Last semester, I lived off campus with four roommates. Wireless internet was included in our rent. Our landlord opted for the cheapest option possible, purchased the least expensive routers and installed wireless networks himself. That did not work out so well. We had multiple internet connection problems. In the middle of semester, we suddenly lost ability to go online although our signal was "strong." It was a very frustrating situation. Since the router was installed in my room, I got in charge of trying to fix this mess. That's when my relationship with netgear representative R started.
He was randomly assigned to me when I emailed technical support. Since our landlord and wireless provider were not able to help me with our connection problems, I resorted into contacting netgear, the manufacturer. He responded to my somewhat vague "I see signals, but I can't connect to any websites" with a simple question; "can you connect to websites using ethernet cord?" Why, yes I can. Afterwards I started receiving considerably longer instructions, such as how to do "ipconfig" and update our router. After a month of futile email correspondence, my landlord finally decided to pay for someone to take a look. And then wireless internet became alive and my short CMC with R was abruptly ended.
My interactions with R the computer support assistant mostly demonstrated hyperpersonal model. Although our interactions were limited to topics related to wireless network, I attributed various characteristics.He always had a suggestion and ended with courteous "Glad to be assisting you." Sure his responses were probably cut-and-paste cookie-cutter ones from the customer assistance manual. But he always had an answer and responded in a timely manner. It was fascinating. I assumed that he'd be a courteous and resourceful in real life. At the end, I didn't even consider the fact that he never actually solved the wireless problem.
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6 comments:
Su,
I found your post kind of amusing because I can relate. It’s funny how we perceive and interact with people that provide helpful services – especially if they are friendly. I know that personally, when someone is helpful or at least attempting to be helpful, I tend to consider this quality and over attribute. I usually forget to consider that it’s typically just their job, and hardly an insight into their real personality. I think this Hyperpersonal experience can even occur offline – like the Starbucks worker who always remembers what you want, for example. After emailing for a month, you probably felt like you almost knew R somehow; but I bet if you actually met him face-to-face that feeling would change. Nice post!
Interesting story. I think a big factor that may have affected your impression was the business setting under which your interaction happened. Since it is his job to help you, he may have been more courteous than usual; in turn this would have made you become more patient and understanding of his lack of ability to effectively assist you.
I agree your situation fits the hyperpersonal model. In a short amount of time you thought this person was a great person. Did you ever meet him FtF? This is an important part of mixed modality.
I'm glad the story had a happy ending
I think you described your online interaction with representative R very well and it seems that you had a great online relationship. He was able to help you a lot, even though in the end your problem was not fixed. I think it would have been interesting if you had eventually met him in person, for example if he actually came to your house to fix the internet. This is an important part of mixed modality; however, you did a good job describing the hyperpersonal model. You over attributed the few cues you had about him (even though they were, in reality, the company's responses) to make it seem like he was a decent person. Not everyone at the company could have appeared in that friendly manner.
Great post. I have to agree with Kayla that your reaction would probably be very different to a meeting in a face to face situation. This was a very interestin story, and I enjoyed how you connected it so clearly to the hyperpersonal model.
I am all too familiar with technical support, I feel like I've wasted days of my life on the phone and computer with company reps. I find that when I am talking to the person online I tend to act friendly and thankful for their help (even though it is their job, and I am calling because I'm likely angry), probably because the companies have strict guidelines on manners and responses. I liked your take on how that made you feel he would be in FtF.
I think we have all been frustrated with customer service at one point in our lives: it's a sort of initiation step in life. But anyway, I think it was very interesting that you wrote about a relationship with a customer service representative. Although I'm not sure if you actually met him face to face, it did sound like the hyperpersonal model fit your experience pretty well. However, it also seems like SIDE could have fit in very well, seeing as you thought his responses fit into a "cookie-cutter" kind of category, meaning you saw him as a member of his group rather than an individual.
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