Apple is eliminating the social media support roles from Twitter and others

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion

Apple is reportedly looking to cut back on providing human support on various social media outlets like YouTube and Twitter.

Apple Support app
Apple Support app



The official @AppleSupport account was launched in 2016, and it's primarily used to provide tips for Apple products and address customers directly. The account earned an award from Twitter that same year, thanks to its high level of engagement.

However, according to sources speaking to MacRumors, that will be coming to an end. The report states Apple is planning to eliminate its social media support advisor roles available on Twitter/X, YouTube, and the Apple Support Community forum.

The change will start beginning October 1, 2023, when Apple will stop all human replies via direct message on Twitter. Instead, according to the source, customers will receive an automated reply informing them how they can contact Apple to receive assistance.

The paid Community Specialist role that helps customers via the Support Community forum will also be eliminated. And Apple will stop offering technical support through comments posted on YouTube videos.

Reportedly over 150 employees are reportedly impacted by this change, but Apple is offering to transition them to phone support roles. One source said Apple is not allowing the employees to transition to other chat-based support roles, unless medically necessary.

The transition away from social media support is expected to be completed by the end of November. The employees who elect to make the transition to phone support will be provided with the necessary training.

Apple last updated its official Support app in August, providing more information regarding physical Apple Store locations, and more. The app, Apple's official support website, and phone line are going to be the only official support venues going forward.

AppleInsider is unable to confirm these changes are taking place. The story will be updated with any additional information as it becomes available.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    mayflymayfly Posts: 385member
    That Elon Musk runs Twitter like captain Joseph Hazelwood ran the Exxon Valdez: aground!
    darkvadertmayOferbaconstangdanox
  • Reply 2 of 15
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 2,023member
    Mistake.  Asynchronous support channels are important.  I use Twitter for support  for a lot of companies as I can respond at my pace and convenience.   Instead of wasting time on hold on the phone. 

    What about the official Apple support “Apple Messages for Business” account?   
    williamlondonOfergrandact73watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 15
    darkvaderdarkvader Posts: 1,146member
    Apple needs to get off of Xitter (it's pronounced "shitter") entirely.
    eriamjhtmayOferdanoxravnorodom
  • Reply 4 of 15
    slow n easyslow n easy Posts: 395member
    chadbag said:
    Mistake.  Asynchronous support channels are important.  I use Twitter for support  for a lot of companies as I can respond at my pace and convenience.   Instead of wasting time on hold on the phone. 

    What about the official Apple support “Apple Messages for Business” account?   
    I don't know about "Apple Messages for Business" account but I would be very surprised if they took that away. I think they just mean third party apps. I'm sure that people will still be able to get support through the Messages App. I have received help through the Messages App a few times and I prefer that method over phone support.
    Oferwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 15
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,327member
    chadbag said:
    Mistake.  Asynchronous support channels are important.  I use Twitter for support  for a lot of companies as I can respond at my pace and convenience.   Instead of wasting time on hold on the phone. 

    What about the official Apple support “Apple Messages for Business” account?   

    Agreed. The companies that have done support properly on social media networks get my approval. The companies that offer "pretend" support via these channels really frustrate me. I can't stand when companies responds with "Please send us a DM" to non-account-related questions, only for them respond in the DM with a link to open a support ticket. That is not support, it's a façade!
    edited August 2023 williamlondonOferwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 15
    p3rp3tr8rp3rp3tr8r Posts: 1member
    This is what customers want... less options... smh...
    edited August 2023 williamlondongrandact73
  • Reply 7 of 15
    Stabitha_ChristieStabitha_Christie Posts: 554member
    chadbag said:
    Mistake.  Asynchronous support channels are important.  I use Twitter for support  for a lot of companies as I can respond at my pace and convenience.   Instead of wasting time on hold on the phone. 

    What about the official Apple support “Apple Messages for Business” account?   
    The Macrumos article pretty clearly states that this is limited to Twitter, YouTube and Apple’s support forum on the website. 

    No reason to think messages support is going anywhere. 
    williamlondondewmeOferwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 15
    swat671swat671 Posts: 154member
    Wonder if they might be switching to some sort of chatGPT sort of setup. That could be a prime use of the technology. Answering peoples questions about how to use tech. You train it on all the existing tech manuals, and feed it in all the messages your support folks have sent and received, and hopefully it won't "hallucinate" anything, and voilà! A perfect use case for LLM setups. 
  • Reply 9 of 15
    AppleZuluAppleZulu Posts: 2,146member
    coolfactor said:
    chadbag said:
    Mistake.  Asynchronous support channels are important.  I use Twitter for support  for a lot of companies as I can respond at my pace and convenience.   Instead of wasting time on hold on the phone. 

    What about the official Apple support “Apple Messages for Business” account?   

    Agreed. The companies that have done support properly on social media networks get my approval. The companies that offer "pretend" support via these channels really frustrate me. I can't stand when companies responds with "Please send us a DM" to non-account-related questions, only for them respond in the DM with a link to open a support ticket. That is not support, it's a façade!
    Perhaps Apple is already seeing the end of the social media era through diminishing returns in providing customer support via those venues. It’s never been an efficient way to provide that resource. So as Mr. Musk unintentionally provides the public service of destroying Twitter, Apple takes the opportunity to step away from that mess. 

    I mean, think about it. Customer service via social media has always been a damage control defense mechanism. The scenario equivalent in “meat space” is one where people too obtuse to go directly to Apple for help instead wander into a crowd, loudly asking if anybody knows how to work their iPhone, or worse, just start yelling out random complaints about Apple. So Apple started sending support staff out into the crowds looking for these obtuse people, with two objectives: trying to provide assistance out in the street, and being seen by others as they try to provide assistance in the street. 

    I mean, that’s really what this was. People publicly complaining and demanding service, and companies trying to be seen providing that service, so that their reputation doesn’t get damaged by people who refuse to ask for help via the resources actually designed to provide that help. 

    I’ve sought help from Apple via their phone, online and in-person support services. The help provided has always been professional, responsive and effective. There is no justification for people to act like the only way they can get assistance is by loudly complaining about Apple in public. 

    So as Twitter self-destructs, perhaps Apple is seeing the opportunity to skip all the performative drama. 
    danoxwilliamlondonwatto_cobraFileMakerFeller
  • Reply 10 of 15
    Cesar Battistini MazieroCesar Battistini Maziero Posts: 388member
    They should increase this. X is a great platform for support. 

    A very bad move in my opinion. 

    And twitter is doing great, lefties hahahahaaha
    williamlondon
  • Reply 11 of 15
    AppleZuluAppleZulu Posts: 2,146member
    Cesar Battistini Maziero said:
    They should increase this. X is a great platform for support. 

    A very bad move in my opinion. 

    And twitter is doing great, lefties hahahahaaha
    This of course demonstrates precisely why social media is a lousy place to render technical support. Who wants to wade through political argumentation and other hateful yelling to find angry people who are too dense to come to a company's various online and real-world technical support venues to directly ask for help from said company's customer support?
    danoxwilliamlondonwatto_cobrachasm
  • Reply 12 of 15
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,315member
    The right call Apple doesn’t need the Clown shows…..
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 15
    mayflymayfly Posts: 385member
    Cesar Battistini Maziero said:
    They should increase this. X is a great platform for support. 

    A very bad move in my opinion. 

    And twitter is doing great, lefties hahahahaaha
    Good Heaven's (Gate)! Welcome to the cult!
    watto_cobrachasm
  • Reply 14 of 15
    freeassociate2freeassociate2 Posts: 213member
    This should tell you all you need to know. 
    Cavechini says that after almost two years of research, he has concluded that “there is no single profile of an extremist, which is frightening.” He describes Brazilian extremists as a diverse group that only shares “an immersion in an ecosystem of disinformation and complete disinterest in investigating other sources, such as journalism and science.”

    https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-03-10/new-brazilian-docuseries-explores-the-rise-of-right-wing-extremism.html

  • Reply 15 of 15
    mayflymayfly Posts: 385member
    freeassociate2 said:
    This should tell you all you need to know. 
    Cavechini says that after almost two years of research, he has concluded that “there is no single profile of an extremist, which is frightening.” He describes Brazilian extremists as a diverse group that only shares “an immersion in an ecosystem of disinformation and complete disinterest in investigating other sources, such as journalism and science.”

    https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-03-10/new-brazilian-docuseries-explores-the-rise-of-right-wing-extremism.html

    You just described MAGA to perfection. Guess while there is no single profile, there are most certainly commonalities, especially the echo chamber of confirmation bias and disinformation to which they limit themselves.
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