# Is technology helpful or does it hinder?



## connie189

Hi, 

I was just wondering. Has technology been helpful to you or does it hinder? 

Specifically, getting services or ordering goods online. I spend hours trying to work with poorly constructed websites
to order essential items or solve problems with services we've received. 

Another key feature, a large number of retailers like to hide contact phone numbers for customer service. Things keep
getting worse as time goes on. 

Thanks for sharing.


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## SpywareDr

There are close to 7.8 Billion (7,800,000,000) people on the planet! And you want all of the resellers around the world to have enough telephones and customer support people to answer all of those calls live 24/7/365?


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## Drabdr

Hello Connie! Interesting points here.



connie189 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I was just wondering. Has technology been helpful to you or does it hinder?


Hmm... I guess.... overall... I would have to say it helps. 
Three years ago I went into Afib. I'm better and all and stuff. But I needed to monitor my heart rhythm for a while. I bought this little device (FDA approved also) to connect to an app on my phone to assure my heart was in rhythm. Now... I think the newer Iwatches have a pretty good function built in them for that.

I do certainly feel (just me...) it has kind of led to a little less of face to face visiting anymore. I mean... when I was in high school you had to call a girl up, or go to her house, or ask her at school if she wanted to go out on a date. Now... all the kiddos just text! 

But i've met so many great people here and on a few other discussion boards. Technology made that happen.



connie189 said:


> Specifically, getting services or ordering goods online. I spend hours trying to work with poorly constructed websites
> to order essential items or solve problems with services we've received.


To me... this is a whole other quandary. I totally agree with you. I go to so many webpages; they are terrible! Broken links; email addresses that won't work. I mean... geeze, I think you can feed a teenager pizza these days and they'll spruce up your webpage.



connie189 said:


> Another key feature, a large number of retailers like to hide contact phone numbers for customer service. Things keep
> getting worse as time goes on.
> 
> Thanks for sharing.


Honestly... I agree with you on this. I really don't think they want people calling. I had a bit of a complaint with Home Depot about how they handled something. I was 45 minutes scouring webpages for a phone number, chat box, something. I never did find anything.


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## crjdriver

Overall, I would say it helps. I can order auto parts, computer parts, etc and have them show up in a few days. In addition, these parts are less than half of what I would pay at a conventional auto parts store or computer retailer.
I pay bills through my bank's website; beats mailing a check AND paying postage. 
Other areas such as social media [IMO] is a complete waste.


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## valis

crjdriver said:


> Overall, I would say it helps. I can order auto parts, computer parts, etc and have them show up in a few days. In addition, these parts are less than half of what I would pay at a conventional auto parts store or computer retailer.
> I pay bills through my bank's website; beats mailing a check AND paying postage.
> Other areas such as social media [IMO] is a complete waste.


Absolutely it helps. I recall actually using AAA TripTiks when I moved from Colorado to Oregon. Now just dial uip (hah....dial up) google maps and away you go.


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## Johnny b

No problems here.
Matter of fact, access to the internet has allowed me to find many things I simply couldn't find any other way.
Technical repair procedures from mowers to cars to wood chippers long out of support.
Finding replacement parts for equipment no longer manufactured.
Info on fixing my computer  especially grateful there....
Simple things like TV programming.
Discovering things than work better then what I'm looking for.
And checking out reputations of service providers.


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## connie189

*SpywareDr*

"There are close to 7.8 Billion (7,800,000,000) people on the planet! And you want all of the resellers around the world to have enough telephones and customer support people to answer all of those calls live 24/7/365?"

Yes.


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## crjdriver

connie189 said:


> *SpywareDr*
> 
> "There are close to 7.8 Billion (7,800,000,000) people on the planet! And you want all of the resellers around the world to have enough telephones and customer support people to answer all of those calls live 24/7/365?"
> 
> Yes.


So, you would be willing to pay more for a given product? It costs money to pay people to answer phones/give phone support AND companies are in business to make money.


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## connie189

My answer was extreme just as the response to my question was. 

But... I (and I'm sure other folks) are spending a lot of time and $ solving the problems that come up due to lack of customer support on a transaction. 

It doesn't have to be merchandise related. I've been spending HOURS with calls, registered mail, etc., on my life insurance policy that I'm not getting correct paperwork on from "customer service" reps. They're nice on the phone, but are void when it comes to processing the correct paperwork. I now have to write the president of the company.

With merchandise, it would be nice to get a response if I order one of your products if I have a question when the item is in transit. Some companies never respond. I'm just not getting it.


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## renegade600

use the right technology for the task and it is useful.


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## connie189

renegade600 said:


> use the right technology for the task and it is useful.


I totally agree!


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## Johnny b

connie189 said:


> .......
> 
> With merchandise, it would be nice to get a response if I order one of your products if I have a question when the item is in transit. Some companies never respond. I'm just not getting it.


You haven't defined what was ordered ( if it makes a difference ) and I am curious why you didn't inquire before ordering?

Really through, aren't customer support issues less a tech issue and more an issue with business models?
It's hardly the fault of the technology used when the business ignores timely responses.

I get ignored in a lot of retail establishments lol.


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## valis

You? Ignored?

Yeah I aint buying that.


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## connie189

If I call in to place an order if I'm having difficulty online, there are already problems in customer service with their computer/site not working. Happens a lot.

I order (the most): food, pet, electronic, clothing, medical and personal toiletry items. Because for some reason, they're hard to find (in stores) where I live. 

First challenge: links and features on the sites often don't work properly. With these I found mostly no contact number easily found (if at all) to get help. I'm used to (in the past) find customer service numbers in a prominent place, like at the top of product page(s). Why should I have to hunt for it now? (I'm a customer). I started to look up reviews on places that I've had problems ordering from and I noticed that they often repeat the experience I've had with ordering/service. Of course, there will always be an occasional problem ordering and delivering, but this is almost EVERY order encounter (I've had) now for the past two years. 

If I manage to place the order(s) then another problem: being able to track the purchase. With porch pirates, neighbors that steal, etc., (just the way the world is) I monitor my mail online. Never had a problem with UPS, but with FEDEX, ALWAYS a delay or can't locate a package for days on end. They claim it's their tracking system (glitches). Me thinks they should fix their system.


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## Johnny b

valis said:


> You? Ignored?
> 
> Yeah I aint buying that.


Mostly they've never met me before 

I can walk up to a sales counter and wonder, where did everyone just go? lol!


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## Johnny b

Sometimes 'conveniences' simply aren't.
Maybe I'm lucky.
For me, warranties have been more of an issue than technology.

Where a person lives could be a factor.
I have a porch but no thieves. I don't live in a crowded environment.
I live along a state route, so there is easy access for delivery.

Oddly, Google has never gotten my location correct, not even close, but then I have no intention on correcting Google 

I never bank online. They're in walking distance if I had to walk it out.
Same with Kroger and Walgreens.

Guess I'm just lucky.


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## SpywareDr

connie189 said:


> Yes.


Whose is going to pay for it?


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## Johnny b

SpywareDr said:


> Whose is going to pay for it?


Indeed.

IMO, it would simply be easier to change to sources with better customer relations than hang inconvenience charges on everyone.


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## RT

connie189 said:


> Has technology been helpful to you or does it hinder?


Both I'd say, as evidence of previous posts.
When it works, it works...so happy day!
When it doesn't, there aren't enough bad words in all the languages of the world to express your frustration. 

I had no idea my grand daughter's car had a separate computer in the transmission! (of all places..it's geary and oily in there)
So by the time they figured the cost of repair she could have bought a different car for the same she paid for the original vehicle.

And that's only one example.

However, modern communications tech has certainly have saved the lives of thousands, but I'm not going to see Amazon landing a delivery drone of anti-venom for a snake bite on my property...too many trees.

Now as to online services rendered, I spent nearly an hour today on my bank's website to find and download a simple document.
It was easy last year but they "improved" the website 
So I called them (locally) to help me navigate to the file.
After speaking with three folks, and being put on hold by each for quite a while, they could not tell me anything...other that they see that file in my account....
well, hell - what a waste of time 

I see what
*@Johnny b*
means
but this is just a late night (or early morning) ramble.
If not for tech we wouldn't be having this pleasant discussion


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## Johnny b

Someone finally understood something I've posted?
All it took was 22 years.
I must be on a roll.

:up:

LOL!


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## Wino

I'm all in. I love improvements that make things harder to do - many times I sit in wonder as to what some idiot was thinking when s/he thought it would be an "improvement"!!
I'm shifting money around due to .10 point in interest, changing/dropping some medical doctors, all on line and an occasional telcon. Love tech when it works; hate it when it fails; and trust it about as far as I can throw a F150 Ford - but it has made my life easier.


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## Johnny b

If it weren't for medical technology advancing, I simply wouldn't exist in the land of the living.
I suspect that's true for many others, also.

Telephones were a great tech advancement, but robo calls a big downside.
Workaround, an answering machine.
I also dislike the automated menu selections that are more like a maze with no solution.

Sure, there are and always will be issues through out life with examples, but this thread was intended more for issues involving internet experiences with e-commerce and websites being a focal point.

We still drive cars that are built with defects.
Some even deadly.
It's amazing to me that with such a complex host of technologies and such a short period of development, the Internet functions as well as it does.


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## Wino

Johnny b said:


> If it weren't for medical technology advancing, I simply wouldn't exist in the land of the living.
> I suspect that's true for many others, also.
> 
> SNIP
> It's amazing to me that with such a complex host of technologies and such a short period of development, the Internet functions as well as it does.


Yes! And, YES!!


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## RT

I certainly agree it's boon and bane.

Now, if my I were behind the wheel of one of those self-driving cars, sipping on a Bud, got pulled over - could I say to the officer "Well, technically sir, I wasn't driving and I do have a designated passenger."
Confusion might ensue


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