AI Chat Technical Support Is Worthless!

[MineralMan]

Twice in the past two weeks, my wife has needed to get tech support for something. Both times, she accessed the company's online chat help system. Both times, that led to no solution and lots of wasted time and frustration.

I looked in during one of those sessions. After just a couple of minutes, I said, "That's AI." She didn't believe me. "It is," I said. "Find a voice number with a person."

Eventually she did, in both situations. Once she reached a human being, her issue was resolved and there was no wasted time.

The companies? Xfinity and Verizon. But the same thing applies to many other companies and their tech support systems.

Here's why:

If you have a dead simple, common problem that can be quickly solved with a one-step process, the AI tech support will work just fine.

If not, the AI tech support system will never work to solve your problem. That's because you won't be able to explain the symptoms in a way that will prompt the AI system to pick the correct answer and provide a scripted solution. Either that or there is no solution in the AI's data that fits your problem.

The solution:

Use Google. Ask your question as a Google prompt. In many cases, the problem has occurred before and someone has found the solution. If so, you'll find a step-by-step solution in the Google results. Not in their AI results but something someone has written.

If that doesn't work, ask Google this: How do I get human tech support from [company]. For now, all large service companies still have tech support staffed by human beings. Google will turn up a phone number you can use to access that human tech support system. Human beings can listen to your questions, ask you for more information, and lead you to a solution. If you're led to a voice-based menu system, say "Representative." Or Human Support Technician." That will usually get a human on the phone.

You can still try the AI support system. If your problem is simple, it may be able to help. However, if what it suggests does not fix the problem, hunt for and access a support representative. Don't let the AI system use up your valuable time and then fail. Skip to human support early.

This works for government organizations as well. Social Security, IRS, or even your local water service. Once you talk to a real person, you'll get your problem solved much faster. Insist on it if the simple AI stuff doesn't help you. Frankly, it can't.

[jls4561]

1. When dealing with Comcast, I used this trick to get a real person...

Shout out to”Billing!” into the phone. This will direct you to a real person. Explain to the real person that you need technical support. You may be transferred to an idiot, but if you pester the live idiot enough, they will transfer you again and maybe you’ll get lucky.

Because Comcast, or Xfinity, cares more about money than customer service, the fastest way to get their attention is to reference their profits.

[ruet]

2. AcTuLly...

the best way to deal with Comcast is through their official forums. Get the attention of a rep. They will IM you and help you to the end.

https://forums.xfinity.com/

[hvn_nbr_2]

3. I got a brain-dead AI-generated phone message from a doctor's office

They need to change an appointment. "Please call us back at 7 billion 74 million 422 thousand....", spoken so quickly that it's impossible to even hear the number, much less write it down.

I'm retired now but I worked in software my whole career. Seriously, any company that I ever worked for would have been embarrassed to call the AI slop that has been released on the world even a Beta 0.1 release.