Don’t You Just Hate It When People Won’t Reply?!
August 15, 2008 · Print This Article
It’s not something I like to do, but I feel it has to be said. Now some of you ARE going to agree or disagree with me, but it’s something that I’ve noticed!… So YES, there is a little rant up ahead!
You know when you’re walking down the high-street and you walk past someone who you know very well, and you say ‘hello’ to them but get no reply in return! They just completely ignore you and continue on with whatever they were doing. (You’ll see were I’m going in a minute!)
Now when someone does that to me I don’t get upset, but you feel that you’ve done something wrong or along those lines. If someone says hi to me, then I’ll always say hello back to them. I mean, why not?!
The same thing applies to emails! Firstly I don’t lose any sleep over this, but it’s the fact that you’ve gone to the effort to contact someone and they can’t be ***** to send you a reply! (The worst thing is when you also have a direct email to them and still don’t get a reply!)
As I’ve said before, I’m not the kind of person who likes to pester people with emails. If I send an email to someone, then I’d hope they could get back to me so that I can address what they’d like, and email them back with an update.
I have a helpdesk for all my support issues, and I receive notification of when a new ticket has been submitted. It’s got nothing to do with this kind of help and support.
Another way of looking at this issue in the offline world is job applications! 99.9% of the companies you apply to, can’t even be bothered to tell you that they have received your information. It could be lost, and there really isn’t anything you can do.
Have you had the same kind of situation happen to yourself, and felt the exact same as I do?! I know a few people are looking to cut their emails down to virtually none, but I can’t really see how that is completely possible. Maybe it’s just they way I like to work, although I do check my emails too many times everyday.
Enjoy your weekend when it comes!
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The frustration for me is when people read my list emails - which say “To contact me please use my support desk” …then they just hit reply instead…
So Sometimes I get the email - but if not - then they are thinking I’ve ignored them… which is Never the case…
OR Worse still:
I get the email and reply - and because I’m now replying from my own email - it ends up blocked by their isp or in their junk folder… or sometimes they’ll actually get it - but not tell me they did…
And I’m left wondering for days whether they received it or not!!
Then I have to spend another morning send more emails asking if they even got the first….
Finally I get a reply saying they meant to reply - but hadn’t got around to it !!!!!!!!!!!!
AND these are usually from people who I’m trying to help at no cost — but I HAVE to waste 2 or 3 hours a weeks chasing their emails up etc….
When if they had just bothered to use the support link - I know they can log in and see the reply anytime they want!
====
Hence I can understand why people above my income levels with even more emails to answer can end up leaving it days - or just give up replying to people if it’s not a support issue… and why they end up with some annonymous support desk operative dealing with their customers.
Randy
http://www.MoreMonthly.com
I’m with ya, Mark.
I’d rather have a short answer… even just a “you go girl” in response to my email, than no answer at all. I mean, we’re all busy.
Randy, I have the same issue when replying to someone’s email and having it come from my own email. Some don’t bother to say “thanks” or “got it” and I’m left worried that it’s sitting growing mold in their spam folder.
Now my question is - are your going to respond to my comment?
Peggy
What had bothered me the most over the last couple of months was getting replies from my former webhost 9 days after having submitted a support ticket. And even then, they replied with an answer that wasn’t of any help or use at all!
Very annoying!
What I also find annoying is signing up as an affiliate for a marketer and having to wait for an approval that never comes.
And so on …
Correctly replying to a support ticket or a personally directed email is a matter of decency for me.
I think people (especially marketers) who don’t have that decency have a lack of class.
Yours,
Daniël
I was trying to figure out what ***** meant? did it start with an A?
I know what you are saying Mark, I deal with this from both sides of the coin. From my own point of view, I have been trying to get in touch with a marketer (a very respectable one at that) who owes me some affiliate money. I sent at least three emails to personal and to support to be ignored? Hmmm
Secondly, I have an email today from a guy who seems to think that help desks are a waste of time after typing a whole email out only to find an auto responder to the help desk, this can be annoying but it is far better for the recipient . Help desk takes away the personal element to email, however from my own experiences they reduce email to your inbox by 100% but never reduce them completely. If you have no emails there is something going wrong!
Can’t say I have ever ignored anyone in an email, but you will find from time to time guys send you an email and because you don’t reply it’s all your fault. Spam filters are the main concern and the biggest problem when sending an email. It’ just something we have to live with.
Dan
@ Randy - It’s almost a difficult situation here, and I can see all points of view! While I’d prefer people to use my helpdesk, if I receive an email then so be it, I’d just like them to confirm that they have at least received it!
@ Peggy - Why wouldn’t I respond to you now?!
I’d even prefer something just saying thanks, at least you know everything is sorted or finished!
@ Daniël de Mos - The worst thing when you have a helpdesk, is not responding to any new tickets within something like 24 hours. Now even if you don’t work weekends, as long as you mention that then nobody can complain really.
Support can make or break you business!
@ Dan - (Yeah, it did start wian an A!) Thanks for the comment, it’s really appreciated! I don’t mind receiving emails for support, and by that they have either replied to a broadcast I’ve just sent them or used my support@ email address. I would prefer them to use the helpdesk, but I can always point them in that direction for the next time they wish to contact me.
The part I don’t like is being ignored by people when you send them an email. I mean, I’ve talked to you via email a while back and you never left me puzzled… ‘OH, is Dan actually going to reply?!’
I agree with the fact that if you aren’t receiving any emails then something is usually going on! I check my emails far too many times a day, and 60% of the time I haven’t actually received any new ones. (The time all adds up!)
Once adgain, thanks for all the comments!
Thanks
Mark
Hi Mark,
As for support and a time frames, I used to check email every couple of hours. This like you say is a waste of time, as you may get one or too emails. I now check email every 12 - 24 hours around twice per day is enough.
I have submitted a lot of tickets in my time to some of the most respected marketers around the world. I did it to research my own help desk duties and try to find the best happy medium for myself and the sender. 12 - 24 is an excellent response time and I find guys have no issues with this time frame. It also gives the sender the time to figure problems out on their own and get back to you to say they have figured the issue out, which is always a good thing.
Before I purchase a product or service, I usually send a message to their Help Desk or Support Desk.
I explain that before I invest with them I am testing response times for support. I know some product owners might get a bit ticked off having to reply to this, but I do explain that the lack of support is my #1 pet peeve, and if they want my business I would just like to know what the actual response time is.
Now I don’t do this with $7.00 products…lol but I don’t wish to throw my hard earned bucks away either…..
Point being is: If I cannot get an answer in two to three working days, they don’t get my business.
Is this wrong or am I just a old stick in the mud that an owner would think..”better off without this guy”?
@ Al - You make a very interesting comment, and I like it! Now the reason I like it, is because of what you’ve just said. I don’t like investing in expensive products, at the best of times, but thats not the point!
If you aren’t able to get an answer, then what does it say in the product. - That is a question you will probably never know, I say that because the product could be AMAZING but their customer service lacks! (Result; well probably a lost customer!)
@ Dan - Now that was a smart idea mate, and something I’ve kinda done but not actually noticed what I was doing. Let me explain, I’ve contacted a few big people before (Using their helpdesk!) about something but never thought about checking out their response time!
All these comments are really appreciated, and if anyone has something else to add, then please do submit a comment!
Thanks
Mark
Hey Mark,
Good point there, I also have the same problems and it’s even more frustrating when I get an email from somebody saying I have ignored them, I have spent a lot of time and money implementing support, not just to filter the emails but to ensure people get through to me and vica versa, last week I got an email from a girl asking why I never replied to her last email, I checked and I did reply but obviously the email never got through, so I then sent the same email from 9 separate email accounts on 3 different servers, I still never got through but hey, you can’t say I never tried!
At least the support desk always gets through to people!
Dave.
@ Dave - Thanks for stopping by and posting a comment mate, it’s really appreciated! 9 seperate email accounts on 3 different servers, and they still get blocked by the spam filters! WOW!
I love support desks, and it really doesn’t cost you a fortune to setup! AskMarkNow.com is powered by TicketDeskPro and it does what it’s meant to do! There are some FREE ones around, and some that cost a lot, but have some more advanced features!
Look at it this way, I’ve replied to every comment made here, and I try to do that most of the time anyway! If someone emails you, posts a comment…anything, I always like to send them a reply. (Most of the time anyway, there are the odd times when I’d rather not!)
Again Dave, thanks for the comment!
Thanks
Mark
[...] my last post, (Don’t You Just Hate It When People Won’t Reply?!) you can see that the title is asking my readers to tell me what they think! Before they even see [...]
Hi Mark
It’s been a while since i have had any exchange of thoughts with you Mark, so i thought i would just send you a few lines to let you know that i have been following your posts for a few months now, and find the majority of them informative and helpful, and well as amusing.
Keep up the good work, and I hope everything is going well for you.
Lee.
@ Lee - Thanks for commenting, and glad you enjoy my posts! I try to keep them as informative as I possibly can, but I have to admit that they can turn into something amusing from time to time!
OH and thanks for asking how I am, I’m doing pretty good thanks. Still trying to get my business into the next gear though. I believe I’m still in neutral, so when I can get into 1st it’ll be party time I think!
Thanks
Mark