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A small rant (about companies that think the customer is `dumb`, plus sell services impersonally)

by Johnathan
7 replies
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I'm just curious what you guys think of large companies (i.e., phone, cable, etc), that lie/say something like:

1. "Your call may be recorded for quality or training purposes", when basically a) the call is almost *always* if not 100% of the time recorded, and b) that the real reason tends to be so if they have an irate customer, or a customer who 'says' they didn't order a package, etc -- that they can simply play it back and say "yes you did" (the "real" reason). Why not just be upfront with people and tell them you are recording it, and it is basically to use it against you (or "refresh" your memory in case you "forget" something) etc, rather than lying about the real purpose and assuming that people are dumb and don't know what is going on?

2. Also, phone companies and cable companies who feel that it is their 'right' to call you non-stop until you pick up if you are "1" day "late" (by their standards) making a payment? (As a test, and I couldn't believe it, one cable company called pretty much straight 10 days in a row, 3-4 times/day, automated dialer, no human, that constantly left a message (some of the time, other times nothing) -- that said "pay us now")

3. The 'impersonal' touch that phone companies/cable companies give to "advertise" their services (again, dumping your phone #, etc into their marketing machine) that "phones" you up (automated dialer) -- and when you pick up says "Hi, please wait for an important message" (while they transfer your call to a "live" operator, because they feel their time is more important than yours so don't even have a 'real' person phone you, but instead make you wait so they can sell you additional services?)

Johnathan
#misleading or deception #rant #small
  • Profile picture of the author diamondseeker
    Just another fine example of what happens when a company does not have enough or any competition.

    Of course with technology more options are becoming available everyday. Don't like the phone company get a cell phone. Don't like the cable company, get a dish.

    Thank god it is about time these big guys had some competition.
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    • Profile picture of the author ExRat
      Hi Johnathan,

      I'm just curious what you guys think of large companies (i.e., phone, cable, etc), that....
      On a personal level, their methods annoy me when I am the customer. Unfortunately for them, the older people in society are fully aware that they were profitable previously when they provided the 'human touch' - therefore the changes don't sit comfortably and the justifications fall on deaf ears.

      But as time passes and newer generations arrive that don't remember how things used to be, they will accept much of this as normal. They will probably also develop a kind of 'banner blindness' when it comes to business to customer communications.

      On a business level, I think that they are constantly testing and tweaking. I think that they are in the process of making the transition from old-fashioned human employees to automating everything that can be automated and using technology to segment customers into different groups etc.

      Whatever they are doing currently, I reckon they will maximise revenue/minimise expenses first and THEN work backwards and try to make the customer experience less uncomfortable. I also think that whatever they are doing currently is giving them massive benefits and therefore it's an area that anyone who works in a technology related area should keep an eye on, because the door is open for someone with new ideas to waltz in and offer established businesses huge innovations with massive benefits.

      That's appealing
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      Roger Davis
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      • Profile picture of the author Johnathan
        Good post... thanks.

        Yes...... One thing I agree that I do find annoying on a different level is that now "so many" companies are literally "squeezing" every penny they can out of a customer, using every pyschological, pressure, etc tactic they can to maximize revenues 100%. With some of these companies, it is no longer about providing a good quality product, it is about how much you can "get" out of someone.

        For example, the cell phone plans are designed in such a way as to make it exceptionally difficult to get a "deal". It is just disguised deceptively, to squeeze/maximize the revenue they can get "out" of you.

        $10/month plan, etc. If you get a $10 month plan, fine -- no minutes, but $0.50/minute. Most people say talk 100 minutes/month (even if they try not to), so "they" know your charge will really be $60/month. Plan 2: $30/month, 50 minutes, $0.25/minute. Same thing, just re-arranged differently. Or Plan 3: $60/month, 100 "free" minutes, and say $0.10/minute after that.

        In fact, another thing -- Bell -- if you phone your cell phone, etc to get messages -- they don't let you "cancel" the message midstream (because then it means you use more airtime, whcih means extra pennies for them). While it may not 'seem' like much on the surface, do that to a couple 100,000 customers on a daily basis, it adds up pretty quickly.

        And yes... Good point re: the new generation.

        'New' generation doesn't seem to realize facebook is like giving a key to your personal diary, and I've seen KFC outlets use biometric scanning of fingerprints to simply open a cash register and the teenagers merrily accept it.

        Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

        Hi Johnathan,

        On a personal level, their methods annoy me when I am the customer. Unfortunately for them, the older people in society are fully aware that they were profitable previously when they provided the 'human touch' - therefore the changes don't sit comfortably and the justifications fall on deaf ears.

        But as time passes and newer generations arrive that don't remember how things used to be, they will accept much of this as normal. They will probably also develop a kind of 'banner blindness' when it comes to business to customer communications.

        On a business level, I think that they are constantly testing and tweaking. I think that they are in the process of making the transition from old-fashioned human employees to automating everything that can be automated and using technology to segment customers into different groups etc.

        Whatever they are doing currently, I reckon they will maximise revenue/minimise expenses first and THEN work backwards and try to make the customer experience less uncomfortable. I also think that whatever they are doing currently is giving them massive benefits and therefore it's an area that anyone who works in a technology related area should keep an eye on, because the door is open for someone with new ideas to waltz in and offer established businesses huge innovations with massive benefits.

        That's appealing
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        • Profile picture of the author ExRat
          Hi Johnathan,

          Yep, cell phone companies are particularly inventive. Just on a basic level, have you ever noticed how slow and drawn-out the default message is that you get when you reach someone's answerphone, who hasn't set up a personal message? They often take close to a minute. And there are literally thousands of little tricks like this that they use to maximise revenue.

          I expect that they have huge resources put towards analysing the strategies of the competition in order to implement their ideas super quick - so it becomes a race between competing companies to use every trick in the book and to add new chapters to the book.

          If YOU found yourself in this position, in the race - what would you do?

          Race?

          Or risk bringing the company down by being first to throw out aggressive marketing and borderline deceptive marketing/billing strategies in order to win the peoples' vote as the peoples' company?

          There is SO much money at stake.

          Selling airtime ranks up there with pay per click on my personal list of mind-blowingly brilliant technology based businesses - in terms of revenue creation through simple scalability.

          When it comes to cell phones, most customers are addicted and unstoppable, oblivious to rip offs and their expenditure, and besides most of them are locked into their contracts in a variety of ways.

          What incentive is there for companies to give a **** about annoying their customers or not?
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          • Profile picture of the author Johnathan
            Hi,

            Thanks for another good post

            1. Yes, I find it interesting how if you check your messages via your cellphone, you can't "cancel" the message halfway through (delete it) -- but if you call via a landline to check your voicemail (where they can't "officially" charge you airtime), you can hit "delete delete delete" and get rid of unwanted messages in 2-3 seconds (As a matter of fact just did that last night).

            2. If I found myself in this position (which I believe I have), I would provide as much value as possible rather than trying to squeeze every cent I could out a client. The goal of some of these companies does not necessarily seem to be able to provide "value", but rather how they can manipulate the "perception" of value in order to "maximize" the results ($$$) they get.

            3. Yes, it is amazing how 'addictive' certain technologies have become. Cellphones, PDA's, internet access, etc. All great 'subscription' ("membership") business models, with a very low opt-out rate.

            What I also object to with some of these cable/phone companies is the way they 'force' "brand" loyalty. No longer is it because someone 'likes' them, it's because how they've manipulated the contract, i.e.,:

            a) 2/3-year contract, get a free phone. Then, if you cancel beforehand, you have to pay a 'huge' price (i.e., highly inflated phone price of say $500, for an otherwise "free" phone).

            b) You need to cancel a "month" in advance. If you wanted to cancel your phone or cabel today, they would still bill you for another month. Not only does it ensure the company had a 8.25% immediate revenue boost across the board when they first implemented that strategy, but is a deterrent to actually 'disconnecting'. (Pyschologically, etc). So another boost to the bottom line (I'm not sure of exact figures though).

            It's amazing to think... What did people do before the internet... Or before cellphones? (Wow, they actually walked outside and met "real" girls on the street instead of "realgurl38391sosexy" who turned out to be a 40 year old biker named 'bubba', or actually had a "real" conversation face-to-face )


            Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

            Hi Johnathan,

            Yep, cell phone companies are particularly inventive. Just on a basic level, have you ever noticed how slow and drawn-out the default message is that you get when you reach someone's answerphone, who hasn't set up a personal message? They often take close to a minute. And there are literally thousands of little tricks like this that they use to maximise revenue.

            I expect that they have huge resources put towards analysing the strategies of the competition in order to implement their ideas super quick - so it becomes a race between competing companies to use every trick in the book and to add new chapters to the book.

            If YOU found yourself in this position, in the race - what would you do?

            Race?

            Or risk bringing the company down by being first to throw out aggressive marketing and borderline deceptive marketing/billing strategies in order to win the peoples' vote as the peoples' company?

            There is SO much money at stake.

            Selling airtime ranks up there with pay per click on my personal list of mind-blowingly brilliant technology based businesses - in terms of revenue creation through simple scalability.

            When it comes to cell phones, most customers are addicted and unstoppable, oblivious to rip offs and their expenditure, and besides most of them are locked into their contracts in a variety of ways.

            What incentive is there for companies to give a **** about annoying their customers or not?
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by diamondseeker View Post

      Just another fine example of what happens when a company does not have enough or any competition.

      Of course with technology more options are becoming available everyday. Don't like the phone company get a cell phone. Don't like the cable company, get a dish.

      Thank god it is about time these big guys had some competition.

      In like the 70s, AT&T, in the US, was forced to FINALLY break up. It is a little known fact that part of the fallout is now that the big guys must help the little guys succeed!!!!!

      AT&T is known as an ILEC(Incumbant Local Exchange Carrier). They must allow CLECs to use their resources! THAT is why everyone and his brother seems to be into it now!
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  • Profile picture of the author LB
    1. "Your call may be recorded for quality or training purposes", when basically a) the call is almost *always* if not 100% of the time recorded, and b) that the real reason tends to be so if they have an irate customer, or a customer who 'says' they didn't order a package, etc -- that they can simply play it back and say "yes you did" (the "real" reason). Why not just be upfront with people and tell them you are recording it, and it is basically to use it against you (or "refresh" your memory in case you "forget" something) etc, rather than lying about the real purpose and assuming that people are dumb and don't know what is going on?
    Years ago I worked for 2 separate companies in a call center. At both of them the supervisors were constantly listening in and reviewing the employees calls.

    Each group of 10 or so employees had a supervisor that would spend 4 hours of their 8 hour shift monitoring their subordinates' calls.

    So yes, they are reviewing the calls.

    It's also a legal thing as many states require both parties be aware if a third party is monitoring a call. Otherwise they could run afoul of "wiretapping" laws.
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