Why Do Some Large Stores Restrict Teleport Routing to a Landing Point?

[Blush Bravin]

45 minutes ago, Artorius Constantine said:

If you are following a TP or a link and get stopped by a forced landing point simply hit the link again!

Teleporting from the forced landing point will allow you to go straight to the link location.

Stores change, things get rearranged, old links may lead to unviable landing spots.

Forced Landing points only work for people coming onto the property from another location. Just click the TP a second time when you land and you'll go right where you want to be.

 

11 minutes ago, Qie Niangao said:

When does this work? I swear I've seen it work, too, but most times I get some message about not being able to teleport closer to the destination (although even then there's a handy beacon showing where I wanted to go, so all is not lost). Is it some function of how the region's teleport routing is set up? or maybe some "ability" that's in the (active?) group role? I don't think it can be a shared delusion that it works, sometimes, but I bet we wouldn't have to try very hard to find somewhere it doesn't work.

This used to work all the time, but in recent years I've noticed it being hit and miss. I'm not sure what the parcel owner has done to force tp within a parcel to the landing point.

Edited August 8, 2020 by Blush Bravin

[LittleMe Jewell]

4 hours ago, Odaks said:

8 hours ago, Marianne Little said:

Those weekly sales have started to use HUDs.

I follow one of these in particular. They dumped the webpage listing in favour of a hud. The textures in the hud take forever to load and I've got thoroughly fed up with it! And that's just to find out if there is anything I'd like to look at.

I simply decided to just drop that one from my weekly shopping.   *sigh*

[Odaks]

5 hours ago, Qie Niangao said:

When does this work?

IF you are a member of the appropriate group, AND have that group active before you arrive, AND your group entitlements include "ignore the landing point", you can indeed teleport anywhere once you have arrived in the parcel.

Otherwise, any attempt to teleport to a different spot will result in you going back to the Landing Point.

[Odaks]

7 minutes ago, Odaks said:

AND have that group active before you arrive

You can set the group as active after you arrive, but do so so before you try to teleport anywhere different. The other conditions still apply. I find it more convenient to set the group as active before arriving.

[Rhun DeCuir]

On 8/7/2020 at 9:17 AM, Drakonadrgora Darkfold said:

Again irrelevant.. not  every merchant thinks or acts like you or anyone else thinks that they have to. 

You are no more important to them then anyone else and never was. No matter how much you want to think different.

Your money and how much you spend doesn't make you special or important it never did.  You are just  a receipt number and nothing more. 

There are all kinds of different types of merchants out there.  Not all subscribe to your way of thinking and don't have to either. 

I have to agree.  I now only try and contact the owner if I didn't receive the correct item, or something was missing. (I once paid L$250 for a shirt, and the only thing in the delivery HUD was a picture of the product. Redelivery just gave me the same empty HUD.)  9 time out of 10, I never hear from the owner, or if I do, it's something brusque and dismissive.  Many owners have something in their profiles like "Please send any store related comments to <storename> Resident."  I now realize that they do that so they can more easily ignore customers.  If a store owner acts like their customers are beneath contempt, they get added to the list of stores that will never get any further business from me.

[ChinRey]

On 8/5/2020 at 7:02 PM, Jennifer Boyle said:

Why do so many shopkeepers follow a practice that makes it harder for shoppers to buy their products?

There is one possible reason that I'm surprised nobody has mentioned yet. Apparently you have to set a landing point if you want your store to be listed in the Destination Guide. The Destination Guide Suggection form says:

Quote

You may suggest a destination if:

• You personally own the parcel, it has a landing point set, and it is at least 512 square meters in size.
• The parcel is owned by a group that you are a member of, it has a landing point set, and is at least 512 square meters.
• The parcel is in a private island that you are on the access list of, it has a landing point set, and is at least 512 square meters.
• The parcel belongs to Governor Linden and is set to show in Search Places as a Hangout.
• The parcel belongs to a friend, it is set to show in Search Places as a Hangout, it has a landing point set, and is at least 512 square meters.

I'm not sure what that means or if the rule still applies. There is no mention of it on the info page and of course, you can of course set a landing point without routing teleports to it but at least there is enough ambiguity there for people to assume they need a forced landing point to get listed.

[Odaks]

4 minutes ago, Rhun DeCuir said:

I now realize that they do that so they can more easily ignore customers.

Fortunately, not all store owners are like that. I've had excellent customer service from at least two store owners during the last couple of years, both to help out with things that were actually my fault!

[Rhun DeCuir]

8 minutes ago, Odaks said:

Fortunately, not all store owners are like that. I've had excellent customer service from at least two store owners during the last couple of years, both to help out with things that were actually my fault!

No, not all.  But in my experience, the majority won't help or even acknowledge you.

[Odaks]

49 minutes ago, Rhun DeCuir said:

No, not all.  But in my experience, the majority won't help or even acknowledge you.

I find that so sad. Maybe I've just been lucky.

[Qie Niangao]

5 hours ago, Rhun DeCuir said:

Many owners have something in their profiles like "Please send any store related comments to <storename> Resident."  I now realize that they do that so they can more easily ignore customers. 

I've gotten really good support from one creator who uses a "customer service rep" for their store, rather than interacting directly with customers themselves. They're sorta  well-known but not that big a store, so I've always kinda imagined it was a language thing.

[Luna Bliss]

3 minutes ago, Qie Niangao said:

6 hours ago, Rhun DeCuir said:

Many owners have something in their profiles like "Please send any store related comments to <storename> Resident."  I now realize that they do that so they can more easily ignore customers. 

I've gotten really good support from one creator who uses a "customer service rep" for their store, rather than interacting directly with customers themselves. They're sorta  well-known but not that big a store, so I've always kinda imagined it was a language thing.

Yeah, can be a language thing.  Or...the fact that every hour you spend doing customer support is one less hour you have for creating new items or doing something else you enjoy more...

[Luna Bliss]

18 hours ago, Marianne Little said:

On 8/7/2020 at 12:21 PM, Luna Bliss said:

Do a lot of shoppers use area search? And if I have a landing spot in my store does this mean they can't use area search, or is there some other setting that prevents it?

At my landing spot I have a shopping HUD I want shoppers to grab and use, as it's the best way to get around my store..

If your shopping HUD is offered in a blue pop-up window, I would close it without reading. Those pop-up windows are so annoying. Most of all the "welcome to my store" then comes the offer of a landmark, join the group and all that.

Nope, my HUD is available via choosing to click a sign @ the landing area.   I do have a welcome pop-up though...it's not polite when someone visits and you don't even bother to say hello!    

[Rhun DeCuir]

2 hours ago, Qie Niangao said:

I've gotten really good support from one creator who uses a "customer service rep" for their store, rather than interacting directly with customers themselves. They're sorta  well-known but not that big a store, so I've always kinda imagined it was a language thing.

Was the customer rep another actual person?  I'm pretty sure that any AV whose name is the store name is an alt.  And don't get me wrong, the majority of the store owners who actually responded have been excellent.  The owner of the store where I got the empty package got back to me in a couple of days, and sent me the whole fatpack of the shirt as an apology.  It's just a shame that so many will ignore you instead of trying to fix the issue.  As Drakonadrgora said, you're just a receipt number.

And by the way... I was a customer care professional for 28 years.  I know bad customer service when I see it, and how you can fix it.  

[Rhun DeCuir]

2 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

Yeah, can be a language thing.  Or...the fact that every hour you spend doing customer support is one less hour you have for creating new items or doing something else you enjoy more...

Customer care is just as important as developing new product.  Very few things can negatively impact repeat business like poor customer service.  I suspect that very few store owners in SL have ever run their own business in RL.

[Qie Niangao]

6 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

Yeah, can be a language thing.  Or...the fact that every hour you spend doing customer support is one less hour you have for creating new items or doing something else you enjoy more...

3 hours ago, Rhun DeCuir said:

Was the customer rep another actual person?  I'm pretty sure that any AV whose name is the store name is an alt. 

The alt thing is how I handled customer service, years ago when I sold stuff to the public. My alts did the actual creating and I just came in to copy their work and deal with the business and customers and stuff. In this particular case, though, I'm pretty sure it's a whole different person, who acts as CSR for multiple stores that appear quite unrelated.

 

[Odaks]

16 minutes ago, Qie Niangao said:

a whole different person, who acts as CSR for multiple stores that appear quite unrelated.

How very modern of them, outsourcing CSR like that! A call-centre in Mumbai next?

[Emma Krokus]

8 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

...  I do have a welcome pop-up though...it's not polite when someone visits and you don't even bother to say hello!    

You have a point there - however, I'd prefer a message in local rather than having to click something to turn off...

I dislike landing points a long way from the entrance to the shop - generally I don't go to a store for the landscaping - unless it's for landscaping items. Strange I know .

If it was supposed to get me in the mood to buy things other than that, well I don't feel it works well on me.  

[Gabriele Graves]

I don't like welcome pop-ups either, or LMs that are offered.  I mean, I am here, I obviously knew where to go.

[Blush Bravin]

9 hours ago, Rhun DeCuir said:

Customer care is just as important as developing new product.  

Completely agree with this statement. I know I will put off creating until I feel like it, but taking care of customer questions or helping when needed is something I do as soon as I get a message. I have interrupted my dinner to help a customer I feel so strongly about it. My customers come first before anything else!

Edited August 9, 2020 by Blush Bravin

[Luna Bliss]

12 hours ago, Rhun DeCuir said:

15 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

Yeah, can be a language thing.  Or...the fact that every hour you spend doing customer support is one less hour you have for creating new items or doing something else you enjoy more...

Customer care is just as important as developing new product.  Very few things can negatively impact repeat business like poor customer service.  I suspect that very few store owners in SL have ever run their own business in RL.

Yes, good customer service certainly is vital. That's why a creator should recognize if they don't have a customer service representative skill set and so find a CSR who is competent. Likewise, if they don't particularly like this aspect of running a business, or if they feel it takes too much time away from creative activities, they should find a good CSR. Unfortunately, a good CSR can be hard to find, but if you do best to cherish them and pay them well.

Regarding comparing SL busineses with RL ones, having a CSR skill set from RL can indeed be beneficial for SL. I had training in the Social Sciences which benefitted me here, and being a teacher or even a CSR in RL would be advantageous too.  These professions teach the empathy and objectivity needed to respond to others appropriately.

I try to keep in mind that once a customer has given me money they must trust that I'll fulfill my end of the bargain. This creates a power imbalance -- I have more power because they've given me something and have no idea if I'll keep my end of the bargain by making sure they get what they intended or need. This is why we must be patient with customers who at times get a bit upset if things aren't working right for them -- this scenario can bring up all sorts of past experiences, often quite emotionally, when a customer was treated unfairly, sometimes by other merchants in SL.

But comparing RL businesses with RL ones we also have to keep in mind that frequently there are unusual conditions in SL which place unique burdens on creators. For example, much of customer support can relate to simple building skills which the customer generally should learn on their own and not expect a creator to provide as these skills can take a long while to learn -- however I will instruct customers in simple matters, or drop a note card on them with detailed instructions, or refer them to the Wiki if more is needed.
And there's also the undue burden of customers who expect a creator to be a friend or lavish excessive amounts of attention on them, and this is often due to the nature of SL and customers not really recognizing that a creator is running a real business and not simply playing a game.

* Being interrupted constantly is another undue burden on creators as you can't totally hide when in SL, a problem that having a competent CSR could solve, as well as using an alt for customer service.

Edited August 9, 2020 by Luna Bliss

[Luna Bliss]

4 hours ago, Emma Krokus said:

13 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

...  I do have a welcome pop-up though...it's not polite when someone visits and you don't even bother to say hello!    

You have a point there - however, I'd prefer a message in local rather than having to click something to turn off...

Well the problem is that messages in local are less likely to be noticed due to other information in local chat and the fact that it's only present for a short time on the screen when one might be looking away.

I don't like spamming pop-ups myself, but sometimes a pop-up provides vital information. In addition to me saying "welcome" I instruct others to click on the sign to get a HUD because it's the easiest way to navigate my store. I've had customers complain they didn't know how to find items because they didn't bother to read the pop-up which instructs them to grab a HUD at the landing area.
Also, often I will inform others of sales and where the sales board is located in the welcome pop-up, although it is very visible with a huge SALES sign visible from the landing. So if you click off that pop-up and buy a sale item at full price, you'll lose money.

I get that you don't like having to click a pop-up off, but if I've learned anything over the years it's that you simply can't please everyone, and sometimes it's best to go with what benefits the majority, or in some instances saves me a lot of time, even if a minority doesn't like it. 

 

Edited August 9, 2020 by Luna Bliss

[Emma Krokus]

@Luna - I wouldn't mind your pop-up as it's offering rather more helpful things than just "hello".

[Silent Mistwalker]

7 hours ago, Odaks said:

How very modern of them, outsourcing CSR like that! A call-centre in Mumbai next?

Hi there. Sorry to but in, but, to do so anyway. Just thought I would interject I'm one of the people who lost their job when it was outsourced to Mumbai. It's been downhill ever since. People need to know outsourcing doesn't increase profits in the long run because people won't be able to afford to pay the greedy price hikes. People wouldn't be demanding higher minimum wages if companies didn't keep hiking the prices out of pure greed need for larger profit margins and millions of dollars in bonuses and perks for the upper management.

Edited August 9, 2020 by Silent Mistwalker

[Luna Bliss]

8 minutes ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

7 hours ago, Odaks said:

How very modern of them, outsourcing CSR like that! A call-centre in Mumbai next?

Hi there. Sorry to but in, but, to do so anyway. Just thought I would interject I'm one of the people who lost their job when it was outsourced to Mumbai. It's been downhill ever since. People need to know outsourcing doesn't increase profits in the long run because people won't be able to afford to pay the greedy price hikes. People wouldn't be demanding higher minimum wages if companies didn't keep hiking the prices out of pure greed need for larger profit margins and millions of dollars in bonuses and perks for the upper management.

Fork Capitalism!!!!!!!!      

[Rhun DeCuir]

2 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

Yes, good customer service certainly is vital. That's why a creator should recognize if they don't have a customer service representative skill set and so find a CSR who is competent. Likewise, if they don't particularly like this aspect of running a business, or if they feel it takes too much time away from creative activities, they should find a good CSR. Unfortunately, a good CSR can be hard to find, but if you do best to cherish them and pay them well.

Regarding comparing SL busineses with RL ones, having a CSR skill set from RL can indeed be beneficial for SL. I had training in the Social Sciences which benefitted me here, and being a teacher or even a CSR in RL would be advantageous too.  These professions teach the empathy and objectivity needed to respond to others appropriately.

I try to keep in mind that once a customer has given me money they must trust that I'll fulfill my end of the bargain. This creates a power imbalance -- I have more power because they've given me something and have no idea if I'll keep my end of the bargain by making sure they get what they intended or need. This is why we must be patient with customers who at times get a bit upset if things aren't working right for them -- this scenario can bring up all sorts of past experiences, often quite emotionally, when a customer was treated unfairly, sometimes by other merchants in SL.

But comparing RL businesses with RL ones we also have to keep in mind that frequently there are unusual conditions in SL which place unique burdens on creators. For example, much of customer support can relate to simple building skills which the customer generally should learn on their own and not expect a creator to provide as these skills can take a long while to learn -- however I will instruct customers in simple matters, or drop a note card on them with detailed instructions, or refer them to the Wiki if more is needed.
And there's also the undue burden of customers who expect a creator to be a friend or lavish excessive amounts of attention on them, and this is often due to the nature of SL and customers not really recognizing that a creator is running a real business and not simply playing a game.

* Being interrupted constantly is another undue burden on creators as you can't totally hide when in SL, a problem that having a competent CSR could solve, as well as using an alt for customer service.

Thank you!  Having good  CSRs is essential.  They will bring in more in repeat business than they cost in wages and benefits.  Far too many companies see CSRs as just minimum wage canon fodder.  We trained that a CSR should never be a barrier between the company and the customer, but a bridge.  But, it's not just up to CSRs.  Every person in the organization needs to embrace customer service, especially the owner or CEO.  

 

I would urge any business owner, who finds themselves too busy to attend to customers or feels that they are not good at it, to hire a competent CSR.