Customer Service from SL Business Owners....

You know, I don't spend much time in forums. They tend to get me irritated - just too many opinions! But I suppose that's what it's all about eh? So, me actually logging on for the intent purpose of creating a comment here is quite a "to do". I've had an experience very recently that has compelled me to not only make others aware of it, but to say something to fellow business owners in Second Life. Firstly, I purchased a product called RezzBox Holodeck from a creator, who I will not name. Now I was really excited about the product because I thought "what a cool way to display my prefabs without taking up sim room." But the confusion started the moment I entered the shop with trying to figure out exactly what I was supposed to buy to achieve my goal, what it did, etc. I got the product and discovered that the directions were incredibly difficult to follow. In fact, I was missing part of them and had to ask for them from the creator, who informed me, as if I had somehow been responsible, of what should be in the box. I got the new manual, read it, and was even more confused because a lot of what was being referred to was not at all in my kit. Keep in mind that this product cost over L$8000 lindens. When I contacted the creator again, his response was to inform me that he did not give refunds....well, I didn't ask for one! I asked if I had purchased the correct product and for his help in sorting it out. His response prompted me to let him know that I was not just some chump who would sit back and say "oh, okay, well keep my money then." When I told him, and I did tell him so there would be every opportunity for him to provide support for his product, that I would be sure to comment here and on SLExchange, his words to me were "Others have tried to bash me in forums, but they were bashed instead."....others? So I'm not alone?

Look, I run an SL business and develop sims. I do what hundreds of other people in SL do. Some of us do it really well and find some success. But we should never, ever forget that there are hundreds of other people in this place who create just as well, if not better, and are just waiting for their break. Arrogance in SL will get you nowhere quick. Thinking that once you sell it, you no longer have to think about it is wrong, wrong, wrong. Customer service is just as essential in SL as it is in real life. I stand behind all my products and services...without fail. If I screw up, I make it right. If I didn't screw up, I make it right. My name is what brings me success, not just the prims I push around. I took someone's success spot...I have no doubt there's someone just waiting to slip into mine.

Take the time to speak with people who trust your talent enough to spend their money on it. It's not easy to come by for a lot of people and they really think about their purchases, stressing over making the right choice, leaving, coming back, looking, bringing friends to look....you, we, owe them something in return. Get the "I'm too busy for you IM that says hi so send me a notecard." comments out of your profiles. Show some courtesy. Show some politeness, show some kindness. And remember, you may shine pretty bright right now but I guarantee you that spotlight will fade before you know it.

Since Linden Labs doesn't get involved in disputes between residents, and SL business owners are anonymous, you have no recourse when you buy a bad product. There isn't much of an incentive for SL business owners to provide you with good customer service.

Despite the fact that SL is set up to encourage/protect bad merchants, it seems to me than a very high percentage of merchants are actually honest and care about providing good products. It's mostly up to chance whether you find the good merchant or the bad merchant, so generally I think it's a bad idea to spend a lot of money on anything in Second Life. Every transaction is just too risky.

I have heard of the product that you've mentioned before, and it's been around in Second Life for a long time (measurable in years rather than months). The length of time that a merchant has been established is one of the few factors that is really helpful in determining whether a merchant you're dealing with is good to be an honest, helpful merchant. So I'm a little bit surprised that you'd get no help at all from the merchant. But since consumer information doesn't reliably spread in Second Life, it's certainly possible that an unhelpful merchant without product support for expensive products could survive in business for a year or more.

You might be able to find others who have purchased the product and see what experiences they have had with customer support. Ideally, this is something to have contemplated before spending $8000L (that comes to apprximately $30.00 USD).

It's a lot easier in Second Life for an SL business to make money without providing something good. Compared to RL, the start-up costs for SL businesses are small, there are fewer mechanisms for consumer information to flow, and there is no meaningful dispute resolution procedure for disputes between customers and merchants. Don't depend on the assumption that "if it's a bad business, it would have gone out of business by now." Don't spend money you aren't willing to throw away. If you want to spend a significant amount of money, you should spend some extra time researching your contemplated expenditure.

wonder if thats why I get so few customers asking for refunds, etc.

My stuff is pretty cheap. So even worst case it isn't putting anyone out much money.

L$ 8000! Can you imagine the customer service headaches - people expect a lot more when they fork over that kind of change.

No doubt. I am just blown away at the 8K price. I don't think I have ever paid that many lindens for a single product before. If someone paid me 8K for a product I would be mr. super support all I can so others would hear of it and give me 8K too.

I hate that. I've heard of this product, and although I've never had a need for it at this point, I'll certainly keep your experience in mind. Thirty bucks is a nice little chunk of change, and you can bet if someone paid me this amount of money in SL or wherever, I'd give them excellent customer service and a pleasant smile.

Because it is such a popular product, maybe you'll be able to get some help from someone else here on the forum who has experience with it. Good luck!

There goes my hot cocoa.

$8000 Lindens? 8K? Eight thousand? A thousand times eight? My god, thats 1F40 in Hex!!!

1F40 L? Have these people taken complete leave of their senses? If I was putting myself on the line with an $8K product, I'd think I'd best be prepared to offer up lattes and give hand jobs in order to keep the customer happy with any problems or questions with said product.

Hand jobs??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I do know that those sex gen beds can go for $12000

for the automated deal with about 100 middling quality sex animations

I don't even think a handjob animation is included, though.

Was your notecard to the creator as long as your post here? It sounds like he totally misunderstood you... not a surprize since most people only read the first sentence of a message before writing a heated reply like the one you received.

Brevity is the key to good communication.

Nor will it rez you a limitless supply of well-crafted latte objects.

Boy, remember when we tried that venture of ours about three years ago? Seems just like yesterday.

I just purchased a HoloDeck product and could not be happier, yes it was expensives $L5000, but it was the Pro model to allow me to build new scenes. Manuals were clear, well written and the product works great. The Basic version is only 500 and it is copiable.
I found code on the SL Wiki on making your own and wonder if someone packaged that code. Not sure of the rules for for using product names so will just say I got it at Tech Expo.
For my small shop I neeed a way to display samples so I wrote my own code, the holodeck would be overkill, but for displaying prefbs it would be great and worth $L5000 to a business person.

And it would have worked too if it weren't for those meddling kids and that dumb dog!

That will cost at least 16K.

That, and our complete inability to do animations, or find someone able to work with us who could.

But yeah...time goes by, time goes by

Would it be too tacky to point out that at a rough 1000L to $3.8 conversion ratio, a 16,000L SL handjob would be just as much, if not _more_ expensive than the real thing?

for 16k you could afford to have a staff to give out handjobs to irate customers rather than providing them yourself.

LOL not at all.

Thats a fantastic idea for a Second Life business! I won't engage in sex for money, but I'll facilitate it! Matching prospective, anonymous clients (Whom I'll call Johns..short for John Does) with women in my particular group. List. Stable, what have you. And I'll take a cut and provide various support services of dubious quality!

I'm not sure what the proper title for my position should be, but I have a sneaking suspicion it comes with a sudden affectation for wide brimmed hats, purple leopardskin, mink, and diamonds affixed to places that diamonds should not normally be affixed to.

hmmm so just remove the Original Item for sale entirely and go into the customer service business full time?

This could be a pioneering idea. Renting out workers for sexors.

Better hurry up and trademark it before Anshe hears wind of it.

/fd PSA
at Pimps Unlimited we own trade market and role of exploiting pixels for sex matches.
We take 20 percent cut of all paid for sex going on the grid.
Please do not cross our turf or else.

Ditto.

I keep my prices low enough that even Basic accounts could afford it.

For $L8000 I'd find a way to build/script/texture it myself.

I sell a product for L$5K but every single one of the customers who have contacted me for support have gone away happy and satisfied. Taking the time to do that is effort well spent in building a good reputation I beleive.

There is a person who teaches a class on making holodecks. That's the first I ever heard about them - when I saw it in the education listing and went out of curiosity. I don't have use for one atm, but now I feel like I should dredge my notes out and re-read them.

Isn't that kind of what that guy who started the "How can I be a pimp" thread wanted to do?