Kobo Support's gone to the dogs

[Uncle Robin]

Not a metaphor. Well, not SOLELY a metaphor.

I had pre-ordered three books that were delivered today. Withing an hour of them arriving, I noted that I was charged 10% MORE than the listed VIP price for each of them. After my first experience of the new AI chatbot (bastard child of Dante and Kafka, clearly), I decided to try the phone number I'd used in the past. It worked! I got through to a real person. Not as competent or professional as previous CSRs, but still a hominid. However, this hominid clearly works from home, because in the backgrond a canid could be heard loud and often, along with another hominid trying to quiet said canid. STILL better than wrestling with the AI, but

[rashkae]

I'm willing listen to the occasional dog rather than the background chatter of typical call center. Phone operator is one job that was long overdue to finish migration to home offices.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by rashkae

I'm willing listen to the occasional dog rather than the background chatter of typical call center. Phone operator is one job that was long overdue to finish migration to home offices.

Speaking as one whose own call centre type work has been from home for 9 years, I agree entirely.

[emmabee]

When I've rung Kobo here (UK) I get someone who is in a call centre. But they appear to be speaking English as a second language with an American-ish accent with an undertone that suggest East Asia. So I thought Phillipines, are yours in Canada?

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by emmabee

When I've rung Kobo here (UK) I get someone who is in a call centre. But they appear to be speaking English as a second language with an American-ish accent with an undertone that suggest East Asia. So I thought Phillipines, are yours in Canada?

I would bet good money on my CSR today, and the person taking to the dog, being SE Asian. Filipino more likely than Malaysian, I think

[emmabee]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

I would bet good money on my CSR today, and the person taking to the dog, being SE Asian. Filipino more likely than Malaysian, I think

I wonder if anyone gets Canadian Kobo customer support these days

[JSWolf]

We are not watching Veterinarian's Hospital.

[Barty]

I always feel more sympathetic toward the phone support person when I can hear they're working from home. Reminder that's it's a real person on the other end

It's irrational, I know. There's a real person regardless. And WFH is much preferable to the person, probably

My last call, I could hear chickens

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by emmabee

I wonder if anyone gets Canadian Kobo customer support these days

I’ve called for a pre order device I forget if it was the Aura One, Forma, or Sage, one of the people I spoke with sounded like they had a French accent so perhaps they were French Canadian.

Though I don’t think it was for the Sage, which does push this experience comfortably past what I’d consider “these days” especially if it was for the KA1

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Not a metaphor. Well, not SOLELY a metaphor.

I had pre-ordered three books that were delivered today. Withing an hour of them arriving, I noted that I was charged 10% MORE than the listed VIP price for each of them. After my first experience of the new AI chatbot (bastard child of Dante and Kafka, clearly), I decided to try the phone number I'd used in the past. It worked! I got through to a real person. Not as competent or professional as previous CSRs, but still a hominid. However, this hominid clearly works from home, because in the backgrond a canid could be heard loud and often, along with another hominid trying to quiet said canid. STILL better than wrestling with the AI, but

More importantly, did the person you spoke to resolve your problem?

I've just used the AI chatbot. Of course, it didn't help: the answer it gave me didn't address the problem.

Me: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley is on my wishlist, where it is shown as priced at £0.99. However, if I add it to my cart, the price suddenly goes up to £9.99. How do I get it at the advertised £0.99, please?

AI: The price of a book may change from the wishlist price when added to the cart due to various factors. While we don't have specific information about price changes in the wishlist, it's important to note that prices can fluctuate based on promotions, discounts, or market conditions. When you add an item to your wishlist, the price shown is current at that time. However, when you're ready to purchase, we always display the most up-to-date price in your cart. To ensure you're getting the best deal, we recommend checking the current price before completing your purchase.

Anyway, the chatbot transferred me to a real person when I said that I wanted more help. They confirmed that the promotion price should apply. I was told to buy it at the higher price, and promised a refund of the £9 difference. Clunky, but it works. So my online chat experience this morning was initially uninspiring, but worked well enough once a real person got involved. And I was given a 75% off voucher, too!

[ownedbycats]

I used the "AI" chatbot the last time I went through support — user error, paid full price for a book after forgetting to apply the coupon code.

Anyways, I asked the chatbot if I could refund the book and purchase it a second time to apply the coupon code. It then told me there was no method for refunding the book and then repurchasing to apply the coupon code. Then it told me to refund the book and repurchase it to apply the coupon code.

Thankfully, it worked.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by bluepeter

More importantly, did the person you spoke to resolve your problem?

Yes, he did, eventually. The conversation was continued by email and after he saw a screenshot of the issue, he arranged a refund of the price difference. However, ALL super points were deducted from the 3 purchases, so I emailed back again and said "why remove ALL ponts and not simply the points from the overcharged amount?" He then escalated that and withing a short time I had the correct amount of points back

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Yes, he did, eventually. The conversation was continued by email and after he saw a screenshot of the issue, he arranged a refund of the price difference. However, ALL super points were deducted from the 3 purchases, so I emailed back again and said "why remove ALL ponts and not simply the points from the overcharged amount?" He then escalated that and withing a short time I had the correct amount of points back

I'm glad that it was sorted out, but it sounds as if it was more hassle than it should have been - even without the chatbot's involvement!

By the way, the 75% off voucher code that I was given didn't work. I had difficulty finding a book in my wishlist that I was allowed to use it on. When I did, I got the error message telling me that that code had already been used the maximum number of times. Oh, well. I'm not really bothered, and won't push it.