🚀 go-pugleaf

Dear ARIS Customer Support Division,

Firstly, I'm not an ARIS user, but following this thread has 
prompted me to write in with my $10.02 worth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Mon, 20 May 1996 11:23:40 +0800, Online Customer Service
<custsvc@support.aris.com.sg> wrote:
>
>What we only request are REAL discussions on improvement of CS from all, not accusations and sacarstic 
>remarks that is not only not constructive, but at times insulting and defamatory.  It is a waste of time, 
>resources and extremely frustrating if newsgroups are full of vulgarities and wild accusations.

Get real!  REAL discussions are filled with anger and anguish, and you
cannot simply ignore those post as rubbish.   IF you, as an individual
consumer (don't look at yourself as a CS person now), buys a product
which you cannot use after doing everything that write, and cannot
get a decent CS after that.... what would you do?

>Though we have the courage and sincerity to come online and discusss openly on CS issues and have also 
>created a CS server to help users, we are not implying that by simply doing so would exempt us from any 
>liability, on the contrary, we acknowledge our responsibility and is trying very hard to let users have 
>easier access to us.  

Yes, but CS means opening your eyes and ears, and doing corrective
action.  Not posting your "excuse" for not living up to expectations
of the consumer.  In case you forgotten the golden rule "The Customer
is Always Right".  In practical, we know that this isn't true, but
in reality, you better live with that cuz they are the ones paying
your salaries, and if management runs away from customers *COMPLAINS*,
you would probably be hunting for a new job real soon.
>
>We are not asking for praise, but encouragement through constructive discussion, which benefits ALL.  

>We would like to stress the fact that every individual and company has a threshold/limit with regards to 
>insinuations, defamatory, insulting remarks that bear no truth.  

It's your job as customer support to Support your customers... not to
bring them to court.  Like I mentioned above.  In a world of 
sales and service, you won't get constructive critisism from irrate
customers.  Besides, what makes you think that the insulting remarks
bears no truth?  You were not with the customer who had to tear his
hair out solving an issue.  You were not with the customer who went
back to your service dept countless times.... so how do you know it
is insinuations?

People aren't that free, and if they make a fuss out of something,
you can be sure there is a legitamate reason behind that.  

A good customer service will cool the customer down, ensures the 
customer that his problems will be address in the shortest time
possible, and ensures that the problems does get solved.

From what I read in the threads so far, before your CS posting in 
here,  was threats about bring SCS posters to court.  If you're
the customer, would you ever buy anything from ARIS again? let alone
recommend ARIS to others?  Not forgetting that that one post would
have made ARIS the most unpopular company in the eyes of internet
users in the newsgroups.

But was there Damage Control after that to regain customer confidence?
If there was, I certainly didn't see any.
>
>** In fact we have even encountered SOME irresponsible net-users who used someone else's e-mail account 
>out of mischief to to make defamatory remarks.  In such cases what do you suggest an organization should 
>do ? **

After threatening to sue, what else would you expect that individual
to do???  If you were the individual, with no $$$ resources for
a civil suit, and knowing that you're "complaining" against a company
who's going to happily earn back revenues by suing... what else
could you do?
>
>This posting is NOT meant to threaten anyone, but we are simply stating a fact that it is the legal right 
>of any individual AND organization to seek legal action if there is any infringment of rights.  If not, 
>how then are the rights of individuals and organizations protected ?  Remember, EVERYONE has legal rights.

You can continue talking about Legal Rights and Legal issue and loose
customers, or you can start talking about serving your customers and
helping them solve their complaints and win back customers.  The 
choice is yours.

>We have never blamed users eventhough it MAY be due to ignorance at times, which is why we have created a 
>WWW site (http://www.aris.com.sg) for educating current and new users.  How many, IF ANY, other local 
>computer companies care enough about CS to invest and maintain such an expensive service and hardware ?

I can name a lot.   But let's put one thing straight.  The Sales team
in a company is not the only dept that brings in $$$$ and hence have
the "right" to invest in "advertising" cost.

I've worked in the Customer Support line before, and I can tell you
for sure that the Customer Support is the team of people that ensures
that those customers the Sales Team brings in STAYS with the company.
If the Customer Support team dies,  the Sales teams is not going to
do a very good job.

Hence, telling us that your support team has spent $$$ on providing a
CS channel by having a Web Site is actually expected of a Company your
size.

>It is out of goodwill and responsibility that we have introduced this service amongst a host of other 
>measures to help users.  It's free, please make constructive use of it.  

It is EXPECTED, as a company who wants a good reputation, to have 
such a service.

~~~~~~~~~ IF you're still reading ... please read on....  
          These are my Bouquet to those with excellent CS.

TEXAS Instruments:  
My notebook had a screen failure, and I went down to their 
Support Division at Bendemeer to get a fix.

I forgot my warranty card, infact, forgot to send it in when I
bought it, but the clerk there told me no problem.  I showed
them the invoice and she told me that it was still under warranty.

A few mins later, an Engineer came to look over my Notebook and
frankly told me... this was the first time he saw such a problem.
Told me it will take a week for repairs.   I told him I didn't have
one week, and he said "Okay, I'll put it under urgent status"
2 days later, I got my notebook back, fully replaced and functional.
~~~~~

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS AGAIN :
On another occasion, my PCMCIA modem card couldn't function.  Left
an email in their Website, and next day, received an email from
their support staff telling me that the drivers I had was not 
able to support that particular Modem.   

Together with the Email came the Updated Drivers.  All problems 
solved within less than 24 hrs.


~~~~
Right ARIS Customer Support.

I can tell you one thing...... my next notebook that I buy and
recommend to friends would be a TI notebook.  Their products may
not be as good as Compaq, Toshiba, but because of their prompt
after sales support.  The impression I have is that I can trust
them when anything goes wrong..... and I will go back to them.


***********************
* ~Hellfire~ - AGM114 *
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"Target in Range"