Terence Eden

🆕 blog! “Bored of eating your own dogfood? Try smelling your own farts!”

I called a large company the other day. Did I know the information I wanted could be found on their website? And was I aware that I could manage my account online? And would I like to receive a link to chat with their AI assistant via WhatsApp?

Naturally, call volumes were higher…

👀 Read more: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/03/bored-of-eating-your-own-dogfood-try-smelling-your-own-farts/
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#customerservice

Bored of eating your own dogfood? Try smelling your own farts!

I called a large company the other day. Did I know the information I wanted could be found on their website? And was I aware that I could manage my account online? And would I like to receive a link to chat with their AI assistant via WhatsApp? Naturally, call volumes were higher than expected. I can only assume that whoever was in charge of predicting call volumes had recent suffered a…

Terence Eden’s Blog
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Show threadJohn William David Thomson8h ago
@Edent did you know most queries can be handled in our app/website? Yes, the same one you tried to use to solve this problem already. The same one that specifically told you to call us 25 minutes ago, that I've mentioned 50 times already.
Show threadFazal Majid5h ago
@Edent https://www.southparkstudios.co.uk/video-clips/px7llo/south-park-new-neighbors
Show threadFazal Majid5h ago

@Edent HP was caught in the EU deliberately adding 15 minutes' wait even when customer service reps were available, to push people to use other channels.

https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/20/hp_deliberately_adds_15_minutes

HP deliberately adds 15 minutes waiting time for telephone support calls

Updated: Stalling tactics designed to push print or PC users to online support, sorry, 'self-solve'

The Register
Show threadBen C4h ago
@Edent when the company I worked for was acquired by a huge crappy telco and they replaced our great first line support with their own much cheaper team we found support levels got significantly worse. I took great delight in refusing to help the CTO when he came straight to the ops team demanding support until he’d been through the same process as our customers. He was furious, I suspect because he knew how crappy the experience would be, but also powerless to object.
Show threadTony Hoyle2h ago

@Edent
There seems to be a general decline in customer service such that it has become entirely vestigial in many companies.

I've had experiences where it is quite plain the only metric is how fast they end the call, or 'close the query' even though they have done nothing. I've even had emails to 'rate my experience' after such a call.. I was not kind.

'Your call us important to us'.. just not important to answer in under an hour, or empower your CS staff to help..

Show threadNatalyaD1h ago

@Edent What I hate is when the company is one I can't ditch, so something like the DWP or my water company.

Also as someone who can't hear voice telephony I can tell which companies have a viable alternative method (preferably email) and which do not...

I routinely threaten companies that try to force me into a phonecall with legal action because I will not use the UK's unreliable and crappy text-relay service as they require me to accept a legal liability I am unwilling to accept.