Adobe are not making any new freinds

Well,

Finally after sending a fairly frank complaint to Adobe Customer Service and posting a note in Hart's blog, Tech. Support contacted me and gave me a working link to Loopology. They haven't managed the Compressor yet but will get back to me on Monday. So let's see.

I eventually received two automated emails on Thursday giving me the links to all the extra stuff. So that seemed to indicate that the Adobe system had at last recognised my registration details.

And yesterday UK customer support also sent me the link with apologies. So all OK at last.

A brief update,

Tech Support tried sending me a new link - which was exactly the same as the old link and failed to work just as impressively . They are now reduced to placing the Compressor somewhere else and sending me a link to download it!

Watch this space!

Tech Support tried sending me a new link - which was exactly the same as the old link and failed to work just as impressively

Man, wouldn't they be miles ahead by now if they just sent you the box?

It's one of those dirty little secrets that computers  - while mighty handy in many areas - have actually made costumer service about a thousand times slower and less efficient than when everything was just done with paper files.

Chris

have actually made costumer service about a thousand times slower and less efficient than when everything was just done with paper files.

Indeed Chris, if I had to wait for a costumer to come to me it would take ages. I wouldn't be a customer for long.

Sorry m8, couldn't resist.

Mark

It's one of those dirty little secrets that computers  - while mighty handy in many areas - have actually made costumer service about a thousand times slower and less efficient than when everything was just done with paper files.

Chris

Well, even though I know you mean customer service I would have to disagree with you. Considering the numbers of customers being served, it would be impossible to acheive even the current, less than perfect, level of service using paper files. Once a process is converted to using computers the efficiencies of scale make it no longer practicable to do the process manually.

Well, they finally gave in and sent me the compressor as a zip file via email. The tech guy said they would send me a form to review their performance, and was very quick to ask me only to review his performance and not my overall satisfaction with Adobe - yeah, right!

So, the question is... is the compressor worth all the trouble?

Chris

And about the customer service (spelled correctly this time): my take is that computers enable companies to provide poor service to a vast number of people, rather than good service to a smaller number.

Chris

I definitely agree.  By having everything tele-automated and computer-automated, so many services now have become totally "faceless".  When we moved recently, I was blessed with the task of getting all utilities, cable, bank auto-transfers, etc...  set up for the new address.  It only took me 2 months to sort out the digital phone with Time Warner.  Ironically, I've been a costumer ( ) with them for near 20 years.  Upon initial contact with them regarding the move and wanting to transfer services to a new address, I was told by countless individuals... "it's easy" and "nothing more than changing an address".  It took them 4 different Technician visits and a ton of "follow-up" (nasty) phone calls to get the cable and the internet access set up.  Each time, having to call them back and lodge complaints.  When all was finally sorted out..... they had cancelled our original email address (that we've had for years) and "automatically" assigned us a new address.  Well, needless to say... that wouldn't do at all.  After 3 days of "haggling" on the phone we finally got it sorted out (sort of).  They claim that they couldn't cancel the new email address, but could add the "old" one back to the account.  Now...... did I miss something here??  They CANCELLED my original address and now they can't cancel the new one??  Their claim...  the email account names are "automatically" assigned by their computers and they can't change it!   Enough!!!  It's not what I wanted, but at least I have my "old" address back and can maintain some continuity with correspondance.  IF there were a "better" alternative to T/W, I would kick them to the curb and WILL when another viable option is in place!!!

 

I've had similar experiences with Time-Warner here in KC. They suck big time. Of course they're the only option for high-speed internet, so I can't do much... just as back in California SBC was the only option in my area THERE...

When there's a monopoly, they have no incentive to provide good customer service, since you can't slam down the phone and say "I'm taking my business elsewhere..."

Watching my poor parents try to navigate Apple's "service" to repair their Mac confirms that as well.

(I tried to talk them out of that purchase...)

Chris

Well, no the compressor wasn't worth the trouble and I will probably never use it, but I wasn't about to let them get away with not delivering what they promised.

If more people had that attitude I think customer service would be a lot better.

All (ALL) these large customer services departments work on scripts. 90% of the time, they work fine and get problems solved, 7% of the time, they cause complete confusion as the agent rigidly follows the script even when it is obviously irrelevant. 3% of the time, the customer is really impressed because when the script stops working the agent resorts to a voodoo potion call common sense and fixes the problem anyway.

So all these departments want the 93% and hate the 7%, but guess which percentage evryone remembers - yup

The point here is - processes designed to work for the masses, will only ever work for a large percentage of the masses, which will always be less than 100% - very few companies are smart enough to realise they need to put 20% of their effort into dealing with 7% of the problems, and that means hiring agents who can think!

...they need to put 20% of their effort into dealing with 7% of the problems, and that means hiring agents who can think!

But then they'd have to add the cost of doing that to the product.  And 93% of the market for the product doesn't want to pay that added cost.  So guess what doesn't get done.

I think that when the marketing guys finally figured this out is when the service centers started getting shipped to the likes of India.

Well, with no further prompting, Adobe UK support have just emailed me to say they've fixed my registration records, and including a download link for the registration benefits that worked.

Paul