Is it just me or is Google becoming more Microsoft-like by the day. I was very keen on Google at the outset and I still think they have brilliant services, but the way the run them is looking more and more at odds with their “don’t be evil” mantra.
When you contact them, for example, you get a nameless, faceless response from a section representative, very much like you’re talking to a machine. That’s if you get a response, of course, and it isn’t a form letter.
I really dislike this kind of “customer service”. How hard is it to sign your name to the email? If you’re not allowed, why? Who is going to get hurt if I talk to a real human being?
6 responses
Adam
I’ve been saying this about them for ages. Their customer service is really awful and you always get this nameless response thing which is just silly
Michele
Their customer service is frustrating enough, but the reason they contacted me adds to the annoyance: they’ve accused me of click-fraud, which simply isn’t the case. And as usual they’ve declined to back up their accusation with facts – level, responsibility, etc – for fear of exposing their “proprietary algorithms”.
They don’t seem to realise the irony of the fact that their entire mechanism for dealing with click-fraud is fraud in and of itself. It may not be their intention, but it’s most certainly the end-result, as anyone that’s commented on it has pointed out.
Adam
Is this in relation to adsense or adwords?
If it’s adsense the number of horror stories I’ve read is just maddening. They seem to cut people’s accounts on whim and refuse to explain it at all
M
AdSense. I told them that if they have a problem again, they’re to either present evidence or delete my account; that I’m not interested in having another blind debate with them.
What’s most frustrating is that I’ve gone out of my way to tell my users NOT to click ads on the site in question unless they’re genuinely intereted in them. My revenues have certainly ramped up on the site, but like any reasonable person I want – and need – evidence if I’m to fix a problem.
Adam
You’re being reasonable with them. They’re being Google in a public place
It’s sickening to be honest.
If you do find your account getting cut there are other options available.
Michele
There are other options and I’ve already told them that they’re not the only player in this space, but they know as well as I do that they’re the most convenient player in this space. Errah we’ll see how it goes. I’ll be watching next month’s payment with interest though. I’d be tempted to take them to Small Claims if it’s significant, what with them having a presence in Ireland.