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Leaving Google Fi

jasonatwood.io

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Re: Leaving Google Fi

#291

Post by Keverw »

Seen another story on HN a while back where someone also had trouble with Google Fi... Stories like this make me feel like Google doesn't have the customer service part down, and I'm not sure if I'd want to rely on them with anything that deals with money. However I'm sure people at Google read HN, so probably an issue they are working to improve internally I hope. I know technical wise they are ahead of their game though, but feel like the human touch side needs to be worked on especially for paying services or earning money from Google products as a partner. For example, I'm not sure if Youtube Partners who have any issues can talk to an actual person.

Also, he mentioned he kept having to re-explain his situation to several representatives when calling them. I don't get why companies can't transfer the call and leave a note for the next agent...

Sometimes I feel like at some companies agents in general that just don't know, press a button to transfer you to a random agent in the queue (with some priority to skip over everyone else) instead of transferring to someone more specific or higher level. One reason that gives me this feel for sure is when they ask your name and details even though you already told someone else before being transferred.

I think a key thing that would make me happy with support is when transferring over to someone else they already have a description of your problem, account information so you don't have to explain over and over.

I had an issue with another provider (not Google) where you could text but couldn't make calls and got transferred to like 6 different agents then decided to give up and porting away as I felt like just a number to them. As a tech geek, I feel like something probably screwed up porting in the first place but I doubt a support rep on a phone would even have the tools to investigate a problem with like. I hate talking on the phone unless I have to. I rather try to figure it out myself or use online chat first.

Re: Leaving Google Fi

#292

Post by seandoe »

tomlu wrote: post #100

As a counterpoint I have contacted Google Fi support four times and was very happy with the level of service. Though it's possible that all the issues I had was within the scope of the first line of defence, and if you outside of that you get OP's experience. Disclosure: I work for Google, but honestly I don't think it has particularly biased me to say nice things about Google Fi.

It's interesting how we got downvoted for simply stating our experience. And I don't work for Google. So much negativity around such an economical service, almost seems fishy.

Re: Leaving Google Fi

#293

Post by winningcontinue »

criley2 wrote: post #227
winningcontinue wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at their budget. Most of their revenue comes from AWS. So their large AWS clients are their customers. The margins on the retailing e-commerce customers is slim and wasn't profitable on a cashflow basis until recent years. From a financial perspective, they're the people who are going to stock the items and take the risk for products where demand is uncertain. Once more data is collected about their sales, Amazo…

I just want to point out how ridiculous it is to think that AWS > Selling stuff out of a warehouse in terms of revenue. Amazon does about $30B a year in selling goods, and about $7B a year in AWS. AWS does deliver higher profit margins and more operating income than the tiny margins on selling and shipping goods, so perhaps that's what you meant to say.

that 30B in sales is revenue and not a profit. You combine all stuff sales they do together in all their warehouses and logistics and they don't combine together enough to beat the money that their AWS brings in. That 30B revenue costs almost 30B in expenses as well. You take out revenue in the form of advertising and it's almost nothing or negative depending on the quarter. As impressive as the revenue is, it's nothing if you can't turn a profit as a business. Anybody can buy something at wholesale, ship it to your door , not make any money on it and then take it back if it the company is unsatisfied.

Re: Leaving Google Fi

#294

Post by EADGBE »

brewdad wrote: post #286
EADGBE wrote: post #251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand the gripe about multiple payment options in Amazon. I usually end up with a gift card from some promo and it always seems to end up with $3.XX left on it. I want to use it up, but hardly anyone supports multiple card payments. Including Amazon. What they do support, though, is buying a Amazon gift card of custom value, and making multiple payments with that. https://jillcataldo.com/use_old_visa_gift_card…

Every time I try to convert a prepaid card to a gift card on Amazon it gets declined because of the temporary $1 test charge they do when added as a payment method. Then I have to wait a few days for it to drop off and try again. If I wait too many days (?), they will run the test charge again and I'm back to where I was on day one. I'm sure there is a "right" way to do it but I've never been able to make it work as…

That sucks! I use the "EGift" option, but I select the "reload your balance" (https://www.amazon.com/asv/reload/order?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=...) item/link and was able to do it two days ago with a $50 prepaid. No odd authorizations or anything, had the amount on my Amazon balance within 2 or 3 minutes.

Re: Leaving Google Fi

#295

Post by kgwxd »

icxa wrote: post #258
kgwxd wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tried to do the same thing with an expensive bottle of liquor a few weeks ago. It only worked for a week :/

I'm sorry to hear that. Alcoholism or just an expensive habit? If alcoholism, luckily it is taken "more seriously" than video game addiction. Although now as I get older I just realize addiction is a trait we all have the propensity for, and some people just manifest it in healthy ways where as some of us in not so healthy ways. I have people in my family that were compulsive gamblers, alcoholics, workaholics, and dr…

Definitely some form of Alcoholism, but not crippling and not expensive since I can tolerate the $15 1.75l vodka, mixed with water. Never (mostly) during work or times I expect to drive. But most days, for the past 20 years, from 5PM to 11:30PM I have a strong drink on hand. The big bottle last only 3 days. I only get bad hangovers once in a while, though there's no doubt the habit slows me down during the day. And I'm a huggy drunk, not angry. In fact, people seem to prefer tipsy me over sober me. I'm sure it has damaged my body (but who goes to the doctor?) and I felt way better in general the week I was off it. I quit Ultima Online (decades ago), smoking (years ago), and caffeine (months ago) without assistance, I'm pretty sure I can get this figured out. Maybe abstaining from things can be my new addiction :)

Re: Leaving Google Fi

#296

Post by AaronFriel »

bryanrasmussen wrote: post #206
AaronFriel wrote: post #9

Google Fi support went down the drain when they expanded. I had a recent experience with my mother's phone being stolen while she was at a hospital, here's the summary after it was confirmed missing and police contacted, with a lot of redundant messages removed. 1st chat with agent Me Hi, my mother's phone was stolen, I'm tracking it on find my phone. Them: Sorry to hear that, we can black list the phone but you must…

it sounds awful but do you actually have any examples of them being up the drain before expansion? I ask because I'm one of these cynical about google support folks.

Yes, I've contacted support a few times prior to the expansion and had really fast, quality experiences each time.
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