The Home of Ben May, Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia. Personal Blog of Ben May, Hervey bay

Last week I had a number of tasks I had to complete. All three tasks required me to be the customer. All three situations made my think to myself how these three businesses aren’t an advocate of technology. 

Task One

This task required me to seek the opinion of an expert. I had an idea of someone to use already, but noticed an ad in the local paper for someone else who does exactly what I needed, so I thought I would enquire there first. As Monday was the Queens birthday, on Tuesday I emailed the business with the email address they advertised. Wednesday afternoon, still no answer back, and as I don’t have a long time for this, I don’t want to sit around waiting (not to mention I don’t like doing this in general)

Wednesday afternoon I rang up, asking if my email had made it to reception. “Oh yes, I did notice it somewhere” so I made it evident that I needed to speak to someone soon.

24 hours later, I rang again on Thursday afternoon and asked if they were going to be able let me know if they were even going to be able to help me. “Oh, I’ll pass it along and you should hear from someone tomorrow.” 

24 hours later, Friday afternoon and still no response from the business, even if they are able to help me or not. So I sent through another email asking to please hurry up. 

Task 2

I wanted to speak to someone about a different service, and a schedule of fees involved. I sent an email previously on the Friday morning before. So by Wednesday lunch I was eager to hear from them. I rang and asked the front desk if they had got my email, “Oh yes. I think it came through last week, correct?” Well yes, that’s why I like emails, answer them when you want, no cost, and it’s just easy.  

So after not being able to find my email, they put me directly through to someone who helped me instantly, and we arranged an appointment the very next day and it was solved. 

Where my email ended up is beyond me, and perhaps I’ll hear from someone next month? 

Task 3

This was a simple task, I had to email a new contact some requirements. I then had a few jobs I had to do, and other appointments. So later that day, the new contact rang me to confirm that they had received the email and everything was OK. 

Now why they had to Ring me to tell me that? A simple email would’ve sufficed, and been more convenient.

There actually was a forth task, that basically required the business having to post me some documentation rather than email it, as they don’t think electronic mail was secure, or reliable.

In the mean time, I checked my PO box every day this week, and 2 days out of 4 I received someone else’s mail.  Once it was someone in a completely different town with the same PO box Number, and the second time it was someone with a similar PO box number.

Now, This year alone I have received over 10,000 emails. Take out a few spam, quite a few newsletters, I have not yet received an email that had been sent to me by mistake. Nor have I sent an email to the wrong address. 

So this week, wrong email 0. wrong mail 2.

I try provide anyone I work with, the option (as a priority) to deliver everything electronically, to always email over phone, as I, and most customers, find it more convenient, for those who are on the road, or in appointments most of the day, and to follow up with contact very, very quickly.