Smugmug support waning

Ferguson

Is anyone else getting frustrated with the quality of support?

After the big rollout I know everyone was buried.

But of late, every response sounds more like a Verizon call center response, than a "hero".

Here's my latest version, quoted verbatim:

Lately (not quite sure when it started) the info box isn't closed by the "X" (it does nothing). Escape will close it (on windows). Have tried Chrome, Firefox and IE11.

Screen shot attached as requested.


To which the response was:

Thanks for contacting SmugMug Support.

Is this behavior occurring in other browsers, other than the one you're currently using?


I can't tell you how frustrating such things are, but usually they are reserved for cable companies and cell phone carriers, where they just work off a script and don't pay attention. I don't expect it here.

And this was the SECOND go round -- the first was a response to DGRIN where I had a good explanation, but was asked to explain further with screen shots. And it ALSO said I had tried three browsers and listed them all. So TWICE I told them, and they still didn't read it.

Last week I also discovered a known problem that was keeping my galleries from displaying fully for my customers. The response was quick, but really unhelpful - the workaround provided didn't actually work-around, and no ETA for a fix could be offered, and no followup since. So now every delivery I have to say "if you can't see X images, keep hitting refresh or use other browsers". Gesh.

And a month ago (+/-) I asked a question about link redirection, and it just went off into space (that one was asked here, and then a PM sent per a Hero request with details, not directly to the help desk). The answer "there's nothing that can be done" was expected; what wasn't expected was silence.

Seriously -- did Smugmug just disconnect the support staff from being able to DO things?

Did it get off-shored to people who never saw computers before, as so many things have?

Or did someone put them under some kind of metrics that rewards responses being fast -- but doesn't care if they are accurate?

Hey... has ANYONE ever had a customer survey from Smugmug, asking if they are happy with their support?

I'm wondering if I just had a bad run of luck, or if others are seeing a decline in the quality of support?

Really -- I'm still here despite the rough patches after a LOT of years. I'm not threatening to leave. But this kind of brain-dead response (and a series of them) from support can sure try one's patience.

OffTopic

I've been finding it easier to just come to the forum lately.

Can I ask what the problem/work around is for galleries not displaying all of the images all of the time? Just noticed the same problem with my newest galleries and it is very frustrating because I just finished a major event. I know that refreshing the browser window usually works, but am I supposed to put a big notice at the top of the galleries that if X number of images aren't showing please refresh until they do?

Ferguson

OffTopic wrote: »

I've been finding it easier to just come to the forum lately.

Can I ask what the problem/work around is for galleries not displaying all of the images all of the time?

Here's what they told me to do (verbatim):

Others have reported this as well. For now click customize>customize site>done>discard changes. That seems to fix it.
Our engineers are aware of the problem and working hard on a solution.


It seemed to have no effect for me. Last contact I had from my ticket was 2/8 at 12am (wee hours) that said:

Sorry. We don't have an update, but they are working on it. We do hope to have things resolved soon.

Please let us know if there's anything else we can do for you.

mbonocore

Hi Ferguson,

Thank you so much for your feedback. We do take our support quality VERY seriously, and I have forwarded this thread to the appropriate management.

I am guilty as anyone. I wear 10 hats here, so as much as I would love to be on Dgrin and help out, I simply can't. Luckily the Heroes are a great help and the support I see on DGrin is top notch.

sjnoel

I'm seeing the same thing. I've been using smugmug for years and was always thrilled with the support (both in the forum and from support). Not impressed lately. I figured they needed to bring on too many people at once and they aren't really experienced. I feel like what Ferguson said and I'm getting someone working from a script and their main job is to keep me from actually bothering someone that might know the answer.

thenickdude

It looks like you're using my customisation to show lightbox captions all the time. This pretty much rewrites every piece of CSS for the lightbox, so it means that your lightbox is completely different to a regular SmugMug user's. The best place to find support for lightbox quirks if you're using that is by contacting me - just post a thread here and I'm sure to see it.

It looks like my code has been updated since you last installed it, so you might want to reinstall it (in particular, there has been an update to the way that the stacking of controls on the page works, which fixed arrows ending up behind videos, and may also fix your issue):

http://www.sherlockphotography.org/Customisations/Lightbox-captions

Ferguson

Lamah wrote: »

It looks like you're using my customisation to show lightbox captions all the time. [/url]

Let's continue in the thread I posted on the subject here:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=1940378

Rather than this more general topic.