Okay, this is … really trying. I’m not sure where to start. Let’s get this out on the table first of all: Twitter’s support team … is gone. There have been numerous postings to the only public support system they have by people with the same problem as me: support requests having been unanswered for weeks, months, and in at least one case, a year.
This is patently ridiculous. I mean, I don’t mind waiting a week or two for a non-urgent support request to be filled, but a month and a half? Even worse, having the support system declare my request so important as to be discarded? Come the fuck on.
Now for a little story.
Once upon a time, a good friend of mine (named @Bluebie) wrote an interesting little web application named Talkie. I really liked it, and decided to open it up to a new market: Twitter. I went and wrote an interesting little bot, just for that interesting little web application, that could create invisible and anonymous Talkie rooms for a group of people on Twitter. This bot would watch the twitter feed for several ‘key hashtags’ that were constructed to be easily worked into a tweet, such as #GetARoom, #TakeItToTalkie, or #TalkieMe; when it recognized a tweet, this cheery little bot would provision a private chat room, just as fast as its little metal robot fingers could, for the Twitter conversation to be continued in a less restricted (*cough* a hundred and forty characters *cough*) medium.
Now, when I went to register a Twitter account for this interesting little bot, I found that some fellow (*cough* wanker *cough*) had already registered @talkie. However, from what I could decipher of the T.O.S, that user was prime for destruction. I didn’t know how long it had been registered at that point (now, as you’ll see below, we can be sure it’s been registered for at least a month and a half), but I did know that it had zero followers, followees, and updates. I registered @TalkieMe to run the bot under in the meantime, and proceeded to open a Twitter support request, as follows:
We’re trying to write a Twitter bot for our new chat service, http://talkie.me/, so that we can integrate Talkie into Twitter (allow people to create temporary insta-chatrooms to continue Twitter discussions in Talkie). However, the @Talkie username is taken, by somebody with zero followers, zero followees, and zero updates. Could you destroy that account / transfer it to me?
I’m not sure what your policy on getting rid of defunct accounts is, but I’d really appreciate it. I think Talkie will become a great service for Twitter users to continue their more intricate conversations! d-:
I quickly decided to provide some additional information, and posted the following comment:
Just so you can see what I’m going to be doing with the account, I’ve created a early beta of the bot and started it running on the @TalkieMe account.
This request was submitted on February 27th, at 11:43 PM.
I was fairly sure this would be handled within a week or two, and didn’t consider it a very big deal when it wasn’t - after all, the bot wasn’t seeing all that much use, so I didn’t worry.
Well, I visited the Twitter support page to see what was going on after a while, only to find that the status had been changed from “unassigned” to “solved”. Excited, I rushed to register @Talkie … only to find the account still existed, and hadn’t been removed. Slightly annoyed, I posted this comment (on March 15th, at 12:36 PM):
This was marked as solved … but it isn’t. The account still exists.
I promptly forgot about the problem; posting a response to the support request caused their system to re-open it, so I was (again) fairly sure that it would be solved in a timely manner once a real person saw it.
How disappointed I was to be!
On March 21st, at 12:49 PM, the following update was posted, and my support ticket was “deemed solved”. Now, read this carefully, and let it sink in.
Hi,
It’s been awhile since you’ve submitted or updated your original request. Twitter Support is closing older tickets in order to get an accurate idea of current problems. Due to a ticket backlog, Twitter Support may’ve been unable to respond to your request in a timely manner. Our apologies! Many things have changed since you last wrote in; if you were having trouble with something, please try again as your issue may’ve been fixed.
If you’re still experiencing issues, please check our Troubleshooting pages:
http://help.twitter.com/forums/10713/entriesand our Known Issues pages:
http://help.twitter.com/forums/31935/entriesto see if you’re affected by one of the cache/database problems we’re aware of and working on fixing; you can add your user name to the related thread for fast bug reporting rather than submitting a ticket. If none of these topics address your problem, please let us know by submitting a new request with the updated details.
Thanks for your patience!
Twitter Support
Uh. Let me get this straight. No human ever took a single look at my request … but you think that my problem may have fixed itself in the time it took you to, uh … not look at it?
Okay, this is complete bullshit. But … whatever. I’ll do what I was instructed; since none of the listed help articles helped me, and none of the listed “known issues” had anything to do with my problem, I “let them know” by submitting a new request with the updated details. Oh, wait, there were no updated details, my situation hadn’t changed in the slightest.
I proceeded to make the following new “support request”, on March 21st, at 06:45 PM:
We’re trying to write a Twitter bot for our new chat service, http://talkie.me/, so that we can integrate Talkie into Twitter (allow people to create temporary insta-chatrooms to continue Twitter discussions in Talkie). However, the @Talkie username is taken, by somebody with zero followers, zero followees, and zero updates. Could you destroy that account / transfer it to me?
I’m not sure what your policy on getting rid of defunct accounts is, but I’d really appreciate it. I think Talkie will become a great service for Twitter users to continue their more intricate conversations! d-:
I already submitted this as Request #46789, and had it closed twice, before being informed that I’d have to open a NEW REQUEST. At leasty give me a pertinent fucking reply, seriously! Third worst support experience ever, and working hard to become the second.
Needless to say, no action was taken by any human at Twitter.
Hold on to your horses, it gets worse yet.
On April 4th, at 6:46 PM, two things happened: My second ticket was “deemed solved”, again by the “Support” username (not a human, in other words), except that this time, there was no associated comment made on the support request itself.
I also received the following email:
## In replies all text above this line is added to the ticket ##
Ticket #97041: We’re trying to write a Twi…
Hi elliottcable,Twitter Support is experiencing a ticket backlog. You’re receiving this email because your request has been open for more than two weeks. It’s possible that we’ve already fixed the issue: check out the Twitter Status blog for known and fixed bugs:
Often times, we’re already working on the problem you’re reporting, or the answer to your question is already listed in our help resources. Visit our Support home page:
http://help.twitter.com/portaland type your question or keyword into the search bar in the sidebar to see if the answer to your question is in one of our help resources. If you have a question about how to do something or need more information about a certain feature, please check our Getting Started resources:
http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711/entriesand our How To section:
http://help.twitter.com/forums/23786/entriesIf you’re having a problem, please check our Trouble shooting and Known Issues resources to see if it’s something you can fix, or something we’re already working on fixing. You can add your comments to known issues topics, which we check daily.
Finally, if you’re having trouble with a Terms of Service issue (like Copyright, Terms of Service, Trademark, etc.) please consult the policies to find out what steps to take for a quick resolution:
http://help.twitter.com/forums/26257/entries
Make sure to select ‘Terms of Service’ when you submit your request for the fastest resolution.If none of these resources have helped you, please reply to this email and let us know. There is no need for duplicate requests, one is sufficient. Check on open requests here at anytime:
http://help.twitter.com/requests/portal/indexThanks for being patient!
Twitter SupportThis email is a service from Twitter Support
… woah. Okay, I’m going to go through that e-mail again, and dissect it a bit:
## In replies all text above this line is added to the ticket ##
Ticket #97041: We’re trying to write a Twi…
Hi elliottcable,Twitter Support is experiencing a ticket backlog. You’re receiving this email because your request has been open for more than two weeks.
You mean, instead of looking at my support request a single time in two … fucking … weeks, you automatically culled it (yet again) from your system?
It’s possible that we’ve already fixed the issue: check out the Twitter Status blog for known and fixed bugs:
Often times, we’re already working on the problem you’re reporting, or the answer to your question is already listed in our help resources. Visit our Support home page:
http://help.twitter.com/portaland type your question or keyword into the search bar in the sidebar to see if the answer to your question is in one of our help resources. If you have a question about how to do something or need more information about a certain feature, please check our Getting Started resources:
http://help.twitter.com/forums/10711/entriesand our How To section:
http://help.twitter.com/forums/23786/entriesI don’t need links to how-to and readme documents. I need a human to read my (really, rather simple) support request.
If you’re having a problem,
Yes, I’m having a problem. That’s why I’ve opened two support requests so far.
please check our Trouble shooting and Known Issues resources to see if it’s something you can fix,
Something I can fix? If it was something I could fix, I wouldn’t be trying to deal with your sorry ass, now would I?
or something we’re already working on fixing. You can add your comments to known issues topics, which we check daily.
Oh, as opposed to normal support requests involving unknown issues, which you obviously don’t check daily? Or ever, for that matter?
Finally, if you’re having trouble with a Terms of Service issue (like Copyright, Terms of Service, Trademark, etc.) please consult the policies to find out what steps to take for a quick resolution:
http://help.twitter.com/forums/26257/entries
Make sure to select ‘Terms of Service’ when you submit your request for the fastest resolution.Yes, because other sorts of requests (which aren’t as likely to involve you getting sued) don’t matter. Of course.
If none of these resources have helped you, please reply to this email and let us know.
How about you leave my goddamned request open until you can deal with it, instead of making me re-submit it every few fucking weeks?
There is no need for duplicate requests, one is sufficient.
As opposed to what your comment above said: “If none of these topics address your problem, please let us know by submitting a new request with the updated details.” Which is it, you idiot? Re-open the original request, or post a new one? make up your fucking mind.
Check on open requests here at anytime:
http://help.twitter.com/requests/portal/indexThanks for being patient!
No problem. I hope you enjoyed it while I was, because now I’m done doing so.
Twitter Support
This email is a service from Twitter Support
I’d not call this, or anything else you’ve done, any sort of service. Or, for that matter, support.
Okay, this has gone too far. I started looking for other avenues to get the support I needed; specifically, I was hoping for a phone number.
Instead, I came across Twitter’s antiquated Get Satisfaction account, from which they moved to Zendesk (In retrospect, I’d guess they made this move so that we couldn’t see just how many support requests by other people were going unanswered; in Zendesk, unlike Get Satisfaction, support requests are private).
Does anybody else find it oddly appropriate, that since Twitter left Get Satisfaction, I can no longer get satisfaction from Twitter support?
In any case, there’s a big yellow header on the Get Satisfaction page that says the following:
Most recent Company Update (3 months ago):
Checking on old Support requests
Not one to leave any stone unturned, I immediately clicked the link. To my surprise, that thread was packed with a flood of people having the same problem as me:
Shiela replied 1 month ago: I’ve been 30 days waiting for a my request to even be assigned (#12975) I notice people on this site are having the same problem. Is there not enough support staff to respond to Twitter’s requests for HELP!
X24 replied 14 days ago: I’ve had a ticket closed without it being read for over thirty days and had to reopen it.
Pete Forsyth replied 14 days ago: Hi Crystal, are you aware that you have not taken action for 2 months on a request to reassign a pretty unambiguous “Twitter squatter” account? (@ourpdx) I’m concerned about this, because I have other clients in a similar bind. I’d love to be able to advise them of how to proceed to get more rapid resolution from Twitter.
dominik replied 13 days ago: Does anyone ever read the Zendesk anyway?
Calvin H replied 6 days ago: I’m hearing more and more that tickets are getting closed without anybody even looking at them. Why is this and why should we be forced to put up with the problems (i.e. SMS tweets duplicating after a week or more)?
wench replied 6 days ago: I’m also getting no response from my ticket on zendesk for the repeated tweet issue. I’m updating it every other day, but we’re going on two weeks now - and a search of terms on twitter shows a lot of people are having the same issue. How, exactly, are we supposed to be getting support? If there isn’t any, then just say so and I’ll stop checking for a response.
tombiro replied 3 months ago: I’d be curious to see the same. I’m on about three weeks since my first request and it’s been a week since my followup, including much additional information.
joshuajcohen commented 3 months ago: It’s now been 5 weeks since my first request and still no response whatsoever from Twitter…
Chris Brunner replied 1 month ago: I submitted a ticket 12 days ago about blatant impersonation, and checked on the ticket’s status today only to find that it had been deleted without a response. =/
ElFreak replied 11 days ago: Yes its absolutely terrible, my support ticket would take at most 2 minutes to fix, and nothing has been done. Even attempting to ask support staff (crystal, caroline) over twitter has failed. Twitter support seemingly ignores all the stuff people submit to instead focus on the new influx of celebrities.
And this one takes the cake:
skullY replied 14 days ago: I’ve been trying to get a response for over a year now. Still doesn’t look like twitter has ever read it.
The list goes on and on. After some more looking around, tons of other Get Satisfaction threads are complaining about the lack of any sort of response from Twitter:
Guess what? No Twitter response to any of these threads either.
I ask that anyone reading this please, please provide support for my cause - for all of our causes - by re-tweeting a link to this post, or digging / redditing it. Twitter needs to realize that we won’t take this bullshit for very long.
Any support (heh) here is much, much appreciated.
@yonderboy raised a perfectly valid point on Twitter:
@elliottcable just read your blog post. if you’re so unhappy with twitter, ask for a refund. oh wait. in that case, build your own.. i’m sure their support site looks after a lot of broken accounts, accounts fucking up or security problems. give it time - as they scale up the service, they have to do things a certain way. you had a way around the problem, others don’t..
I fully recognize the “you get what you pay for” argument. I’m not paying anything to use Twitter, after all; what right do I have to demand support?
What one must realize here, is that Twitter is claiming to provide support by having a support site in the first place. If they claimed “this is a free service, provided without any support whatsoever”, I’d understand. Even if they simply silently didn’t offer any sort of support system, I’d probably be ticked, but move on. What really pisses me off is the fact that they proffer support in the form of http://help.twitter.com, and then fail to follow through on the time I invested in submitting a ticket.
Another thing worth noticing is the fact that Twitter’s raised a ton of money in multiple rounds of funding. That money should be going somewhere useful. I’m sure a lot of it goes towards hardware and maintenance and bandwidth; but with the support situation as it currently is, IMHO quite a bit more should be put towards support staff than currently must be.