Comments on: How to lose customers and alienate people http://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/ Tech-savvy insight and analysis Sat, 26 May 2012 13:26:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: craigdigivoxhttp://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/comment-page-1/#comment-15677 craigdigivox Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:08:48 +0000 http://www.memeburn.com/?p=2007#comment-15677 I just cant understand that with Standard Bank, the amount you have to remember everytime if your card isnt on you is fairly annoying as it is, but then again, its your bank on the internet and security is necessary! But that reset button is very unnecessary, BACKSPACE already:)<br><br>I feel your pain with the SAA, had the same issues a couple of months back... was quite stunned at the response they gave me, as I had noticed clearly my departure and destination were DEFINITELY not the same! I just cant understand that with Standard Bank, the amount you have to remember everytime if your card isnt on you is fairly annoying as it is, but then again, its your bank on the internet and security is necessary! But that reset button is very unnecessary, BACKSPACE already:)

I feel your pain with the SAA, had the same issues a couple of months back… was quite stunned at the response they gave me, as I had noticed clearly my departure and destination were DEFINITELY not the same!

]]> By: danielforerhttp://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/comment-page-1/#comment-15596 danielforer Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:59:03 +0000 http://www.memeburn.com/?p=2007#comment-15596 The above usability issues happen as SA companies are ignorant to what usability really is. This is to say (i) they have no knowledge of usability &/or (ii) have no understanding of usability. They also do not quantify the cost of these issues & think they know better when approached to fix them. <br><br>Comparing big business in SA and abroad, the problem is more common in SA. Partly for the above reasons, but also because international companies realise the ROI of usability & get a usability professional involved early on & give them authority to do what they have been employed to do.<br><br>I've heard SA companies brag about their "most usable" web applications (i.e. Standard Bank is won of them & even made an ad campaign out of it, yet they are on the list above), but are confused. SAA's autocomplete/validation on destination/departure has irritated me for years. Thats why I generally do not book with them. Maybe they should quantify that cost.<br><br>I challenge these big business to contact real usability professionals & get them involved in their projects. That way they can join the 21st Century. I am a real usability professional in SA and there are others. But beware the prentenders, they lurk out there too.<br><br>So contact one of us.<br><br>You are welcome to contact me.<br><a href="mailto:forermedia@gmail.com" rel="nofollow">forermedia@gmail.com</a> The above usability issues happen as SA companies are ignorant to what usability really is. This is to say (i) they have no knowledge of usability &/or (ii) have no understanding of usability. They also do not quantify the cost of these issues & think they know better when approached to fix them.

Comparing big business in SA and abroad, the problem is more common in SA. Partly for the above reasons, but also because international companies realise the ROI of usability & get a usability professional involved early on & give them authority to do what they have been employed to do.

I've heard SA companies brag about their “most usable” web applications (i.e. Standard Bank is won of them & even made an ad campaign out of it, yet they are on the list above), but are confused. SAA's autocomplete/validation on destination/departure has irritated me for years. Thats why I generally do not book with them. Maybe they should quantify that cost.

I challenge these big business to contact real usability professionals & get them involved in their projects. That way they can join the 21st Century. I am a real usability professional in SA and there are others. But beware the prentenders, they lurk out there too.

So contact one of us.

You are welcome to contact me.
forermedia@gmail.com

]]> By: IntuitionHQhttp://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/comment-page-1/#comment-15577 IntuitionHQ Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:58:55 +0000 http://www.memeburn.com/?p=2007#comment-15577 Oh, and not just South Africa by the way. This happens all around the world! Oh, and not just South Africa by the way. This happens all around the world!

]]> By: IntuitionHQhttp://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/comment-page-1/#comment-15576 IntuitionHQ Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:46:32 +0000 http://www.memeburn.com/?p=2007#comment-15576 Great article, and great advice. Sometimes it feels like these sites just don't want customers. It just drives me nuts every time I find it too. <br><br>Another pet peeve is sites that tell me I need to be running IE to be able to view the content. Come along to the 21st century people!<br><br>I'd also like to suggest another tool you can add to your usability arsenal. We've developed a tool at <a href="http://IntuitionHQ.com" rel="nofollow">http://IntuitionHQ.com</a> - of course it's not as comprehensive as in-person testing, but it's really quick, cheap and effective.<br><br>Thanks for the great post. Great article, and great advice. Sometimes it feels like these sites just don't want customers. It just drives me nuts every time I find it too.

Another pet peeve is sites that tell me I need to be running IE to be able to view the content. Come along to the 21st century people!

I'd also like to suggest another tool you can add to your usability arsenal. We've developed a tool at http://IntuitionHQ.com – of course it's not as comprehensive as in-person testing, but it's really quick, cheap and effective.

Thanks for the great post.

]]> By: matthttp://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/comment-page-1/#comment-15557 matt Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:32:59 +0000 http://www.memeburn.com/?p=2007#comment-15557 Hi there -- the issues you were experiencing were teething issues associated with our launch. They have now been resolved -- maybe try subscribe again and let us know if they still persist? Matt B Hi there — the issues you were experiencing were teething issues associated with our launch. They have now been resolved — maybe try subscribe again and let us know if they still persist? Matt B

]]> By: helentbhttp://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/comment-page-1/#comment-15535 helentb Sat, 03 Apr 2010 01:50:40 +0000 http://www.memeburn.com/?p=2007#comment-15535 Some great points made here; so I tried to subscribe via the RSS feed, and like clivesimpkins, got an error message. Please fix - this undermines the post (and I'd still like to subscribe!) Some great points made here; so I tried to subscribe via the RSS feed, and like clivesimpkins, got an error message. Please fix – this undermines the post (and I'd still like to subscribe!)

]]> By: nigelbrown1http://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/comment-page-1/#comment-15529 nigelbrown1 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:18:34 +0000 http://www.memeburn.com/?p=2007#comment-15529 A conference and workshop called Web Accessibility & Usability is being run on 13 May 2010 in Johannesburg, the program can be found here: <a href="http://www.classicevents.co.za/conference.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.classicevents.co.za/conference.htm</a> A conference and workshop called Web Accessibility & Usability is being run on 13 May 2010 in Johannesburg, the program can be found here: http://www.classicevents.co.za/conference.htm

]]> By: clivesimpkinshttp://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/comment-page-1/#comment-15526 clivesimpkins Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:15:12 +0000 http://www.memeburn.com/?p=2007#comment-15526 This is a truly *wonderful* post. (What follows is not unkindly intended): I then go to subscribe to the site and get an error message on every single one of the options. I eventually get to a Memeburn box that says 'subscribe' but doesn't indicate what it wants in the box. I trust this is a temporary or server error. But it's just as disappointing as some of the examples you've given. This is a truly *wonderful* post. (What follows is not unkindly intended): I then go to subscribe to the site and get an error message on every single one of the options. I eventually get to a Memeburn box that says 'subscribe' but doesn't indicate what it wants in the box. I trust this is a temporary or server error. But it's just as disappointing as some of the examples you've given.

]]> By: Adielhttp://memeburn.com/2010/04/how-to-lose-customers-and-alienate-people/comment-page-1/#comment-15524 Adiel Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:24:28 +0000 http://www.memeburn.com/?p=2007#comment-15524 In fairness to MWEB, I think alphanumeric is self explanatory.<br>I think No.3 on your list is probably the most common issue we come accross In fairness to MWEB, I think alphanumeric is self explanatory.
I think No.3 on your list is probably the most common issue we come accross

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