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content/u/blog/an-alternative-to-annoying-phone-hotlines/contents.lr
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title: An alternative to annoying phone hotline systems title: An alternative to annoying phone hotlines
--- ---
pub_date: 2020-11-29 pub_date: 2020-11-29
--- ---
@ -24,20 +24,22 @@ call "hotline". Or in other words: a voice based communication that
allows to easily queue people. allows to easily queue people.
The motivation and how it works is rather clear: there are a finite The motivation and how it works is rather clear: there are a finite
number of employees, each of which can only talk to one person, so if number of employees, each of which can only talk to one person at a
the number of requests is more than number of employees, then you are time. So if the number of requests is more than number of employees,
stuck in the queue. However this post is not about the annoyance of then you are stuck in the queue. However this post is not about the
waiting in a queue and enduring little quality down sampled classic annoyance of waiting in a queue and enduring little quality, down
music pieces. sampled classic music pieces.
No, in this post I want to address a different fundamental problem: No, in this post I want to address a different fundamental problem:
every time you call, you start a fresh conversation. You are likely to every time you call, you start a fresh conversation. You are likely to
talk to a different person with a different background and from a talk to a different person with a different background and probably
customer perspective you usually don't have any trail of previous not much knowledge of your situation. From a customer perspective you
communication. Actually, the company you are calling might record (and usually don't have any trail of previous communication. Actually, the
correctly announce it before) the call. However as a customer you company you are calling might record (and correctly announce it
cannot. Often it is also impossible to correspond with the company by before) the call. However as a customer, you cannot easily record as
email, so all written communication has to be sent in letters. In 2020! well. Often it is also impossible to correspond with the company by
email, so all written communication has to be sent in letters. In
2020!
Looking at it this way clearly shows how much power imbalance the Looking at it this way clearly shows how much power imbalance the
innovation of the phone hotline is causing. But it could easily be innovation of the phone hotline is causing. But it could easily be
@ -50,9 +52,10 @@ You might or might not remember when companies used to be smaller and
you would request a service with the counterpart in person. Both of you would request a service with the counterpart in person. Both of
you know each other and are fully aware of each other responsibilities you know each other and are fully aware of each other responsibilities
("I give you money, you give me a product or service") and also of the ("I give you money, you give me a product or service") and also of the
support process (A: "It did not work" - B: "I'll fix it (also because support process (A: "It did not work" - B: "I'll fix it!).
you are my neighbour and it's really not good for our relationship if Often the service provider was not far away, might even have been my
I don't"). neighbour. And it's really not good for our relationship if my
neighbour does do what he promised to do.
As you can easily imagine this does not scale nor work easily in big As you can easily imagine this does not scale nor work easily in big
companies where staff is rotated or fluctuating. The old value system companies where staff is rotated or fluctuating. The old value system
@ -67,9 +70,9 @@ So we could say that they are two extremes: one very personal, high
quality, expensive and the other - well, you get the picture. Is it quality, expensive and the other - well, you get the picture. Is it
possible to improve the current situation and how can we get the best possible to improve the current situation and how can we get the best
of the two worlds? Before answering this question, let me give you a of the two worlds? Before answering this question, let me give you a
short background of where we are and how we work at ungleich, to show short background of where we, ungleich, are and how we work, to show
you how these approaches can naturally merge. you how these approaches can naturally merge.
show how
## ungleich @ Digital Glarus ## ungleich @ Digital Glarus
@ -94,23 +97,26 @@ system". If you offer a service towards people in Digital Glarus, you
need to take responsibility and be trustworthy. Otherwise the word need to take responsibility and be trustworthy. Otherwise the word
will get out within a few days and social enforcement will result in will get out within a few days and social enforcement will result in
no more work for you. no more work for you.
While this might sound cruel, you could actually call this "social While this might sound cruel, you could actually call this "social
quality assurance". quality assurance". Actually a bit similar to what we see in social
media, just lower scale.
And how does this look like in reality? People here want and need to And how does this look like in reality? People here want and need to
be convinced that you are trustworthy. You are having (pre Corona) in be convinced that you are trustworthy. You are having in
person meetings, one person will make a protocol and then later send person meetings (before corona), one person will make a protocol and then later send
it for verification back to the other party. If something is noted it for verification back to the other party. If something is noted
incorrectly, the protocol will be amended and again verified. incorrectly, the protocol will be amended and again verified.
This ensures that trust is built and also that both parties, the
delivering company as well as the customer are playing on eye level.
## Combining old values and new communication ## Combining old values and new communication
Let's come back to the original problem: we shifted from high quality, Let's come back to the original problem: we shifted from high quality,
individual services to mass produced in-transparent individual services to mass produced in-transparent
communication. Technically and organisational, it is not necessary to communication. Technically and organisational, it is not necessary to
provide a worse product or service if it is mass produced. provide a worse product or service if it is mass produced. It just
happens to be the case due to technical limitations in the beginning.
So let's go back to the hotline problem: we advocate a simple change So let's go back to the hotline problem: we advocate a simple change
that costs little for companies to implement but restores trust and that costs little for companies to implement but restores trust and
@ -129,9 +135,9 @@ sharing. However, **the key points of the conversation must be sent to
the customer**. This way, as a customer I can easily react and correct the customer**. This way, as a customer I can easily react and correct
statements that have been incorrectly recorded. With a trail. statements that have been incorrectly recorded. With a trail.
Furthermore in a later stage, I as a customer, also have a trail and Furthermore in a later stage, as a customer, I also have a trail and
the ability to respond to the previous conversation by text, giving me the ability to respond to the previous conversation by text, giving me
the opportunity to add to the trail. the opportunity to add to the trail. And to built trust on the way.
Obviously, our suggestion here is not rocket science. In fact, it is a Obviously, our suggestion here is not rocket science. In fact, it is a
very easy, natural and cost effective measure to be more transparent very easy, natural and cost effective measure to be more transparent
@ -142,4 +148,7 @@ expensive to implement such a system. To prevent that argument from
being true, we have added a [Hosted Support being true, we have added a [Hosted Support
System](/u/products/hosted-support-system/) to our product System](/u/products/hosted-support-system/) to our product
list. Nobody needs to get it from us, but anybody can. And thus there list. Nobody needs to get it from us, but anybody can. And thus there
is no excuse, not to have it implemented. is no excuse, not to have it implemented. It is a very similar
[approach to not have an excuse for not having
IPv6](/u/products/ipv6-vpn/), but that is a story for
another day...

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content/u/products/hosted-support-system/contents.lr
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@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ organise them easily. You can
## How to use it ## How to use it
With our hosted support system you get a url like With our hosted support system you get a url like
http://support.example.com. Your employees can login to the system and http://support.ungleich.ch. Your employees can login to the system and
work on requests. Your customers / users can either correspond with work on requests. Your customers / users can either correspond with
you via email or login to the support system themselves to manage you via email or login to the support system themselves to manage
their tickets. their tickets.

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content/u/products/ipv6-vpn/contents.lr
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@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ on [IPv6VPN.ch](https://ipv6vpn.ch).
IPv6 only websites to be reachable from the IPv4 world. IPv6 only websites to be reachable from the IPv4 world.
* [IPv4 as a service](/u/products/ipv4-as-a-service/) - enable you to * [IPv4 as a service](/u/products/ipv4-as-a-service/) - enable you to
get your static IPv4 address anywhere get your static IPv4 address anywhere
* [The VIIRB](/u/products/viirb-ipv6-box/)
--- ---