h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A465031

First time submitter, please be gentle with me

I've been working on this entry on and off for about six months and I thought it was time I found out what other people thought...

I like this entry because
a) I learned something I didn't know (namely the difference between customer services, helpdesks and helplines), and
b) it was spot on! Especially the "One Season" - brilliant!
I regularly call courier companies' customer services numbers and typically the phone rings for ages and is then answered by someone who says "Can you hold the line please?" before switching me over to Vivaldi which then cuts off for no apparent reason a few minutes later!

There are a couple of things that need clearing up:
In the "Dealing with Customer Services" section, you keep referring to the stages in the previous section such as 2c etc. I think you mean 3c etc, but even when you have changed that the reader is unlikely to remember what stage 3c was, so you might want to rethink how you set out that bit.

Also, I felt the link to the BBC story disrupted the flow of your entry. Might I suggest that you use the tag and footnote your recommendation of that site?

Finally, a picture would be nice. Take a look at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A426665 for some good ones.

a) I have to admit that it is a fine line and a lot of companies use the names incorrectly, or simply roll all of the functions into one department.

b) Shucks

You are absolutely right about the "internal" references, I added a new section and forgot to change them (well, it was almost seamless), but I have now used brief textual explanations instead.

I added a couple of those cool pix, to break up the text a bit.

I have to admit that I was totally unaware of the tag, so I have put that to good use, too.

Care to re-read the piece?

Lookin' good!

Yes, it does!

As to the infinite loops: I've got another example of a rather hideous one in the entry at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A444845.

There are still some minor typos in there. And perhaps you could point out that a good part of waiting with Vivaldi's seasons actually earns profit (unless it's some 0800-number).

What a splendid piece that Endless Loops is! (Now linked)

I think I've managed to get all of the typos now and I've added a footnote to the effect that the phone system could be a revenue stream...

Good grief, I may even manage to make it to the edited guide.

I think you stand a vg chance of making it. Excellent subject, well written. As I read the introduction, I thought it sounded too personal, too subjective, but as you get into your stride, it gets more objective. So, I would recommend that you try and cool down the intro if you can. You are not writing advice, (that wouldn't get in the Guide) but a descriptive piece about Customer service departments.(That would).

Last week I spent many many hours being bounced around between the various customer services departments of HP, Dell and Microsoft. Your entry brought back the pain. Vividly.

Oh, and one more ruse. "Your problem is being escalated. You will hear from a SENIOR technician within 24 hours." Of course, you ring off proudly, only to realise 2 days later that you have been duped, and have to start the whole experience again.

I think there is a rule that says "If they mention any other product, person or company, it is their fault. Regardless."

You might also try and give M&S some credit for initiating their 'All returns accepted' policy, now widely accepted in retail.

I've included a reverse link from the Endless Loops entry as well. The Customer Services seem to have an intuitive understanding of the philosophy

Fair point about the intro, when I first started writing this piece I was having a particularly bad time with no less than four customer service departments (all from different industries) and the original was extremely vitriolic.

However, I revisited it after a couple of months and tried to tone it down and balance it a bit more, which I hope I've managed and, indeed, from the replies I've had it looks like I've had some success

I do apologise for causing you so much pain, although I'm glad I've hit the spot

Also, isn't it typical, you think you have all the bases covered, then along comes someone with another suggestion (or two), which is (are) spot on. Blimey!

I have deliberately tried to avoid mentioning specific companies as most of them will have advocates who have never had a problem and detractors who never have any success. I myself have never had any trouble with either Argos or QVC (the couch potato network) and the very first version of this had an "Exceptions" section, but a work collegue of mine never has any success with either Argos or QVC, so I decided to remove it. I think I should leave those discussions to fellow researchers once (if) I make the edited edition.

I dunno. Opinions?

Is reverse linking legal between consenting adults, then?

Noo, leave it as it is, and don't mention names. This entry might persist for years, and who knows, perhaps the company in question might change their policy tomorrow. Plus, you don't run the risk of being taken before court

>>I do apologise for causing you so much pain...<<
"Noo" again Y'know, there are a few researchers and scouts around here who love to nit-pick on others (oops, did I say that?), er..., put their twopence into all and everything

On a more serious side, the Peer Review page feeds on feedback, and there have been times where researchers had to wait weeks or months for any comment (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A487253 on the experiences associated therewith). So the point is: GET STUCK IN! Why not make the Peer Review your starting point and see where /you/ can put in your wisdom?

ooops, cross-posting!
Reverse linking has not been mentioned on any "Do's and Don't's" lists on this site, so I assume it's nothing to be bothered.

{some background: There's only one slight knack to it: as the entries stand now, they aren't recommended, but if so, they will be copied by some SubEd and be assigned new A-Numbers, so the current links won't be valid then. There's no work-around available yet, apart from keeping an eye on the proceedings and eventually reminding the SubEd of any changes.}

Those were my thoughts exactly. Well near enough.

Hey! You're not me are you? No, you can't be. I'm me (probably).

Note: Missing smiley error in pain apology.


As for reverse linking (this should make it all read a bit better), I just couldn't resist the comment, because it just sounded so, you know, naughty . I think I watched too many Carry-On films when I was young.

I am not sure I liked that remark, Bossel ("love to nit-pick on others"). Came across as a little snide. If you look at my page, you will see that I have made a fairly substantial contribution to the guide, and much of my stuff is done solo, and is accepted and edited. That being so, in my fairly recent incarnation as a scout, I felt that I could offer others advice and comment that may be useful should they wish their contributions to be similarly recognised. Take it or leave it, its your priviledge, but it is offered in a spirit of wanting to help. I try only to contribute 'advice' to a few entries, and only where the entry has potential, imho. Such contributions may be small if the entry is almost there, and thus appear to be picking nits, or overly pedantic. If I don't like an entry, I do not intervene at all, preferring to leave it to others better disposed to it.

Whoops. Don't fight on my account, guys.

's all round. I appreciate the honest feedback. How else will I make it to the hallowed pages?

Excellent stuff!

One minor comment: I think you overuse footnotes just a touch - there are a few which I would prefer to see reworked into the text, as it would make the entry flow a little better...

You know, I was thinking the very same thing myself just the other day. I think I'll have to do something about that.

Only, not right now, I have ironing to do .

Ah. Real life intrudes once more. (You remember real life, don't you? Look left and right. There it is! Both sides, too! )

(Note to self: Call that a good entry? Get back to the keyboard now!)

Pheroneous, by no means did I intend to step on your feet, or anybody else's! Please take my apologies if that came over with a wrong touch to it, and please blame it on my failure to be humorous. See, I've applied to become a scout myself, although to not much avail yet.

I've tidied up the footnotes a bit, incorporated some of them into the text and removed the ones which looked a bit pointless.

There's still six, but I don't think they intrude too much now.

Any more for any more?

There are days, Bossel, when you feel the need to shout at someone, anyone! Good luck with your scouting ambitions. I think there is quite a queue, so there may be a few weeks/months wait. But, there is a turnover, so you will get there eventually.

I would think StheW that you will get scouted from here before too long. My turn is not for a few weeks, but I am sure someone will get to you before me.

In the meantime, just reading through, I think there is some confusion with Call Centres, which is not always where/how these Customer Services departments are situated. And, I still like the second half better than the first.

(PS I like footnotes. Did you know if you hover your mouse on the footnote number, the note comes up?)

(PPS For a real thrill, call IKEA - at least they keep you advised of your place in the queue. 'You are number 97, in the queue. Please be patient!)