Why are businesses doing this?

[FierceAXboi]

I have noticed that now a days companys dont want you to call them. No longer can you go to a website and simply click on "contact us" and call them. Now they want you to try to solve your own problem first and if you dont succeed then email them. At no point do they make the effort of giving you a phone number. Just today it took me over 1 hour to get the phone number for netflix. I am currently trying to get Amazons with no luck. Seems they want me to email them first also. Another company with similar behavoir is blockbuster online. Has anyone else experienced this? I would like comments from people on both sides of the issues. The frustrated ones like myself As well as the people on the other side who dont want to take a call in which the answer is a simple one that the customer with some effort could of found out themselves.

 

[diznygirl]

Well, I guess this can be expected of the online businesses. The "brick and mortar" businesses that have web sites usually do have a "contact us" section with address and phone numbers.

I guess they feel if you are using the online business, you would prefer to contact them online.

 

[Aidensmom]

The one that really bothers me is that I can't find a phone number for my internet provider. I can get all kinds of help over the web, but if my problem is that I can't get on the web, I am up a creek without a paddle.

 

[Jamesbyr]

It is all $$$.

Don't let them get away with it.

 

[FierceAXboi]

Yes but diznygirl a company like sears,walmart,macys,jcpenny I understand. The problem is with companys that only have there companys on the internet. Such as hte Netflix and Amazon companys. When I have an issue especially one that concerns my money I dont want to be waiting around for someone to open up my email. I want to pick up the phone and hear a human talking to me. I think I have become dependable on that kind of service. Sadly with technology taking over i might have to kiss that comfort goodbye

 

[Randi]

Actually I prefer using written communication, either e-mail or even a letter (gasp!) I have a lot of difficulty understanding different accents and if the other person doesn't speak right into the phone, the sound level fades in and out.
I am just not a phone person. Even at work, I use it much less than my co-workers.
But that's just me. Always out of step with the rest of the world!

 

[bicker]

It is a lot less expensive to provide assistance via electronic means. My ISP offers both email and online chat. The online chat is clearly structured to be as efficient as possible, with the same technician working with multiple people at a time, instead of working with one at a time and having to wait while each performs the advised actions. Instead of wasting time, the technican can go on to the next customer and help them along a bit.

 

[Kahana-ri]

So annoying We had the same problem with Netflix. We had mailed our DS Einstein DVD back by accident. We tried everything to get a hold of someone. We never did talk to a human being. After many emails, we got our DVD back about a month later. Of course the reply emails went something to 'We have received you email, a representative will contact you shortly.....' I can't even get a non-automated email.
My gym was the same way. Renewal was only automated. I did not feel comfortable giving credit card info to a voice mail. I did end up contacting a human being in the corporate office who suggested I use the automated system-I don't think so, I asked the rep to do it. How dare I expect a more personalized service when giving away my money.

 

[momof2inPA]

The companies don't want you to hear their technical support staff's Indian accents.

 

[Pop Daddy]

we need to do the same for them when they want us to pay them what we owe them

 

[bicker]

How dare I expect a more personalized service when giving away my money.

To be fair, you weren't actually giving your money away: You were paying money in return for a service. I agree that folks asking for donations should be a bit more amenable to being flexible about how donors wish to give their money. With a business, though, the issue is that every aspect of the service provided, even the manner in which the sales transaction is handled, carries with it a certain level of value, for which there necessarily should be a corresponding contribution to the price paid. We customers often insist on keeping prices low, and as a result many companies structure their services to satisfy our demands in that regard, so comparatively higher-value services, such as human interactions on the telephone, aren't covered by the pricing they've set up in response to our demands.

I, for one, am hoping people don't put up with this. Those of us who want more human interaction should deliberately seek out those businesses that provide that higher-value service and patronize them, even though it means we'll pay more than we would with businesses that try to direct us away from human interaction. The problem has been that there are so few of us willing to reward those businesses that do provide better service with greater revenue that such businesses have had a hard time surviving.

 

[jipsy]

Call 1-800-555-1212 and ask for the 800 number of the place you want.

 

[Mimi Q]

Amazon.com's number is 1-800-201-7575.

 

[welovewdw]

To be fair, you weren't actually giving your money away: You were paying money in return for a service. I agree that folks asking for donations should be a bit more amenable to being flexible about how donors wish to give their money. With a business, though, the issue is that every aspect of the service provided, even the manner in which the sales transaction is handled, carries with it a certain level of value, for which there necessarily should be a corresponding contribution to the price paid. We customers often insist on keeping prices low, and as a result many companies structure their services to satisfy our demands in that regard, so comparatively higher-value services, such as human interactions on the telephone, aren't covered by the pricing they've set up in response to our demands.

I, for one, am hoping people don't put up with this. Those of us who want more human interaction should deliberately seek out those businesses that provide that higher-value service and patronize them, even though it means we'll pay more than we would with businesses that try to direct us away from human interaction. The problem has been that there are so few of us willing to reward those businesses that do provide better service with greater revenue that such businesses have had a hard time surviving.

Well said. As a small business owner who does a large % of our business online, take my word that it is MUCH more expensive to pay people to answer phones. (We do offer an 800 line on the top of every page of our site, btw.) I wish like the dickens we could ditch it and go to email only. LOL But we can't - we sell higher end goods and pride ourselves in offering a high level of customer service. But we also don't offer free shipping or discounts - we can't with the overhead we have in providing the customer service reps. (in house emloyees, not outsourced) I think in general, you get what you pay for - if you want discounts, you lose some of the service - if you want service, you pay a higher price. In the real life store world, Walmart doesn't offer the same level of service that Nordstrom's does. (NOT bashing walmart here!)

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Well said. As a small business owner who does a large % of our business online, take my word that it is MUCH more expensive to pay people to answer phones. (We do offer an 800 line on the top of every page of our site, btw.) I wish like the dickens we could ditch it and go to email only. LOL But we can't - we sell higher end goods and pride ourselves in offering a high level of customer service. But we also don't offer free shipping or discounts - we can't with the overhead we have in providing the customer service reps. (in house emloyees, not outsourced) I think in general, you get what you pay for - if you want discounts, you lose some of the service - if you want service, you pay a higher price. In the real life store world, Walmart doesn't offer the same level of service that Nordstrom's does. (NOT bashing walmart here!)

I think that's a huge part of the issue, people can comparison shop so easily on the internet now and everyone wants to pay walmart prices but expects nordstrom service. Especially on high volume, low markup prices that really isn't realistic

 

[bicker]

Definitely. And this "perfect information" effect causes a lot of frustration because people can so readily know how much they can "get" with regard to something and can so readily know how little they can pay for something, but the "perfect information" doesn't necessarily require acknowledgement of the correlation between the what you "get" and how much you pay.

 

[Rex Rules]

I've never had any trouble contacting Amazon. I have been using them for several years and never had a problem. Once an order was coming from a Canadian company and took slightly longer than my orders usually take and I went and email and they responded in a timely manner and answered my question.
I love Amazon and the convenience it offers to me - I use them to order stuff for myself, but also to send gifts to others.