I appear to be waging a one-woman ’See Something, Say Something’ campaign where I write to companies to register my displeasure when they use AI to enshittify customer service.
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@CiaraNi i have done this occasionally, and should probably do it more. Obvs only a drop in the ocean, but it's not nothing...
#ResistanceIsUseful@FaithfullJohn Me too, both in having done it, but probably not enough. Much support for your Shouting At Cloud campaign @CiaraNi
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@CiaraNi i have done this occasionally, and should probably do it more. Obvs only a drop in the ocean, but it's not nothing...
#ResistanceIsUseful@FaithfullJohn I enjoy writing the ones that praise good, non-AI, human service, at least. They are fewer, alas, but I feel they make up for the time I spend on the negative ones.
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@FaithfullJohn Me too, both in having done it, but probably not enough. Much support for your Shouting At Cloud campaign @CiaraNi
@eclectech @FaithfullJohn Ah thank you
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@NatureMC @FaithfullJohn Yes indeed - that was one of my points in the main toot. That I spend my time trying to word fair and constructive customer feedback, only for it to be 'read' by a bot. Most frustrating.
@CiaraNi I'm also an #oldWomanYellingAtCloud ... Recently, I wrote a fact checking artikel about some very bad #AISlop about #nature. The slop went so viral that people believe it, not the science.
Today, I found the slop again, big account searching clicks.
The desaster: in search machines you find the slop, not my article, and not the facts or science. But I still don't want to give up. Not yet.Like species loss, we'll get a #knowledgeLoss.
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@CiaraNi I'm also an #oldWomanYellingAtCloud ... Recently, I wrote a fact checking artikel about some very bad #AISlop about #nature. The slop went so viral that people believe it, not the science.
Today, I found the slop again, big account searching clicks.
The desaster: in search machines you find the slop, not my article, and not the facts or science. But I still don't want to give up. Not yet.Like species loss, we'll get a #knowledgeLoss.
@NatureMC Good for you for doing something, for trying to combat the misinformation with an actual fact-checked article.
"Like species loss, we'll get a knowledge loss" - well put, and so sad
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This grumpy thought is brought to you by the fact that I have 3 mails to write after abysmal AI customer experiences this week. On the plus side though, I had a quick & good experience with hands-on human help at my insurance company. I didn’t even have to battle through a phone tree or ’we have a website!' messages to speak to the human in the first place. I want to say something when I see something good, too. To compliment their corporate choices. So I will write a mail of praise to them too.
@CiaraNi I feel for you...!!!
In the UK it was (is?) common to write directly to the CEO of the company when the customer service dept would not deal with it... an idea? Not sure if it would work in DK -
@CiaraNi I feel for you...!!!
In the UK it was (is?) common to write directly to the CEO of the company when the customer service dept would not deal with it... an idea? Not sure if it would work in DK@giosci I have had that thought too. It is - or perhaps 'was', in real letter-writing days - a strategy in Ireland as well. It requires an entirely new layer of time and effort, though - finding the name and contact information, another follow-up mail, etc.
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I appear to be waging a one-woman ’See Something, Say Something’ campaign where I write to companies to register my displeasure when they use AI to enshittify customer service. And when their app is only available to Google & Apple customers. Their AI wastes my time with useless ’customer service’. I take time to word constructive customer feedback. Their AI reads it. I spend time reading a useless AI reply. AI increases productivity my bollix. What a waste of human time.
@CiaraNi RIGHT? I had to send off a complaint recently to Kobo re: their AI "assistant." The dumbass AI told me there was a "feedback" button on the home page. Said button literally does not exist. When I told it that, it spat something inane back like "You're correct to call me out on that." When I asked to speak with a human, it directed me to a chat feature that ALSO did not exist. I was eventually able to get through to a human, but not after a whole bunch of my time had been wasted.
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I appear to be waging a one-woman ’See Something, Say Something’ campaign where I write to companies to register my displeasure when they use AI to enshittify customer service. And when their app is only available to Google & Apple customers. Their AI wastes my time with useless ’customer service’. I take time to word constructive customer feedback. Their AI reads it. I spend time reading a useless AI reply. AI increases productivity my bollix. What a waste of human time.
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@venite Thank you for making me laugh
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I appear to be waging a one-woman ’See Something, Say Something’ campaign where I write to companies to register my displeasure when they use AI to enshittify customer service. And when their app is only available to Google & Apple customers. Their AI wastes my time with useless ’customer service’. I take time to word constructive customer feedback. Their AI reads it. I spend time reading a useless AI reply. AI increases productivity my bollix. What a waste of human time.
Are reviews on Trustpilot useful for letting companies know how we feel?
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I appear to be waging a one-woman ’See Something, Say Something’ campaign where I write to companies to register my displeasure when they use AI to enshittify customer service. And when their app is only available to Google & Apple customers. Their AI wastes my time with useless ’customer service’. I take time to word constructive customer feedback. Their AI reads it. I spend time reading a useless AI reply. AI increases productivity my bollix. What a waste of human time.
@CiaraNi all the times i have had an AI support i ve felt it as a waste of time much worse than the previous answering machines with discrete options. As it just provides you with the FAQ info (in the best case) that i had always read before writing and it keeps you wasting your time till moving/forwarding the question to real support
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I appear to be waging a one-woman ’See Something, Say Something’ campaign where I write to companies to register my displeasure when they use AI to enshittify customer service. And when their app is only available to Google & Apple customers. Their AI wastes my time with useless ’customer service’. I take time to word constructive customer feedback. Their AI reads it. I spend time reading a useless AI reply. AI increases productivity my bollix. What a waste of human time.
@CiaraNi It is at least a two woman campaign.
I have also specifically dropped companies with whom I used to do regular biz, because they replaced their customer service with AI. And restaurants like Chuy's lost my business due to wanting customers to either use an app, or scan a qr code. You have table service. Just give me a damn menu! Maybe I'm old, but I hate these trends. AI customer service is neither.
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@CiaraNi It is at least a two woman campaign.
I have also specifically dropped companies with whom I used to do regular biz, because they replaced their customer service with AI. And restaurants like Chuy's lost my business due to wanting customers to either use an app, or scan a qr code. You have table service. Just give me a damn menu! Maybe I'm old, but I hate these trends. AI customer service is neither.
@kimlockhartga @CiaraNi I've been in restaurants with the scan the QR code for the menu and the restaurant is too dimly lit for phone cameras to pick them up!
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@CiaraNi It is at least a two woman campaign.
I have also specifically dropped companies with whom I used to do regular biz, because they replaced their customer service with AI. And restaurants like Chuy's lost my business due to wanting customers to either use an app, or scan a qr code. You have table service. Just give me a damn menu! Maybe I'm old, but I hate these trends. AI customer service is neither.
@kimlockhartga @CiaraNi It's funny, the reactions to QR codes. My first reaction was &$%&@#&% kids. Then I started using then. The best part, in my opinion, is that they typically have the specials on that menu and I don't have to listen to a recitation of them. Plus I have the prices for them. However, because of our age, the servers usually ask "Would you prefer a paper menu?"
To the AI, I repeat, over and over again "Agent." Until I get a human. Fuck AI.
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@kimlockhartga @CiaraNi I've been in restaurants with the scan the QR code for the menu and the restaurant is too dimly lit for phone cameras to pick them up!
@urbanfoxe @CiaraNi oh man. That is some real lack of preparation on their part.
I worked for a while for Fleming's Steakhouse and Winebar (same restaurant group that owns Carrabba's and Outback Steakhouse) and they kept the place so dark you could hardly see a thing.
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I appear to be waging a one-woman ’See Something, Say Something’ campaign where I write to companies to register my displeasure when they use AI to enshittify customer service. And when their app is only available to Google & Apple customers. Their AI wastes my time with useless ’customer service’. I take time to word constructive customer feedback. Their AI reads it. I spend time reading a useless AI reply. AI increases productivity my bollix. What a waste of human time.
I was faced with an unpleasant AI customer service bot last week. It cost hours my time, but I know how to work the corporate structure and cost them money.
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@giosci I have had that thought too. It is - or perhaps 'was', in real letter-writing days - a strategy in Ireland as well. It requires an entirely new layer of time and effort, though - finding the name and contact information, another follow-up mail, etc.
@CiaraNi @giosci I've emailed CEOs before after tracking them down via LinkedIn - they did get my problem sorted but still delegated it to a marketing manager who still had to chase her *own* staff to sort things out - I no longer use that company for major purchases and only have two backup VOIP telephone circuits left, whereas before I would be spending hundreds of pounds on telephone sets and other equipment.
The saddest part of it was they are a local company, and now I buy the stuff from other side of London and get better service (they even send CCTV video of the items being packed!)
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@CiaraNi RIGHT? I had to send off a complaint recently to Kobo re: their AI "assistant." The dumbass AI told me there was a "feedback" button on the home page. Said button literally does not exist. When I told it that, it spat something inane back like "You're correct to call me out on that." When I asked to speak with a human, it directed me to a chat feature that ALSO did not exist. I was eventually able to get through to a human, but not after a whole bunch of my time had been wasted.
@st3phvee That is such a frustrating experience. And it's playing out for all of us in different varieties every day.
"I was eventually able to get through to a human, but not after a whole bunch of my time had been wasted."
This is the nub of it. Their use of useless AI displays pure contempt for their customers' time. And if and when we finally get through to a human, the query is often answered and solved in a matter of a few minutes, and with a nice bit of friendly chat too.
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Are reviews on Trustpilot useful for letting companies know how we feel?
@leffe Good idea. I would think that would be a great place to let companies know how we feel about their use of AI 'customer service'. These days, if I shop around for, say, insurance quotes or a new broadband provider, I would like to know in advance if a given company has actual or AI-based customer service.
