sashinka | observation orientated, with a twist of lime | a blog

FT.crap
So I persuaded a client to give me a second level FT.com subscription (the one with all the bells and whistles and mulitple information sources) as a kinda-bonus and because I'm an information junkie.

Password came this morning - I rush to log on, but when I go to advanced search, there's no search box. I reload - still no search box. I call the helpline, and Alan helpfully tells me there's a problem with searching in IE, particularly IE6. I point out that it's the essence of the product. I ask him how long they've had this problem. A month. A month! I retort. Yes, they feed it back to product development, but they don't seem to know what the problem is. If I'd paid for my subscription, I'd certainly feel that it'd been mis-sold and I'd want my money back. If I'd paid for my subscription, Alan tells me, I should get it put on hold. It's fine with other browsers, he tells me.

So I try Mozilla, and it's the same, and he asks me "if I have any other browsers". I point out that Netscape is Mozilla. I say I'm frustrated and disappointed. He says he understands where I'm coming from, but there's nothing he can do. I get the names of people up the food chain - Ian Cohen, IT Director, and Ian Gill (called FT site manager by the helpline, but actually Head of Service Development). Ian Cohen's secretary says of course it works, someone will call me back. Admittedly, that was only ten minutes ago. Watch this space.

I can't help feeling that this is bad customer service karma to offset my slight un-humility over dinner last night (at The Gate in Belsize Park - unbelievable vegetarian food), about two great customer serviceexperiences I've had this year. What goes around comes around.

Update:In the time it took to write that last paragraph, Ian Cohen's secretary has been back on to me to get Alan's details. "Of course the site works", she tells me. Can't help feeling Alan's for the high-jump, but hey, at least they're on to it.