Comments on: Chat with Sarah – the future of automated help http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/ MVC, jQuery, YUI and Tech Community Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:28:04 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Chris Sutton http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-443 Chris Sutton Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:45:13 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-443 @Joe, thanks for your insight. I was thinking the whole time it was a real person. Thanks for clearing this up for us all. @Joe, thanks for your insight. I was thinking the whole time it was a real person. Thanks for clearing this up for us all.

]]> By: Joe http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-442 Joe Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:06:28 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-442 It would help if you dummies asked proper questions. It's not a real person, no programmer could programme the script to answer silly long questions like that. In the first example, the question was answered, but the person didn't follow the instructons. Sometimes, people complain about things without working out that they are in the wrong. It would help if you dummies asked proper questions. It’s not a real person, no programmer could programme the script to answer silly long questions like that. In the first example, the question was answered, but the person didn’t follow the instructons. Sometimes, people complain about things without working out that they are in the wrong.

]]> By: Jerry http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-439 Jerry Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:26:48 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-439 Almost a year later, still no improvement.. Hello, I’m Sarah and I’m here to answer your questions about PayPal. Even though I’d like to be a real person, I’m not. I’m programmed to answer your questions. How can I help you? You : an online transaction is being denied because PayPal is telling them I have no funding sources for my PayPal account? Sarah - PayPal : Sorry, but your phrase is too long and I will not be able to perform a full analysis. I would be very grateful if you could try to make it a bit shorter and more concise. You : no funding sources for my PayPal account Sarah - PayPal : Yes, that's the website you are visiting. You : Linden Labs Sarah - PayPal : Sorry, I haven't been designed to discuss horticulture with you. Almost a year later, still no improvement..

Hello, I’m Sarah and I’m here to answer your questions about PayPal. Even though I’d like to be a real person, I’m not. I’m programmed to answer your questions. How can I help you?

You :
an online transaction is being denied because PayPal is telling them I have no funding sources for my PayPal account?

Sarah – PayPal :
Sorry, but your phrase is too long and I will not be able to perform a full analysis. I would be very grateful if you could try to make it a bit shorter and more concise.

You :
no funding sources for my PayPal account

Sarah – PayPal :
Yes, that’s the website you are visiting.

You :
Linden Labs

Sarah – PayPal :
Sorry, I haven’t been designed to discuss horticulture with you.

]]> By: cornelis hendriksen http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-392 cornelis hendriksen Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:04:04 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-392 Hello Sarah, i have tried to open a paypal account but it got all wrong with the paypal password that i need to log in but i never got it. i have tried to log in again using my other email account and again i got stuck. please help me or cancle everything that i did so i can try it again. many thanks Hello Sarah, i have tried to open a paypal account but it got all wrong with the paypal password that i need to log in but i never got it. i have tried to log in again using my other email account and again i got stuck. please help me or cancle everything that i did so i can try it again. many thanks

]]> By: Kirsten Waerstad http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-390 Kirsten Waerstad Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:12:37 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-390 Sad and frustrating. Well, let me tell you, Sarah has not gotten any smarter. Here is my interaction with her yesterday. It's pretty hilarious: "Sorry, I haven't been designed to discuss human. How can I help you?" Paypal sends in agent Sarah to help me sort out my ebay problem. Here is the dialogue. I must admit that I did not initially read the first sentence explaining that she was not human. So, my first entry overwhelmed her. Although, simplifying did not make it any better. To add insult to my frustration, when I did speak to a real person, she was laughing with a coworker about this diaglogue and said that Sarah should be a blonde and not a brunette. Here it is, both sad and hilarious. Thanks PayPal: Sarah - PayPal : Hello, I’m Sarah and I’m here to answer your questions about PayPal. Even though I’d like to be a real person, I’m not. I’m programmed to answer your questions. How can I help you? You : I am an active ebay buyer. I usually choose to pay for items over $100 with AMEX; however, after reading PayPal's security guarantee with each transaction, and having to press Yes to Change, when presented with the ubiquitous "Are you sure you want to use a different payment method?", I've relented and relied on direct withdrawal from my bank account. - the obviously preferred method by PayPal. Now I am experiencing a potential problem with a seller (they sent the wrong item). Paypal's resolution center says that refunds are handled outside of Paypal. If I had charged the item to Amex, I could ask for a hold or refund. Please explain to me how Paypal protects me when I pay with direct withdrawal? Sarah - PayPal : Sorry, but your phrase is too long and I will not be able to perform a full analysis. I would be very grateful if you could try to make it a bit shorter and more concise. You : So Sarah, you are computerized and not a real person? Sarah - PayPal : I'm listening. How can I help you? You : Please explain to me how Paypal protects me when I pay with direct withdrawal and do not receive the right item from the seller? Sarah - PayPal : Sorry, but your phrase is too long and I will not be able to perform a full analysis. I would be very grateful if you could try to make it a bit shorter and more concise. You : Please give me a phone number so I can talk to a live person. Sarah - PayPal : If I can't answer your question, you can visit the Help Center, or contact us by email or telephone. The customer service number will vary, depending on which account type you have. To find the phone number: 1. Click here for the Contact Us page. 2. If you haven't already done so, log in to your PayPal account. 3. The PayPal Customer Service phone number for your account is listed. To contact us by email: 1. Click here for the Email us page. 2. Log in to your PayPal account. 3. Provide the requested information, and then click Continue. Before we continue, was this helpful? You : No Sarah - PayPal : I've just opened the right page for you. Sarah - PayPal : Anything else I can do to help you You : If you were a live person, perhaps. But your lack of analytical abilities is not helpful. Sarah - PayPal : I'm sorry but I'm unavailable right now. Please try again in a few minutes. You : Circuit overload? Sarah - PayPal : I'm not sure I've understood. Could you please rephrase your question? You : Thanks for great blog fodder Sarah - PayPal : You're welcome. If you think of anything else I can help you with, I'd be happy to assist you. You : Tip, be sure to turn yourself off before you take a bath Sarah - PayPal : I apologize if you can't find the information you seek by speaking with me. Please enter a new question, visit the Help Center, or Contact Us. You : Hopeless Sarah - PayPal : Really, that frustrates me... Because I do my best to improve every day. If you think of anything else I can help you with, I'd be happy to assist you. You : Bring a human in to assist you. Sarah - PayPal : Sorry, I haven't been designed to discuss human. How can I help you? Sad and frustrating. Well, let me tell you, Sarah has not gotten any smarter. Here is my interaction with her yesterday. It’s pretty hilarious:

“Sorry, I haven’t been designed to discuss human. How can I help you?”

Paypal sends in agent Sarah to help me sort out my ebay problem. Here is the dialogue. I must admit that I did not initially read the first sentence explaining that she was not human. So, my first entry overwhelmed her. Although, simplifying did not make it any better. To add insult to my frustration, when I did speak to a real person, she was laughing with a coworker about this diaglogue and said that Sarah should be a blonde and not a brunette.

Here it is, both sad and hilarious. Thanks PayPal:

Sarah – PayPal :
Hello, I’m Sarah and I’m here to answer your questions about PayPal. Even though I’d like to be a real person, I’m not. I’m programmed to answer your questions. How can I help you?
You :
I am an active ebay buyer. I usually choose to pay for items over $100 with AMEX; however, after reading PayPal’s security guarantee with each transaction, and having to press Yes to Change, when presented with the ubiquitous “Are you sure you want to use a different payment method?”, I’ve relented and relied on direct withdrawal from my bank account. – the obviously preferred method by PayPal. Now I am experiencing a potential problem with a seller (they sent the wrong item). Paypal’s resolution center says that refunds are handled outside of Paypal. If I had charged the item to Amex, I could ask for a hold or refund. Please explain to me how Paypal protects me when I pay with direct withdrawal?
Sarah – PayPal :
Sorry, but your phrase is too long and I will not be able to perform a full analysis. I would be very grateful if you could try to make it a bit shorter and more concise.
You :
So Sarah, you are computerized and not a real person?
Sarah – PayPal :
I’m listening. How can I help you?
You :
Please explain to me how Paypal protects me when I pay with direct withdrawal and do not receive the right item from the seller?
Sarah – PayPal :
Sorry, but your phrase is too long and I will not be able to perform a full analysis. I would be very grateful if you could try to make it a bit shorter and more concise.
You :
Please give me a phone number so I can talk to a live person.
Sarah – PayPal :
If I can’t answer your question, you can visit the Help Center, or contact us by email or telephone. The customer service number will vary, depending on which account type you have.

To find the phone number:
1. Click here for the Contact Us page.
2. If you haven’t already done so, log in to your PayPal account.
3. The PayPal Customer Service phone number for your account is listed.

To contact us by email:
1. Click here for the Email us page.
2. Log in to your PayPal account.
3. Provide the requested information, and then click Continue.

Before we continue, was this helpful?
You :
No
Sarah – PayPal :
I’ve just opened the right page for you.
Sarah – PayPal :
Anything else I can do to help you
You :
If you were a live person, perhaps. But your lack of analytical abilities is not helpful.
Sarah – PayPal :
I’m sorry but I’m unavailable right now. Please try again in a few minutes.
You :
Circuit overload?
Sarah – PayPal :
I’m not sure I’ve understood. Could you please rephrase your question?
You :
Thanks for great blog fodder
Sarah – PayPal :
You’re welcome. If you think of anything else I can help you with, I’d be happy to assist you.
You :
Tip, be sure to turn yourself off before you take a bath
Sarah – PayPal :
I apologize if you can’t find the information you seek by speaking with me. Please enter a new question, visit the Help Center, or Contact Us.
You :
Hopeless
Sarah – PayPal :
Really, that frustrates me… Because I do my best to improve every day. If you think of anything else I can help you with, I’d be happy to assist you.
You :
Bring a human in to assist you.
Sarah – PayPal :
Sorry, I haven’t been designed to discuss human. How can I help you?

]]> By: Chris Sutton http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-324 Chris Sutton Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:56:50 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-324 @Davis I think putting a system out that is this bad is just an all-around bad business choice. Chris @Davis

I think putting a system out that is this bad is just an all-around bad business choice.

Chris

]]> By: Davis http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-323 Davis Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:11:28 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-323 I check the PP site a great deal, seems this is pretty new feature. I follow linguistics recognittion software, these things are usually launched in an unfinished capacity, then they let the first runs of conversations do the hard work of volume training. I'd be interested to see if a commercial chatbot improves quickly or not in an open forum, compared to smaller sample research bots. Still, you have to admit at least pushing this sort of thing is going in the right direction, even if it's pretty flawed now. ;) I check the PP site a great deal, seems this is pretty new feature. I follow linguistics recognittion software, these things are usually launched in an unfinished capacity, then they let the first runs of conversations do the hard work of volume training. I’d be interested to see if a commercial chatbot improves quickly or not in an open forum, compared to smaller sample research bots.

Still, you have to admit at least pushing this sort of thing is going in the right direction, even if it’s pretty flawed now. ;)

]]> By: Robz http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-322 Robz Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:10:56 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-322 That is awesome! :D That is awesome! :D

]]> By: Chris Sutton http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-317 Chris Sutton Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:23:04 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-317 @Tim, I couldn't resist the Turing comment since I already knew I was going to be blogging it by that point. I don't understand how companies can think they are doing a good thing by putting out a system of such low quality. Chris @Tim,

I couldn’t resist the Turing comment since I already knew I was going to be blogging it by that point. I don’t understand how companies can think they are doing a good thing by putting out a system of such low quality.

Chris

]]> By: Fun With Virtual Help - Asking a Computer For a Date - Tim Barcz http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-316 Fun With Virtual Help - Asking a Computer For a Date - Tim Barcz Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:21:59 +0000 http://subjunctive.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/chat-with-sarah-the-future-of-automated-help/#comment-316 [...] Sutton recently posted his chat with Sarah, Paypal's new automated help assistant.  Curious about the service I checked it out and [...] [...] Sutton recently posted his chat with Sarah, Paypal's new automated help assistant.  Curious about the service I checked it out and [...]

]]>