Improve Profit Margins with Clear Error Messages in Booking Systems | ElevateCX

Improve Profit Margins with Clear Error Messages in Booking Systems | ElevateCX

Erica
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Poor error messaging really grinds my gears
Miles Goldstein
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Long ago my team supported a database product. A customer called in with "Error 35". My guy looked up error codes in our manual: "You should never get error 35." I don't recall how much time it took Engineering to read the code to debug this. But seriously, somebody originally took the time to write the meaningless message into the manual. Different story. My van threw an idiot-light "Check Engine" message on the dash. Well, that's not good, but I bought a maintenance contract, so to the dealer I go. Those bastards charged me $300 to read my OBD port and tell me my battery was low. You know, there is also a "Battery" idiot-light; why wasn't that one displayed instead? I went out and bought a FIXD device so now I can read my own error codes and save $300 the next time.
Manuel
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I bought an OBD-2 reader back in the early 2010's for that very reason. Cost perhaps $100 and paid for itself many times over.
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jared
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weasels
Mario Guisado
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It’s also about how unintuitive and unclear the systems are designed. Quick search found that in general the battery light comes on when there is a problem with the charging system including the alternator and related cables. A low battery may not trigger a battery light as everything is technically working. Yet it may trigger a check engine light as a subsystem is impacted by low voltage. This is the problem, how do you explain this? And even if you could, how would an end user ever get this far? At the end it’s more about greedy dealers. Like 90% of the time, blame capitalism.
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jared
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if they now can put tire pressure readings into a mobile app, they can get other errors there too. Anyone seen anything like that?
Mario Guisado
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Yes. I have an app for my Mazda, it gives all sorts of common language explanations to issues like tire pressure, doors, fuel etc. This is better, but like most things, after 3 years I have to subscribe to the app. Right back to capitalism.
Manuel
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Yeah, Toyota does the same BS… you get their app for “free” for 3 years, after that they try to get you to pay $80/year for just the basic app. I’d consider it if it was maybe $20/year or you could buy a “lifetime” access package for say $100 or even $150. To many things are sold “as a service” these days when they really aren’t a service.
jared
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Capitalism Resold As A Product: CRAAP?
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Manuel
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I am very pro-capitalism, but it has to make sense. I would love to see the stats for some of those automakers though on how many people actually pay for these apps after the free usage expires… Then of course, with a lot of people leasing or generally just trading cars in every few years, it might be hard to get a real read anyways.
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jared
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I wonder if the most significant factors for charging after 3 years may not be the revenue from subscription fees, but rather to discourage customers from continuing to use a product that they'd have to continue to support. A tell-them-yes-by-telling-them-no kind of thing.
Manuel
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Interesting idea… you might be onto something there jared
jared
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🤷
jared
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Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
Mario Guisado
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I want to extend the subscription economy. Live in Arizona? Subscribe to wipers. Live near the poles? Lights only needed half the year. Do you want brakes, or really good brakes?!
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