One of the last blog posts I posted years ago talked about the best hosting providers, builders, etc in the biz. Well, that was then. Life is a funny thing and some changes happen overnight while others can slowly erode over time. If you are noticing a huge shift in the level and quality of customer service you are getting these days from your web service providers, you ain’t the only one.
Many hosting companies like Bluehost and Network Solutions have added disclaimers to their sites and social media in an effort to manage customer expectations. Longer wait times on phones, chats, emails, etc etc etc. Well duh! We are in a global pandemic folks. Nothing is as it was. With that said, some companies are still managing to provide good service with the obvious setbacks of longer times but still the same service you were accustomed to. Others…not so much.
I recently had a customer service rep for a hosting company, who shall remain nameless (but damn sure not blameless), completely delete or misplace all of the files of my client’s website while trying to migrate it. I’m not going to lie, my life briefly flashed before my eyes. Luckily, I know how to navigate backups, talking to reps half way around the world and even rebuilding the website if needed…but would you? Probably not. Which means if that happens to you, and you’re not a web designer, you would likely go bat crap crazy with worry that your website is gone forever.
I’d love to say that mistakes like the one that rep made are rare. Perhaps they used to be. However, with so many reps working from home, working overtime to cover shifts for the sick and just the mental fatigue of living during a global pandemic, mistakes are becoming more and more common. Mistakes equals pissed off customers and pissed off customers lead to sales declines, poor reviews and of course the irate comments left on social media pages. We are definitely well within our rights as consumers to be ticked when anybody we pay to help us goofs. But we are in an upside down, down the rabbit hole, sun going supernova kinda world right now. This is one of the few things any of us has ever lived through where we are all on the same rough waters. We may be in different boats; some better, some worse. But we’re all being tossed around like a dingy so try to remember that our customer service reps are going through everything we are going through and still trying to help you with your stuff. They have stuff too, but right now they are trying to help you.
Also, remember that just like we are homeschooling or helping homeschool kids, many customer service reps have to as well. They are taking calls from home while little Johnny pees in the dog’s bowl for the third time that day. Many of them are truly doing the best they can under very difficult circumstances. Mistakes are bound to happen. Try to remain patient as to not fluster a possibly already flustered person who could then make even more mistakes. Try to also remember that folks who are worn out are more likely to be a little less patient, just like you. So put on that polite voice you use when you’re explaining how to check voicemail on the iPhone to your grandparents.
We’re all dancing as fast as we can. As I keep hearing, we are all in this together. For the first time in my life, we really are all just trying to stay afloat in one way or another and also keep little Johnny from peeing in the dog’s bowl for the fourth time in a day. 😉