Google struggling to support angry Nexus One buyers
New owners of the Nexus One are complaining that they can't find answers to support issues from Google, and that they're being passed back and forth between it, HTC, and T-Mobile.
A report by PC World detailed several of the hundreds of complaints users have posed to Google's support forums.
Prior to the phone's launch, many pundits predicted that Google's positive brand familiarity with consumers would give it a strong position to market a smartphone. However, the new smartphone (or "superphone" as Google executives like to call it) is the company's first attempt at selling hardware to consumers.
Like Microsoft, Google is discovering that selling software (or in Google's case, giving away free software supported by ads) is a very different business than selling and supporting hardware.
Despite its global domination of the PC operating system and productivity suite markets, Microsoft has struggled to even break even with its Xbox franchise as support issues ballooned into a $1.4 billion write-off. The company's effort to push the Zune against the iPod fell completely flat, even with major retail partners lined up to promote it.
Google avoided the difficult business of retail in the launch of the Nexus One. The phone was designed and built by HTC but is marketed and sold by Google directly from its website.
However, customers buying the device are finding that Google's level of customer support is limited to email, which is only answered in a day or two. There's no direct phone support available at all.
That might be sufficient for users of free software, but it isn't being received well by customers who spent $540 on the new unlocked device. Users who went to T-Mobile or HTC reported getting a general runaround and bad support there as well, with some users complaining that they were told the phone doesn't support 3G at all.
One user in the report said he'd spent an hour and a half being transferred between HTC and T-Mobile after Google failed to help. "T-Mobile also said Google hasn't provided them with any support documents for the phone. Welcome to direct sales Google!" the user complained.
Another user facing similar issued wrote, "I guess I was under the wrong impression but I thought Google would handle the service on the phone."
Apple has faced some issues at each launch of new iPhone models, but had resources in place to handle those issues based on its decades-long experience in selling and supporting consumer electronics.
When launching the iPhone, Apple staunchly insisted that AT&T and other carrier partners allow it to handle much of the customer support itself, which helped to head off the problem of users being passed back and forth between the hardware vendor, the carrier, and the software developer.
A report by PC World detailed several of the hundreds of complaints users have posed to Google's support forums.
Prior to the phone's launch, many pundits predicted that Google's positive brand familiarity with consumers would give it a strong position to market a smartphone. However, the new smartphone (or "superphone" as Google executives like to call it) is the company's first attempt at selling hardware to consumers.
Like Microsoft, Google is discovering that selling software (or in Google's case, giving away free software supported by ads) is a very different business than selling and supporting hardware.
Despite its global domination of the PC operating system and productivity suite markets, Microsoft has struggled to even break even with its Xbox franchise as support issues ballooned into a $1.4 billion write-off. The company's effort to push the Zune against the iPod fell completely flat, even with major retail partners lined up to promote it.
Google avoided the difficult business of retail in the launch of the Nexus One. The phone was designed and built by HTC but is marketed and sold by Google directly from its website.
However, customers buying the device are finding that Google's level of customer support is limited to email, which is only answered in a day or two. There's no direct phone support available at all.
That might be sufficient for users of free software, but it isn't being received well by customers who spent $540 on the new unlocked device. Users who went to T-Mobile or HTC reported getting a general runaround and bad support there as well, with some users complaining that they were told the phone doesn't support 3G at all.
One user in the report said he'd spent an hour and a half being transferred between HTC and T-Mobile after Google failed to help. "T-Mobile also said Google hasn't provided them with any support documents for the phone. Welcome to direct sales Google!" the user complained.
Another user facing similar issued wrote, "I guess I was under the wrong impression but I thought Google would handle the service on the phone."
Apple has faced some issues at each launch of new iPhone models, but had resources in place to handle those issues based on its decades-long experience in selling and supporting consumer electronics.
When launching the iPhone, Apple staunchly insisted that AT&T and other carrier partners allow it to handle much of the customer support itself, which helped to head off the problem of users being passed back and forth between the hardware vendor, the carrier, and the software developer.
Comments
Yes, welcome to real world of "anyone can make a smartphone"
Thanks, Apple. We are standing firm with you!
I vote Googl?
Btw, they're now getting into the market for renewable energy: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...s_Most_Popular
Enron, anyone?
Reminds me of the Apple commercial
Can't wait for "Hi, I'm a Google, I am an Apple..." ads!
Ok, now we need to make a funny google message:
I vote Googl?
I vote "oops, ₩? ฿£?₩ i₮".
Btw, they're now getting into the market for renewable energy: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...s_Most_Popular
Enron, anyone?
Yeah not like the early iPhone fanbois that stood in line for hours only to have the iPhone drop 200.00.
Yeah not like the early iPhone fanbois that stood in line for hours only to have the iPhone drop 200.00.
I was one of them. I waited 45 mins, and I got a product that I still think, for its price and quality and features, is the best consumer electronics product I've ever purchased and used, for its time. Massive consumer surplus there.
In fact, when I got a gift card from Apple a few months later, my consumer surplus went up by an unexpected $100!
Google, on the other hand, wants to sells you and your personal data to their advertiser and clients. For Google, you are a commodity.
That is why their software and hardware are only just good enough and cheap, because all they care about is getting you to their trough whatever way they can, to fatten you up, to sell you down the road. Is it a wonder that they did not think how they would address customer complaints? Customer satisfaction is not part of the business model.
Think of the Matrix. Think of Soylent Green.
"Soylent Green is people! We've got to stop them somehow!"
Most tech companies sell a product (commodity) to you the customer. They want to make the best products so that you will want to buy it.
Google, on the other hand, wants to sells you and your personal data to their advertiser and clients. For Google, you are a commodity.
That is why their software and hardware are only just good enough and cheap, because all they care about is getting you to their trough whatever way they can, to fatten you up, to sell you down the road. Is it a wonder that they did not think how they would address customer complaints? Customer satisfaction is not part of the business model.
Think of the Matrix. Think of Soylent Green.
"Soylent Green is people! We've got to stop them somehow!"
the most i'd give to google is create a gmail account so they can look at my emails, and personal data, and sell them to whoever they want, but i'd never buy anything from them...
Btw, they're now getting into the market for renewable energy: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...s_Most_Popular
Enron, anyone?
I first heard that news on NPR this morning on the way to work. Google has a history of supporting renewable energy projects through philanthropic means, so this probably doesn't belong in the "Evil Empire" category like most Google actions.
According to one of their spokespeople, Google wants to be able to purchase renewable energy in bulk to off-set its massive energy consumption.
I was one of them.
Can't say I'm shocked.
What Apple manages to accomplish, can only really by accomplished by Apple. Apple approaches tech (and support) from a completely different place. Bertrand Serlet's comment about this last year was spot on.
It all comes down to attitude. Garbage in, garbage out.
Can't say I'm shocked.
You forgot the rest of my post, so let me remind you (
I was one of them. I waited 45 mins, and I got a product that I still think, for its price and quality and features, is the best consumer electronics product I've ever purchased and used, for its time. Massive consumer surplus there.
In fact, when I got a gift card from Apple a few months later, my consumer surplus went up by an unexpected $100!
You forgot the rest of my post, so let me remind you (
I read it. I just didn't want to call you foolish for standing in line to pay an extra 200.00 only to get 50% of your money back. Which really isn't 50% because you had to give it back to Apple anyways. Hope your money management skills have improved since then.
I read it. I just didn't want to call you foolish for standing in line to pay an extra 200.00 only to get 50% of your money back. Which really isn't 50% because you had to give it back to Apple anyways. Hope your money management skills have improved since then.
It has become even better. And, remarkably, it wasn't even in need of improvement! Thanks for asking.
In the meantime, you may wish to improve your basic knowledge of economics -- nah, general knowledge -- by internalizing (big word there) the phrase "consumer surplus".
I await your cut-and-paste of the definition.....
It has become even better. And, remarkably, it wasn't even in need of improvement! Thanks for asking.
In the meantime, you may wish to improve your basic knowledge of economics -- nah, general knowledge -- by internalizing (bid word there) the phrase "consumer surplus".
I await your cut-and-paste of the definition.....
If you stood in line for the first iPhone more then your money mangement skills needed improvement. Your medication needed adjustment. I'm sure that EDGE network speed at the time was great to work with.......