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.
-
@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.
-
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.
-
@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!)
-
@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.
-
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.
-
@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
One of my favorite restaurants hands you an old masonite clipboard where the clip has broken, but there's a magnet holding a piece of paper with the day's menu, and sometimes if you turn the paper over, there's often an older menu printed there.They can change things according to availability of ingredients, and even simply cross items off when they run out.
-
@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
@antoniovr Agreed. AI 'support' in much worse than even the previous automated solutions. As you say, it wastes so much of our time and patience before we battle through to an actual human staff member. Who then, often, solves the query in a matter of minutes. The entire exercise could have taken them and us mere minutes from start to finish.
-
@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 Hooray! Am delighted to know I'm not the only woman yelling at clouds
I won't use QR codes either. Agreed that AI customer service is not customer service. I have started to view the waste of time involved as the company showing pure contempt for their customers. -
@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 @kimlockhartga That's like a double-word score of enshittification. Ridiculous situation!
-
@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.
@RegGuy @kimlockhartga "To the AI, I repeat, over and over again "Agent." Until I get a human"
If I absolutely cannot get around using an AI chatbot at the start, I do this too. Hating the company and the AI techbros and me, every one of us, as I do it, annoyed at having to degrade myself through the exchange with a bloody machine.
-
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.
@dianea It's infuriating. Great if you can waste some of their time and money back on them - good for you!
-
@kimlockhartga @CiaraNi
One of my favorite restaurants hands you an old masonite clipboard where the clip has broken, but there's a magnet holding a piece of paper with the day's menu, and sometimes if you turn the paper over, there's often an older menu printed there.They can change things according to availability of ingredients, and even simply cross items off when they run out.
@RealGene @kimlockhartga That sounds like an excellent restaurant. That's how to do it.
-
@kimlockhartga @CiaraNi
One of my favorite restaurants hands you an old masonite clipboard where the clip has broken, but there's a magnet holding a piece of paper with the day's menu, and sometimes if you turn the paper over, there's often an older menu printed there.They can change things according to availability of ingredients, and even simply cross items off when they run out.
-
@kimlockhartga @RealGene That sounds like such an elegant way to do it.
-
@RealGene @kimlockhartga That sounds like an excellent restaurant. That's how to do it.
-
@RegGuy @kimlockhartga "To the AI, I repeat, over and over again "Agent." Until I get a human"
If I absolutely cannot get around using an AI chatbot at the start, I do this too. Hating the company and the AI techbros and me, every one of us, as I do it, annoyed at having to degrade myself through the exchange with a bloody machine.
@CiaraNi @kimlockhartga Indeed. I also hate those systems that "assume" to know why I called. "Your balance is ..., the next payment is due on..., your minimum payment is..." No you moron computer, I need to do something you can't do and I know you have a website that can handle most things I need. It can't handle this and neither can you. So give me a &%$@$& human!"
-
@kimlockhartga @RealGene That sounds like such an elegant way to do it.
@CiaraNi @RealGene It was significantly ahead of its time, and a little caught up with nouvelle cuisine, but I learned everything I needed to know about wine for the rest of my career. It was valuable experience.
As far as restaurants with menus that change in tandem with seasonably available ingredients, I cannot recommend Aria highly enough, if you ever get to Atlanta. Best restaurant I've ever been to, hands down.
-
@CiaraNi @kimlockhartga Indeed. I also hate those systems that "assume" to know why I called. "Your balance is ..., the next payment is due on..., your minimum payment is..." No you moron computer, I need to do something you can't do and I know you have a website that can handle most things I need. It can't handle this and neither can you. So give me a &%$@$& human!"
-
@CiaraNi @kimlockhartga Indeed. I also hate those systems that "assume" to know why I called. "Your balance is ..., the next payment is due on..., your minimum payment is..." No you moron computer, I need to do something you can't do and I know you have a website that can handle most things I need. It can't handle this and neither can you. So give me a &%$@$& human!"
@RegGuy @kimlockhartga Same here. I recognise this entire situation. The automated voice trying to send me to Double You Double You Double You Website drives me bananas. I wouldn't be bloody ringing in the first place if their website could provide the answer.
-
@CiaraNi @RealGene It was significantly ahead of its time, and a little caught up with nouvelle cuisine, but I learned everything I needed to know about wine for the rest of my career. It was valuable experience.
As far as restaurants with menus that change in tandem with seasonably available ingredients, I cannot recommend Aria highly enough, if you ever get to Atlanta. Best restaurant I've ever been to, hands down.
@kimlockhartga @RealGene That sounds wonderful. Even the name fits the elegance.
