Misc

Facebook Bans Ad That Depicts Google+, Dell Thinks About Using Hangouts for Customer Service

17

Two very interesting Google+ stories today. First off: don’t try to post a sidebar ad on Facebook that trolls viewers for Google+ followers – Facebook will ban them and suspend your account. It’s a competing product and they probably hold the right to suspend an account and ban an ad for any reason they want so we can’t really call foul here – just silently chuckling on the inside.

Secondly, Dell’s CEO is toying around with the idea of using Hangouts as a form of customer service. I always thought this type of customer service was weird, but we interact with people face-to-face everyday in customer service environments. And for companies like Dell, using Hangouts to help customers could be a valuable tool for troubleshooting.

“I am thinking about hangouts for business. Would you like to be able to connect with your Dell service and sale teams via video directly from Dell.com?”

Michael Dell posted the thought on his Google+ page, natch, so we can’t pinpoint whether or not he’s serious. Either way, it’d add an entirely new dynamic to customer service that could either completely flop or change the way business is done. We look forward to seeing how Google responds, if at all. [TechCrunch, GigaOM]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

Archos G9 Tablets Get Priced for Preorder; 10 Inch Variant Starting at $370, 8 inch Variant at $300

Previous article

Someone Started a Huge Kernel Source Campaign Against HTC on Facebook

Next article

You may also like

17 Comments

  1. Costumer Sevice Hangout sounds like a good idea, you can display your screen if you have some issue or something like that. However you are going to have the pervs and freaks, who want to “flash” the rep

    1. How would that work if the company has all the customer’s system and contact information, unlike anonymous avatars & call signs?

  2. If you already wanted to cancel your FB account (for privacy reasons or because it eats away time you could spend otherwise) you have the perfect excuse – banned by FB!

    ETG

  3. I’m sure that they will record the sessions, any flashers are in violation of the Google+ ToS, so a simple email to Google with the name of the account and the recorded flash will result in a perma-ban from Google+ and maybe all google services…..so I doubt Flashers will be the problem

  4. Something about this doesn’t seem right. I’m not sure from a legal standpoint whether or not this behavior should be allowed, but it certainly makes them look like a whiny, spoiled brat that can’t stand one bit of competition. Banning an account for posting something in favor of Google+? That’s just lame, no matter how you look at it. Grow up already, and gracefully accept the fact that you have stiff competition for once. I have DirecTV service, and I see ads for Dish Network all the time on numerous channels. If they can handle the competition advertising within their own services, so can Facebook.

    1. Hmm… I think it has something to do with going to a Ford Dealership and advertising Chevy.

      Go on Facebook and telling people to go to Google+. You’re using Facebook services to take away it’s customers.

      Using iTunes AppStore to make an app telling people all about Android?

      I think that’s the real reason behind it all.

      Now “suspended” means temporarily and I don’t think it’s permanent. Like in high school when you’re suspended. LoL!! But if he does permanently ban you on the first offence, then yea, screw Facebook. LoL!!

      1. Just because Apple does it, too, doesn’t mean it’s not lame. It’s lame of Apple to do it as well.

        1. LoL!! I’m sorry. Those were examples of what I was trying to point out. That
          stuff hasn’t happen, as far as I know.

        2. you seen any adverts for Facebook on Google recently?

  5. The Hangout thing is pretty cool. I mean, we already use chat features, so I don’t see why it would be weird or unusual. Like some companies allow you to directly chat with a representative and that actually is pretty convenient since it’s 24/7. So a Face-to-Face would just be a case of “getting with the times”.

    I kinda like the idea. Let’s see where this goes.

    P.S. Can you use hangouts on a phone with Front Facing Cameras? I don’t have a FFC yet, but it’ll be pretty epic if you could.

    1. It would be another tool in the customer service toolbox. Not sure what difference it would make to see the customer service rep, other than the cool factor.. Chat is an “ok” form of of help, but is often slowed by either the rep or the customers typing, and reading comprehension.. Most reps, after tons of calls, are pretty good at using the right words to guide people through the steps required to fix something.. and feedback on the phone is much faster than chat. So I suppose video chat is a compromise in that it would let the rep see the face of a perplexed customer.. Remote control of the customers PC is often the fastest way to fix a problem, but not necessarily the best way in all cases.. If the issue is related to a customers “skills and understanding”, then learning by doing is the best for them.. Sad but true, but many customers service calls are lessons in how to use the equipment.. There are tons of resources on pretty much any problem, but many people are lazy and rather than research and read how to solve it, they call customer service for a lesson.

      1. I understand what you’re saying, but one time I was trying to fix a vaccuum
        cleaner. I didn’t know how to reattach a part. I looked all over the
        internet, typing different search inquiries and looked at 3 different
        manuals for the vaccum and still couldn’t find what I was looking for. 1
        call to customer service, she literally said one sentence and my problem was
        fixed. I felt dumb on my part, but that’s besides my point. Customer service
        is a form of research. Its live research. There are some things you just
        can’t find on the web (try finding what a christmas reef (pretend u didn’t
        know it was called reef) on the web and watch my yahoo answers page comes up
        because I couldn’t find it) , and yes there are some things people could
        find on their own, but with a live chat, there won’t be any word
        misunderstandings of any kind. You can even show people what you’re talking
        about when you don’t know a name of a part or something. And it gives jobs.
        :P

        The chatting can be misunderstood since words can be interpretted
        differently. Hmm…

  6. Facebook Are you scared!?!???

  7. I have lost all respect for Facebook.Stepping on Google will only cost Facebook in the long run. I just deleted Facebook from all my phones, personal and business. Google+ here I come.

    1. Liar, I just posted to your FB and you responded with the LIKE button.

  8. Dell’s products are horrible, especially the dell streak.

    1. Is it fair to consider your personal experience with one Dell Streak representative of all Dell Streaks… or all Dell products, for that matter? Consider the fact that you may not have posted any positive comments publicly until this one negative incident. Add to the fact that you know where to go to resolve any Dell product issues anyway. Please be fair.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in Misc