Thursday, July 22, 2010

I wished I got Nokia Support

Here's 3 examples of support I considered sub standard.
All communication is via email and I extract them fully into dialogue for easy reading...
VTS = Vince Tan Support
Real Scenario 1:
Roy: What are the Spinner softwares do you have?

VTS: Seriously, I would suggest that if you can, take the articles and rewrite them in your own words. It shouldn't be too much of a trouble, as the ideas are all there pre-written for you. From my experience, spinner softwares don't work well. It sounds weird... like someone having constipation with the English language!

Roy: I was reviewing The Best Spinner and thought it was a pretty cool tool to produce article faster. Still a good tool to have around. I do noticed that the site has this Article Content Spinner. I downloaded it and tried it but, the executable file just extract and does nothing about it. Any idea? Or should I just don't bother and generate my own words.

VTS: Best is still human written. That's why good "ghostwriters" and "ghostbloggers" will always have a job despite technology. This is an example of a "spinned" article, taken off the website of a friend, who paid thousands to "professionals" to have his website set up for him. So, What is Foreign Currency Trading Scientific Method ?
Scientific method represents system of strategies with regard to investigating phenomena, obtaining as well as creating fresh new knowledge, or simply improving and synthesizing present knowledge.For an investigative try to be classified scientific, the task have to be based on an approach to inquiry including the collecting of observable, empirical as well as measurable facts and proof subject to particular rules associated with logical thinking. Essentially, a scientific method consists the strategy of data collection by means of observation and trials and also the formulation and testing of hypotheses. In most cases experimental results would not conform to the hypothesis, you are to think again about plus re-examine your earlier theory so to develop an alternative one for further trials and testing.

Roy: Woah! that's was pretty bad...But what if I want to just have a try to find it out myself to see if it really didn't work. Have you checkout http://thebestspinner.com/?iI gud=uniquexv ? I thought it is pretty cool. Besides, I will do a proof read before publishing anything. Do I really have to beg? :P

VTS: haha... sorry, that one is not included in Vince's package. I guess you can take advantage of the 30-day money back guarantee... and lemme know what you think. No harm trying. After all, there's the guarantee there.

Here's my feel about the support - I begin by asking for a Spinner software to try and they tell me it is a bad idea. I asked again if they have a software which I later found and they again tell me the bad things about spinners. Finally they begin to see what I am asking from them. My verdict is that they have poor understanding of what I am asking in the first place. Have you ever asked someone for something and felt that that someone has issue hearing what you want and instead give you an answer that you actually did not ask in the first place? If you can see, I actually asked quite a few time until I have to use the word 'beg' to get their attention.
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Example 2

Roy: Is there a way to test the autoresponder subscription email to check that the format is right? Currently, I don't have subscription page but I import my listing to test it. However, after importing, it take almost a day for me to get the subscription email.
Can I hasten this?

VTS: Just set the Messages settings to Immediate, or 1 hour.

Roy: I'm not sure where to set. Are you referring to here?
http://autoresponsebot.com/x/members/autoresponders.messages.php?id=69
From the looked of it, I believed they are messages after the subscriber subscribe.
I am asking the import subscribers. http://autoresponsebot.com/x/members/subscribers.import.php. After I import, I have to wait for a pretty long while before my subscriber get an email. I would hope you could give a step by step answer and not give me an answer inside a stack of hay.

VTS: The subscription email settings from import list is automatic. What you can schedule is the messages that you send out.

Here's my feel about the reply - I import my list to this software so that I can used it to mass send to everyone in the list. But I found that it takes a day to finish the task and hence testing takes a day to know. I asked if it can be faster. They gave me an answer that is related to another part. I pointed to them that I am not asking that part and they finally understand what I am asking and tell me there's no solution. Again, they waste time by not understanding clearly what I am asking.
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Example 3

Roy: I added the HTML custom header and footer. This also doesn't work. I didn't get the image on the subscription email. Any advise?

VTS: We have never used the headers and footers. For Vince's own launches and promotions, we just send it in plain text emails, as graphics may get lost in the mail client transfers.

Roy: Thanks Dawn. Is there a autoresponsebot second tier support or direct support that is not in Vince Tan support team that I can get?

VTS: In the Message Format part, click on T, H, or M. T = Text H = HTML M = Multipart
If you hover your mouse over those, it will give you a clear explanation. If you click H or M, your html headers should appear now.

Roy: Where can I find Message format T, H, or M in the autoresponder properties?
Do you understand where I'm referring at?

VTS: Change the Message Format (see the screenshot picture attached) to Multipart (M), tick the custom header and custom footer, and custom header and footer will appear (as you have set it earlier in the Autoresponder Properties).

Roy: Tell me how by doing the below, my Subscription email that is generated in the Autoresponder Properties will actually send out with the Custom Header and Footer.
Sorry, I just still don't get. I am asking about the Subscription email and not any other message that I have yet to generated.

VTS: The subscription email is sent out as it is. It is just an invitation for them to click on the link. (sorry if we misunderstood you earlier to mean about the messages. That's where the focus should be.) Try sending out messages to your list, in the Multipart format, and you will see that your custom header and footer will appear as you have set it.

Here's my feel about the support - I tested a feature in their software and found that it did not work. So I asked for advise. The first advise they give me is not to use it because Vince Tan don't use it. I asked for 2nd tier support and they replied me with an answer which I found not a possible solution as it is not the same page I am referring. I point out their mistake and they tell me to send it via Message which is not a solution of what I am asking. Again, there's no solution.
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So I wrote an email to their boss Vince Tan to complain about their support. And guess what is his reply. Here's my email :-

Dear Vince,

I believed your support staff has told you about my the problems I amd facing using the autoresponsebot. I have been struggling for almost 2 weeks just trying to import my mailing lists and until now it is still not working for me.

Also your support staff are not knowledgeable enough and to add more frustrations, I felt that they don't take the time to understand my questions based on the so call "answers" they provided.

Honestly, I am beginning to regret purchasing your package and here's why :-

1. Although you got a good brief and easy to understand intro on the concept of internet marketing, I am surprised to find out that the next thing I got from you are thousands of stuffs to read and figure out. Wow... it just kill my interest. Look, I paid 3.5k to accelerate my internet marketing skills and seriously, now I felt I have to first figure out which 1% of them are essential to read. I could have just google all the relevant articles or borrow from the library which would not have cost me anything. What I hope to pay for is good guidance and not a few statements and then point me to the mass that you collected. There's simply no personal touch.

2. I have a friend who is doing another package and they have follow up webinars, updates etc to see how their customers are going. Yours is really really quiet.

3. Your autoresponsebot is full of bug.

4. Your support team is not knowledgeable about the product. I asked about Spinner and the type of reply is "Vince don't use it" and "why should you". I have to beg just to get them to answer me about the Spinner software you got in your website. If it is not good, why would you have a Spinner software? There are more examples that show that your support team really need support training. If you are interested on them, I can send you all the support emails and highlight what I think is done wrong.

Overall, I am truly disappointed and is looking towards a refund.

Roy

Here is his reply -

Hi Roy,

The autoresponder, I believe that my staff had gotten back to you about it?
The double http:// had been rectified. You can use it as normal now.



With the head of support giving this type of answer, what can you expect the rest of the body in his support organization be....

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Holy Mackerel !!!

So, do you felt being rip off ??? Were others from you batch felt the same way ?

So, what course of action did you undertake to get them (VT) to assist or guide you?

Unknown said...

Would be nice to get an email on this if you can. TQ.

Mackerel said...

What's your email?