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Previous: Parking meter | Main | Next: Keyboard buttons
April 26, 2006 12:03 AM
Broken: Comcast Internet automated help
Jason Beardslee writes in:
This is the actual conversation I had with the Comcast internet automated help console. I tried to use it thinking (wrongly, of course) that it was an email based suggestion submission. When I got the first response back I decided to see what it would respond with if I typed in random statements. The result was very funny.
Comcast help:
Hello! I'm Ask Comcast, an interactive agent available 24/7 to answer questions about your Comcast High Speed Internet and Cable TV services.
You can ask me things like:
"I lost my password, what should I do?"
"How do I set up my e-mail?"
"How do I create another e-mail address?"
"What's my cable TV channel lineup?"
"What is HDTV?"
Type your question or topic in the space below and click SEND.
Me:
The channel lineup page is mind numbingly slow. Fix it please.
Comcast help:
Finding Your Channel Lineup
To find your channel lineup:
Step 1: Go to the Comcast.net home page
Step 2: Click on the TV Listings link in the bottom right-hand column of the
home page
Step 3: Enter your zip code and select your local area if prompted. You will
be able to view the details of your channel lineup.
Me:
I hate comcast.
Comcast help:
OK, don't get frustrated. Type your question and I'll do my best to answer.
Here are the areas I can help you with:
1 E-mail
2 Browser
3 Comcast.net Web Site
4 Account Management
5 Online Security
6 Computer Setup
7 Comcast High-Speed Internet Features And Services
Make a selection by typing a number or type more for more options.
Me:
I'm getting DSL
Comcast help:
Transferring your Comcast service(s) to a new address
To move your service to a new location, simply determine if your new address
is in an area serviced by Comcast. To do so, enter your new address in our
Service Availability Locator. If we find a match in our system, you'll be
localized to your new neighborhood or asked to pick a neighborhood from a
short list. Then all you need to do is call 1-800-COMCAST two to four weeks
before your move to schedule your installation and disconnection
appointments.
Me:
[...@#$)#(@*$...]
Comcast help:
That's some interesting language.
If you need help with anything, type a question or type ? to see what I can do.
Me:
I'm not frustrated, you're just a stupid thing that can't help!!!!!
Comcast help:
I don't come from are a stupid thing that can not help!!!!!. I'm from Philadelphia, PA!
Me:
Why does my internet stop working whenever it rains, snows, or the wind blows?
Comcast help:
I'm sorry, it's hard to tell what you mean by long messages like that.
Please type a shorter message addressing a specific topic.
If you are having difficulty finding the answer to your question, you can chat with a live Technical Support Representative.
Me:
I'm glad my money is going to something sooo useful!
Comcast help:
Goodbye!
Comcast, why do good things happen to bad people?
If you would like to speak with why do good things happen to bad people, please write back using only numerals on a Wednesday after Noon but before 11am.
Sounds just like an AOL IM bot!! Next time just chat with an AIM bot like ZolaOnAOL...
Now I actually tried chatting online with a LIVE technical support agent once, but their responses sounded so canned that I actually asked, suspiciously (and in all seriousness!)...
"Are you a bot?"
The person on the other end, who was probably just dutifully sticking to their script, replied curtly, "No, Alexa, I am not a bot, I am a person."
I hope I didn't make them feel too bad...
Don't blame the machine, really. Getting a live person is just as frustrating. More, really, because they should know better.
I had comcast years ago (it was ATT broadband then) I let them install their phone service, and it didn't activate on time, I had no phone service for a day or so, then it went out again a few days later, so I cancelled it right away. - they guranteed satisfaction or they would pay to switch back my phone ($25) but they DID NOT honor that gurantee. So I quit all the other services right then. Went with verizon DSL and DirecTV and have been very happy since.
This isn't broken. He was using it for a manner in which it was not intended. I have used this service before with completely acceptable results. It is faster than waiting for a real person, and if you just have a simple question, it works fine. According to this posters logic, a hammer is broken, because if you try to clean your ear with it, it doesn't work.
That reminds me of the hilarious classic, "Interview with The Search Engine" that was on SatireWire... and still is thankfully:
http://www.satirewire.com/features/satire-jeevesinterview.shtml
Interview with The Search Engine
Sounds a bit like ELIZA, one of the first chatbots... http://www.znerol.ch/files/DrMac.zip is a great "flop-over" into OS X Tiger's Dashboard.
see it translated here: http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.znerol.ch%2F&langpair=de%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools
Another amusing thing with Comcast...I call their 800 number when my cable modem goes out and part of the recorded message includes "If you are having trouble with your Internet connection, you can also find information at our online FAQ..." and they give the URL.
Umm...that's great except I can't get to it. I supposed it's nice to know that it's there, but I never think to look at it until my service is out.
This is broken. The implication is that by typing in your question, you will get a relevant answer. The reality is that it appears to just use a few keywords to identify the stock FAQ entries to return. The problem is that there is a large number of questions that can bring up irrelevant answers. That's not a good customer experience.
Sometimes when I've e-mailed various support staff with a question, they have a human reply by cutting and pasting pre-written responses based on keywords in my question. Looks like they tried to cut costs here by going one step furtner and automating that process.
There sure are a lot of links on this page. I think it's mostly not broken, because of what Craven said. If you want general info, use the online service. If you want something actually done, call a CSR. The only thing broken is that they don't tell you upfront that it's automated and not a "contact a CSR" type thing.
"This is broken. The implication is that by typing in your question, you will get a relevant answer. The reality is that it appears to just use a few keywords to identify the stock FAQ entries to return. The problem is that there is a large number of questions that can bring up irrelevant answers. That's not a good customer experience."
Automated bots aren't yet good enough to provide a good customer experience; thus, they are designed for simple questions directly related to the expected subjects. Use beyond that results in weird answers. Just look at Google ads on search results and you'll see what I mean.
This is not broken and is only a little amusing. Craven has it right - fooling around with a bot by giving it "random statements" is like picking on a retarded kid.
They are trying to save money - hey, aren't we all - by automating something that will help at least some of the people some of the time (if you work with it, even a little, by giving it simple questions). They give you the option of talking with a tech rep. Why is that broken?
This should be posted in "Just for Fun."
More comments:
1. Why did you think it was an email system? It's automated help. Emphasis on automated.
2. "You can ask me things like:
"I lost my password, what should I do?"
"How do I set up my e-mail?"
"How do I create another e-mail address?"
"What's my cable TV channel lineup?"
"What is HDTV?""
Meaning, if you ask more complex or not directly related to those subjects, you're liable to get odd answers.
3. It's supposed to lighten the load on human reps by automating answers to simple questions like the above.
4. Yes, it should be in "Just for Fun".
Fuzzy, et al:
I am quite aware of what automated help systems are and their limitations. I've worked on implementing Kana's automated response system at my company's email customer service team. I've implemented an "intelligent" search tool product for FAQ's for self-service help on my comany's website.
As everybody has noted, these automated response systems are not smart enough yet. They are implemented to cut down costs for the company. But do you people erally udnerstand what this site is about? It's about customer experience. It's not about reducing a company's operating expense. Implementing a product that result's in a poor customer experience is a poor idea. Broken.
Consider why Google is such a popular search engine. It's the customer experience. They researched and tuned their filtering and sorting criteria so that most searches by most people listed sutff that satisifed the request most of the time.
If Cox's tool and these other products are able to ducplicate that, then JOY! But these tools don't. Their response sets are generally too small to cover the wide scope of questions that people ask, and the algorithms for filtering, and sorting don't do a good enough job of getting releveant results.
Carlos, you miss several points.
(1) In Google's case the performance of the search engine IS the experience, so they put an enormous amount of effort there. Sure it would be great to go to a cable TV help facility and find a similar experience, but it's not realistic to expect it. I would rather see my cable TV provider spend more money fixing their cable TV experience rather than one of their help facilities.
(2) Note that the Comcast bot tells you right up front what kind of things you can ask it. It doesn't volunteer to "fix" things like mind-numbing slowness, or interpret vague taunts and threats to change service providers.
Because this user deliberately chose to input random statements, there is not enough information here to know if the Comcast bot really does a great job at what it is intended to do. But some of the answers suggest it can do a decent job for one who makes any attempt to interface with the automated tool on its (easily understood) level. The system DID give relevant answers, to a point. It's not a "product that result's in a poor customer experience." (BTW, you need to Google "grocer's apostrophe")
If there are times when a quick answer from a bot is enough, there is nothing wrong with that from a customer experience standpoint. It's not like they took away anything - they just added a feature that has some realistic limitations. The glass is probably three quarters full of help, why whine that the glass is a quarter empty?
the bot also gave the option for various problems, which would be a drill down. So you have a specific problem and track it down, which is perfectly accpetable.
Try asking a bot if its father was gay.
Yeah, this is absolutely true, i am a comcast user and did this in disbelief and found it to be true!!
Reminds me of Eliza Knows All, a program we had on some old computers in junior high. If you asked her if she way gay, she would say good bye. I guess it takes an immature teen to ask a computer such a stupid question.
Guest: What is my IP address?
Ask Comcast: Are you using a Mac or a PC?
Guest: Linux.
Ask Comcast: I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean. Please type ? to see how I can help you or topics for a complete list of help topics.
Guest: Damn n00b.
Ask Comcast: I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean. Please type ? to see how I can help you or topics for a complete list of help topics.
Guest: Please, I need urgent help!
Ask Comcast: I'm always happy to help you!
Here are the areas I can help you with:
1 E-mail
2 Browser
3 Comcast.net Web Site
4 Account Management
5 Online Security
6 Computer Setup
7 Comcast High-Speed Internet Features And Services
Make a selection by typing a number or type more for more options.
Guest: Call the police!
Ask Comcast: What is Comcast Digital Voice?
You already know Comcast as a Cable TV and High-Speed Internet company. Now you have another great opportunity to get to know Comcast as a phone company with Comcast Digital Voice™ service.
Comcast Digital Voice uses our advanced broadband network to provide you a number of enhanced new features without sacrificing any of your current phone features or the call clarity you expect - and with a great opportunity to save!
To check for availability, get detailed information on the features and benefits and to learn more about pricing and introductory offers in your area, please visit http://www.comcast.com/digitalvoice.
Would you like to see more about Comcast Digital Voice?
"Guest: What is my IP address?
Ask Comcast: Are you using a Mac or a PC?
Guest: Linux.
Ask Comcast: I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean. Please type ? to see how I can help you or topics for a complete list of help topics.
Guest: Damn n00b.
Ask Comcast: I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean. Please type ? to see how I can help you or topics for a complete list of help topics."
-ersef
ersef, your Linux response is not an acceptable response because of the fact that Linux is an OS type and not a computer type, Mac and PC are computer types whereas the os is what runs on the system.
Dealing with a bot in a retarded manner doesnt make the bot any more broken. Personally its not broken both for the fact that it deals with simple on the spot problems and that it amuses everyone when they jack with it.
if what it is intended to do is really that small, it should not be a bot. a faq or dropdown choice system would do just fine.
i once got a tellmarketer, and i thought something was a little off, so i said "are you a computer??"
he answered acke "come on, do i sound that bad?!"
but when i continued speaking i realized it was definitly a pc.
that was the funnyist thing ever though
i once got a tellmarketer, and i thought something was a little off, so i said "are you a computer??"
he answered acke "come on, do i sound that bad?!"
but when i continued speaking i realized it was definitly a pc.
that was the funnyist thing ever though
Guest:
bye you stupid thing that can't help me
Ask Comcast:
I'm not sure I understood that exactly, but maybe this answer will be helpful:
Goodbye!
Guest:
1 800 shut up
Ask Comcast:
I'm not sure I understood that exactly, but maybe this answer will be helpful:
Contacting Comcast Customer Care
There are several ways for you to get in touch with Comcast - you can email us, or you can chat with a live Technical Support Representative.
Guest:
1 800 shut up
Ask Comcast:
I'm not sure I understood that exactly, but maybe this answer will be helpful:
Contacting Comcast Customer Care
There are several ways for you to get in touch with Comcast - you can email us, or you can chat with a live Technical Support Representative.
Well I love this type of system too. More often then not my first words to such a system are "Get me a real person." and they do so. So nice.
Comments on this entry are closed
Previous: Parking meter | Main | Next: Keyboard buttons
What's it say if you type "I love you"?
Posted by: gmangw at April 26, 2006 12:08 AM