Why is customer service/communication such a low priority?

On the few occasions I've actually dealt with a Linden, they've been courteous and helpful in-world. But the complete lack of any dedicated resident communication that has ANY kind of a strategy to it almost negates those positive experiences I've had on the grid. That's what fuels my terrible ambivelance about the overall quality of Linden Lab.

So...why can't LL get a REAL communications program going for their customers? The forums remain a relatively unknown resource for the majority of SL residents, the blog seems to be all over the place when it comes to posting information, and during times like these where some people can log in....while others just sit and stare at the login screen until an error message pops up...the importance of communication with residents would *seem* to be a no-brainer.

My question is this...and I really don't mean for it to be flame-bait...who's in charge of PR/Corporate Communications at LL? And why don't they implement a system of communicating with their residents that can be informative and useful?

*sighs* Linden Labs (not individual Lindens, just the company) doesn't see the average user as the customer. They see the users as the product and the big corporations as the customers now. No, it wasn't always this way. When I started, there were Lindens who were willing to help as best they could. Now, they are hamstrung from doing their jobs by the company.

Agreed Raudf.

Thing is, that's way stoopid (two O's) of LL to think that way. SL doesn't offer the corps anything. IBM might for some think-tank ops, as well as some auto makers for design-cramming sessions, but really, what does SL offer a corp?

Cheep advertising? Maybe, but most of us Residents who come here, come here to leave RL behind and don't even look twice at those ads. Corps will realise that and pull out before too long if that's their purpose here.

Internet Marketing? See above.

If LL is looking to gardner to the corps, then they're fools.

When a Resident pull sout, LL barely feels the lose. When a copr pulls out.....

LL would be further ahead imo to go with the more stable Residents. Once we buy land, we're usually in it for the long haul.

I've long since given up trying to see LL's point of "logic" and of their idea of "buisness managment". I run a manufacturing plant in RL and a lot of LL's practices just seem rediculous to me, if not outright foolish.

Maybe they have something to offer the coprs that we don't see. If so, I'd truely love to know what it is. Might make us feel about more secure about SL's future.

~Jessy

This a question I've asked myself on numerous occasions and the only answer I can come up with is 'nobody'. Extremely odd, as they could dispel a lot of dissatisfaction sim0ply by being open and honest.

Having done some Live Helping before I can say that the probable reason is that they honestly don't have much more to say.

Something goes wrong with their server - very probably, they don't know what the fault is. So other than "we're working on it", they can't really say very much at all.

EXACTLY.

I've gone from being a defender of LL...to a mildly annoyed and quiet person...to a completely dissatisfied customer. That entire trip was courtesy of LL's policy of providing us with little, if any, communication.

I get the feeling I'm not the only one that's slowly gone from being a fan, to disillusioned, to downright angry at what amounts to either a lack of communication...or having sunshine blown up my *ss.

Just a regular blog update saying THAT would've worked. Just some sort of sign that there's someone out there that understands what a frustrating end-user experience this is for residents.

I'm not asking them to solve the bloody problem any faster (although that would be nice). I'm just asking that they start treating us with a bit more courtesy and regard. That's just simple customer service.

I seriously doubt that has anything at all to do with it. LL went from a very small company with a small userbase to a very small company with an enormous userbase. I recently read that they receive over 2000 abuse reports each and every day. I imagine their support request load is equally crushing. LL isn't a company flush with profit so running out and hiring tons of CS personnel probably isn't an option. I don't think they're even turning a profit yet. They're simply understaffed to deal with the requests for help.

Having said that, I completely agree with others that they could help themselves stave off bitter sentiments like yours by doing a much better job of communicating, both to the community as a whole, and to individual customers who ask for help. Corporate customers and individuals who pay thousands of dollars a month in tier probably do get much better service, at least I would hope so. Those who put the most money into the service deserve to get the most service back out. For the record, I'm not one of those people. I pay full sim tier and qualify for consierge service as a result, but I've never used it.

Granted. And, granted that LL isn't making enough profit yet to hire a large staff of helpers.

But I note at the same time, the wait to get approved as an official mentor is six months to a year. (!!!!!!!)

LL is ignoring the very community they created. Not only in the sense of not communicating with and helping that community, but in the sense that the SL community is a resource that could help LL. A lot of us WANT to help to make SL a better place.

There must be ways in which LL could use us to alleviate the support problem Recruit a corps of Residents to form an in-world Help Desk corps. Give that group tools to investigate issues and ARs. Give them training. Give them (limited) powers to impose sanctions. Give them quick access to Lindens in order to pass problems too big for their level to the next level. Philip, goldarn you...we're willing to work for Linden dollars, man! You can pay us in a worthless non-currency and solve your personnel problems for frickin' FREE!

Because no matter how crappy it is, or how infuriated we get, we still pay... and we still click here like crazy people clicking Connect... Connect... and trembling like we're going thru DT's

They haven't employed me yet.

Not as big headed as it sounds. I could bring my experience and skills from RL.

~waves the CV again~

You're either very brave or very foolhardy. I'll go for brave.

Linden Labs keep me in the dark and feed me on bull sh*t

But I echo a previous comment about individual Lindens doing their best to help.

*raises hand for that as well*

I've volunteered my services MANY times. Mostly to do the road building FOR LL. I help as I can and answer questions I can here as well. All my volunteering seems to fall on deaf ears.

LL can't hire a lot of people. Fine. How about ONE LINDEN to recruit and direct Residents that want to help for FREE?

LL HAD that help (Live Help) and they kicked it to the curb. So, I'm sorry, but I have very little sympathy for the management being overworked. It's their own damned fault.

I do feel for those Lindens that are being overworked. If Philip would just pull his head out of his ass, he might see a good number of Residents are here and willing to help. At no cost other than being part of making our world a bit better.

~Jessy

Roland, I'm puttin that in my siggy

Although I do get a bit pissed off at times, I find the lack of any real communications more bemusing than anything else. The Lindens seem like a bright and friendly bunch, but they don't seem to realise just how effective good comminivcations can be.

Their half-arsed blog posts seem almost designed to sow doubt and raise questions. I find that very odd.

wished our inworld lindens would overthrow the Blog Empire, we`ll have some decent communication then

I am not sure how LL sees it but since the users do all the content, we are very important. Like facebook without entries and youtube without videos, SL without what we build and create would be nothing.

Me too Jesse, I volunteered ages ago and was seemingly ignored. Anyone else ???

If only they'd actually tell us what the problem was, rather than "we are working on fixing something" it might help.

I guess they're afraid to tell us that integrating voice screwed everything up royally.

Brocolli

A system for effective customer service isn't cost-effective as long as poor customer service does not affect the amount of money flowing into Linden Labs. Not that I've done any sort of formal study, but it seems to me that poor customer service does not translate into canceling accounts or lower collection of fees through purchase of Lindens. Further, poor customer service does not seem to work its way into the press about Second Life, so new customers are not deterred by poor customer service, because they actually don't know that they are going to get poor customer service, nor can they anticipate what their customer service needs might be. (Few people anticipate that they will ever need customer service.) If the quality of customer service doesn't impact the bottom line, I wouldn't expect Linden Labs to spend more money in costs to improve customer service.

Shhhh, don't mention voice ... please.

I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.

*50 Lindens to the first person who gets that reference. *

Oh...that'll change. That's just a matter of time. And meanwhile, LL will be fiddling their collective *sses off while Rome burns.

Again...it's a shame to see the hard work of those helpful Lindens obliterated by a shoddy corporate communications effort. Anyone else think Torley's been mismanaged? A more entertaining, open and honest communicator I have yet to see in the Linden ranks...and they've apparently shuffled 'em off to the *ss-end of bumville.

Fawlty Towers German episode. But I'm not eligible because I'm wearing your panties.