Today's threads (a thread)
Inside: A tale of three customer service chatbots; and more!
Archived at: https://pluralistic.net/2025/11/12/sorry-to-bother-you/
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Discussion
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@pluralistic One of my first jobs was in a support role for a technology company and I never understood why a company would want to outsource customer care. From my experience, customers would often contact us with a simple question, but the easy answer wasn't going to get to the root cause of their problem. As a human, we could interact with them to quickly understand what they were trying to accomplish and propose alternative solutions based on our knowlege and experience. 1/
@gjholmes @pluralistic Best small software product company I worked for had its CEO on the support line. Meant we knew what customers were doing and what features they actually wanted... Never as good after we got too big and that ended.
@pluralistic We were fast and efficient, delivering to the customer exactly what they needed.
If there was a lot or production problem, we would see it first and be able to diagnose the problem or stop shipment preventing other customers from experiencing the same problem while corrective action could be taken. The best kind of problem to have is one your customer never experiences. 2/
@pluralistic Outsourcing and AI chatbots might provide fast answers to simple questions as long as you can be certain that is all your customers will ever need. Just be aware that you also give up a lot in the process. fin/
@pluralistic Satisfied customers want to help your company succeed. During support calls they disclose things like we're expanding and will need more of your equipment next year. They will even volunteer who is in charge of the expansion and how to get in touch providing excellent sales leads to your team. 4/
@pluralistic Happy customers purchase way more stuff from you and are very willing to try new things you have on offer if they know you will support them should they experience a problem. They will look to your company first to see if you have XYZ product. We would notice repeat requests and could propose new products or product line extensions. It was invaluable info that helped us to stay ahead of the competition. 3/
It's Yet Another Example of Sam Vimes Boots.
It's astonishing how often doing the right thing equals doing the profitable thing. Sara Taber has a good discussion of how this applies in farming. Unfortunately, that's apparently harder to show on the balance sheet you hand the venture capitalist. (And also takes more work & planning.)
@pluralistic particularly like this illo, for some reason. And idk why but the respectable ppl participating being green feels apt, somehow. 🤷
I'm on a tour with my new book, the international bestseller *Enshittification*!
Catch me next in #Lisbon, #Cardiff, #Oxford and #London!
Full schedule with dates and links at:
https://pluralistic.net/tour
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A tale of three customer service chatbots: Two were worse than useless, one betrayed its masters.
https://mamot.fr/@pluralistic/115535219447029351
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@pluralistic
I just had an experience where I managed to fight past a chatbot at walmart last night, to be stone walled by it today- all to return an item that I was assured would have 'hassle free returns'.
I really should have known better, probably, but it was a good price and I gave in.
So I ordered a watch, 'return date of feb 2026'. I realized it wasn't going to work for me, and after being promised everything would be fine last night, from a human (I think), welp.
@pluralistic
Really I just wanted a smartwatch with a better battery life. That was the entire goal. But this one is the 'international edition' and doesn't work with my us phone carrier, and had a few other things. So after having it delivered (quickly!) I decided it's not for me, and tried to initiate a return.
20% restocking fee, assessment for damage, and must be done in person (before buying, this was 'just mail in to return it!').
That text is now gone, of course.
@pluralistic
Caveat Emptor, and when I thought maybe there was a resolution, I got woken up (who sends an email and a text before 8am?) with the news that not only was that not true, but now I have to return it in person a couple days after Cyber Monday (no more feb return date for me).
Then the chatbot refused to connect me, and a long phone call where I could hear a cubicle mate of my support guy far better than him, and I'm in a worse position.
My fault for participating.
@pluralistic
> more careful not to help…if they can help it.
👀 I see what you did there
Hey look at this
* Byte - a visual archive https://byte.tsundoku.io/ (h/t Kottke)
* A more buttoned-up version of Garbage Day https://www.garbageday.email/p/a-more-buttoned-up-version-of-garbage-day
* Meta’s AI Ambitions Appear to Be in a Tailspin https://gizmodo.com/metas-ai-ambitions-appear-to-be-in-a-tailspin-2000683782
* Book Deals: Week of November 10, 2025 https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/book-deals/article/99040-book-deals-week-of-november-10-2025.html
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