Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 91

Rest your pointer over the banner ("When customers need help...") on http://www.handspring.com/support/index.asp and check out the alt text...

Shows a lot about how they might really feel about us guinea pigs, IMHO.

(Ordered 9/14, still waiting)

[This message has been edited by VancouverCanuck (edited 11-03-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

I hate to say it, because I know just how frustrating the customer experience has been for many of us, but I think the behind-the-scenes has been one long nightmare for Handspring too. From personal emails, it sounds like Handspring is jumping hoops to fix what's wrong. That 'tool tip' is the only outlet for some poor folks who are probably thinking, "Man! I've already put in 60 hours of work this week. enough is enough!"

But don't get me wrong...I know that this past month has been frustrating.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 91

The motivation is understandable--everyone needs to blow off steam now and then--but anyone with even a little HTML skill should know enough to put comment tags around something like this to keep stray mouse pointers (or browsers in text-only mode) from revealing something less than professional. Then your only worry would be source code nerds. Hmm, gives me an idea....

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

But was it an accident that you read it? I wonder...they probably wanted (approved) that tool tip.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 90

They're right...it's not even funny.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 91

It just gets easier and easier to get really cynical about this company. For the record, the alt text originally said "We care so much about our customers, it's not even funny." Now, not a few hours later, it's been changed to match the graphic and look more professional.

Your welcome for the tip, Handspring.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

Vancouver, what are you saying?! From what I've seen, they've totally removed the 'sarcastic' line and made the tool tip to read exactly as the title graphic. They did this probably in response to your thread. But you're not satisfied with that?

Chris

[This message has been edited by ragamuffinn (edited 11-04-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 200

I wonder if the page designer is still with HS or whether he got transferred to CSR...?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 54

That alt text for that graphic had been there for weeks, long before the shipping issues started. I think there's an old thread around somewhere that comments on it. They probably did change it due to this thread though. I thought it was funny, but hey, different strokes and all...

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 91

Sorry for not being more explicit with my last post here,ragamuffin. Although it's comparing apples and oranges, the quick attention by Handspring for their own benefit (while we all wait and wait for attention of one kind or another) just fed into my cynical nature. In the end, it's really funny. Sorta.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

Vancouver,

Got it...Thanks for clarifying.

Chris

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Dallas, TX, USA
Posts: 70

I'd say I have to agree... If they've got some webhead dicking around with tooltips tags, they're paying someone who could be assisting with the website/database rebuild, or at the very least put him/her on the phone and have them start calling customers whose orders have screwed up. Or send him to the warehouse to help box and ship. Just my opinion, of course!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

MeghannMac,

Whoa there...There is SO much that we don't know about HS's operation that it's a bit premature to think that the person who is messing around with the HTML for this isolated incident is even in the same state as the call center or distribution center, or qualified to assist in the website/database rebuild. It is doubtful that the CS outsource company and/or Logistix would even take him/her if HS did what you're suggesting.

OTOH, it could also very well be as you say, that the person dicking around with tooltip tags is also part of the team that is managing the online commerce and database; but that he/she took one minute to comment out that tag in the HTML does not mean that he/she is failing to perform other duties.

It isn't fair to assert that just because there is someone not working directly on fulfilling visor orders that HS is somehow failing their customers.

As another poster has remarked, that tool tip has existed since the day the support page was up. Maybe "dicking around with tooltips" is a slight mischaracterization of HS as this point. It's not like we're seeing questionable HTML all over their website...just on this one page.

And by this stage in the game, we are receiving ample admission of error and real assurances from Donna Dubinsky herself that they are working in overdrive to fix the problems. Look, Sept. orders are being rushed out FedEx, overnight, at their expense! I only paid $6+ for shipping! I live in Hawaii! It was overnighted! I believe Dubinsky when she says that they are really trying to fix the problems. I have a Visor in my hands to prove that they are trying. If it was "business as usual," then I should have had to pay for the $20 UPS 2 day.

Where before there was perhaps some reason to suspect that Handspring was ignoring us, there is now strong evidence to support the contrary.

We gotta give them a chance to come clean, people.

[This message has been edited by ragamuffinn (edited 11-04-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 70

But rags...they came clean for you good buddy, not the rest of us "who should've expected to get burned," as another poster mentioned. Silly us, believing a techco product announcement.
No slam is too grand until the visors' in hand!!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

Buff,

Oh c'mon. Just what are you accusing me of saying? And just what are you characterizing me as? They've been coming clean not just for me, but for several folks already. What this should indicate to us is that they are moving through the stack of problem orders and getting them out as soon as they can. I'm not the only one who got FedExed. Maybe your order is being rushed too. It isn't impossible, nor would I consider it unlikely at this point.

Do you honestly think that I'm saying you are all silly for "believing a techco product announcement"? That's absurd. It's not what I'm doing at all.

And with regard to your cool rhyme, I beg to differ. A week ago, there was ample reason to think that our requests were being totally ignored. That was my point in the previous post. But now there are more and more orders being rushed out FedEx, Dubinsky is publicly admitting to the problems, HS is directly getting involved in clearing up the problem orders. They ARE getting their act together, and that they did was my concern to begin with. I guess I won't speak for others, but I was willing to wait for my order--so long as I knew they were seriously working to fix their problems. It so happened that my order shipped already, but I didn't know that when I had a change of attitude after seeing the changes to the website and reading Dubinsky's replies to the many emails that were sent to her personally.

All I'm saying is that they are trying to get their act together. If we keep saying "Handspring sucks" in spite of their attempts to fix everything, then it is no longer they who are the culprit, but we.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Dallas, TX, USA
Posts: 70

My only point is that SOMEONE spent the time to be concerned with this little tag, and to fix it. Most likely, someone in management had to take the time to approve the fix. Even more likely, there was some sort of change management procedure that had to take place in order to make a change to a production model (if they're doing it right, that is). This is time spent on something trivial and insignificant, when they have an issue at hand that could potentially sink the company. Not that it necessarily will, their product may be great enough to prevail, but what is everyone going to remember about HS? The fact they couldn't even take a freakin' order right.

All I'm saying is that I've worked in lots of different industries, and when a company screws up as blatantly and as badly as HS has, ALL non-essential work comes to a complete stop, and every hand is put to work putting out the fires and trying to keep thier customers relatively content. The issue is one of perception, not of reality. No matter where this person is, he/she could be put to work answering the hundreds or thousands of emails Customer Care is getting, instead of having an autoresponder tell the customer to call the phone number.

But of course, the plain truth is that thier jilted customers are so hacked right now, that HS would be roasted on the spit if they didn't fix it, the same as they are FOR fixing it. But allow us some venting, we're all anxious to get our toys and frustrated with the fact that we can't get straight answers out of anybody.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

MeghannMac,

> But allow us some venting,
> we're all anxious to get our toys and
> frustrated with the fact that
> we can't get straight answers out of
> anybody.

Okay...I know. Sorry about that.

Chris

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 187

MeghannMac,
Venting is good. After all, I have done my share of it here, and then some. But let's put everything on the table. Which complaint should HS handle first? Only the ones that they get from emails? Or wouldn't it be in the best interest of the company to head off complaints BEFORE they get that far? I think that is shows that HS is paying attention in that comments about the slogan that were posted here MAY have caused management to say, "We need to fix this before it gets out of hand". One of my emails to HS addressed this slogan, but not in a way that would warrant the removal of it from the site. I think you should be glad that whoever is in a position to change the site sat up and took notice that the slogan wasn't going over too well. The re-wording of two little lines of HTML took but a few seconds. Isn't a few seconds of someones time at HS worth getting rid of something that MAY cause customers to have a reason to complain???

I understand your frustration. I was in the same boat. I now have answers. It is unfortunate that these answers weren't published on the web site as a general statement, but they satisfied me. I have attempted to let those on this board know what was conveyed to me, but many haven't bothered to read the statement, so maybe putting it on the HS site wouldn't do much good. If people don't read it here why would I think that they would read it on the HS page? Who knows...

Hopefully this is the straight scoop and we won't have much longer to wait. I hope so.