July 25, 2008
This week, Twitter got a big boost in traffic to its Web site from an ABC News Story that showed how an everyday consumer got help from Comcast’s Frank Eliason on Twitter (we’ve written about similar things on this blog in the past). I’ve gone ahead and coined a silly phrase for this kind of outreach: “micro-service”. Thank me later.
All that mainstream-media-led traffic inevitably led to additional traffic to Get Satisfaction, and we were inundated with a wealth of people who had a lot to complain about, but who hadn’t ever used Twitter or Get Satisfaction before. Unexpected events like this are always a great way to see how well we’re framing our service. If they don’t get it, perhaps we aren’t explaining it well enough.
I’m seeing a lot of stories like this ABC News story popping up. Reporters are trying to find a way to write about Twitter, and they seem to want to frame the story in a particular way. More stories like these are surely coming, and most of them will probably be following up on the same Comcast/Twitter story that’s already been written by other, more astute journalists.
I wouldn’t mind seeing stories about Twitter that focus less on complaints. There’s so much more to Twitter. Tons more. When they frame the story as “how to complain and get a company’s attention” rather than “look at all this unexpected interestingness that comes out of new ways of communicating,” I don’t know that they’re accomplishing much — beyond prompting the big complainers to reach out and rant to someone.
Not that I’m complaining too loudly myself. They’re reporting on customer service. That’s a start. More please! I’m ready to direct the traffic.
July 11, 2008
Product demand is great, isn’t it? When people are lining up to buy what you have to sell, that must feel exceptionally fulfilling.
Unless the product you’re selling isn’t quite working.
Apple, a giant in most customers’ eyes, is currently taking a very big misstep with the release of their new iPhone and iPhone 2.0 software. Not only are many phones not working right away, some purchasers had to take them home and hope they could activate them via their computer later.
As expected, Get Satisfaction is blowing up with reports, questions, ire, and even a good idea or two for Apple.
It all started with a few eager beavers jumping the gun yesterday after someone posted instructions for downloading the iPhone 2.0 software. Hackers and the just-plain-curious installed the software before Apple officially released it, and some of them ended up on our site talking about their iPhone bricks. What will happen to them? Only time will tell.
Other folks showing up include people who want to know why they can’t download the new iPhone 2.0 software and people who are trying to figure out all the error messages they’ve been receiving.
Things are still in limbo for millions of folks, but one Get Satisfaction user had a great idea: Maybe they should have released the 2.0 software a day before, and not at the same time as they are selling the new iPhone to people lined up around corners.
Get on in there and make your own voice heard.
[Apple is on Get Satisfaction.]
May 26, 2008
Our hardware failure problem has been diagnosed: A load balancer in our datacenter failed.
For those of you who are technically minded, you may know exactly what that means. If you don’t know a server from a wall-mounted rack (like me!), it sort of means that a piece of hardware that helps route ones and zeros through the Get Satisfaction off-ramp of the Information Superhighway stopped working. That load-balancing crossing guard, so to speak, abandoned his post. So, no traffic, and no visible Web site.
We’re back up again now, and we apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused.
May 26, 2008
Unfortunately, a piece of our hardware decided to take a holiday on this Memorial Day. Just wanted to send a quick note to let our users know that Get Satisfaction is down, but not out. We’re working on the problem right now, and we’ll have an update as soon as we have more information for you.
Thanks for your patience!
April 14, 2008
Craig Newmark is a customer service rep. No, for real.
I stumbled upon Craig Newmark’s business card on Flickr, and he lists himself as “customer service rep & founder” on that card. (Note that “founder” is second in that title.) It’s always refreshing to see the person in charge of a large organization embrace customer service instead of just pay lip service to it.
This customer service bent is not actually a new development. Craig has been slowly transitioning away from being the head of Craigslist and more toward being an ambassador of the ideas behind Craigslist. But it’s still telling that he chose to redefine his role as one that is devoted to customer service.
The reason I’ve been stuck on Craigslist lately — the reason I found myself on Flickr and found Craig’s business card — is that they’ve finally decided to write a blog. It’s about time. I’ve spent countless hours howling with laughter at the Best of Craigslist and wondering why they don’t take the wealth of interestingness that exists on Craigslist and spotlight it in some way. I was always flummoxed when I went searching for the inside scoop or some kind of commentary about what they were up to. I always wondered why there wasn’t a blog.
Although, I’m not sure if spotlighting amusing content is what they’ll do with the new Craigslist blog. I’m not really sure if they have a plan. The blog doesn’t appear to have a name. At least, it doesn’t have a catchy name. It seems to just be called “craigslist blog.” Like the Craigslist site itself, it lacks panache and style and, well, formatting of any kind. It’s under-designed, you might say. It can’t be subscribed to via RSS, so you’ll just have to check back whenever you think there might be something new to read. I think it still needs some work. This blog is clearly in its infancy, but I wish it great success because I know that I — like countless others in this world — have gotten a lot out of Craigslist. I wouldn’t mind giving back.
Which brings me to my real thought: Craig Newmark has an amazingly healthy and giving community that could write an award-winning community blog. I bet they would love the opportunity. I know I’d contribute.
Would you? If you have ideas about Craigslist’s new blog — or any other ideas about what Craigslist should or shouldn’t do as it tamps the dirt down on the grave of newspaper classified ads — share them with us.
[Craigslist is on Get Satisfaction.]
