HALLIE EPHRON: One day I typed GOOGLE DOCS into the Google search engine and Google's own app (Google Docs) showed up buried under about a half-dozen miscellaneous (but not GOOGLE DOCS) links to what can only be explained as advertisers.
What a huge waste of time. Inconvenience. Experience it over and over again and it's rage-nducing.
I started noticing this a few months ago. And it's just another example of how customer service in general has been decaying. I keep yelling TALK TO A PERSON when I call so-called customer service, but it gets me nowhere.
Computer programs that were supposed to get us the information we needed quickly are, in fact, more and more enraging us at their obtuseness.
I'm always in the market for new words, and one of this year's best is ENSHITTIFICATION. I found it after months of complaining, kvetching, and griping about how my favorite tools seem to be decaying.
Named Dictionary.com's 2024 word of the year, it describes the gradual decay of a product or service's quality over time. User-friendly benefits disappear at the service of increased corporate profit. The user experience decays.
Doctorow applies it to the decline of online platforms and physical products.Tools and products that start out with user-friendly benefits get replaced by increased corporate profit-seeking, decaying the experience for users.
Am I the only one being constantly reminded that we're in an increasingly enshittified digital world? (Somehow I do not think firing all the civil servants and relying on chatbots to get us what we need is a move in the right direction.)
Am I just a grumpy Gus here, or this something we're all experiencing? What do you think: Are things getting better or worse in the digital world? Could we BRING BACK THE PEOPLE, please.
I get so tired of trying to explain to the chatbot why I need to talk to someone [the motor vehicle one actually disconnected my call when I wanted to make an appointment] . . . there are not words to describe how frustrated I get when I need to talk to a real customer service person. Sadly, I do not see any corporate move toward changing any of this, but agree with you that it certainly needs to be addressed . . . .
ReplyDeleteNo, the "customer DISservice model" is entirely too profitable. $$$ talks.
DeleteI agree completely, Hallie. Enshittification is a fabulous word, and you have every right to be grumpy.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a delight when I call somewhere like LL Bean to straighten out an order and an actual, English-speaking, friendly human answers the phone. So there are a few rays of sunlight out there.
LL BEAN! Be still my beating heart. Still operated by actual people.
DeleteAh, Hallie, you've hit on my sore spot. My cellphone company is the WORST. We have discussed here how ordinary people can get pushed to murder and I think I have found my personal trigger. But you can't murder an AI loop that swings you around in a circle then says "good-bye."
ReplyDelete"When grumpy turns to murderous" will be the headline.
Hmmmm. Such a good idea.
DeleteAlas, if the attacks on education and rational thought continue along their current path, in the near future one may not want to talk to a real person because they will be too dumb and too programmed to help with anything.
ReplyDeleteSadly I think you're right, Jerry.
DeleteHallie, yes, I'm right there with you.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I call customer service, I always say "agent" multiple times before they let me talk to an agent.
You're doing something right if you DO get a live person...
DeleteYes Dru Ann!!!! I do the same, I just keep saying agent or operator and after about the third time I can get a real person...if I'm lucky :)
DeleteHallie,
ReplyDeleteIt sure is a pain when it takes forever to speak to an actual person on the phone.
The funny thing for me is that on Friday I had a phone interview with a person for a job I had applied for. They called, we did the interview, and everything seemed to go fine. Heck, my old boss even texted me to let me know that they'd been contacted for a reference.
All great, no?
The seeming drawback is that I have yet to hear back as to whether I got the job or not. Originally I was told that I "should" hear back by this past Sunday. I haven't heard anything yet. I mean, while I would be fine with an email saying I didn't get the job (however galling it would be), how much time does it take to call and say I didn't get the job I think I should've been very in the running for?
Perhaps they are worried about being yelled at by whomever is on the other end of the line for not getting the job, but still not everyone is like that. I'd just like to know either way.
All the electronic stuff instead of an actual live person is definitely becoming a drawback.
Getting ghosted after a job interview is just plain mean. Though it's probably reflection of dysfunction rather than malice. Still... would it kill them to fulfill their promise?
DeleteDamn - I want you to get that job, Jay. You should have given them my name as a reference!
DeleteRudeness is inexcusable, including for HR departments. Fingers crossed for the job, Jay.
DeleteMorning All ~ Paula B here. Sore spot for sure. The other that follows that is rude clerks who can’t be bothered to find the answer they don’t know or glares at me for buying something. When I find a nice clerk who helps, I say so. I was thinking how awful their jobs can be considering how cranky people are on the other side of the register. Rude Drivers. Rude Clerks. Rude People in general. When someone is nice and helpful, I’m usually surprised. Are you? I try to visit the same clerks when I can. Same grocery checker, same person on the phone. I heard, couldn’t help it as he was loud, a clerk complaining about his last customer who threatened him (didn’t hear that part) for the high grocery prices. Seriously people!! And, I love the new word. Fits.
ReplyDeleteYou would think that the biggest search engine in the world would understand how to promote their own products. I remember when an author acquaintance and his business partner started manipulating search results to make it look like his junk science/political propaganda thinly disguised as fiction novels were bestsellers. That Google even allowed that still seems wildly unethical.
ReplyDeleteBefore Cincinnati Bell was remade into AltaFiber I spent several hours trying unsuccessfully to change our landline and internet service to a more reasonably priced plan, without adding cable TV or their lousy cell service. We have never needed or wanted cable. I was an early adopter of digital antenna TV, and Roku in the first version, and we just did not want cable.
Their price plans, and this is still the case, are cheaper for cable and internet, either alone or combined with cell service, than for just internet and a landline. I spent hours trying to talk to someone, and when I did they were supremely unhelpful, and barely spoke English. Turned out, all the customer "service" had been sent offshore, to the Phillipines. And no one the system routed me to could help. On purpose? The CEO whose bright idea this was ended up leaving the company with an enormous wad of cash for his brilliance. Naturally.
Karen, when we had issues with our television service – we have Bell Satellite – after going round and round with a not very helpful (I think he was new and inexperienced – sounded that way, I also had trouble understanding his accent and listening on a bad phone line) person, anyway, I was told that another assistant would call me back – later.
DeleteNearly 12 hrs later I had a call, and she started to talk me though what to do. Anyone who has dealt with phone/satellite repairs knows that there is a lot of ‘reboot’ time, in which both of us are twiddling our thumbs. That means that I will strike up a conversation! I learned that she was from the Philippines, perfectly fluent in English, a working mother, what the weather was, what time it was (she was 12 hrs exactly different from us but not 5:30 pm, but 5:30 am – tomorrow), what I would make for supper and what she would have for breakfast. Eventually, the issue was resolved, but she did leave me with her direct work number should it not really work, and we said good-bye. I wonder if she remembers the crazy Canadian woman as I remember the lovely and kind and patient person who served me from the Philippines.
I just was asked to do a survey on our bank – a Credit Union – don’t know if that is a US thing. Anyway, in the ‘after’ comments, I was pleased to write that the best thing about the ‘bank’ was that they always answered the call on ring 2 or 3, by a real helpful, friendly and all-out pleasant person, who was able to help you right away, and not pass you on to no-man’s land while you waited. It is the same if you go into the building, of which they have 3. Always a welcome (not smarmy), a smile and often a great laugh. That is service.
ReplyDeleteOn the same note yesterday I called Pharmacy services – our drugs are paid for by Nova Scotia Senior Pharmacare – where once again the call was picked up, and the service and advice was quick.
Thank you to all who still are service oriented, and with a smile!
Enshittification is a great word! I get totally frustrated if I have to call AT&T or Century Link or Bank of America. They all have very unhelpful phone systems. Even if I get a person, they then need to transfer me and frequently the call is disconnected during the process. I read an article recently that told me that those problems are part of the plan. They want people to get frustrated and hang up.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct about all of it, Hallie! Saying "agent" over and over again used to work, but not so much any more. That chatbot wants me to explain in simple words what I need help with. Well, I cannot explain in simple words, so I end up using too many. "Let's try again" says the chatbot and again I try to explain my issues. Finally, the chatbot gives up and tells me they will connect me with someone who can help. That's all I wanted in the first place.
ReplyDeleteOver the years I've started going in person to my bank (Chase & Wells Fargo) and know the manager and the clerks. I make a point to make sure they know me and often they will give us (me and hub) their cell phone or direct line. This really helps as THEY can call the right people to get answers.
ReplyDeleteTrader Joe's supermarket has very friendly sales clerks - my stuff was being rung up and I realized I was talking to my grandson's retired 5 th grade teacher. He had taken a job after retirement. So much fun that he remembered so many of the kids and he lives in the neighborhood.
If I get a run around on the phone or bots I will actually drive to the store and complain (if it's not too far away). Our CVS is the absolute worst to get a person. It's almost impossible.
Talking to someone overseas who speaks with a strong accent is very difficult. My hub has trouble hearing even with hearing aids and it drives him and the operator crazy. Can you repeat that, what did you say? Well at least it is a person, I guess...
ReplyDeleteI read Cory Doctorow's initial essay on enshittification and agreed with every word. It makes sense from the businesses perspective: once we've captured your business, what do we care if your happy or not? What are you going to do, use Duck Duck Go to search on a Linux browser? Not to mention places like Amazon or Facebook where there literally aren't any humans to help you!
ReplyDeleteSorry, I could rant all day about this. Now I'm going to look at cute pictures on r/shihtzu to recover. The world would be a better place if, instead of enshittification, we had enshitzufication!