posted on September 19, 2000 01:29:19 PM new
As a representative, I have several items to do:
1. Respond to customer inquiries and get their issues resolved.
2. Report their concerns.
3. Correct or get answers for information that is incorrect.
What I can do:
1. Get customer questions answered or directed to the proper department.
2. Assist in the creation of new policy new policy or change existing policy based on issues. However, I do not create the overall policy (this was changed from the earlier post because it was not clear)
3. I will also point out differences in services if needed.
What I will not do:
1. Personally or professionally attack any member of this community.
2. Disparage the competition.
What I would like to see:
1. Name calling to stop. I am a messenger for the organization only. When consumers are mad, they are mad at the company and not the person, but generally the person picking up the phone or the email gets the brunt of it.
2. To realize that I am acting on your behalf. At times you will not like the answer I give, but it will be the correct one.I will also attempt to correct any information that I do disseminate that is not correct. I will not answer specific questions that have no answer without a policy being defined for it or speculate on what it is or will be.
If anyone wants to see one of my end of day reports for customer concerns, please contact me at [email protected]. It is the same information I gain off of the boards and it is directed to a large number of influential people in the organization.And it is done to get your concerns addressed.
If I were to simply sit back and read these messages and not interact, I have a feeling that many would be upset that no action was taken if I spotted an issue or did not take action to get it answered.
If I interact, at times I will be yelled at, but it is something that I need to do to solicit customer feedback, be it for suggested policy or product changes. Some of the best ideas come from users and the information is critical.
Some of the members of the community have interacted with me in the past. They know that I stick with issues that need to be resolved and that I am, most of all, human. I make mistakes, but I can assure you that I do more well than I do poorly and I do work very hard on the behalf of the internet community in general.
posted on September 19, 2000 02:01:37 PM new
PPD Thank you for the concise clarifications. I think we are all waiting for the following:
"What I can do:
1. Get customer questions answered or directed to the proper department.
2. Assist in the creation of new policy new policy or change existing policy based on issues. However, I do not create the overall policy (this was changed from the earlier post because it was not clear) "
I know that you are working and that working through the system can sometimes be like running in quicksand. However, hearing nothing creates a climate whereby we all must make decisions based on a lot of apparently conflicting information and misinformation which in turn creates mistrust and intense frustration.
My personal position now is that I will not encourage people purchasing my items to use PayPal due to the current issues until those issues are resolved and I will be encouraging the use of other similar services in order to protect myself and my buyers from being dependent on just one service--and THAT is just good business--sorry.
At the time that those issues are resolved, I will then make a more permanent decision regarding my stance in my auctions. I hope that PayPal can continue to be one of the providers of service for me and my buyers in the future.
In the meantime, I know that you are aware of my issues as you told me in another thread that my issues are on your list and I appreciate that. I do not ever want to personally attack you, but I think that PayPal, the company, deserves a good swift kick in the behind.
As for you PPD, I do aplaud you for your restraint in the face of all of the mud slinging. I know how hard it is when I have a buyer who is difficult and I have to respond in a professional way, but would rather just let 'em "have it".
So, you deserve credit for your composure, but I stand by my statement that the company deserves a kick in the behind for this snafu and I really hope that they can get a plan together that is fair and useful to all concerned--and SOON!--so that I can once again use them as one of my choices for payment.
posted on September 19, 2000 02:12:57 PM new
I look forward to more clarifications on issues that have been raised. I worked for some large corporations for many years and I know they are slow to form policies, and this is a very dynamic service (its something new), so there is some understanding.
I also applaud your restraint on some of the comments made. It speaks well of you and poorly of some posters.
posted on September 19, 2000 02:44:41 PM new
This is a "cut & paste" from another thread.
While your at it here are a couple of more that need to be addressed!
(1)You should also be reporting that sellers are upset because now you have added a $.25 per transaction fee. Which is totally unfeasable for the small dollar amount sellers.
(2)You should also clarify in your "OFFICIAL PAYPAL STATEMENT" ........ "When people STARTED using it for e-commerce, we evolved as a company, expanded our features, and in June created Business Accounts (for companies) and Premier Accounts (for individual entrepreneurs). We told our users that we wouldn't force people to upgrade, but that didn't mean it was OK for business users to violate our terms of use and conduct their commerce with a PayPal Personal Account." What about this - "When people started using it for e-commerce.
You say STARTED.....we have alway been SELLERS, your target groups was the AUCTION SELLERS(business) ALWAYS FREE - Remember???? And now you say if we SELLERS don't upgrade we are in violation.
(3)Are we going to be able to pass some of the cost to the buyers.Like charging them $.?? for theie buying convenience. In light of the fact that the buyer gets a "reward" for using our business account it seems quit unfair to me.
Take that back to your policy makers and ask them to CLAIFY.
edited for packer by packer!!
Having a BAD hair Day! ...
posted on September 19, 2000 02:50:15 PM new
Hi packer,
Yes, this is a cut and paste from another thread to get the same message across and to tell you what position I am in and what issues are being resolved.
posted on September 19, 2000 04:39:55 PM newdamon, you are not "acting in our behalf." You are not an ombudsman. You are a paid CSR of Paypal (NOT of us), who's been assigned to answer questions on a public message board. You are indeed merely a messenger, which means that you can't recite anything but the company line; if you did otherwise I'm betting Paypal would pull your plug. Now that's perfectly fine; hey, if you were MY paid rep and said anything contrary to MY policy, I'd yank you myself). But please don't try to put yourself across as anything else. It's both disingenuous and insulting.
posted on September 19, 2000 06:33:05 PM new
HI HCQ,
Yes, I am a paid representative for the company.
However, the boards are obviously an area we engage in to solicit customer feedback and to engage in conversations. I do a daily report on your concerns that arch across much of the organization.This would include features users like, features users don't like, policies users like, policies users don't like and more.
Being a customer advocate is as much a part of listening to the users as much as it is being paid by the company.I would not be an advocate if I ignored your concerns.
posted on September 19, 2000 06:50:05 PM new
I must admit that I would be far more impressed if it hadn't become obvious over the summer that any suggestions passed on to "higher ups" get put in the round file...
posted on September 20, 2000 09:01:34 AM newdamon - this is what you WILL expect from the customers who are not satisfied with Paypal and you are the only one in existence/reality aside from voice mails from Paypal phone service.
In other words, you're there and the customers are going to blame on you.
I suggest for you to develop a thick skin or use the 'ignore' button suggested by the AW moderators.
Note that there are different reactions towards Paypal's new rules and you should be more aware of them when you took the job of representing Paypal
posted on September 20, 2000 10:37:49 AM newHCQdamon, you are not "acting in our behalf."
Since you made numerous announcments that you've canceled your PayPal account some time ago, what is the point of any dialog with Damon on your part? Just something to do to kill time? Forgive me if I'm being obtuse but I don't see the point in your dialog with Damon at this stage.
posted on September 20, 2000 11:40:18 AM new
In my experience as a consultant, there are two kinds of companies, those who react slowly (and some people get annoyed at how long things take to get done) and those who react quickly (and some people get annoyed because they weren't given enough notice). But PP takes the cake! When a good suggestion is made, it takes forever to get action and all we hear is "sometime soon."
(international, shopping carts, buyer address verification, seller's name on payment scree, a cancel/accept button)
But the negative things no one likes (verfication tied to PP access to bank account, fees, forcing sellers to upgrade) these all happen overnight. PP is quick to implement negative things and slow to implement positive things. On top of that, they come out with policies before they themselves even decide what it is. We are still waiting for PP to define what is a seller, while they have already forced people to upgrade.
I have no problem with paying the fees. I think they're fair. But I do have a problem with the horrible way PP is operating as if they can make the rules and change them daily and everybody else should just shut up. It doesnt make for a very trustworthy picture. No, I am not concerned that "Mr. Paypal" is going to empty out my bank account. But it makes me nervous enough that I am steering my customers toward alternatives like exchangepath and payplace.
Damon, tell your bosses that you have a giant PR problem here and if they really want our opinion, it's time they responded to our specific suggestions and if they don't, then what's the point of hanging around here to cut and paste PP propaganda (which won't the same tomorrow)?
posted on September 20, 2000 07:02:15 PM new
yes damon - then hopefully, you are still learning
I've been part of the customer service for a company (2 years)and believe me, it's not a pretty sight. but it's amazing on what you can learn from it and how it effects the personality.
posted on September 20, 2000 07:08:22 PM new
Hi toomanycomics,
I am not really a customer service representative (my role here is quite a bit different), but I have done customer service for years and it is the toughest job that I have ever done, but one of the most rewarding. I know more about operations than most because of the position and I can interact with all sorts of groups. It does change the personality, but it does require you to be mighty sharp.
