Support desk: Who's the idiot, the marketer or me?

[marciayudkin]

Purchased something on Saturday and couldn't figure out how to get access to what I purchased. Had three interchanges with the support person, then they just dropped it before solving the problem.

OK, probably they went off duty for the rest of the weekend, I figured. So now that it's Monday morning on the East Coast, I called. The phone message gave me a support page to go see.

Now here is the idiotic part. The support page asks me to watch a video first. And what comes on the video is a trailer for a John Woo movie! What??

Then after the trailer (I was still watching only because I was so stunned and baffled) comes the marketer I purchased from, telling me over and over again in 12 different ways to use the email address on the page to contact his support team. (The one I had already used.)

What in the world is the purpose of having a video there - and one that starts with a trailer for a commercial movie? Is this multimillionaire marketer so cheap he has to use an ad-supported service to post a video? Is he so stupid he doesn't realize there's a disconcerting ad before he comes on the screen?

Or am I the idiot for not wanting to put up with any of this to get service?

Marcia Yudkin

[Fernando Veloso]

That's a hell of a story!!!

Did you warn the support guy about the "sponsored" video?

Is there any way to JUST open a support ticket?

[Alexa Smith]

Originally Posted by marciayudkin

Or am I the idiot for not wanting to put up with any of this to get service?

No, of course not! I'd be incredibly irritated with this.

I have once or twice had this problem of buying something and not being able to access it, which is annoying enough to start with!

You're not the idiot that is for sure.. I know it is not funny about your situation but I do find it funny how many self proclaimed wannabe marketers want everything for free.. What they do not realize is that free script to run their site or that free video service they use or that free hosting they use and etc .. Makes them look not so professional while they are claiming to be an "expert" on something ..

It is those kind of people you should think twice about doing business with .. Nothing wrong with free stuff but do not claim to be an expert marketer while you are running a free script or something.

Just my opinion though ...

James

[R Hagel]

Originally Posted by marciayudkin

Then after the trailer (I was still watching only because I was so stunned and baffled) comes the marketer I purchased from, telling me over and over again in 12 different ways to use the email address on the page to contact his support team. (The one I had already used.)

Putting aside the crazy movie trailer... why is the customer forced to sit through a video that just tells people to email support?

Becky

[John Taylor]

Becky,

Originally Posted by R Hagel

why is the customer forced to sit through a video that just tells people to email support?

Maybe they're hoping that - by the time you've watched
the video - you'll forget what the problem was and leave
them to drink coffee and gossip all day. ;-)

John

[JohnMcCabe]

Marcia, you are most certainly NOT an idiot.

There's another explanation for the movie trailer, perhaps.

I've heard of services that will pay per view for ads inserted into videos and podcasts. You upload the audio or video to the ad network's site and embed the code they give where you want to display the video. Every time their ad is viewed using that code, the publisher gets paid.

No idea how much the cpm is, but it seems like a really dumb idea to use it with a customer service video.

Now my little inner "tin foil hat" gremlin is whispering that a faulty link is one way to pump up viewership of an ad embedded in a support page...

[InternetMarketingIQ]

Return it and move on.

[Don Schenk]

Originally Posted by marciayudkin

... Is this multimillionaire marketer so cheap he has to use an ad-supported service to post a video? Is he so stupid he doesn't realize there's a disconcerting ad before he comes on the screen?

Or am I the idiot for not wanting to put up with any of this to get service?

Marcia Yudkin

With that kind of service, or lack of service, I seriously doubt this goofy marketer has "made" any millionaires. I also would doubt he/she/it has become an Internet millionaire. Probably will never do so either with that kind of approach.

:-Don

[CliveG]

Hi Marcia,

You certainly don't seem to be an idiot to me. But even if you were, the product should be designed to be accessible to you, otherwise you will just ask for your money back, which is what I suggest that you do.

Clive

[marciayudkin]

I've heard of services that will pay per view for ads inserted into videos and podcasts. You upload the audio or video to the ad network's site and embed the code they give where you want to display the video. Every time their ad is viewed using that code, the publisher gets paid.

No idea how much the cpm is, but it seems like a really dumb idea to use it with a customer service video.

If that is what is going on, then this is not only cheap, but also insulting to his customers!

I admit, something that diabolical and manipulative did not occur to me.

Marcia Yudkin