Comments on: What Level of Customer Support Do You Expect With a Free Product or Service?

By: DaveMurr

DaveMurr — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:54:31 +0000

Coming from a heavy customer service background, I believe the level of customer service one should receive should not be measured if the product/service was provided for free to at a cost. The bar should always be set high. In fact, you could argue the bar should be set even higher for “free”, because there is even greater potential for someone to “buy” something from you if there are treated like royalty.

By: sethsimonds

sethsimonds — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:19:25 +0000

Yes. I see it often. Most view the “free” as a trial experience offered in good faith by a company that believes its product to be so useful that it warrants a financial investment to retain continued use.

It's a relationship no matter where you have your first conversation.

By: annemai

annemai — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:10:31 +0000

Hey, Seth – Been meaning to respond to you on this. We do expect a lot — even when it is free. And, companies should be willing to support it in the same way that they support paid products. So, I totally agree with your comments.

But, the recent, broader conversations around free — which you allude to — are definitely starting to bug me a little. In my experience — on the brand side — whenever you give something away for free — even with great servicing behind it — you get a less engaged, less loyal customer. The attendant attrition from a free product is always a good 2-3 times higher than for a paid product (just look at Twitter or any of the iPhone apps). Despite the public's desire/demand for free, whatever they obtain for free, they usually don't value (“who cares? it was free”). If consumers don't value something, how does a business sustain itself? How does our economy sustain itself? Free is great from a sampling the brand tactic but it's not sustainable.

By: Kim Brater

Kim Brater — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:00:12 +0000

Totallly agree – free is just another price point…and free is never free. If companies just focused on excellent customer service, perhaps the idea of giving something away for free or otherwise might not matter so much. Brand loyalty negates such tactics.

By: simoncmason

simoncmason — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:04:07 +0000

I'm starting to think the first thing on twitter's customer service agenda should be getting rid of the spam – would e-mail be any use at all anymore without the spam filters?

I know I don't have to follow anyone – but both #s and search results are becoming full of crap as well, plus the sheer amount of noise is putting newbie users off – you join, you're excited to follow people and you get 99% spam so you never log in again.

So there we are – get income, provide a great service for free and filter out the junk (not necessarily in that order) Ev and Biz have got an easy job!!!

By: sethsimonds

sethsimonds — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:35:01 +0000

I'm not in the loop enough to know what future plans are. I've seen ads (not enough to make sense of things) and I've thought of some premium options that would work for Twitter.

However, until they get some sort of income I'm not sure how they could justify a big in-house pr team. Cart before the horse when they need to be side-by-side.

We shall see! =)

By: sethsimonds

sethsimonds — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:25:43 +0000

You just took the wind out of so many happy social media sails, Kim! =)

Free is not only expensive but it's a lot of work. Just another price point? I think so.

By: Danny

Danny — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:50:29 +0000

Would you be referring to DISQUS, my good man?

VC is an old, outdated model (or at least the mindset behind it is). Silicon Valley (and I use that as they're generally VC pimps) often have more money than sense and it's a “I'll do this to beat so-and-so down the valley” approach. If better service (and the costs incurred by it) mean less VC nonsense, I'm all for it.

By: sethsimonds

sethsimonds — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:11:09 +0000

Even if your service leaves people's content high and dry if they decide to stop using it? =)

I like the idea of keeping something behind closed doors until support can be fully available to help with users bumbling about the service beta.

VC-driven ventures seem intensely driven to get a product into circulation and see how the idea takes. There seems to be less worry about sustained organic growth and more concern over riding a wave of buzz.

They'll get it right someday!

By: sethsimonds

sethsimonds — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:57:38 +0000

Ahh, yes. I see that a lot with telecom ads. “offer open to new users only.” How silly. I'd be psyched if I got to upgrade my service like the new people. I hope the mindset of “existing customers won't leave” will change to the point where companies are making continued effort to woo consumers who have already signed up.