Nexus 4: with the total lack of customer service is it worth the wait any longer?

[KenDavidson]

This thread is not a complaint about the phone being back-ordered. It is rather a pressing question that I think is fair to raise. Since the time of my order for the Nexus 4 on 11/13/2012 I have been provided varying answers from Google Play Support Staff members regarding both the status and expected delivery date of my device, sent varying emails regarding my order status and seen varying updates to the Play Store order status.

I have been a long term fan of Google and at this point have all of my documents, data and information residing within their servers, I exclusively use their email, shared DNS servers on my network, use the Chromebook as my computer and the Nexus 7 tablet for all my computer needs along with the Google TV product. Up to this point I have fully trusted Google and been impressed with their business models. I am a firm believer that the Nexus program/project is technology changing and was the first to purchase a Nexus One back in 2010.

Since the inception of the Play Store I have not had a good experience in making a purchase all the way back to the now defunct Google Web Store and the N1. With all of the ventures Google has undertaken including Android, Nexus, Fiber, Computer, Drive, SEO among others has google placed itself into a position of being mediocre at everything they do and mastering nothing? Have they become too diversified? I personally hope not but am left wondering about the future. Can they be trusted with holding all my personal and financial data? Do I want to put all my eggs in one basket?

I am impressed with the specs of the Nexus 4 but when I consider what if I finally get a device and it is defective, will Google be able to provide me with any level of customer support? Or will I be left holding the basket by myself only to get varying answers and empty promises based upon who I speak with. There are many many choices of devices out on the market and this weekend there are deals galore. While not an Apple fan in any way shape or form I still have to admire the Customer Service model they exhibit from purchase through backing up their product line.

I have long been a Google supporter and a part of their loyal fan base. From all indications from this latest interaction they really can care less about my continued patronage of them or their company. If I delivered this type of customer service in my business I would not have any customers. And, before anyone posts about being spoiled and looking for immediate gratification I am close to 50 years old, I understand supply chain logistics better than most and service delivery failures. But, I ultimately am a cash paying consumer with a voice who chooses to patronize Google and recommend them to others. There are other companies vying and working to earn my business everyday and I am now left wondering if waiting on Google to deliver after 9 days of confusion and asking for a straight answer, whether that be that I am in a back-order for for a week or six months, just give me an solid answer makes waiting on Google to get their act together makes prudent sense?

 

[peejay1977]

I don't have anything to add other than to say, it's nice to see someone not just having a childish moan about things, but a well formed opinion on a larger topic.

I applaud you, seriously.





Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[bobsacomano]

The total lack of communication and disregard for honest, straightforward information regarding $300-400 orders is very disturbing. I'm also losing faith.



Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Enviii]

From what I've heard, their customer service is quite good when they aren't dealing with this back order nonsense which is reassuring. Now, If I wasn't a regular visitor of these forums (and others) I would not have known that.

Any average consumer who wants a Nexus would probably have canceled by now. Not only that, but they would be extremely aggravated and lose all faith in Google customer service. Google does not know how to handle product launches. Will they learn? If things keep going like they are, no. They had time to fix things up since the Nexus 7 launched and what have they done since then? Only made it worse by canceling pre-orders.

This is simply not how you treat consumers who are willing to pay large amounts of money for their products. They are attempting to change the industry, but if they continue down this path where no one can actually attain one of their devices, they will have no impact whatsoever.

 

[KitN]

The total lack of communication and disregard for honest, straightforward information regarding $300-400 orders is very disturbing. I'm also losing faith.

I have to completely agree. It's not the amount of time you might have to wait, it's simply NOT KNOWING at all how long you have to wait and getting completely conflicting information from Google's own employees about the status of your order.

We're taking basically 400 real dollars (I spent exactly $395.21 -- including tax and shipping, no bumper) to get a device that Google doesn't seem to give a woot about getting to your doorstep.

I did finally get N4 but I went through hell to get it so my heart goes out to anyone still in limbo not knowing what the heck is going on, some even having been actually CHARGED for a device that no one has any idea as to where it is and when it will materialize.

That's not okay. That's not just sh*tty customer service, that's a complete LACK of customer service and it's disturbing.

If I knew what hell awaited me starting 11/13, I probably would have passed the N4 up, waited for Black Friday and gotten a Galaxy S3 and have been done with it.

Very poorly done, Google. :thumbdown:

Sent from my Nexus 4

 

[yfan]

Since the inception of the Play Store I have not had a good experience in making a purchase all the way back to the now defunct Google Web Store and the N1. With all of the ventures Google has undertaken including Android, Nexus, Fiber, Computer, Drive, SEO among others has google placed itself into a position of being mediocre at everything they do and mastering nothing? Have they become too diversified? I personally hope not but am left wondering about the future. Can they be trusted with holding all my personal and financial data? Do I want to put all my eggs in one basket?

Well, that's a whole lot of questions there. Have you answered them for yourself? Google is certainly not your only choice. But the convenience of everything under one service is undeniable. And I am not quite sure how a severe underestimation of demand for the Nexus 4 translates into Google being inept in data security. The two seem unrelated to me.

I am impressed with the specs of the Nexus 4 but when I consider what if I finally get a device and it is defective, will Google be able to provide me with any level of customer support? Or will I be left holding the basket by myself only to get varying answers and empty promises based upon who I speak with. There are many many choices of devices out on the market and this weekend there are deals galore. While not an Apple fan in any way shape or form I still have to admire the Customer Service model they exhibit from purchase through backing up their product line.

If you get a defective device, return it. Google will either send you a new one or refund your money. And if they don't, dispute the charges with your credit card company, and I'm pretty sure they will take it off. It's not that complicated. If you want to go grab another phone during this weekend's "deals galore", go for it, and return the Nexus 4 when it arrives. Someone else will want it.

If I delivered this type of customer service in my business I would not have any customers.

Maybe, but could your business deliver this prime a product at this low a price point (essentially what looks to be at cost)? Could your business offer for free (free of monetary charge, anyway), what Google offers its users for free? Maybe some of us are willing to put up with this Nexus Play Store debacle because of what Google does to make our lives easier in other ways.

But, I ultimately am a cash paying consumer with a voice who chooses to patronize Google and recommend them to others. There are other companies vying and working to earn my business everyday and I am now left wondering if waiting on Google to deliver after 9 days of confusion and asking for a straight answer, whether that be that I am in a back-order for for a week or six months, just give me an solid answer makes waiting on Google to get their act together makes prudent sense?

Well, if this is a rhetorical question, then you already have your answer. No one is stopping you from giving your business to another company that's asking for it. One may even say you're justified in doing so. Customers have the right to take their business wherever they will get the best product and service. And so, if the combination of the deal, the value, the product, and the service of another phone is more attractive to you than that offered by Google and the Nexus 4, you should in fact do just that.

 

[nestafaria]

I agree OP. Customer service is very important to me. Add to the fact I sold my iphone 5 for this and was worried about service on broken/defective phones and i canceled my order. Felt pretty good about it.

 

[KwietStorm]

To be clear, I'm in the same line with everyone else, and they stopped handing out water and snacks a long time ago. But at the end of the day, we're talking about a phone, nothing more, nothing less. Now,I am not defending the handling of this situation by the powers that be, but the reason I say this doesn't extend passed this debacle is because how many other times can anyone say Google has been guilty of such discrepancies? Can anyone at this point here and now, say with conviction that this is Google's fault and not LG's? I've seen people talk about severing all ties with the corporation or never using their services anymore, again, because of this ONE incident. U could understand if they had a history of screwing up and this was the last straw. But, everyone perusing these forums KNOWS the efficiency at Google HQ. Obviously this whole thing has worn on people, but too many times people don't put things into perspective. It is a phone, phone that I damn sure have been salivating over, but a phone nonetheless, so I will wait. It's not like I planned to get this phone and get a new one in a month. It will be my daily driver for the foreseeable future, likely until the next Nexus. But I already ordered it, and there is nothing I can do right now, so I will wait for it. Google doesn't have some ulterior motive to not take our money. They know they screwed up, and now they are in the process of getting back on track. And now to get another helping of mac n cheese.

 

[MrVivekB]

For me, On launch day, I was pounding the keyboards as hard as anyone else. Actually had 2 PCs going. But the complete lack of communication made me start looking at alternatives. as I need to have a solution by 12/7. But this morning I realized it had been 9 days, no news, so I started looking around. I realized that I could address my needs via a different path, although for a few weeks it will be very painful.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still a fan of the concept of the Nexus. But, I have an HTC One X, and I don't think this phone is a monumental leap forward beyond that. My plan was to sell the HOX when I had the Nexus 4, but now I might wait another 6 months to see what else comes out. Potentially even a year until the Nexus 5.

Its a pity, Google really had a chance to capture a LOT of the market for "people sick of contracts", which is one of the few things that could make my iPhone-loving wife leave the Apple domain.

 

[bobsacomano]

To be clear, I'm in the same line with everyone else, and they stopped handing out water and snacks a long time ago. But at the end of the day, we're talking about a phone, nothing more, nothing less.

I'm talking about $383. Not meaningless to me. It is in limbo.


Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

 

[cynicist]

They know they screwed up, and now they are in the process of getting back on track.

How do you know that? They haven't communicated at all with their customers besides saying that orders should be shipped within a few weeks. That says absolutely nothing about when they may have more stock in place for others to buy. I could potentially be waiting two months or more to be able to just place my order, much less receive it.

 

[nestafaria]

I don't understand the "its just a phone". Its not about the product or the value. Its the simple principle of Customer service. I will continue to use google products...just not this one.

 

[KwietStorm]

How do you know that? They haven't communicated at all with their customers besides saying that orders should be shipped within a few weeks. That says absolutely nothing about when they may have more stock in place for others to buy. I could potentially be waiting two months or more to be able to just place my order, much less receive it.

I know this because it should be common sense to know that, as I said, there is no ulterior motive to NOT sell units. Whatever problems they are having is not anymore good for them than it is for us. You have to agree with this. Communication is one thing, but my point is it should be obvious that they want to get the stock back in order.

 

[KenDavidson]

I don't understand the "its just a phone". Its not about the product or the value. Its the simple principle of Customer service. I will continue to use google products...just not this one.

And this is exactly the point of the question I raised in this thread. I already have and am happy using the iPhone I possess. I do think that Google offers tremendous value in their product line and that the price point is more than fair. But, more than one company has lost major market share due to real or perceived incompetence in the area of customer service. Most consumers would pay more money to know that the company they are handing their money over to is: 1. Concerned about their overall end to end experience in this case not just how great the phone operates or places calls or handles on-line sessions but also ultimately that they are treated as a valued customer.

Can my business deliver a product as great as one Google does? (asked in an above reply post) YES, most definitely. If you were to ask any of my customer base about the data security, network security that my company offers they will tell you it is second to none, not only do I offer a superior product but I also put the customer number one and when a service delivery failure takes place I own up to it and ensure I personally communicate with my customer and ensure their satisfaction. I realize the CEO of Google is not going to contact each of us individually but Google could at a minimum ensure their employees are empowered to deliver a world class customer service experience.

As I stated above I can certainly understand supply chain logistics and issues surrounding that. That is not the prime issue instead it is the total lack of customer support 9 days into this that I and many others have received. LG, Google, UPS I really don't care who dropped the ball and I really don't care if it takes six months to get me my phone, the phone is not the issue it is rather how Google treats its loyal customer base at the end of the day that essentially matters.

I do not raise this point to criticize Google, but to hopefully make those from Google who may read this to take this back to their leadership and say, "We need to step up the plate on this issue and let people know what is happening." If they need a competent individual to take over the customer service facet of the Play Store I know there are many qualified people who would love the opportunity. I would love the challenge myself if ever presented the opportunity.

 

[KenDavidson]

Well, that's a whole lot of questions there. Have you answered them for yourself? Google is certainly not your only choice. But the convenience of everything under one service is undeniable. And I am not quite sure how a severe underestimation of demand for the Nexus 4 translates into Google being inept in data security. The two seem unrelated to me.

Agreed that having all of my data, browsing history, documents, email and everything else Google holds from Picasa to Wallet is undeniably convenient and of great value. I recommend many of my customers to use Google Apps from an Enterprise perspective to enhance their business. My questions is more toward why would a company with the size and clout of Google move into a launch, given the issues experienced with the Nexus 7 back last year not ensure everything was lined up to run as smoothly as possible. Supply issues aside, ensuring customers are provided accurate information along the order process is essential in ensuring customer confidence in all other areas of Google's interests.

If you get a defective device, return it. Google will either send you a new one or refund your money. And if they don't, dispute the charges with your credit card company, and I'm pretty sure they will take it off. It's not that complicated. If you want to go grab another phone during this weekend's "deals galore", go for it, and return the Nexus 4 when it arrives. Someone else will want it.

Up until this point I would have agreed with you on this issue. But since no two people representing Google can pass on the same information to me, I receive contradictory emails within minutes of each other that are un-solicited on my side regarding my order status, my Play Store order status showed "Estimated Ship Date November, 15, 2012" up through November 20th., should I really think I can trust a replacement phone in quick order? I do know that if I experience any issue with my iPhone or my wife's that I can schedule an appointment at the local Apple store and have the device replaced free of charge, no shipping, no issues or hassle by a competent, friendly, knowledgable Apple employee and be out of the store with my new working phone in mere minutes.

, but could your business deliver this prime a product at this low a price point (essentially what looks to be at cost)? Could your business offer for free (free of monetary charge, anyway), what Google offers its users for free? Maybe some of us are willing to put up with this Nexus Play Store debacle because of what Google does to make our lives easier in other ways.

Yes, my business can and does provide my customers with products of great value backed by a world class customer service experience in every single customer contact. While Google does offer products for "FREE" they are in fact not free, Google's bottom line is positive because unlike most if not all other American business they have a totally different revenue model. They make money by offering me free email for example that works and is head and shoulders above any other platform out there. In return I am returned targeted advertising, my emails are scanned and I am now presented with advertising and impressions that PAY Google in exchange. This is one of the things I love about Google and their business. Brilliant!!

, if this is a rhetorical question, then you already have your answer. No one is stopping you from giving your business to another company that's asking for it. One may even say you're justified in doing so. Customers have the right to take their business wherever they will get the best product and service. And so, if the combination of the deal, the value, the product, and the service of another phone is more attractive to you than that offered by Google and the Nexus 4, you should in fact do just that.

In essence this is a rhetorical question posed to hopefully catch the attention of some lone Googler who happens to hit this in a Google search and bring it to the attention of Google's leadership. Somebody on the Nexus project who will look and say "Wow, we had the attention of the world and missed a huge opportunity at changing the way top of the line products are brought to the marketplace and how carriers hold their customer's hostage in contracts to get a good device." And then go back to the drawing board and re-define how they launch products in the future and how they service their customers.

While I am sold 100% on Google and not only it's technology but also in how it presents itself I will keep my order and not hit the cancel button on the play store. I want desperately to see the Nexus project become all that it can be, but in an effort to see that come to fruition I think we need to raise these vital issues in a lively discourse and forum as to how to make this better so that "average Joe" consumer feels he can easily visit the Play Store and make a purchase of his/her next smartphone that is painless, hassle free and easy and leaves feeling like a valued Google customer much like he does when he leaves the Apple store presently with his boring overpriced iPhone 5.

I appreciate your comments and reply and the opportunity to engage in this debate of the issues that transcend this just being a phone and a delay in shipping. If Google takes heed in this area I would love to see their common shares of stock trading over 1K next month at this time with the release of even more Nexus goodness.

 

[badbrad17]

I'm talking about $383. Not meaningless to me. It is in limbo.

Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

True and I sympathize with you in the frustration. But we live in an imperfect world. And let's face it... any other phone in the same category would cost almost double. The iPhone5 launch wasn't perfect either and continues to have delays. I have been reading a lot of threads with a lot of people venting and I can't help but think we are truly experiencing first world problems at a new level. I have read people's comments freaking out because they had to wait an extra day for the bumper protectors on their phone to be delivered. I mean how could Google be so insensitive that they would let them risk scratching their beautiful Nexus 4!

I can't help but feel the OP is elevating this experience to a higher level than it needs to be. By throwing every product and service that Google sells into one ugly package is sort of like throwing the baby out with the bath water. Google offers most of their devices FOR FREE! And is now offering you a premium phone off contract at a discounted rate of at least 40% if you think there is another company offering the same value anywhere then I would like to know who it is. I'm talking to you Apple. Home of over priced products and maps that don't work.

Anyhow. When you all get your phones I hope that it was worth the wait. :thumbup:



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[soma4society]

Im new to android and Google, I've been an iPhone user since the original game-changer back in 2007. Let me float a crude but, in my view, plausible hypothesis:

Google just doesn't really care about your customer experience.

In saying this i don't mean to imply they're uninterested in making a good product. The phone I'm using right now is evidence to the contrary. I just wouldn't be surprised if Google could care less about creating a much improved, Apple-like customer *service* experience.

Why? Simply put, i think they can afford not to care. My understanding is that Google has already captured the vast majority of the cell market with its OS. They're masters of the search engine universe, and they're pushing other tech boundaries as well. Amid this once a year or so they produce a flagship phone aimed at devs and tech-heads (no offense anyone, I'm a tech lover too). If the customer service related to this annual event is bad, so what? The nexus line probably represents 1% of their business if not less.

It's a kind of "if we build it they will come (despite crummy service)" mentality. And you know what, I bet they're right. The few that walk away in frustration from Google products represent a small cash sacrifice compared to what it would cost to step up service Apple-style.

I could be way off here, but food for thought at least.



Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[yfan]

My questions is more toward why would a company with the size and clout of Google move into a launch, given the issues experienced with the Nexus 7 back last year not ensure everything was lined up to run as smoothly as possible. Supply issues aside, ensuring customers are provided accurate information along the order process is essential in ensuring customer confidence in all other areas of Google's interests.

That's a fair question. But the reality is that it happened, probably because the demand for Nexus 4 outstripped even Google's wildest expectations, even factoring in the greater-than-expected interest in the Nexus 7. Again, though, the point I was making is that it makes little sense to me to say that because a company botched two hardware launches in terms of being crushed by demand, that they are incompetent in doing everything else they have been doing for years as well.

Up until this point I would have agreed with you on this issue. But since no two people representing Google can pass on the same information to me, I receive contradictory emails within minutes of each other that are un-solicited on my side regarding my order status, my Play Store order status showed "Estimated Ship Date November, 15, 2012" up through November 20th., should I really think I can trust a replacement phone in quick order?

If you do not feel that you can get a replacement unit in time, simply return and get your money back.

Yes, my business can and does provide my customers with products of great value backed by a world class customer service experience in every single customer contact. While Google does offer products for "FREE" they are in fact not free, Google's bottom line is positive because unlike most if not all other American business they have a totally different revenue model. They make money by offering me free email for example that works and is head and shoulders above any other platform out there. In return I am returned targeted advertising, my emails are scanned and I am now presented with advertising and impressions that PAY Google in exchange. This is one of the things I love about Google and their business. Brilliant!!

Right, which is why I said it's free of *monetary* cost. That's Google's business model, and it works. I don't know if your business model is the same. I doubt you offer free services (in the same sense Google does) on the same scale as Google does. This was a question of comparing your business to Google's - and why Google is allowed to stay in business after this botched launch and apparently bad customer service while if you did it, your business would go out of business. Although, if you were launching a product, and it all sold out in the first 20 minutes of launch, I doubt you would be thinking about closing your doors.

In essence this is a rhetorical question posed to hopefully catch the attention of some lone Googler who happens to hit this in a Google search and bring it to the attention of Google's leadership. Somebody on the Nexus project who will look and say "Wow, we had the attention of the world and missed a huge opportunity at changing the way top of the line products are brought to the marketplace and how carriers hold their customer's hostage in contracts to get a good device." And then go back to the drawing board and re-define how they launch products in the future and how they service their customers.

I'm sure Google is aware of this issue. But if you launched this thread in the off chance that someone from Google is reading this on Thanksgiving day, more power to you.

I don't really want to defend Google for this launch. I wasn't able to get my Nexus phone because of how horribly the Play Store screwed things up. I want Google to learn a lesson from this. But I doubt it helps to begin by suggesting that this casts a cloud of doubt on everything else Google does.

 

[KenDavidson]

I'm talking to you Apple. Home of over priced products and maps that don't work.

I had to laugh at this, yes, if I relied on Apple Maps to get me to the Play Store I would still be searching. Google Maps beats anything else out there and yes it is totally free.

Google just doesn't really care about your customer experience.

I truly hope you are wrong in this sentiment. While I will remain a long term Google supporter and see the value in the phone alone reason enough to return for the next launch I am still hopeful that regardless of the margin Google makes on the Nexus line that they continue to release new innovative product lines and draw a larger customer base over time. If your thought is true it will not happen and the AT&T's and Verizon's of the world will continue to hold their customers hostage and charge ever increasing premium prices as the average consumer will return to them for the feel good customer service they receive while taking less product and less value in return.

That's a fair question. But the reality is that it happened, probably because the demand for Nexus 4 outstripped even Google's wildest expectations, even factoring in the greater-than-expected interest in the Nexus 7. Again, though, the point I was making is that it makes little sense to me to say that because a company botched two hardware launches in terms of being crushed by demand, that they are incompetent in doing everything else they have been doing for years as well.

I fully can empathize with the demand being greater than expected, but empower your customer service staff with the necessary knowledge and information to give your customers the needed information in a timely manner. It is larger than this launch in my view, it is about maintaining consumer confidence on a larger scale.

If you do not feel that you can get a replacement unit in time, simply return and get your money back.

As always, i will always have a back up phone in case of the unlikely event that I loose or otherwise loose access to my phone. But again I am looking at making the Nexus user friendly for the masses, one thing that many find comforting is that with some other providers you can walk in and get a replacement. Goes back to the whole issue of consumer confidence as my reason for raising the issue.

, which is why I said it's free of *monetary* cost. That's Google's business model, and it works. I don't know if your business model is the same. I doubt you offer free services (in the same sense Google does) on the same scale as Google does. This was a question of comparing your business to Google's - and why Google is allowed to stay in business after this botched launch and apparently bad customer service while if you did it, your business would go out of business. Although, if you were launching a product, and it all sold out in the first 20 minutes of launch, I doubt you would be thinking about closing your doors.

In all reality since my business is not at stake here nor publicly in the forefront we will need to agree to disagree on this point. I realize Nexus is a minute part of the Google Enterprise but I would also like to see it continue well past the launch of the Nexus 4, 7 and 10.

I'm sure Google is aware of this issue. But if you launched this thread in the off chance that someone from Google is reading this on Thanksgiving day, more power to you.

I don't really want to defend Google for this launch. I wasn't able to get my Nexus phone because of how horribly the Play Store screwed things up. I want Google to learn a lesson from this. But I doubt it helps to begin by suggesting that this casts a cloud of doubt on everything else Google does.

I honestly am doubtful that anyone of any consequence at Google will ever read this forum post or hear about it wether it is Thanksgiving, Christmas or the 4th of July. I still think the debate is justified and just as I did not have any chance at hitting the 290 million Powerball drawing I still purchased the $10 ticket just on the outside chance that the sun the moon and the stars would be aligned in my favor.

Once again I remain convinced that Google's full line of service and offerings are not impacted by what we have seen in this launch. I continue to keep all my cards in Wallet and use it with my N7, I have all my data stored on their servers and am setting a business up with my recommendation to move to the Google Computer service this weekend for their business needs I also would like to see Google move to where the average customer who knows nothing about technology or google other than to "google it" does not loose confidence with this. People are fickle and business or traffic can never be taken for granted. I for one would be the first in line for a Google Fiber offering in my city or the first in line at the Store site for a future release but most are not like me or you and all it takes is one bad experience to drive people away.

 

[Bill Boxall]

Maybe, but could your business deliver this prime a product at this low a price point (essentially what looks to be at cost)?

Apparently Google can't.