Forum Moderators: martinibuster
It's never the customer's fault, is it? He says he was "redirected" to Company X when in fact we know all too well that Adsense code requires you to consciously click on an ad.
OK, it's not costing us any money. But it is costing us time when this fool keeps repeatedly ringing and demanding to speak to a manager/director. If we can't get rid of him politely he's threatened to take us to the Small Claims Court. Don't laugh, the Small Claims Court is a bit of a stupid system - they accept ANY case whether or not there is merit in it. They have zero common sense. I've got a lot of experience with SCCs and don't really want to get into defending a silly case like this.
<rant over>
Accepted that this is the first time in over 100,000 clicks that someone has blamed us for an ad on our site. How do you deal with stupid customers like this? We tried contacting company X and they aren't answering their phones. I really don't want to take this to Google. No, I won't take this to Google.
[edited by: Macro at 3:38 pm (utc) on Aug. 24, 2004]
I then forwarded the e-mail to Google AdSense... And they promissed to "talk" to this advertiser.
One of the downsides of not having any control of the advertisers on your site..
Macro: Works the same way here in the USA in Small Claims Court. Doesn't matter what the merits of the case are or even if the plaintiff has any evidence. If you don't show up as the defendant, you lose.
That's so ridiculous!
And if you do turn up - imagine trying to explain to a geriatric neaderthal what Adsense is, convince him that you didn't place the ad there yourself, and then prove that the terms for use of the site were made sufficiently clear to the plaintiff (prior to his landing on your site?!). Explaining it to the average person would be difficult enough. Talking a technophobe - who can't tell the difference between a browser and the piles in his ars* - through the basics of what the WWW is all about could in itself take all year. Unless you've got to start with explaining what a PC is. And that could take a lifetime.
Generally, I'll bet a lot of unhappy customers associate the site they found the ad on, with a bad-apple advertiser.
Some punters just don't get it no matter how hard you try to reason with them - but it is hard to argue with somebody who won't talk. My bet is that he has heard the words 'small claims court' and hasn't a clue as to how to go about taking any action.
When all communication fails = stop talking.
[edit]
Yes, this is terrible customer service. But:
1. he's not your customer
2. he has no case
3. he's sounds like an idiot
[/edit]
The best advice in this thread was to tell him to call the credit card company and do a chargeback.
Yes, I agree - perfect reason and sense. In all normal circumstances.
But we have all come across Mr Muppet, and we all know that reason and sense are not part of his genetic makeup.
Mr Muppet likes chaos and to always be right. And when he knows he's wrong, he insists even more that he's right.
How do you deal with stupid customers like this?
Sit and listen and wait till he gets bored of telling you that he's right and you're wrong. Then he'll disappear as quickly as he arrived.
But he will continue to phone until he speaks to the director and has his say.
Let him have his say and get it over and done with. Let him do all the talking. He'll like that.
If he does issue proceedings (I really doubt it) call the Court Clerk and ask them about making an application for summary judgment under Rule 3.4 on the basis of the applicants case "... having no prospects of success". He'll have to say in his Statement of Case that you supplied him with goods or services and that you charged him money. Just point out the facts. The procedural judge will take it from there. Liklihood is you wouldn't need to attend Court...
TJ
It's easy to say 'customers are so stupid' etc, but believe me, we have all been in their shoes. I'm sure I sound like a moron when I go to the auto repair shop and I don't have a clue about anything.
Most people just want to be heard and gain your support. If you act like your on their side fighting for them, they will usually be more rational.
He'll be your customer for life
And that's a good thing?!
TJ
*nevermind, the internet is suppose to shutdown tomorrow anyways.. so that will end all of our problems.*
Most people still don't realise that the top half of the page on most search engines is a series of adverts. "Ooh, this is the top recommendation from Spam-U-Search!" Click.
Those who don't use the web much still haven't clocked onto the idea that a banner that resembles a window XP window cannot possible be anything to do with the OS, because it's in the middle of the web page. "I have 3 emails waiting for me? Great!" Click.
So it's not surprising that someone will turn up occasionally who can't distinguish between advert and content, advertiser and publisher.
My Mum is pretty clueless about the internet as well and unless someone sat her down and patiently explained this kind of error to her she'd be on the phone kicking up a tornado (to the wrong people) too.
In accordance with our legal policy, we do not engage in any further telephone or electronic correspondence with any individual or company who threatens or implies legal action. Should you wish to communicate with us from this point forward, it shall be done by your attorney, in writing, via U.S. Mail. Please inform your attorney of this notice, as any correspondence we receive from you from this point forward will be discarded. Our mailing address is: P.O. Box Whatever, etc... Wrap it up with the line "I look forward to hearing from your attorney. Sincerely, Your Name". They always love that one :P
One of two things will happen - either you'll never hear from them again, or you'll get another whiney e-mail where they pretend to be making arrangements with their attorney and tell you that you'll be hearing from them soon. You'll never hear from them.
