(edited by Vayne.8563)
Changing the Transfer/Guesting Process
I feel your pain, Vayne, but I disagree on a small point.
Typing the name of the server you wish to transfer to would be a good thing, but why not make it a bit simpler?
1. Change the buttons: If the button to confirm a transfer is in the same place as the one to confirm guesting, simply switching their positions would help.
2. Put a 3rd set of buttons agreeing to spend the gems to move after you confirm.
3. change the color of the background – blue for guesting and purple (or some other odd color OTHER than red) for server transfer
The reason I suggest these as an alternative is that for you and me, it’s fine to type, but non-English speakers, or people with conditions such as dyslexia would have trouble typing the lengthy names of some of the servers. Making it simple, but distinguishing the two options would be a much better solution, I believe.
Level 80 Elementalist
They make you type the name of several items before you delete them and those items, including the HoM Portal stone which you can replace for free, don’t cost you $25 of real money.
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
Holy baby cat, that blows. I’m sorry.
Indeed, that is a common thing we’re taught in UI design. As people become familiar with an interface, they stop looking at it. “Are you sure,” becomes little more than a finger workout when everything asks you that in the same boilerplate box. Tiers of urgency are important. Transferring and guesting are clearly not matters of similar urgency, and users need to be jolted out of that haze of familiarity when they enter gem-spending territory.
Sounds like the Google+ tactic lol.
One day we will actually click on the pop up instead of the X.
Ouch, that does suck. It probably won’t happen, but I would still try to contact support about a possible refund.
I’ve spent a lot of time on the forum and this is the first time that I’ve seen this mistake happen. With that said, I highly doubt we will see this changed in the near future.
Another person in my guild has made this mistake. And I already contacted customer support, which I did before I ever posted anything. I consider this a basic design flaw and feel I’m being made to pay for it.
I made that mistake myself and 3600 gems later I’m back where it started. I won’t ever make that mistake again because it was so costly.
A simple confirmation by typing in the new world transfer name would be a nice/easy addition.
I hope they take care of you Vayne. I personally didn’t even think to put in a support ticket for my mistake.
Blackgate : Level 80 Ranger, Necro, Guardian, Warrior
Devs: Trait Challenge Issued
Devs: Trait Challenge Issued
I guess I could make sure that I never have enough gems to transfer in my account too. Then I can’t make the mistake. But it seems like a bad business decision by Anet to require me to do this.
I feel your pain. I did the same thing too. I didn’t think of asking for a refund, blaming myself for my doziness. It would be nice if the buttons could be moved or changed to make them a bit more foolproof.
Anet just transferred me back! Thank you Anet!
I agree with the suggestion to type the name of the intended transfer server:
- Transferring costs gems, a lot of gems.
- A lot of people will never transfer. Most who transfer are unlikely to do so more than once. Even those that transfer multiple times cannot do so more than once per week.
- The cost to ANet (customer support, angry customers) of mistaken transfers is high.
- The cost to the customer of typing the letters of the server is low, especially considering the rarity of doing so.
At this point, I know of at least half a dozen people who have made this mistake, but it’s completely preventable by adding this relatively simple step to the process. Then, it doesn’t matter if people pay close attention to the minute differences between the transfer and guesting buttons.
As a personal note to Vayne: I’m really sorry this happened. It’s uniquely frustrating and perhaps the only saving grace from your experience is if it raises enough attention so that ANet chooses to prioritize an adjustment to the process sooner rather than later.
John Smith: “you should kill monsters, because killing monsters is awesome.”
Grats on getting y our transfer (back).
Fixing the fact that people accidentally spend more currency than intended?
Are you kidding me? This is what every sales businessman dreams of.
I still think Anet needs to change it. We already see people in this thread have made the mistake, but not everyone asks them about it.
It’s a bad bad way to make $50 off a customer you want to stay around for a while. I know I’m happy to spend money to support the game, and always have been. It would have left a bad taste in my mouth had I been forced to eat this mistake.
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
be angry at yourself not them .
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
be angry at yourself not them .
For what? Making a mistake anyone could make?
I was in business for a long time. If a long term customer who spent a lot of money with me bought a software program he couldn’t use and tried to return it right away, I’d give him his money back…even if it was his mistake.
Why? Because kitten ing off loyal customers isn’t smart business. No matter who’s mistake it is.
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
be angry at yourself not them .
For what? Making a mistake anyone could make?
I was in business for a long time. If a long term customer who spent a lot of money with me bought a software program he couldn’t use and tried to return it right away, I’d give him his money back…even if it was his mistake.
Why? Because kitten ing off loyal customers isn’t smart business. No matter who’s mistake it is.
I don’t think you realise just how expendable you are.
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
be angry at yourself not them .
For what? Making a mistake anyone could make?
I was in business for a long time. If a long term customer who spent a lot of money with me bought a software program he couldn’t use and tried to return it right away, I’d give him his money back…even if it was his mistake.
Why? Because kitten ing off loyal customers isn’t smart business. No matter who’s mistake it is.
I don’t think you realise just how expendable you are.
There’s a difference between the actual dispensable nature of a customer and the way a good business treats one. Yes, individuals are replaceable and insignificant. But you treat them like that, and there will be ripples.
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
be angry at yourself not them .
For what? Making a mistake anyone could make?
I was in business for a long time. If a long term customer who spent a lot of money with me bought a software program he couldn’t use and tried to return it right away, I’d give him his money back…even if it was his mistake.
Why? Because kitten ing off loyal customers isn’t smart business. No matter who’s mistake it is.
I don’t think you realise just how expendable you are.
Of course I’m expendable. Any one single customer in my business was expandable too. Any one. Any two. We had plenty of customers. There’s always another.
Which has nothing to do with the point. There’s no reason to take a person who spends money every month and will likely continue to spend money and make them feel bad about supporting your business. No reason at all.
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
be angry at yourself not them .
For what? Making a mistake anyone could make?
I was in business for a long time. If a long term customer who spent a lot of money with me bought a software program he couldn’t use and tried to return it right away, I’d give him his money back…even if it was his mistake.
Why? Because kitten ing off loyal customers isn’t smart business. No matter who’s mistake it is.
I don’t think you realise just how expendable you are.
Of course I’m expendable. Any one single customer in my business was expandable too. Any one. Any two. We had plenty of customers. There’s always another.
Which has nothing to do with the point. There’s no reason to take a person who spends money every month and will likely continue to spend money and make them feel bad about supporting your business. No reason at all.
But are you now going to stop spending money on the game? Will this incident stop you from buying more gems?
No.
So Anet managed to make you spend more money than intended and keep you coming back for more. Seems to me they’re doing their monetary business just right.
Why not send anet a friendly email a FRIENDLY one not a spiteful one.You would be surprised on how good their cutomers serviecs can be and considering it was a accidental tranfer there could be a chance for them to reimburse you or simply give you a free tranfer back.
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
be angry at yourself not them .
For what? Making a mistake anyone could make?
I was in business for a long time. If a long term customer who spent a lot of money with me bought a software program he couldn’t use and tried to return it right away, I’d give him his money back…even if it was his mistake.
Why? Because kitten ing off loyal customers isn’t smart business. No matter who’s mistake it is.
I don’t think you realise just how expendable you are.
Of course I’m expendable. Any one single customer in my business was expandable too. Any one. Any two. We had plenty of customers. There’s always another.
Which has nothing to do with the point. There’s no reason to take a person who spends money every month and will likely continue to spend money and make them feel bad about supporting your business. No reason at all.
But are you now going to stop spending money on the game? Will this incident stop you from buying more gems?
No.
So Anet managed to make you spend more money than intended and keep you coming back for more. Seems to me they’re doing their monetary business just right.
All you’re doing here is just showing everyone that you lack a conscience, and implying that you would resort to underhanded means to take someone’s money. Not all businesses are entirely money-minded. If you had to contact customer support for any issue, would you prefer to take no for a response? I think not, since that would leave your problem unresolved.
Really, if you’re just here to gloat over someone’s mistake, keep it in your own mind, nobody wants to know how unpleasant you can be.
A remnant of times past.
“Memories are nice, but that’s all they are.”
“Memories are nice, but that’s all they are.”
On a similar note, let’s make it so people can’t buy items from the dungeon vendors that the character they bought it for can’t use.
On a similar note, let’s make it so people can’t buy items from the dungeon vendors that the character they bought it for can’t use.
That would actually annoy some people, because there are people who buy exotics they can’t use with the express intent of salvaging them for an inscription. A person who played a thief would be forced to spend 300 tokens instead of 210 just to acquire an exotic for this purpose because none of the offhand-only weapons can be equipped by a thief. Sure, that person may be expendable as a customer, but in an ideal business there will be no irate customers or complaints – no negativity.
A remnant of times past.
“Memories are nice, but that’s all they are.”
“Memories are nice, but that’s all they are.”
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
be angry at yourself not them .
For what? Making a mistake anyone could make?
I was in business for a long time. If a long term customer who spent a lot of money with me bought a software program he couldn’t use and tried to return it right away, I’d give him his money back…even if it was his mistake.
Why? Because kitten ing off loyal customers isn’t smart business. No matter who’s mistake it is.
I don’t think you realise just how expendable you are.
Of course I’m expendable. Any one single customer in my business was expandable too. Any one. Any two. We had plenty of customers. There’s always another.
Which has nothing to do with the point. There’s no reason to take a person who spends money every month and will likely continue to spend money and make them feel bad about supporting your business. No reason at all.
But are you now going to stop spending money on the game? Will this incident stop you from buying more gems?
No.
So Anet managed to make you spend more money than intended and keep you coming back for more. Seems to me they’re doing their monetary business just right.
Actually it would have made me stop spending money on the game. You don’t know me very well. I’d at least stop spending money until I made back double or triple the money the transfer cost me. Fortunately I don’t have to do that.
More to the point, people will leave over stuff like this. It’s just not worth it for them.
That would actually annoy some people, because there are people who buy exotics they can’t use with the express intent of salvaging them for an inscription.
Then how about merchant “buyback”? I’d settle for anything that makes the player not as screwed when he accidentally buys light armor for his guardian.
I’m pretty angry at Anet right now, and I think I should stop posting tbh.
be angry at yourself not them .
For what? Making a mistake anyone could make?
I was in business for a long time. If a long term customer who spent a lot of money with me bought a software program he couldn’t use and tried to return it right away, I’d give him his money back…even if it was his mistake.
Why? Because kitten ing off loyal customers isn’t smart business. No matter who’s mistake it is.
I don’t think you realise just how expendable you are.
Of course I’m expendable. Any one single customer in my business was expandable too. Any one. Any two. We had plenty of customers. There’s always another.
Which has nothing to do with the point. There’s no reason to take a person who spends money every month and will likely continue to spend money and make them feel bad about supporting your business. No reason at all.
But are you now going to stop spending money on the game? Will this incident stop you from buying more gems?
No.
So Anet managed to make you spend more money than intended and keep you coming back for more. Seems to me they’re doing their monetary business just right.Actually it would have made me stop spending money on the game. You don’t know me very well. I’d at least stop spending money until I made back double or triple the money the transfer cost me. Fortunately I don’t have to do that.
More to the point, people will leave over stuff like this. It’s just not worth it for them.
Well, are you going to stop spending money on it until you get your refund? You sounded indecisive.
I remember other games adding merchant buyback and I think it’s a good idea.
If nothing else, making changes like this means customer service will end up with less tickets, and possibly less kitten ed off customers.
Merchant buy back would be a great QoL addition to this game.
That would be nice, but it would have to have a time limit like say, within 3 minutes of making the purchase or people will start “borrowing” weapons from the vendors.
A remnant of times past.
“Memories are nice, but that’s all they are.”
“Memories are nice, but that’s all they are.”
That would be nice, but it would have to have a time limit like say, within 3 minutes of making the purchase or people will start “borrowing” weapons from the vendors.
I think once you equip it, you’re stuck with it, in most systems such as these.
The process is fine as it is.
The buttons have a space between them.
They are different sizes.
One says “Guest” and the Other “Transfer”
The text after you click on it is different and says exactly what you are doing
The transfer screen shows you your gem balance and cost
In the end you have to ether click on the word “Guest” or “Transfer” a second time
The process is fine as it is.
The buttons have a space between them.
They are different sizes.
One says “Guest” and the Other “Transfer”
The text after you click on it is different and says exactly what you are doing
The transfer screen shows you your gem balance and cost
In the end you have to ether click on the word “Guest” or “Transfer” a second time
If it’s fine how it is, why have so many people made the mistake? Why is a free temporary process exactly the same as a process which costs real money?
People have all different lifestyles. Some are on medications. Some drink. Some don’t get enough sleep because they have insomnia.
It literally hurts no one to make these a less easy mistake to make…and it hurts everyone to not change it, because it requires more customer service hours and it makes people feel worse about the game.
Therefore, respectfully, it is not fine as it is.
The process is fine as it is.
The buttons have a space between them.
They are different sizes.
One says “Guest” and the Other “Transfer”
The text after you click on it is different and says exactly what you are doing
The transfer screen shows you your gem balance and cost
In the end you have to ether click on the word “Guest” or “Transfer” a second time
Guess we should be glad it isn’t just one button with an RNG mechanic.
Will you guest? Will you be transferred forever?
Roll the dice.
If it’s fine how it is, why have so many people made the mistake?
So many huh. I would guess it’s less then 1% that have transferred when they meant to guest. All you have to do is read.
If it’s fine how it is, why have so many people made the mistake?
So many huh. I would guess it’s less then 1% that have transferred when they meant to guest. All you have to do is read.
1% of how many thousands of transfers could still be hundreds of people. If half of them file a service ticket, you have that to deal with. If half of them don’t you have those people to deal with who feel cheated.
I know some people think they’re perfect and beyond any possible mistake. People don’t get tired. People aren’t in pain medications that make them drowsy. People don’t get distracted at the last minute by anything in real life. I truly envy those people.
Live long enough and you’ll realize that anyone can make a mistake. Anyone. You don’t know the percentage of people who have done it, but if it’s 1% it’s way too many. It promotes bad feeling for 1%, causes customer service tickets to be created…in my case three different emails, and for what?
Because most people haven’t made that mistake…or more people haven’t made it yet?
There are two ways you can deal with something like this…proactively, or cleaning up the mess after it’s made. Guess which one over the long term costs you more.
A super simple solution would be to keep guest as it is now and have you type in OK or Yes on Transfer. A super simple caption you have to interact with in a special way would stop this completely.
It doesn’t cause CS ticket. People not taking responsibility for the actions and expecting other to fix their mess causes excessive tickets to be made.
It doesn’t cause CS ticket. People not taking responsibility for the actions and expecting other to fix their mess causes excessive tickets to be made.
It’s all part and parcel of what CS tickets are. Some are legit, some aren’t but ALL take time to answer.
And in my case, Anet did transfer me back to my server for free, so obviously, that costs time and energy too.
Are you suggesting that tickets you don’t agree with aren’t legit or that tickets you don’t agree with don’t take time and money for Anet to process?
A super simple solution would be to keep guest as it is now and have you type in OK or Yes on Transfer. A super simple caption you have to interact with in a special way would stop this completely.
I actually like this…
For Guesting, hit the button. I still don’t like the idea of typing the name of the server you want to transfer to, but an interactive text request such as "If you’re sure you wish to transfer permanently blahblahblah, type “yes” here else click the cancel button…." makes it far less likely that you would accidentally click through a transfer.
Level 80 Elementalist