Broken: Faucet design
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A project to make businesses more aware of their customer experience, and how to fix it. By Mark Hurst. |
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October 2005
Broken: Auto/Air adapter box
Joe Wright points out:
I saw this box containing an "Auto/Air adapter."
By the looks of it, it is trying to tell me to park my car or airplane next to the giant "Auto/Air adapter."
Broken: Amex Blue customer service
Steve Manning writes:
I lost my Amex Blue card at JFK airport a few months ago, and when I called to report it I was told a replacement would be issued in "about 20 days". The following conversation ensued:
Me: 20 days? My other Amex cards arrive in 24 hours when replaced. (The American Express tag line is "the only card you'll ever need".)
Amex: The Blue card has a special chip inside that takes longer to produce.
Me: What purpose does the chip serve?
Amex: It provides you with greater security for online transactions, sir.
Me: But when I order online, I type my credit card number into a form, so how does a chip, which the computer never comes in contact with..
Amex: It's for online security. Is there anything else I can help you with today, sir?
Me: Yes. You can help me understand how a chip embedded in a credit card, a card that is not inserted into anything, makes any difference?
Amex: Sir, I've already explained that the chip is for enhanced security purposes when making purchases online. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Me: Is there any way to get a replacement card sooner?
Amex: We can send you a temporary card tomorrow morning.
Me: What is temporary about it?
Amex: It doesn't have the chip.
Me: Can I use it to make purchases on the Internet?
Amex: That's up to you sir.
Intrigued, I called the application line for Amex Blue. The very nice woman asked me if i had any questions about the card before applying..
Me: What's the chip for?
Amex: It's for enhanced security online.
Me: How so?
Amex: (giggling) They don't tell us that.
Broken: Samsungelectronics.com subscription box
Josh writes:
I was requesting some tech support at samsung.ca. It asked for your email address for contacting you.
At the bottom it had one of those boxes that says:
We may send information on offers and promotion in conjunction with our business partners. Please check this box if you do not want to receive this? Yes, keep me informed of the latest news on Samsung products, special offers, contests with fabulous prizes, and events.
What would you have answered to this cryptic question?
Broken: Norton customer service response
Susan Dombrow writes:
I sent an email to Norton Anti-Virus asking if they could answer a question and answer it simply. I'm not a computer expert and expressly asked them to write back in English, not 'computerese.' Their answer describing POP3, HTTP, Heuristic and Script-Blocking Technologies is below.
That, to me, is 'computerese.' This is broken.
Susan Dombrow's email to Norton:
Would Norton Anti-Virus 2005 fully protect me if I use AOL, Gmail and Yahoo mail to send and receive email?
Please answer this question in English and not computerese.
Norton's response:
Hello Susan,
Thank you for contacting Symantec Online Customer Service.
Susan, I understand your concerns regarding this issue.
Please note that the Email Protection feature of Norton AntiVirus works by monitoring traffic on the ports used by the POP3 email protocol. All data that enters or leaves your computer through these ports is stopped and scanned before being passed onto its destination. HTTP email services, such as those offered by America OnLine, Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail, do not use the POP3 ports, and cannot be scanned by Email Protection.
If you use an HTTP email service, you will still be protected. Norton AntiVirus provides multiple layers of protection; Email Protection is just one of those layers....
Broken: Long-distance error message
Mike Lukens asks:
Why is it that when making what I perceive to be a long distance call and input the 1 plus the area code, I get a recording back saying that I don't need to input those numbers. "The 1 and the area code are not needed for this call." If the computer is smart enough to know to send me that message, why then does it not just DROP those numbers instead of making me redial without them?
Conversely, if I make a call that might be local but is really long distance, I will get a message stating that I need to input the 1 and/or the area code. With the requirement that area codes always be used in many places, why doesn't the computer just plug in the area code you are calling from and finish the call? ... and automatically insert the 1 if needed. Don't make me redial a number when you already know what is or is not needed... just connect the call!
Broken: "Buy 2 Get 2"
Forrest Charnock points out a "Buy 2 Get 2 Sales Event":
The people in the store don't see a problem. I guess it's better than buy 2 get 1.
Broken: Rogers Video shelf ads
Jim Grusendorf writes:
Rogers Video has started putting these ads on the video shelves that hang over the edge, blocking a significant portion of the DVD covers on the shelf below.
Broken: Belkin iPod battery
Kyle Graves writes:
This is the product description page for the Belkin External iPod Battery. Check out the "Advantages." ("Not compatible with iPod Mini.")
Since when is not being compatible with something an advantage?
Broken: United mileage addition error
Mark Makower writes:
This came in with a credit card offer; seems someone doesn't know how to add.
Would YOU trust them with your credit billing?
Broken: P & O shameful ad
Gary Bramall writes:
Taken just by the Gatwick express: "people want escape, not escape tunnels."
Don't know if it is broken in the true context of the word but it's wrong. What next - will Eurostar advertise about ferries sinking?
Broken: Hotel ad
John Spain writes:
Not sure how broken one would consider this, but advertising hotels with a picture of someone's feet poking out of a sheet, on a website about celebrity crime, is a little creepy. The feet look like all they're missing is a toe tag.
Broken: (Not broken) Consumer tech guide
Just released at unclemark.org - my brand new guide that gives you the single best choice in each technology gift category.
Broken: Snack menu
Wilco van Duinkerken writes:
During my holiday in Slovenia I came across a very funny snack menu.
Due to a translation mistake the menu says:
We have:
- Cake
- Roll
- Different kind of cake
After some research it seems that the right translation of the last rule is "Different kinds of cake", which makes more sense.
Broken: Halal food cart sign
Daniel writes:
I don't know about you, but there's nothing I love more than a good Philly Cheewe Steak.
(Seen on 50th and 6th, NYC)
Broken: Handicapped parking in Shenandoah
Jeremy writes:
In Shenandoah National Park, the Park Service has thoughtfully provided its handicapped visitors the closest parking spot to the lot's sole attraction, a steep trailhead. Not to sound too insensitive, but if you can't cross the parking lot, I fear for you on the trail.
[Politically incorrect but provocative... what does everyone think? -mh]
Broken: Legal convention sign
Evan Schaeffer saw this at a legal convention in Toronto. ("Ethical conduct committee: this meeting has been cancelled.")
Evan writes, "If I were in charge of sign-making, I think I would have used the word 'postponed'."
Broken: US health care bureaucracy
Link: Treated for Illness, Then Lost in Labyrinth of Bills - New York Times.
Broken: Airport sign
Michael Honey sends this picture from the Madrid airport and writes:
Airports are easy pickings, but we mostly see broken Windows applications: big signs like this going down are rarer. Or is this a message to jet-lagged travelers?
Broken: Bizarre online brochure
Scott Wenzel writes: "I stumbled upon this link while researching a problem with Javascript and Carriage Returns.... The article has nothing to do with Javascript or carriages; nor are there any mountains in Florida (despite the names shown on maps)."
Update: It appears to be a totally fake site just there to gain traffic and ad impressions. Bleah. -mh
Broken: CNN.com Swatch ad
Contextual Advertising Fails Again: Swatch ad poorly positioned over earthquake story.
Broken: (Just for fun) Batman Piñata
I took this pic recently in Riverside Park, NYC.
Broken: Herbal Essences "new" promise
Daphne Lee (hi to Howard Lin) writes:
When I saw the shampoo bottle for the first time, I had to stand in the shower and wonder if it's new... or the same? It actually had me confused for a minute or two before I decided it was plain confusing wording.
Broken: Yahoo spam
TIB reader "aristotle" points out that Yahoo marked its own e-mail as spam. (If you know it's spam, why send it to your customers?)
Broken: National City ATM
Ghost writes:
I went to a National City ATM Machine to withdraw $75.00, but I didn't know that withdrawals had to be in multiples of twenty (it isn't posted). The machine, realizing this error, notified me with this non-sensical message:
"Amount requested was not a multiple of |ECL0. Please enter a new amount."
I haven't learned how to multiply |ECL0's, but entering $80.00 seemed to work. Somebody needs to fix this.
Broken: Monterey parking curb-sign
James writes:
I saw this very close to the Monterey Acquarium in Monterey, CA when I was going back to the parking garage. I thought the time limit was rather strict. "Thou shalt not stay for 23 minutes, thou shalt not stay for 25 minutes, but 24 minutes only".
[Maybe not broken, exactly, but it's strangely specific. -mh]
Broken: Hidden walk sign
Matthew Stoval asks:
Is it safe to cross? Who knows?
Broken: Bellsouth errors in Miami
Alesh writes in:
Bellsouth down here in Miami is broken - you have to guess whether to dial a 1 or not when calling within your own area code. If you guess wrong either way, you get reprimanded. Obviously they know who I'm trying to call, otherwise I'd get connected to somebody else. But instead of just connecting me, they give me an error message and make me redial. Unbelievable.
Broken: Kinkos.com form
Paul Schreiber writes:
Most of the fields don't have asterisks, but when you submit, it claims they are required. Argh!