Is Google Making Customer Support Progress?
November 5, 2011
Looks like more customer support issues for Google, this time revolving around App Engine services. Yikes.
Google has had previous customer support issues surrounding the Nexus One Android smart phone with no support provisions. App Engine customers are now asked to pay $500 a month for Premier services, but support stops at 6 p.m. and is closed on holidays. The service reopens at midnight, still leaving a six-hour gap.
The App Engine support is compared to Amazon Web Services, where customers only pay $400 a month and get support around the clock.
In the article “Google to App Engine Customers: Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You” on InfoWorld, Bill Snyder shares more information:
According to Google’s guidelines, customers must try to fix problems themselves before contacting support, then submit a written request for help. If the issue is considered a priority, meaning a problem that affects customer operations, Google says it will respond within four hours. That doesn’t sound very good to me. After all, four hours is a big chunk of a business day. I’m not sure how many companies use App Engine for operational functions, as opposed to developmental ones, but those that do can’t be very happy about losing that much business time.
Google is quoted in the same article as looking forward to “expanding coverage in the future” and premier support is offered during business hours. Bottom line? Google sucks at customer service. The company should at least give customers good value for the money they are paying the multi-billion dollar company.
Is Google making customer support progress? Use the comments to let us know your Google experience. Maybe Oracle will pitch an InQuira or RightNow solution next time the two companies are meeting face to face.
Andrea Hayden,November 5, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
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