So I was pricing some ISP options for a friend (actually, I was
comparing some options on another continent with what is available
in this country for a point of reference). I checked Bell, Shaw,
and Telus. Here's my "conversation" with Telus: Telus Website: "Hi,
welcome to Telus. So I can help you better, tell me where you are
located and whether you need business or residential service." Me:
"I'm in Alberta and I need residential service." Telus: "Ok, here
is the page that lists all the service for both residential and
business, which do you want." Me: (a little frustrated to pick
residential, and see both residential and business - but happy to
see internet which is what I want) "I want high-speed internet." T:
"Which province are you in?" Me: "I said this already. Alberta." (2
strikes) T: "Ok, Alberta. Do you want residential or business?" Me:
"You've got to be kidding. Strike 3" - This was the point where I
stopped and went back through to grab screenshots and post this. T:
"Ok, got it. Here are the residential internet plans. BTW, just in
case you actually wanted business plans, here is a link to those as
well." Now, I realize that the link to the business plans is
actually a good thing. People could save the link to this page and
visit it later and then want a business plan. But it's not a good
thing when you've asked me twice already if I wanted residential or
business. It's like you asking me 3 times in the span of 15
seconds. "You want business?" "No, are you sure?" "Well ok, but
just in case, here it is…" By this point I had completely
forgotten what I wanted, I was so
frustrated/confused/distracted-because-it-was-so-funny that all I
could do was grab screenshots and post this. I was doing something,
I did come to this website for a reason other than to have a
ridiculous conversation with them and remember how much I dislike
their brand. What was it? One of the marketing guys I like talks
about remarkable products. Products that are worth remarking on.
This product from Telus is remarkable (here I am remarking on it)
but in the wrong way. Lately I've been thinking more and more about
how to make remarking on products easier. I'm doing a side-project:
a website and I'm trying to figure out how (besides the "email this
link to a friend") we can make it easy to remark on it and (more
importantly) how we can make it worth remarking on. Right now, it's
not there - but it needs to be. Otherwise it's just noise. At work
I'm also working on that. We have something remarkable (just
measured on the fact that people remark on it). But we don't make
it easy to remark on it and share both it and the remark. Our
client doesn't either. So we can make it more remarkable
(important) but we need to make it so that those that remark can
then influence those who haven't seen it yet. They are willing to
pass the good vibe: but aren't helping them do that. For those of
you who are more visual:
