23.05.2007 ~ Meteor vs Fachtna Roe
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Previously on 'Meteor vs. Fachtna'
Meteor Mobile Communications was established in 2001, now owned by Eircom group PLC,
It's pissed with Fachtna Roe because it never listens to customers,
... and it has a plan!
When I last mentioned the on-going silliness between the recipient of Ireland's third mobile phone licence and the computer teacher for a school in Clonmel, I was fairly convinced that not only would it end, but the result would allow me to add words like quickly and amicably to a posting on the subject.
And it would have made such a great posting - 'Mighty Mobile Company (Meteor Mobile Communications) enhances customer service based on Candid Customer Feedback (Computer Controlling Fachtna(?))' - imagine it - news kudos on par with 'man bites dog'!
But the headline was never to be. With hindsight it was a bit on the wordy side anyway (and, let's face it, pretty unbelievable). Meteor, rather than fix the issue (a series of user interface issues all easily remedied by a splash of javascript*), have decided to get 'evil on his ass' and unleash the hounds**. Fachtna's series of suggestions to fix usabililty niggles have rewarded him with cold words and a solicitors letter threatening action of the expensive high court variety. Yep, the old 'big company vs. the small guy' legal scenario. For trying to make things better (a service Jacob Nielsen and his ilk charges a pretty cent). Under certain grounds, the legal course of action may be a just and necessary evil, but in this case...
No good deed goes unpunished
I'm trying to dig up a moral to this story. Something that would neatly tie all the ends in a neat little bundle and feature at the end of an 80's kids cartoon. But I'm left reaching for...
Possible lessons to be learnt...
- Don't upset the status quo
- Only offer assistance when explicitly asked (remember this first aiders)
- Why listen when you can litigate
- Bigger is always better
Totalllllly unrelated...(!)
Krissie hasn't washed her teeth YET! (she maintains the verb should be 'brushed'... but like Meteor I don't listen!).
Update: as I finish this I have to concede that her teeth are infact brushed. Now I shall have to investigate how brushed they are ... =)
* It could be argued that using javascript to 'fix' meteor's web interface problems goes against fundamental web development ideals like 'progressive enhancement' and general accessibility, but as meteor doesn't support said ideals (basic validation being beyond them at time of writing), we're in fairly safe territory.
** Real INTERNET savvy if their website is anything to go by, that holding page with those five head shots reeks of l33+ sk33ls!
Tags: 07, disappointing, ffs, meteor, phone, right/wrong, sms, time_and_tide, what.