Category Archive: Customer Service

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Lack of Customer Service via Twitter

  By Eric Rieman | May 2, 2011 - 9:43 pm | Customer Service Comments Off

People that complain via twitter may find their concerns falling on deaf ears. Consumerist is now reporting that some companies are using their presence on twitter to silence many of their critics. Some companies are responding to complaints via twitter but only to steer people to a direct (private) message. According to the article, many people just give up or forget to follow-up after getting in touch with a company representative via  direct  message twitter. 

While this tactic may silence some the long term backlash against these companies that choose to perform customer service activities with this ‘keep them silent’ attitude will quickly come about

First and foremost, not taking the time to listen to your customers is just poor business practice. Second, it will not take long for people to realize that companies are using these methods to keep people quiet. In many cases those that complain via twitter may do so through other channels as well. It is without a doubt that if this trend continues a website will be started to out the organizations that fail to act on their customers complaints via twitter.

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Greed- The Way NOT to do business

  By Eric Rieman | November 3, 2009 - 2:03 am | Customer Service, VoIP Comments Off

I have always held the belief that a low price will bring a customer in and excellent customer service will keep them. People simply do not make an effort to look elsewhere for services they use everyday if they believe there is value in the service they receive. This was certainly true of the VOIP phone service I had from 8×8 for nearly five years.greed

I first established service with 8×8 in March of 2005 and had virtually no trouble with the service the entire time. However, within the based few months they cancelled the 500 minute Freedom Choice residential plan that I had and automatically upgraded me to their unlimited plan. Of course this also meant an increase in the monthly fee. At the time this occurred I looked at the company’s own residential forums and discovered that many people felt that 8×8 was simply trying to focus on their business VOIP services.

The new monthly fee was too much for me to see the value in the service 8×8 was providing. After a little research I stumbled upon Call Centric and tried the service to make sure it would meet my needs.

When I called 8×8 to cancel my service I could not belief the response I got. The rep informed me that I could go to a 500 minute plan and they would give me a free month of service. I asked why they bothered to cancel the 500 minute residential plan only to offer for those ready to cancel. The rep informed me that the email sent out when they dropped the 500 minute suggest that people call in with concerns.

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Grand Central, It’s Alive

  By Eric Rieman | March 12, 2009 - 1:05 am | Customer Service, Mobile Technology, VoIP Comments Off

After nearly a year of hearing nothing from Grand Central, Google has announced that the latest generation of this service will be known as Google Voice.

Grand Central is a phone service that touted ‘one phone number for life’. However, Grand Central provided more than just a phone number it gave users the ability to control who called them and where that call was routed to be answered.

I first came across Grand Central when I was in the process of changing mobile phone numbers. After providing all my contacts with my new Grand Central number I quickly learned of its limitations. The biggest problem I came across was the inability to receive text messages to my Grand Central number. While only a select few of my contacts actually text me I quickly realized this would not be a number I gave to most of my regular contacts.

I regularly followed the Grand Central blog as well as the the Grand Central help forum but after seeing little feedback from anyone at Grand Central I decided this would not become my one number for life. Instead I now use this number where I want to make sure I can screen the calls I receive.

I logged into my Grand Central account tonight and other than a message on the home page indicating the switch to Google Voice is coming nothing has changed. Google Voice appears to be a step in the right direction for this phone service. However, I am cautiously optimistic as the service is only as good as the support behind it.

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