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Darren_Ssc
- Original Poster
- #41
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I'm a tad younger than @The Byre - if I was to order a takeaway on my mobile I'd ring up. The teenagers these days have grown up with smartphones most of their lives, they would never think of ringing up for a takeaway! They'd order via app.
I don't bother learning mobile numbers off by heart. I use the mobile phone and store numbers in there. Though often amusing when ringing someone and they ask for your mobile number - like its not showing on their mobile?
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Think you may be referring to electric cars. Electronics is a later idea.
Yes, electric cars have been around well over a century. Then were ignored in favour of firstly petrol then diesel cars. Now better electric cars and from recent reports much better batteries on the way - we'll be improving things again.
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It's nothing to do with being right, but you're comparing things that don't make sense. Those vehicles didn't make any sense back then, as they were practically useless.
Technology/advancements in general has changed that. What didn't make sense then, makes sense now.
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Nothing to do with the fact they couldn't reverse (if I remember correctly), could barely turn properly and couldn't handle even the slightest hill... so couldn't serve their intended function.
The 'technology' just wasn't there back then.
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A mobile or landline number is one of the most useful parts of information we receive (particularly a mobile number). We supply a lot of personalised goods. Will often get a message attached "need this for a birthday on Friday". Ordered on Wednesday when in large red letters says in production for 3 days before despatch. Then they pick 2nd class delivery. Send email to ask do they still want it as there is no way it will arrive in time. Not answered. Send text "Email sent concerning your order". Usually answered and sorted in minutes.
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I'm not sure when something was invented is really relevant. Things have advanced so much, it's no longer comparable.
Comparing a car battery now to one back in the sixties is like comparing fibre internet to to dial up internet.
"I've been able to access the internet before you were even born. It's nothing new." --
Right. Because back in the 90's you could watch a film in 4k online, that loaded in under a second while at the same time, downloading a 50gb video game.
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Our couriers now ask for a customer contact number.
Lots of the new apartments in London have crazy addresses and couriers easily get lost. Something like Apartment 7, Building 34, Block A, 22 Something Way, Two Lanes End, West End, London, Postcode
We tend to just put in the spare office mobile number, if the customer doesn't wish to leave one but this is rare. Most customers now get SMS notifications to their phone.
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We take a contact number. We put it on the courier's notes so they can contact the customer in case they need to.
I've had to use it once to call a customer regarding an incorrectly entered e-mail address.
Given that the majority of people view my site on a mobile device, it's safe to say they have a phone. And it's not been an issue to ask for a contact number.
I've had to use it once to call a customer regarding an incorrectly entered e-mail address.
Given that the majority of people view my site on a mobile device, it's safe to say they have a phone. And it's not been an issue to ask for a contact number.
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Darren_Ssc
- Original Poster
- #54
I think the original point was that supplying a mobile number was a requirement to place an order? I wonder if your reply is a perfect example of a retailer not listening to potential customers but, rather, just giving reasons for a practice that is putting people off?
I had to check, yes amazon do have a number for each of my delivery addresses but I am fairly certain that in 15 years no courier has ever used it other than to send me a tracking link. My office address used to be near impossible to find, tucked away in a quiet yard with no signage (only recently added) yet they still manage to find me.
Do you know how customers you are losing by asking for or insisting on unnecessary details, or have you not ever considered the possibility?
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T
The Byre
- Original Poster
- #55
I started this discussion not to discuss mobile phones - yay or nay. But the poor design of most online shops. If you need a contact number or an email or any other piece of information to deal with complications then make that option possible.
The really idiotic part of the ordering process on the specific webshop was that I could not order anything even if I did enter a mobile number. They didn't allow any address that was not in their database - and their database was hopelessly inaccurate and all the buildings on our little one-mile road that have numbers were just not in there!
Or as @Fagin2021 put it -
I know that there are many here with online shops and I wanted to point out that placing sales-prevention measures on your site means that you are losing sales.
The really idiotic part of the ordering process on the specific webshop was that I could not order anything even if I did enter a mobile number. They didn't allow any address that was not in their database - and their database was hopelessly inaccurate and all the buildings on our little one-mile road that have numbers were just not in there!
Or as @Fagin2021 put it -
The company in question put two sales prevention hurdles on their site and that is madness on a stick. Madness or rank stupidity!
I know that there are many here with online shops and I wanted to point out that placing sales-prevention measures on your site means that you are losing sales.
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Interparcel have this issue, or at least, they used to. Which, given that they're a parcel broker, ain't good.
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The Byre
- Original Poster
- #57
BT still have this problem! I bought our place 21 years ago and the previous owner left the telephone so that we could just have it transferred to us.
I called BT and I got the classic 'Computer says No!' answer. This went on for a week until I was able to speak to someone in the UK and not a call centre in India. The conversation was brilliant!
ME: I'm trying to get this telephone transferred to us but I keep getting rejected.
BT: Could I have the address, please?
ME: 18, Thingy Road.
BT: No, we don't have a connection for that address.
ME: Yes you do. I'm using it right now to talk to you!
BT: There is no such address on our database. You must be using another provider.
ME: There is no other provider in this area. It's BT or nothing!
BT: There is no number 18 I'm afraid.
ME: Yes there is - I've just bought the place!
BT: Well, we've certainly never provided a telephone to that number!
ME: You must have done, it says BT on the telephone that I am using right now and BT on the junction box and there is a very large BT telephone mast at the end of our driveway with a BT test seal on it!
BT: That is completely impossible, I'm afraid. We have never installed a line to a number 18.
(I gave this person the name of the previous subscriber)
BT: Oh yes! We do have that gentleman in our database. He lives at numbers 18 and 24.
Thus, did I learn that we are 18 and 24 and I have since learnt that we are also number 22 - number 20 it seems must have run away and never came back.
The OnBuy database does not have any numbers, but silly names, most of which seem to have changed anyway.
I called BT and I got the classic 'Computer says No!' answer. This went on for a week until I was able to speak to someone in the UK and not a call centre in India. The conversation was brilliant!
ME: I'm trying to get this telephone transferred to us but I keep getting rejected.
BT: Could I have the address, please?
ME: 18, Thingy Road.
BT: No, we don't have a connection for that address.
ME: Yes you do. I'm using it right now to talk to you!
BT: There is no such address on our database. You must be using another provider.
ME: There is no other provider in this area. It's BT or nothing!
BT: There is no number 18 I'm afraid.
ME: Yes there is - I've just bought the place!
BT: Well, we've certainly never provided a telephone to that number!
ME: You must have done, it says BT on the telephone that I am using right now and BT on the junction box and there is a very large BT telephone mast at the end of our driveway with a BT test seal on it!
BT: That is completely impossible, I'm afraid. We have never installed a line to a number 18.
(I gave this person the name of the previous subscriber)
BT: Oh yes! We do have that gentleman in our database. He lives at numbers 18 and 24.
Thus, did I learn that we are 18 and 24 and I have since learnt that we are also number 22 - number 20 it seems must have run away and never came back.
The OnBuy database does not have any numbers, but silly names, most of which seem to have changed anyway.
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D
Deleted member 59730
- Original Poster
- #60
While we are on problems ......
I am a director of a small property management business. Our accountant left the village and we now have a new one. The past 12 bank statements are missing and I need to persuade the bank to send them. We have sent 2 letters signed by 2 directors to the branch whose name and address is on our cheque book. No statement have arrived. So I phone the bank and having pressed lots of robot buttons finally get to speak to someone. He will not action anything until I tell him the answer to a security question. The question is :- In what month and what year was the account opened? This was about 16-18 years ago and all the early records have now been destroyed.
He refused to take a note of my request or pass me on to a supervisor. He suggested I phone again when I do know the answer.
Can anyone tell me what security issue is breached to send statements to the registered office of a LTD CO. which can be verified by a quick search of the Companies house record?
I notice that RBS is bottom of some customer satisfaction surveys.
I am a director of a small property management business. Our accountant left the village and we now have a new one. The past 12 bank statements are missing and I need to persuade the bank to send them. We have sent 2 letters signed by 2 directors to the branch whose name and address is on our cheque book. No statement have arrived. So I phone the bank and having pressed lots of robot buttons finally get to speak to someone. He will not action anything until I tell him the answer to a security question. The question is :- In what month and what year was the account opened? This was about 16-18 years ago and all the early records have now been destroyed.
He refused to take a note of my request or pass me on to a supervisor. He suggested I phone again when I do know the answer.
Can anyone tell me what security issue is breached to send statements to the registered office of a LTD CO. which can be verified by a quick search of the Companies house record?
I notice that RBS is bottom of some customer satisfaction surveys.
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T
The Byre
- Original Poster
- #61
That would have been far too easy!
I do sometimes wonder!
I closed our account with them when they tried to steal £20 in hidden charges that they agree to waiver!
The Douglas Adams 'Idiot-Proof' law.
"The problem with making something idiot-proof is that one fails to take into account the ingenuity of the average idiot!"
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There was a member here a while back whose signature read
i think this is idiot-proof, but would you mind checking it?
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We dont collect phone numbers, as long as we know what you want and where to send it, oh and that you've paid, happy days.
The jobs hard enough to get em to click the "buy" button without making things harder by asking 101 questions. One click payment gateways, the future if you ask me.
The jobs hard enough to get em to click the "buy" button without making things harder by asking 101 questions. One click payment gateways, the future if you ask me.
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LOL - yes, even for non personalised we get people ordering way too late.
Thursday late afternoon for a Sunday event.
21st December for Christmas
Friday before Valentines Day
And of course all 2nd class.
Apparently I've ruined wedding anniversaries, funerals, birthdays, weddings and engagements. Who knew a single gift was so central to an event?
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Royal Mail had this issue.
We used to have to order mail supplies be delivered to the company next door to our unit as our address wasn't on Royal Mail database and could not enter address manually, just pull down list of addresses for the postcode. Which of course works only when address exists in database.
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