My story regarding Kobo customer care

[sabredog]

I am personally disappointed with Kobo support as my request for SD card assist is over two weeks old, with no reply except the obligatory "escalated to level 2 support".

It would have been nice to get some form of feedback over this upgrade issue but nothing as yet.

I live in hope!

[zoran]

Aside of SD card image, I'm sure that files do exist on kobo's server.
Every method probably downloads them and loads them to device.
Every other option would be irrational. They simply might post a link
to already available files.

[Juliette]

I feel your pain. Last week they had a bit of a mess with book distribution; I suppose it had something to do with their servers or something. So, purchased three books mid-morning (I had bought one at breakfast) and they won't download the .acsm file for ADE. Server message: Forbidden. O-Kay, means that's something wrong with dbs. Try and try again, and send message to customer service- I can't download the book, the .acsm file doesn't get to my computer, error message and so. Two days after I get a email and they tell me that I don't have to download anything, because there's ADE that will do that. I politely thank them because ok, you answered me, and the problem went away on its own, but I also told them nooo, you do download a file, it just won't show in the Download location but on the temp folder (just check the download menu window, in Firefox). No answer. Oh well, I did it for the glory.

So, my idea is: their CS is better than Waterstones', but still they're pretty clueless. Still, my problem went away on its own, yours is still there

[JOCO_MKNZ]

sabredog for what it is worth. I submitted the same request 12 days ago, it was escalated to level 2 and I still havent got a reply. So you are not alone

[clintbradford]

>> ... as my request for SD card assist is over two weeks old, with no reply except the obligatory "escalated to level 2 support" ...

Why are you posting this? Have you been contacting your Kobo rep every couple of days?

There is something missing from your post. Either not sufficient info given to Kobo .. or not sent directly to Kobo properly ... or no logical and reasonable follow-up on your end - SOMETHING is missing. Because if you read this message board for a while (which is full of "problem reporters" while the vast majority of owners are not here, pleased with their Kobos) - you will discover that Kobo reps are eager to please us.

Long live Kobo.

Clint Bradford

[clintbradford]

>> ... They simply might post a link to already available files ...

I hope that they do not.

I can only imagine how bastardized/altered such files would get when released to the world as a simple download somewhere and "re-distributed." Which would only make Kobo's job harder as far as support is concerned.

[sabredog]

Originally Posted by clintbradford

>> ... as my request for SD card assist is over two weeks old, with no reply except the obligatory "escalated to level 2 support" ...

Why are you posting this? Have you been contacting your Kobo rep every couple of days?

There is something missing from your post. Either not sufficient info given to Kobo .. or not sent directly to Kobo properly ... or no logical and reasonable follow-up on your end - SOMETHING is missing. Because if you read this message board for a while (which is full of "problem reporters" while the vast majority of owners are not here, pleased with their Kobos) - you will discover that Kobo reps are eager to please us.

Long live Kobo.

Clint Bradford

Really?

So you think I deliberately missed something out here?

Tell me what it is please as I would love to know.

I should not have to follow up with customer service of ANY company once a ticket is lodged. That company's customer service needs to contact me with a resolution.

I am sure the vast majority of Kobo owners are, as am I. Except for the lack of response nearly two weeks after lodging a support request.

A question was asked and as yet no response.

I also resent the fact you are accusing me of deliberately missing out information in my post, effectively calling me a liar.

[clintbradford]

Not calling you a liar. Possibly a poor communicator, but not a liar.

I would not let such a "problem report" go on for two weeks without additional intervention. And I certainly would not NOT re-contact Kobo but post a complaint in a messagegroup like this. I would rather get my problem handled, rather than look for sympathy.

Just my opinions, of course.

Long live Kobo.

[zoran]

Originally Posted by clintbradford

>> ... They simply might post a link to already available files ...

I hope that they do not.

I can only imagine how bastardized/altered such files would get when released to the world as a simple download somewhere and "re-distributed." Which would only make Kobo's job harder as far as support is concerned.

My position is opposite.
If you have SD card, you could add fonts for your language, remove
drm_book.tgz, set proper sleep time...
I want to remind you that linux has started as "bastardized" project.
Finally, we all want control over device we paid for. For fun and
<insert-favorite-word-here>.

[sabredog]

Originally Posted by clintbradford

Not calling you a liar. Possibly a poor communicator, but not a liar.

I would not let such a "problem report" go on for two weeks without additional intervention. And I certainly would not NOT re-contact Kobo but post a complaint in a messagegroup like this. I would rather get my problem handled, rather than look for sympathy.

Just my opinions, of course.

Long live Kobo.

Be careful how strongly you voice your opinions then as you come across as abrasive. As for being a poor communicator, I professionally deal with the public all the time and have NEVER been accused by management or those I deal with as a poor communicator.

Sympathy? You reckon I am looking for sympathy? Then why do you post here then? To have a go at people with opposite experiences and opinions to you?

Not after sympathy in any form. Not now not ever.

You managed to upgrade your firmware via SD card I see. One of the lucky ones. Yet you have a go at people who want a better way to upgrade theirs?

Strewth.

[wrenn1]

Clintbradford sounds like a Kobo rep. Blame the customer first.

[thp1017]

This is the one drawback to posting in forum like this - we lack facial expression, etc., and have no way to know to how a poster meant to state something - its so very easy to read nasty intent in a post that was surely not meant that way.

I guess the question really is what were you hoping for when you posted here? A place to bitch? (which I can definitely understand ), trying to get some followup support from a Kobo employee that follows posts here? Or something else?

I would heartily recommend following up with Kobo directly - the Kobo support staff isn't perfect, and they could have accidentally marked your request as completed, deleted it, etc - shit happens It only takes a minute to send an e-mail, or add a followup note to your request (however it works?), and hopefully have it ping the person who got the request, or someone new. Worst case, they e-mail you back and say 'We're working on it.'

-----------

For the SD card upgrade technique - I'm of two minds. For me, personally, I absolutely want it, so that I can make changes. For the "average" user, its hard to say - the possibility exists that they'll somehow get ahold of a non-standard image, and brick their kobo. Maybe some message that says 'If you use a non-standard image, and brick you're Kobo, we're not at fault, and we won't help you (or help you much)?' I have an old Nokia n800, and it gave a similar message any time you installed non-Nokia software...

[clintbradford]

>> ... Clintbradford sounds like a Kobo rep. Blame the customer first ...

No - you (a) don't know me at all and (b) don't read very much here.

Because if you did, you'd realize that (a) I am just a consumer with a little experience with my Kobo, and (b) the Kobo reps here are MUCH more responsive and helpful than I ever could be.

>> ... Be careful how strongly you voice your opinions then as you come across as abrasive ...

My intention entirely. We're just on different wavelengths when it comes to effectively communicating. I would not wait for "two weeks" for a reply from ANYONE - whether an electronics firm, an elected official, or my tax accountant. And I most certainly would not post my sob story in a public forum WITHOUT making a bunch of contacts to help me resolve my perceived problems.

Actually, we were in the same boat. My Kobo died. But no one here knew about it. I was in constant contact with a real person at Kobo - that was my Plan A: to get my Kobo up and running. Plan B was my 60 day return/exchange window at any Borders store as a Borders Rewards Club member - so if I got close to 60 days without satisfaction, I was going to exchange my Kobo for a new one.

But Plan A proceeded, and I am interrupting reading my Kobo to reply here.

But I see a woefully inadequate Plan A on your part: One message two weeks ago to some unknown person at Kobo.

Neither of us should have to be going through what we are going through - I give you that. All electronics items should work 100% of the time for 100% of all consumers. I could have easily given up on Kobo and bought a Kindle2 back then, or a Nook - both with their attractiveness. But I felt I was "in" on some growing pains for Kobo, and was glad to assist them with troubleshooting my Kobo. Would I rather have been reading books while waiting for Plan A to materialize? Absolutely.

Long live Kobo.

[HamsterRage]

Originally Posted by sabredog

I also resent the fact you are accusing me of deliberately missing out information in my post, effectively calling me a liar.

Common sense tells me to stay out of this thread, but what's the fun in that?



To me, this seems like an overly aggressive response to Clint, and in an open forum like this is hardly likely to generate a positive response to sabredog from any of the other forumites. Anybody who's spent any amount of time online has seen this stuff happen over and over again, it's just far too easy to misinterpret someone's post without being able to hear their voice, or see their facial expressions or body posture.

In a perfect world, it would be enough to place a support call and then rest assured that the wheels will turn and a solution will come along without any further need for the customer to goose the process along. As a realist, I'd have to say that there's always a strong possibility that won't happen, for whatever reason, and the best practice is to be the squeaky wheel if you want to get oiled faster.

From that respect, it does appear from sabredog's OP that he placed his support call and then hoped for the "perfect world" scenario to come about which, in this case, it didn't. Of course, that's just a guess, based on the scant information from a short forum post. Would I have handled the issue that way? Probably not, but mostly because I'm more of a squeaky wheel personality myself.

[wrenn1]

I learned from my kids that no one responds (or hears) a lecture voice.