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When Customer Support Goes Bad..

by MJ Sterling
18 replies
Let me give you a little background info...

Seven months ago a customer purchased one of my low priced products - a one-off payment of $15.

Now, I honestly go out of my way to help all my customers and make sure they feel valued (I really do value each one of them), anyway, a few days after purchase he sent me an email asking for additional help.. that's no problem...

The day after that.. another email, asking for more help..

Again, no problem.. but I think you can see where it's going here..

Almost every day since then he has been emailing me asking me questions, and for seven months I've been replying and helping him as much as I can. I've also spent an hour on the phone with him, making sure he understands everything.

And yet, each day, he will return with a new question, often repeating a question that he asked weeks ago.

Where would you draw the line and say enough is enough?

I don't mean in an idealistic way, where we all give our customers all the time they need, all day, every day. I mean in the real world, where time is valuable and we all have work to do and businesses to run.

Thanks for your input gang.
#long #providing #support
  • Profile picture of the author Troy_Phillips
    I have some repeat customers I may be a pallbearer for lol.

    Honestly , this customer has no respect for your time

    Explain to them that phone consultation cost $500 an hour .

    And your new product will answer the question for them.

    It is nice to help. I do often.

    There comes a point of cut off that only you can define but for $15 ... just sayin
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    I'm not sure where'd I draw the line, but I'd have probably done it by now. You might want to set a policy of 30 days free support, or 60 or whatever, then charge after that. Sounds like you have a chicken little on your hands that would probably go away if they had to pay. If not, at least you'll be compensated for your trouble. For a $15.00 product, you've already gone above and beyond the call of duty.
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  • Profile picture of the author fredjr1978
    Maybe you should start a FAQ website to start answering all the questions you get and posting them on there....this may help you.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mac the Knife
    Video training is the best. Load up the 'ole Camtasia and go over your product step by step. Might take a little bit of time at first, but from then on, you will have something to point your clients to. The ideas above as far as limiting service make perfect sense as well. The fact is, selling that product to that person has COST you money...no one is in business to lose money.

    Now, if the value proposition were such that this client buy additional backend products, or pays you monthly, or better yet, refers you paying clients on a regular basis, then your service might pay for itself, but in the example you gave...I would have said bye bye long ago...I consider myself a nice guy, but you have to factor in reason. The person you are dealing with certainly hasn't...

    Mac the Knife
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  • Profile picture of the author bigdaddy99
    My guess is that there are plenty of forums that are relevant to whatever specific issue(s) he is having, just like this one, where you might be able to point him so that the workload is spread out amongst thousands of internet strangers.

    Also, if you don't respond, then he will get the message.

    I think that the poster above who mentioned the FAQ also might be on to something.

    But back to your actual question - I'd cut them off at three questions unless they are really really good ones, and then point them to an internet resource for additional assistance.

    bd99
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  • Profile picture of the author WD Mino
    Hi MJ,

    well that is a rough deal. best thing to do is take a list of common questions do an faq page. do a few how to videos and limit support something like if you cannot find your answer in the faq section or in the videos please contact us and we will respond accordingly within 24-48 hrs.

    Customer service is of course imperative but there is a line coaching is not usually included in a product unless it is specified and it sounds like that is what your experiencing. I applaud you for going that extra mile but I think you can draw the line now there is also such a thing as abuse and that is what this sounds like.
    -WD
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  • Profile picture of the author MJ Sterling
    Some really awesome suggestions here guys, seriously, thank you.

    And I've been telling him to use the WF since Dec.

    I'm about one email away from stepping away from my computer.. slowly walking to the corner of the room and taking to fetal position while screaming "Take Action!" over and over.

    You lot seriously rock.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
      Originally Posted by MJ Sterling View Post


      I'm about one email away from stepping away from my computer.. slowly walking to the corner of the room and taking to fetal position while screaming "Take Action!" over and over.
      Have someone shoot a video of that, or at least take some pictures, I wanna see that!
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      • Profile picture of the author MJ Sterling
        Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

        Have someone shoot a video of that, or at least take some pictures, I wanna see that!
        You're one sick puppy Dennis Gaskill..

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        • Profile picture of the author Sandor Verebi
          Originally Posted by MJ Sterling View Post

          You're one sick puppy Gaskill..
          LOL MJ, your picture is on the spot.

          Anyway, you are the only one who are able to judge on how much is this client worth for you? From your story I can see that the $15 of income is not far in a proportion with it, as much you dealt with him.

          As above suggested, it is advisable to make a FAQ page and some instructional video about your product, you may use them more times.

          What you gave him is an ongoing coaching, I think. I'd treat him in accordance with.

          All the best,

          Sandor
          __________
          - coming -
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  • Profile picture of the author MJ Sterling
    Hey I'm glad someone found the pic funny!

    Yep it looks like a FAQ and vids is the way to go.
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    • Profile picture of the author Epicurus
      I work in customer support so I know exactly what you're going through MJ.

      I also try to help out as much as is reasonably possible but you soon start to get a feel for the ones who really aren't going to 'get it' and are just going to waste your time.

      I have politely suggested in the past to such people that maybe this is not for them.

      I also direct people to here and thank God for this place - I consider it to be one of my main resources in helping people.
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  • Profile picture of the author bobcath
    MJ

    I've had that too, for months. What I started doing was taking gradually longer to reply, it sort of conditioned them out slowly.

    Good luck

    Bobby
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  • Profile picture of the author Mili_D
    I totally agree with fredjr1978 a FAQ website is the best thing you could do as majority of the time the same question comes up all the time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Neil Morgan
    I agree with Bobby that it's partly about setting expectations.

    It's also important to make sure your support is scalable, meaning whatever you put in place still works when you have hundreds or thousands of customers.

    I learned that lesson the hard way, until I found I was spending all my time on support a couple of years ago.

    You need to be working ON your business, not IN it.

    Cheers,

    Neil
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  • Profile picture of the author LB
    Originally Posted by MJ Sterling View Post

    Let me give you a little background info...

    Seven months ago a customer purchased one of my low priced products - a one-off payment of $15.

    Now, I honestly go out of my way to help all my customers and make sure they feel valued (I really do value each one of them), anyway, a few days after purchase he sent me an email asking for additional help.. that's no problem...

    The day after that.. another email, asking for more help..

    Again, no problem.. but I think you can see where it's going here..

    Almost every day since then he has been emailing me asking me questions, and for seven months I've been replying and helping him as much as I can. I've also spent an hour on the phone with him, making sure he understands everything.

    And yet, each day, he will return with a new question, often repeating a question that he asked weeks ago.

    Where would you draw the line and say enough is enough?

    I don't mean in an idealistic way, where we all give our customers all the time they need, all day, every day. I mean in the real world, where time is valuable and we all have work to do and businesses to run.

    Thanks for your input gang.
    You're getting played whether this guy knows it or not.

    For $15 no one gets access to me, certainly not for extended periods of time or by phone.

    Customers deserve access to their purchase as promised, prompt responses to refund requests or technical problems (can't download) etc. My customer service team handles this for me.

    If I see a ticket or email that interests me I certainly will reply on occassion but I don't run a free help line...and I'm not in any sort of make money niches either.

    You've set expectations...like the guy that takes a girl out to dinner repeatedly, pays the tab and loans her money all while she's dating someone else.
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  • Profile picture of the author MJ Sterling
    OK, thanks all you guys.. you've all really helped me over come my feelings of guilt about ending his free ride and shown me that I wouldn't be letting a customer down in doing so.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    Doing business is great. Doing business with customers sucks
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