "I'm not your ride, baby," before driving off.
Part of me was relieved. But to let Lyft know, I had to spend probably 20 minutes going through endless options for pre-written problems I didn't have. "Something happened during my ride" got me a drop-down menu with a bunch of inapt scenarios: "Demanding cash?" Nope. "Refusing my service animal?" Also no. Lyft can foresee these issues, but not "Acting unprofessional"? [...] Except for safety issues, there's no helpline to get a live person with Uber or Lyft. Ditto Spotify, Instagram and many other apps. Airbnb customer support has a phone number where actual humans answer. Instacart's app has an email address with a field to include details about your problem. It's also got a number you can ring 24/7.
Part of me was relieved. But to let Lyft know, I had to spend probably 20 minutes going through endless options for pre-written problems I didn't have. "Something happened during my ride" got me a drop-down menu with a bunch of inapt scenarios: "Demanding cash?" Nope. "Refusing my service animal?" Also no. Lyft can foresee these issues, but not "Acting unprofessional"? [...] Except for safety issues, there's no helpline to get a live person with Uber or Lyft. Ditto Spotify, Instagram and many other apps. Airbnb customer support has a phone number where actual humans answer. Instacart's app has an email address with a field to include details about your problem. It's also got a number you can ring 24/7.
Re: And why are you using scam businesses? (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, look at the original author - a woman. Expecting that everyone should be serving them. They wanted equal rights - they got them. Yet they run away for the equal responsibilities.
Something tells me that the driver might have a bit different a story to tell than the lady complaining. Drivers have taken to installing cameras in their cars because of false assault or sexual harassment claims.
Here's some footage of a woman who told the driver she was going to have him arrested.She screams, swears, and physically assaults him.
Warning adult language and a little violence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
Here's is a woman doctor assaulting an uber driver https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
Here's a Dallas prosecuter who assaulted her uber driver, and and claimed he kidnapped her, and claimed she was going to use her power as assistant DA to destroy him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
The other women didn't face any problem but Jody Warner, assistant DA was fired. There's more of these false assault claims against drivers if you care to DDG it.
So yeah, if you are a male, driving Uber or lyft, you have to be very careful, because if you get a belligerent female passenger who isn't afraid to lie - she might just accuse you of rape because you didn't have a charger for her phone. (cite number one) And in most cases, she will not be charged, even with video evidence. The drivers are usually arrested until the police see the videos. I'm pretty certain that the person bitching about the customer service was setting off red flags for the driver during pickup, so he decided that he preferred not to give her a ride. Beats prison by a mile.
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But..but.. I was assured women NEVER lie about things men do to them.. so much so we can dispense with silly concepts like proof beyond accusation and due process. The drivers are GUILTY!
#believeher FTW!
The advent of video and audio recorders in everyone's pockets has been a bit of an equalizer, has it not?
When I looked into the abuse that these male drivers took at the hands of some unbalanced individuals, including an actual doctor - imagine being a male patient that she doesn't like, and what will probably happen to him. Or a DA who threatens a taxi driver trying to use her position as a sledgehammer.
And that just appears to be the tip of an iceberg. My research has been a littl
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Yeah, and the only thing that happens to women is they can be either raped or killed. Being a man is HARD!
Men cannot be killed or raped? What the fuck is the matter with you?
Something's missing here... (Score:5, Insightful)
As the driver loaded my bag into the trunk -- something he didn't seem happy about -- he started talking under his breath. I asked if he was talking to me. His eyes got wide, and he said no, he wasn't. Then he removed my bag and told me I had the wrong car.
Something tells me that this woman isn't telling us the whole story. I'm guessing the woman said or did something that insulted the driver, and she isn't telling us about that part. Because otherwise, it makes no sense for a guy to drive all the way to meet her, load her overly heavy bag, just to immediately unload it and tell her he's leaving, without her... He's already there, he's already done the work of loading the bag, and she's presumably ready to pay him for a ride, so....?
I'm guessing she was tired and cranky from a long airplane ride, and was possibly telling him off for something ridiculous. Eventually, he decided, "Nope, this bitch's fare ain't worth the browbeating she's dishing out... She can just hoof it and contemplate adjusting her attitude while doing so."
I've been on both sides of this situation. I used to make a huge salary and had no free time to relax/unwind because of that job. I was cranky and difficult. I likely mistreated some unwitting service workers just because I was in a big hurry, thought I was all-important, and the money I was laying down should make up for my difficult attitude...
Later in life, I retired from my job and went to work at minimum wage, just for the fun of doing something mindless and silly. Most customers are nice and pleasant, but occasionally you get the self-important jerk who makes life miserable. If you're young and don't have any money, you just take it because you need the pay and don't want to lose your job. But if you're well financed and just working for the fun it, it's extremely tempting to do exactly what this driver did.
Call a taxi, talk to real people (Score:3, Insightful)
What is it with people who want a cheap lyft or uber and then complain about the unprofessional service? They should have just called a taxi or a sedan service. Just saying.
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What is the difference between "calling" for a taxi or using an app? Is one more "professional"? You guys make zero sense. Neither taxi companies or Uber/Lyft care about service.
Re:Call a taxi, talk to real people (Score:4, Interesting)
Uber/Lyft are a middle man between a company and their client, they are not a taxi service. You don't call Craigslist or EBay or the Yellow Pages if you deal with a rude seller/company, at best you can leave some feedback on the experience and depending on the overall customer experiences, people may choose not to deal with the seller.
Re:Call a taxi, talk to real people (Score:5, Insightful)
Well... they present themselves as whateever it is convenient for them to have you think they are at the moment. They want you to think of them as a giant taxi brand, but when it comes to regulation, they're just a ride "sharing" service.
The thing is, the taxicab companies aren't what you think they are either. It's not uncommon in many cities for owners of large fleets to subdivide those fleets among multiple, tiny shell companies. This allows them to evade legal requirements for insuring taxi fleets. These tiny shell companies "self-insure", but they have no assets to pay out any claims. Now if you have a good lawyer and plenty of time you can surely pierce the corporate veil in most places, but the whole point of requiring larger businesses carry insurance is that injured customers often need money *right now* to deal with bills, medical and otherwise.
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You don't call Craigslist or EBay or the Yellow Pages if you deal with a rude seller/company
EBay has an extensive dispute resolution service.
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Uber/Lyft are a middle man between a company and their client, they are not a taxi service. You don't call Craigslist or EBay or the Yellow Pages if you deal with a rude seller/company, at best you can leave some feedback on the experience and depending on the overall customer experiences, people may choose not to deal with the seller.
Not quite correct.
Uber are acting as agents for the drivers. They are accepting the money and issue the instructions to the drivers. This is otherwise know as "being an employer". Anyway, as Uber are presenting the service and taking money in exchange for providing the service, the contract is between you and Uber. Whomever Uber chooses to subcontract the work to is a separate contract between Uber and the driver.
Its the same as using travel agent instead of booking direct with the airline. My flight
Re:Call a taxi, talk to real people (Score:4, Insightful)
I've been calling Jerry's Cab for 30 years, and I've always got great service.
But I'm also in a city that doesn't put a hard limit on taxi licenses, and the rules are mostly minimum prices. That's how you get good service, you combine not allowing super-low prices with also allowing competition.
Jerry's is one of the cheapest, great service, but only one or two cars, so maybe not as fast.
We also have some color-coded taxi companies that are a few cents more, but have more cars. Service isn't as friendly or patient, but they're faster. They also have an app.
Then there is a company that's 25% more, but they hold the door for you and load your luggage. If you want that service from a regular taxi, you should look old or feeble. The expensive one treats you that way even if you look able. I don't want to be treated like that, so I stick with the cheaper service.
Of course the service sucks compared to a taxi if you're paying less than the minimum charge for a taxi. The only way to prevent that from being true would be to limit competition.
The part you missed isn't about using an app, it is that you must use the app, you can't just call. Because it isn't a professional service, they promise profusely that it is just some person who happens to be going your way. Otherwise they'd have to follow the rules.
Global shift of work from company to customer (Score:3, Interesting)
Apps are globally shifting work from the company to the customer. I avoid them.
A major insurance carrier asked me to download their car damage adjuster app, snap a few pictures of my car, fill out some forms and hit submit to get recent damage to my car adjusted.
I told them no, that it was more work than seeing an adjuster from their company.
Second example, I visited for business a major city recently and tried to order food delivery. Each restaurant wanted me to either use uber eats or an equivalent app.
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876-5309
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First of all when you call a taxi you end up talking to an actual person. This whole article is about the difficulty of getting to talk to an actual person.
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I'm sorry, sir, Jesus is on vacation. Would you like to leave a message?
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Agreed, you really do get what you pay for. I use Lyft if I need a quick, short, and unplanned ride. Otherwise I’d arrange a car service for airport runs and more important things. My employer happens to feel otherwise, they like using these services regardless of the inconvenience to me and their customers. However they are paying me, so that’s their time and money and impression a customer gets when I’ve had to explain delays due to a strange Lyft experience.
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Typically it's the other way around. No sane employer would have "An Uber killed this employee because they were too cheap for a taxi" in the headlines of the local paper. You get them either a rental or a halfway decent limo or car service that you regularly contract with.
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It's nice that you have a taxi service that good. Where I am Uber is much better than the taxis. In order to compete with Uber the taxis here have decided to fight them in courts and in city hall. They didn't actually clue into the the reason why people were moving to Uber in the first place which was the terrible service and bad driving. Never mind that it cost more.
As for the poster he should have just put the luggage in the trunk himself. If an Uber or taxi driver helps with loading shopping/luggage/etc
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You must have used different taxis than I have! I have certainly not always gotten professional service from taxi drivers. AND unless you're at the airport, they might take 45 minutes to get to you. Oh wait, at the airport you might stand in line 45 minutes to get a taxi.
No, taxis don't offer better service, far from it.
Obsessive (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: Obsessive (Score:1)
I can't imagine why a company would make it harder for people like this to complain!
A share of the curbside real estate (Score:1)
Creating a medallion system to limit competition or fund the government (beyond the cost of the regulation) is immoral.
Other than a medallion, how else would you represent a share of the curbside real estate in order to prevent too many taxis from congesting the streets for other traffic?
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Simple fucking competition and a naturally limited market.
In what way is the market "naturally limited" when excess taxis congest traffic for other road users?
Re:Obsessive Psychopaths (Score:2, Interesting)
Yeah, people like this are toxic and disgusting. The guy literally WAS helping her, but she decided to be a jerk because he was muttering something under his breath to himself. Literally giving no fucks about his humanity. Of course her "offence" is contrasted with the vast efforts she goes to... to "report" him. Like, why do you have to that? It doesn't even help you. OH, it helps maintain your personal sense of superiority, that the human-animal was not up to standards. Actually part of her DID prefer to
Re:Obsessive Psychopaths (Score:4, Interesting)
The guy literally WAS helping her, but she decided to be a jerk because he was muttering something under his breath to himself.
How much do you want to bet there were other annoying things she did that she didn't mention?
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It's not annoying, she was just extolling her plight as a women in today's world. The sub-male servant was micro-agressing by talking back to her
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It's not annoying, she was just extolling her plight as a woman in today's world.
What part of that is not annoying?
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It's not annoying, she was just extolling her plight as a woman in today's world.
What part of that is not annoying?
I'm hoping he was being sarcastic.
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Yeah, I think I have maximum respect for that driver who cancelled the ride and drove off in an actually gentle and calm manner.
But that isn't good enough is it, these psychpaths are offended by a real free person who decides for themselves to end interaction.
They expect maximum subjugation with no scope for free will, even when that is avoiding a situation they themselves would prefer to avoid.
It is the assertion of free will that offends them, more than anything. She was at airport, and could use taxi or
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"Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress." — Richard Branson
"Treat everyone with politeness and kindness, not because they are nice, but because you are." — Nicole Wharton
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"Somali pirates and the Taliban gave me toothpaste and soap." -- some journalists who think they're entitled to basic amenities
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Not an analogy, just ... how far current U.S. policy has diverged from grade-school level civility.
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"I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university." — Albert Einstein
You're so right
As a side note, one of the things that has served me best in my professional life has been the ability to speak on the same level as the person I am speaking with. Early on, I noticed how many of the hoi-polloi were very rude to people they considered beneath them. As well, there were certain of the lower ranked who had a poor opinion of the higher-ups. Some were very hard to get to even speak to you.
It was very odd - I expected performance out of everyone, but treat people well, and they
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That was my thought, what else happened to lead him to decide he didn't need this?
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The guy literally WAS helping her, but she decided to be a jerk because he was muttering something under his breath to himself.
How much do you want to bet there were other annoying things she did that she didn't mention?
Oh, I'm pretty certain that he had a really good reason for not letting her into his car. Once an annoying or dangerous person is inside the cab, it's harder to get them out. And it isn't all "lowlifes", either. I have a cite in some post above about a Doctor and Assistant DA who were going insane on Uber drivers. Fortunately, what they said and threatend to do was recorded, and exhonerated the hapless drivers.
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ok, you got bad service from a Lyft driver. There is something obsessive about the person who spends 20 minutes trying to give them a bad rating.
And something interesting as well. The guy probably got really negative signals from her - like she was going to accuse him of something, so he did the smart thing. Her spending that long to try to complain merely makes that possibility more likely.
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Sounds like one of those Red Pill types. Primed to be pissed off by having to lift her luggage for her, even if it is part of his job.
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Sounds like one of those Red Pill types. Primed to be pissed off by having to lift her luggage for her, even if it is part of his job.
Are you trolling, Animojo? I find it a little difficult to imagine that a person who has entered that job market, is going to refuse to load someone's luggage - after all, he did the labor - placing the luggage then taking it out again just as if he made a regular trip. The turning it into a MGTOW overreaction.
Considering the entire way this story plays out, I'm more inclined to believe that the guy was just protecting himself. I'm certain you don't think that a person is allowed or not allowed to prote
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There are loads of posts on Reddit and incel forums from redpill guys who have to work with women, and then up treating them terribly for ridiculous reasons. This sounds pretty typical of the sort of things they say.
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There are loads of posts on Reddit and incel forums from redpill guys who have to work with women, and then up treating them terribly for ridiculous reasons. This sounds pretty typical of the sort of things they say.
How about the things those women said in those videos - Fake news? Or should a male simply allow himself to be destroyed?
Here's the difference between you and me - I provide proof that there are women out there who are abusing and falsly accusing taxi drivers - did you even watch them? You are providing less than nothing. But you read reddit, so the guy was a redpill.
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Well, obviously all we have are these posts and no idea what the women involved said or did, but I'll give you an example.
There was a guy who didn't want to train a woman at work. HR was telling him he had to do it because he had the key knowledge she needed and no-one else did. His objection was that he was worried he would be falsely accused of something for acting normally... Although he didn't seem to really know what normal behaviour is. The advice he got was to either quit or just be a complete dick,
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Well, obviously all we have are these posts and no idea what the women involved said or did, but I'll give you an example.
There was a guy who didn't want to train a woman at work. HR was telling him he had to do it because he had the key knowledge she needed and no-one else did. His objection was that he was worried he would be falsely accused of something for acting normally... Although he didn't seem to really know what normal behaviour is. The advice he got was to either quit or just be a complete dick, say the minimum possible, never be alone with her, never do anything nice or say anything encouraging. Sounds like a great way to get a complaint over a hostile work environment.
Redpill marriage advice is even worse.
Unfortunately we have guys who are that paranoid now, and it's ruining their lives as much as anything else.
Ahhh, two thoughts here.
How is it a hostile work environment if you don't bother another person? In my university workplace, we have had both men and women who were shall we say - not interested in getting along with others. There was sort of back channel where we informed each other who was likely to be a problem, and who wasn't.
Now it is true that during the 80's, 90's and early 00's, it was mainly women who identified as feminist. The ones who were a problem were quick to complain about often imagi
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The hostile workplace is created when your job is to train someone, but you do everything you can to avoid them as much as possible, never say anything nice to them and refuse to engage in any kind of normal conversation because they are a woman, while being nice to your male colleagues.
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The hostile workplace is created when your job is to train someone, but you do everything you can to avoid them as much as possible, never say anything nice to them and refuse to engage in any kind of normal conversation because they are a woman, while being nice to your male colleagues.
And a hostile workplace is not created when you are concerned that one wrong word is the end of your employment? Or are men required to feel uncomfortable in the workplace?
And it is completely possible to be nice and friendly to male colleagues.Why do you think that is?
Example - I can go out to a pub after work with a male co-worker. As a matter of fact - we do quite often. "Hey Bob, let's get the gang together and catch a drink at the Ale house after work." Okay, no problem. But if it is "Hey Sue, let
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And a hostile workplace is not created when you are concerned that one wrong word is the end of your employment?
Not if the concern is actually just your own paranoid delusion.
Seriously, no employment tribunal or whatever your jurisdiction has will accept the excuse that you can't work with any woman because of the risk of being falsely accused of sexual harassment. Especially when you call them females instead of women.
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And a hostile workplace is not created when you are concerned that one wrong word is the end of your employment?
Not if the concern is actually just your own paranoid delusion.
Seriously, no employment tribunal or whatever your jurisdiction has will accept the excuse that you can't work with any woman because of the risk of being falsely accused of sexual harassment. Especially when you call them females instead of women.
I'm not talking about refusing to work with women or females. You move the goalposts.
I am very specifically talking about protecting yourself.
Should a woman be allowed to take measures to protect herself? Yes? or No?
Why should this be refused to a male?
And it's pretty simple, you just avoid putting yourself in harm's way. Good advice for women also?
You might be horribly triggered, but this is a world created and ruled by women now. Deal with the ramifications of declaring males the enemy. Den
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Here's the difference between you and me - I provide proof that there are women out there who are abusing and falsly accusing taxi drivers - did you even watch them? You are providing less than nothing. But you read reddit, so the guy was a redpill.
...and your response is to give some thirdhand story, with no names or source at all, and then offer some token
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We are talking about the TFA's video now? I haven't seen it because it's behind the paywall. Do you have a working link for it, then we can actually discuss it.
I was merely commenting on her description, I didn't even know there was a video, being unable to view TFA.
Bogus ... (Score:1)
Customer Service for the App was not required.
Customer Service for the Service was required, and that has nothing whatsoever to do with Customer Service for the App.
Comment removed (Score:3)
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Er, how do you "not need" Uber/Lyft but you "needed" them in the past? There is no difference between Uber/Lyft and a taxi service. They provide a service. Nonsensical comment.
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OK I'll bite: what is the difference? Some stranger shows up and drives you somewhere in exchange for money. Neither taxi companies or Uber drivers have much in the way of training or background check.
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Uh, what's the difference if you "call" someone or use a "propitiatory" app? You do know it is 2019 right? Even taxi services have apps now. You don't even need to use the app if you want to use Uber, just use their mobile website. People are so dumb.
Required cellular subscription level (Score:2)
You don't even need to use the app if you want to use Uber, just use their mobile website.
Can one hail an Uber with a voice and text only plan, or does it need a (more expensive) data plan?
Honesty is the best policy, followed by specifics (Score:1)
Taxi companies actually have much more accountability in every area, you don't want to actually go into the details because they're numerous and obvious. You want to pretend there's "no difference" - which is entirely false. Fact.
You can argument ad reducto all you need, but the fact remains that Taxis are different. No surge pricing, for another thing. They don't tend to employ contractors, they have vehicle safety inspections, carry higher insurance, etc.
You don't have to acknowledge reality if you don't
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No they don't. You guys have some fantasy that taxi companies have some sort of oversight. It is complete BS. You guys think that someone is actually INSPECTING taxi vehicles? Christ. Some people think there are responsible people overseeing businesses. Anyone can start a taxi company. ANYONE. You usually just need to pay some local fee. There is no magic governmental agency out there with a fleet of inspectors that guarantees that your taxi service needs to provide responsible, clean service.
Re: Honesty is the best policy, followed by specif (Score:1)
You ate a victim of a generation of deregulation, arguing that there are no better alternatives simply because YOU never experienced them.
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I'm sure this varies state to state, but here there are big drive-through facilities where drivers bring their cars to get inspected once a year as required by the taxi and limo commission. There's a bunch of different stations that test various standards -- emissions, camera functionality, struts, and so forth. Its much like a typical inspection, but with more rigorous requirements. Failure is more common than you'd think (these cars take a lot of wear and tear, especially in the city), and has an impac
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Not all Uber/Lyft cars are yellow.
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OK I'll bite: what is the difference?
Try harder, because that's just trolling.
What a maroon.
Eventually, they will (Score:3)
Every single major retailer that started out with a gleam in a founder's eye that they could automate away customer service has, in the end, created a customer service department metaphorically filled with endless desks of real people, be it eBay, Amazon, PayPal, Facebook, AirBnB, Yahoo, Google, whomever. They eventually get big enough that there are problems that customers face that need to be addressed by dedicated staff.
Lyft, Uber, and the rest who don't currently have that sort of support will eventually get there. We can speculate as to the deep reasons why, but history suggests they have no choice.
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Every single major retailer that started out with a gleam in a founder's eye that they could automate away customer service has, in the end, created a customer service department metaphorically filled with endless desks of real people, be it eBay, Amazon, PayPal, Facebook, AirBnB, Yahoo, Google, whomever. They eventually get big enough that there are problems that customers face that need to be addressed by dedicated staff.
Lyft, Uber, and the rest who don't currently have that sort of support will eventually get there. We can speculate as to the deep reasons why, but history suggests they have no choice.
I'm not sure. If they would have a real customer service operation then they would have to start telling drivers to do things and they could cross over fropm the 1099 to employee realm. They do not want to do that becasue their whole model is predicated on cheap labor and no normal employee costs.
The very first sentence is blatantly false. (Score:1)
"App-based services have made our lives easier in so many ways."
What? No. All they have done is made life a living surveillance Hell.
Not app related... but my biggest annoyance (Score:2)
My biggest annoyance I can think of having to deal with any time recently has been amazon. A few years ago you used to be able to email for help with whatever issue you were having. I liked this because generally I'd finish up everything I had for the day, send an email, and head to bed. Then generally in the morning or after work I'd have an answer or solution to my problem.
Now you click through 5-6 different things before it tells you to call them or chat them. The one time I sent in a chat message
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The one time I sent in a chat message the representative didn't read my intro message
They don't have time. They're handling at least 2, and likely 3 chats at once.
I work a customer service chat and work 2-3 chats at a time. It's not that hard to read the first and only message. Here's how the start of my chat went:
Me: Hi, I was just wondering if something is wrong with my delivery. Around 1PM Amazon said it was 3 stops away from my house. It's now 9:30PM and it still says the package is 3 stops away. The GPS tracker just shows the delivery driver going to restaurants, the mall, and neighborhoods.
Customer Service person: (Standard greeting, empathy statement, restates the issue, one moment while I research this for you)
Me: OK thank you for you help (name).
5-10 minute wait
CS: I have wonderful news it will be delivered today, and it's 3 stops away right now!
Me: That's why I was chatting in, the tracking info has been saying the delivery is 3 stops away for the past 8-9 hours.
CS: Sorry, let me do some research!
Me: OK, thanks again.
20 minute wait
CS: It's actually due to be delivered tomorrow and is on time for delivery!
Less than a minute wait
CS: Due to no response we will be closing your chat we don't mean to rush you but can't help you if you aren't here! (chat closed, please open a new session if you need further assistance)
.
You should have opened a ticket. Unless you have an incredibly simple problem they can fix with a few clicks, a chat is a terrible way to get work done, for both of you.
Take a look at the post you are responding to where I state I don't want to use chat. But when I go to their help page (at that time at least, I haven't needed to contact customer service since) the only options I was given were chat or call. I WANTED to send in a ticket or an email the way that I used to be able to, but Amazon took that option aw
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For big companies it seems to be standard procedure for "whoops there was an inconvenience for you!" Not saying it should be the norm, it just seems to be the standard "please don't complain about this to others!" money.
Also fun was watching the GPS tracker on amazon tell me that my package was leaving the state and was over an hour away.
This is not news (Score:3)
Poor service for apps is the norm.
Keywords "peg" and "shoehorn" are missing? (Score:2)
Most obvious search terms came up dry again. Another is "other" in the sense of "none of the above". That was also the first mention of "none" and "above".
In other words, the problem is that they define a set of pegs and try to shoehorn your problem into a predefined hole without trapping for other problems or your heinous failure to describe the problem the right way. They do this to keep costs down, but they can always plead that competitive pressure made them do it.
They changed my problem into a newt. Bu
Vote with your dollars (Score:2)
Customer support is one of those things that few people factor in the cost of when selecting a service. You'd have better luck putting them on blast [themarysue.com] as the kids say, and/or composing an actual letter and mailing it to them.
First mistake: you're not a customer (Score:2)
Customer service is a cost center.
In this case you didn't even produce any revenue. And now you want to cost Lyft money to whine about something?
And you're wondering why Lyft doesn't make that easy for you?
Not specific to apps (Score:1)
This problem is growing with computers. Surveys, customer service, health questionaires, focus groups: "Please rate the flavor from 1 to 5." They're all attempts to not only eliminate customer service but also to swap out thinking for automation. A simple computer program can assess multiple choice options and come up with nifty data. (13.27% of passengers complained for reason A.)
So it's not just automated customer service. It's automated business. The actual business functionality gets handed over to auto
Easier for who? (Score:3)
App-based services have made our lives easier in so many ways.
No, I really don't think they have.
The services themselves are the same as before. Well-designed apps are just one more communication channel, generally about the equal of the telephone, and most apps seem to be designed to show off the many creative and skillful ways the app designer is able to obstruct the customer.
You get what you pay for (Score:2)
What did you think? That with just 30% of the worldwide cab economy there would be money left for a support hotline?
'Professional'? You're joking, right? (Score:2, Interesting)
Lyft and Uber are basically illegal cab companies who are claiming the regulations and laws don't apply to them because they have an app ... which is like unicorn poop in that it protects you from everything.
The drivers don't have commercial licenses, don't have commercial insurance, aren't regulated, and probably aren't even given background checks ... you get random yahoos showing up to drive you, and you get what you get.
Go with a traditional
Customer Service Flowchart (Score:2)
Money for service (Score:3)
Often the causes of odd problems are only known by a few people who are too busy to wade through hundreds of complaints, many of which may be outright glitches that have no solution.
Either be prepared to pay for their time, or switch vendors. It would be "nice" if vendors were more helpful, but it was also be nice if I were slim, young, and cool. Unfortunately reality doesn't give a shit what I want.
Online services typically make money by using mass automation for a mass of customers. Babysitting individual one-off glitches or complaints is not something they want to spend resources on. If you want to talk to a knowledgeable human, be prepared to pay one way or another.
Customer service? (Score:1)
*Customer* service?
Hahahaha haha.
You're not the customer. You're the product. No, scratch that. You're elephant's carcass left behind by the poachers [nytimes.com].
That's What Stars Are For (Score:2)
There's a reason bad service isn't on the dropdown. Because you DON'T NEED TO TALK TO CUSTOMER SERVICE. There's nothing that needs to be fixed or some high priority matter to be taken care of. You presumably didn't get charged for the ride so just give the guy one star and you're done.
I mean what do you think customer service would do other than lower this guy's rating? Indeed what should it do. Maybe he just found out his brother died or something and had an awful day. Maybe he's always like this. J
Re: (Score:2)
Good I Don't Want To Pay For Your Handholding! (Score:3)
All the people who demand extensive and helpful customer service as if it's a right kinda piss me off. When you use free customer service you're making those of us who don't use it subsidize you. Customer service isn't free and if they don't charge you that cost is passed on to the rest of us consumers.
Look, if you want lots of customer service that's fine. You can choose to patronize whoever offers more customer service. In some situations I do that as well. But when a business chooses to offer lower prices rather than customer service don't act like you have some kind of god given right to free customer service. And yah, sometimes you won't be able to get good customer service because there just aren't enough people willing to pay for it. Just like I often end up paying for customer service I don't want or need because enough people insist on it.
So yes, go ahead and patronize the company with better customer service just don't act like you've been mistreated because a company choose to offer a cheaper product with less service.
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Yes, Uber and Lyft need someone there for safety issues etc.. but this could have been dealt with by leaving a 1 star review.
Re: (Score:2)
If you liked this thought maybe you would find my blog nice too:
I would! Wait, where's the link?
Safety Issue (Score:2)
Iâ(TM)d say the app telling you the vehicle is your ride when the driver says it isnâ(TM)t, that would be a safety issue.
What if he wasnâ(TM)t honest and let the individual get in the car. He can kill them and then say he wasnâ(TM)t the driver. He can claim he didnâ(TM)t receive the fare.
Assuming he doesnâ(TM)t do something else stupid, he has plausible deniability and an alibi.
The author doesn't understand ride sharing (Score:1)
Why the FUCK would you ask a uber/lyft driver to put your luggage in the boot? You're an adult, do it for yourself.
As plenty of others have said, the author has assumed an air of superiority that just stinks.
Something being worn? (Score:1)
Maybe it was something she was wearing? Today it doesn't seem to take much of anything to upset a snowflake.
Has nothing to do with apps (Score:2)
Try calling Dell customer service, or Comcast, or United Airlines, or any number of companies NOT based on apps. They ALL give you terrible customer service.