Chatting live with Chad and Dolly Joy! Or not…
I am very suspicious.
When I connect online with our cable company for help with our internet service, I get a ‘live chat’ box on the computer with a technician. But I’m starting to question whether a ‘live chat’ is really a ‘live chat.’
I think it’s a ‘live chat with an automated answering machine.’
I have two reasons for thinking this: Chad and Dolly Joy.
The first time I needed help with my new internet service, I got connected to ‘Chad’ for help. He typed in a slew of questions to better serve me and my needs (that, at least, was what ‘Chad’ wrote in the live chat box). I answered all the questions, refused all his subsequent upselling, and finally got my internet service order placed.
Or so I thought.
The next day, I got an email saying I hadn’t completed my order.
I asked for online help and ‘Chad’ showed up again in the live chat box.
He started asking all the same questions again. I typed in: Wait a minute! We did all this yesterday. I just want to know if my order in on file.
‘Chad’ typed in: That was another Chad. There are several of us at the company with that name. I have questions to ask so I may better serve you and your needs.
He started in on the questions and upselling again. I yelled at him with all capital letters: I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF MY ORDER IS ON FILE! YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES BEFORE I CALL YOUR COMPETITOR!
Suddenly, ‘Chad’ was gone, and I was connected to another technician in a new ‘live chat’ box who informed me that yes, they had my order, and I should disregard the email.
A week later, I had trouble with my internet connection. I asked for online help. ‘Chad’ did not appear in the ‘live chat’ box.
Dolly Joy did.
Dolly Joy? Really?
Forgive me, but for a second I wondered if I’d mistakenly been connected with a different kind of online service.
But then Dolly Joy began typing in the same questions I’d gotten from the two ‘Chads’. I was clearly in the right ‘live chat’ box after all.
Oh, joy.
Or I guess I should say, Dolly Joy.
