Seriously, I think a robot could be programmed to ask the customer enough questions to narrowit down to one and then start from there. I think you ate on to something. Even if you just get that forwarded so you can look into it and stay action that would be a time saver.
On Sun, Dec 4, 2016, 2:21 PM Ken Hohhof <af...@kwisp.com> wrote: > All that sounds wonderful, when can you start development? > > > > I think the frustrating part is most of these texts are along the lines of > “is the tower down” or “my Internet is down”, with no other information > than a cellphone number, which is probably not the contact number in our > database. If they would just include the account name, I would get on the > computer and do some tests before texting them back. But usually I have > to first text them back for more information. Maybe a robot could check > the customer database, tell me the customer name, and if not found, text > the customer back “Who is this?” > > > > At that point I usually prefer to call them, because it can take 50 > back-and-forth texts just to get someone to check if the POE is plugged in. > > > > If they have a smartphone, they can go to our website. Maybe we need > troubleshooting instructions, maybe YouTube videos, on our website. Text > them a link to that? > > > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:af-boun...@afmug.com] *On Behalf Of *Brian Webster > *Sent:* Sunday, December 4, 2016 1:30 PM > *To:* af@afmug.com > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Customers texting cell phones "hey my internet > isn; t working" > > > > You know all annoyances aside; there is an opportunity for a product to be > developed. Think about it: > > > > Your customer is off line, they likely have a cell phone that they can use > to get in touch with you. > > They call your tech support line, this requires you to either call them > back and devote 100% of your time at the moment to talk to them one on one, > or you answer the call directly immediately, no matter what else you might > have to do and you can’t do much of anything else. > > If you can text back and forth you would not have to sit there on the > phone and wait while they do things like reboot and such. > > On a dedicated phone call this only lets you service one customer at a > time. > > If you had the equivalent of the on line chat support many companies have, > it could also function through the SMS system, it’s one way the newer tech > savvy customer can interact with you and they can also do something else at > the same time in between steps. > > If you had a good SMS system it would start a ticket just like an on line > ticketing system would. Texting prompts back and forth for customer name > and account information if necessary. This part would be automated and all > keyed up to you prior to you getting the first live text/email/ticket > notification or on screen system messages. > > This would not have to go to YOUR cell phone but rather it would go to > your ticketing system and get handled just like any other ticket and tech > support network. > > It gives the client the convenience of getting support via SMS should they > chose. > > You could easily have pre-canned help files sent as basic troubleshooting > steps they can perform first without needing direct interaction. Reboot > sequence or how to request their Wi-Fi password information come to mind > here. If done right it could prompt them to text back a response at each > step, much like a troubleshooting decision tree diagram works. Once it’s > gets beyond basic decision tree stuff it could be transferred to the live > tech. This transfer should also be smart enough to show the tech on screen > how far the automated process went and what steps are already completed so > they don’t have to re-ask all those questions that annoy each of us when we > call tech support. > > > > With Google Voice being a free way to do web to SMS interaction, it seems > like some good programmer could build inter some middleware to do this or a > standalone system. Cost for the SMS interface/gateway can then be free. I > am sure there are other methods to also keep the cost free as well. > > > > This clearly would not work for most customers but I can see it becoming > popular over time, getting in front of the idea now and working out best > practices would be good before the consumer demand for it is real high. > > > > Thank You, > > Brian Webster > > www.wirelessmapping.com > > www.Broadband-Mapping.com > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:af-boun...@afmug.com <af-boun...@afmug.com>] *On > Behalf Of *Mike Hammett > *Sent:* Friday, December 02, 2016 7:35 AM > *To:* af@afmug.com > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Customers texting cell phones "hey my internet > isn; t working" > > > > Some carriers support mobile CNAM, some don't. Mine's in there, though. > > > > ----- > Mike Hammett > Intelligent Computing Solutions <http://www.ics-il.com/> > <https://www.facebook.com/ICSIL> > <https://plus.google.com/+IntelligentComputingSolutionsDeKalb> > <https://www.linkedin.com/company/intelligent-computing-solutions> > <https://twitter.com/ICSIL> > Midwest Internet Exchange <http://www.midwest-ix.com/> > <https://www.facebook.com/mdwestix> > <https://www.linkedin.com/company/midwest-internet-exchange> > <https://twitter.com/mdwestix> > The Brothers WISP <http://www.thebrotherswisp.com/> > <https://www.facebook.com/thebrotherswisp> > > > <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXSdfxQv7SpoRQYNyLwntZg> > ------------------------------ > > *From: *"Ken Hohhof" <af...@kwisp.com> > *To: *af@afmug.com > *Sent: *Thursday, December 1, 2016 9:25:40 PM > *Subject: *Re: [AFMUG] Customers texting cell phones "hey my internet > isn; t working" > > Awhile back I added SMS-to-email capability to our main number and > discovered people have probably been texting it forever. You don’t need a > cellphone to receive texts. The nice thing is the service we use has the > reply-to address on the email set to properly to text the person back. > > > > What I find annoying is they never include their name, somehow they think > their cellphone number is all we need. So 123-456-7890 wants to know “Is > the tower down?” > > > > I’d rather they use the contact form on our mobile website. It’s not a > “responsive” site, it’s a separate mdot site so the contact form is easy to > use on a phone. > > > > One of the other great mysteries of life is why calls from cellphones > don’t have CNAM. 95% of the calls we get are from “Wireless Caller”. > There are apps for everything, but they can’t do this one simple thing, > show me the name of the mobile caller, without having them in my address > book. > > > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:af-boun...@afmug.com <af-boun...@afmug.com>] *On > Behalf Of *Brandon Yuchasz > > > *Sent:* Thursday, December 1, 2016 8:40 PM > *To:* af@afmug.com > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Customers texting cell phones "hey my internet > isn; t working" > > > > I expected more Sarcasm. But thanks for the reply anyway. We are small > still by most standards and I still go on every install so generally > customers feel they know me a little. That relationship is of course a good > thing. Some texts of course I don’t mind like “ hey the internet has been > dropping off today but comes back” it’s the shitty attitudes that they > would never give me in a phone call that generally piss me off.. > > *From:* Af [mailto:af-boun...@afmug.com <af-boun...@afmug.com>] *On > Behalf Of *That One Guy /sarcasm > *Sent:* Thursday, December 01, 2016 8:31 PM > *To:* af@afmug.com > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Customers texting cell phones "hey my internet > isn; t working" > > > > We call into the office and call the customers from there DID or something > to avoid it. But it happens. > > When a customer has my cell, ive given it to them on occasion for > troubleshooting and most of my contract service have my work and personal. > > As long as they dont abuse it, I handle their business (facebook is > becoming popular for customers to contact me, which is odd because my face > book is private and highly offensive) > > Once they abuse it, they get a couple "call the office"s then they get > ignored. > > Like right now there is a voicemail from a contract services customer i > haven't even listened to from two days ago. > > > > I do prefer all communications voice or digital go through work channels, > or phones are recorded and all the digital stuff is logged on company owned > assets. Better in the long term for liability. > > On Thu, Dec 1, 2016 at 8:25 PM, Jim Bouse [Brazos WiFi] < > j...@brazoswifi.com> wrote: > > I respond with “The support number is: 979-985-5912 <%28979%29%20985-5912> > ” > > > > Short and sweet (maybe not sweet). Often, I am on call in the evenings so > I end up answering the support call but It is customer training. I don’t > want people calling/texting my personal cellphone and then getting pissed > off that I don’t respond in a timely manner (vacation or whatnot) when I > have paid support staff at the office. Additionally, if they call my > cellphone, I tell them the same thing. The sales and support number is: > X. I will be happy to help you there. > > > > We record 100% of the business calls due to some he-said/she-said > incidents. I don’t talk business on the personal cellphone unless the call > is routed through the PBX. > > > > Jim Bouse > > Owner > > Mobile IT Pro - Brazos WiFi > > 979-985-5912 <%28979%29%20985-5912> > > j...@brazoswifi.com > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:af-boun...@afmug.com] *On Behalf Of *Brandon Yuchasz > *Sent:* Thursday, December 01, 2016 8:19 PM > *To:* af@afmug.com > *Subject:* [AFMUG] Customers texting cell phones "hey my internet isn; t > working" > > > > Wondering if anyone else has dealt with this and if so what they used as a > solution. > > > > I am getting more and more texts from customers as time goes on. They get > my cell phone number at some point when I call them or from a friend or who > knows but they hold onto it. > > Instead of emailing the tech support or calling in they send me a text to > my cell phone. “hey my internet isn’t working” . I don’t know who the hell > they are of course since its just some random number with no context. So > Then I am faced with ignoring the text or replying. “ I’m sorry but I don’t > know who this is from can you please give me additional information. “ > > Text back and forth over the next 15 minutes reveal they have the wireless > turned off on their computer or the router took a shit or they are off > line. Regardless it’s annoying, I have considered asking them not to text > my cell phone and instead call or email but half the time they are still > going to get me. That’s not ideal. Please don’t text my cell phone instead > use our online contact option or call us at…. 5 minutes later I get a call > that forwards to my cell phone not ideal. although that is changing and > hopefully in the next 6 months I won’t be doing any tech support calls > anymore. > > > > How do you guys deal with this from a company standpoint. > > > > Just so everyone realizes it… this is at least 65% rant so sarcasm and > honest real feedback are both welcome. > > > > > > > > -- > > If you only see yourself as part of the team but you don't see your team > as part of yourself you have already failed as part of the team. >
