Official Evernote Support on Twitter?

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

Official Evernote Support on Twitter?

 

I just saw this announcement while viewing an EN Blog:

 

 

Really????

 

Do most computer users these days prefer to use Twitter for support?

 

Personally, I don't get it, but then I'm not a big, or even little, user of Twitter.  

Maybe I'm missing some benefit of using Twitter for application support? 

Can anyone edify me?

 

It would seem to me that whatever effort Evernote is putting into Twitter would be better spent in these forums, answering questions and clarifying features and policies, and following up on BUG reports.

 

Your thoughts?

[Morticia 193]

Need an example?

 

https://twitter.com/MorticiaB/status/603006939405144064

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

@Morticia:

 

OK, that looks fine.

 

But how to others search/find this issue later on, perhaps weeks/months later?

How to you see all of the posts relative to the same issue together?

How do you get notified when Evernote, or someone else has responded to your specific issue, or an issue you would like to follow?

[Morticia 193]

A Twitter-account (if it's not private) and the tweets is searchable on for ex. Google. So it's a possibility that other can find the issue and hopeful a way to solution.

 

If I follow the account and people use tags it's not so hard, I retweet some tweets with issues I know my followers can have.

If someone without Twitter will search this URL is okay

https://twitter.com/evernotehelps/with_replieseasy to view conversations by click on the tweet

 

In my inbox (mention) so I don't have to read all from the other account to find my answer. I use IFTTT and the mention goes to Evernote...

 

I have use Twitter in six years. And had have conversations with my ISP, bank, landlord and many more.

 

Twitter is one way. Facebook, forum, e-mail, chat are other

[Frank.dg 1,385]

 

But how to others search/find this issue later on, perhaps weeks/months later?

How to you see all of the posts relative to the same issue together?

How do you get notified when Evernote, or someone else has responded to your specific issue, or an issue you would like to follow?

 

Those questions would be kind of redundant if one were an avid twitter user. It's part and parcel of the twitter game.

 

Twitter is simply another avenue to reach out to Evernote. It matters little whether one can search/ find tweets (although it can be done)... the one plus that twitter has is that it is predominantly real-time... and there's the thing about it being a public forum where more likely than not Evernote would need to respond to complaints in this social-media game. It also benefits them to have people reach out and for people in general to see timely responses... it benefits Evernote massively to have more of a buzz on twitter. So this works both ways. 

[CalS 5,280]

Frank,

 

Last I checked submitting support tickets can be real time, just have to have someone on the other end.  So there has to be someone on the other end of twitter.  It is sexy, but are folks going to get better service and support?  And if they are, why not move all support to twitter?  And then what happens? 

 

To be clear, being sarcastic as all get out, and having a bit of fun.  Just sayin....  

 

The issue with EN has not been the avenue of support, it has been the speed and quality of support.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

 

 

But how to others search/find this issue later on, perhaps weeks/months later?

How to you see all of the posts relative to the same issue together?

How do you get notified when Evernote, or someone else has responded to your specific issue, or an issue you would like to follow?

 

Those questions would be kind of redundant if one were an avid twitter user. It's part and parcel of the twitter game.

 

Frank, you may be right (since I don't know how to best use Twitter), but I have to wonder if your statement is correct.

I do lots of Google searches, including those about Evernote, and I don't remember Twitter posts ever appearing in the search results.  OTOH, I see lots of posts from these Evernote forums.

 

There are many, many Evernote issues that don't affect me, and I don't care about, particularly those concerning platforms I don't use (Android, Win8.1, etc.)  I do not want to have to wade through a bunch of 240 char posts every day hoping to find one this is of interest to me.

 

For topics of interest to me, I have setup subscriptions in various forums (not just Evernote) so that I will get an email notification if someone makes a new post, or replies to an existing one.  IMO, this is far, far more efficient than scanning/searching Twitter.

[Frank.dg 1,385]

I think only twitter users can engage in any sort of discussion on the topic. And, in fact, if one was a twitter user, there would not be any need for further discussion. One (twitter user) would take one look at this avenue and one would simply think, "Cool". Different strokes for different folks. 

 

If one is not a twitter user then stick to what one knows better. It is simply another avenue... that's all. 

[jbenson2 2,147]

Just tried looking @evernotenotehelps

 

How does this help anyone other than the original poster?

 

example: Evernote Helps - Great to hear!

 

example: Evernote Helps - Awesome! Thank you!

 

example: Evernote Helps - Thanks for pointing it out! We've reported to the developers.

 

Which one is for Windows?

Which one is a sync problem?

Which one is an installation question?

 

The only method is to tediously click "view conversation" links over and over again.

The result is a mess of unsorted replies to cryptically short original questions.

 

Yech!

[jbenson2 2,147]

 

If one is not a twitter user then stick to what one knows better. It is simply another avenue... that's all. 

 

The big difference between the forum and the twitter is Evernote employees participate in twitter.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

@Frank.dg:

 

It's not just about the preferred method, or what is cool, it's about quickly finding a solution to one's problem.

If Evernote has previously provided the solution in Twitter, how do I quickly find it?

[Frank.dg 1,385]

 

 

If one is not a twitter user then stick to what one knows better. It is simply another avenue... that's all. 

 

The big difference between the forum and the twitter is Evernote employees participate in twitter.

 

 

Yep... there is that. I'm a twitter user and would feel comfortable to reach out there if I ever needed to. 

 

Then there's also this: you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. If one is not into twitter, then no amount of discussion is going to make sense. 

[Frank.dg 1,385]

 

@Frank.dg:

 

It's not just about the preferred method, or what is cool, it's about quickly finding a solution to one's problem.

If Evernote has previously provided the solution in Twitter, how do I quickly find it?

 

 

Twitter is about real-time (sort of) communication. It's not so much whether one can find stuff. It's a different dynamic. 

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

Twitter is about real-time (sort of) communication. It's not so much whether one can find stuff. It's a different dynamic. 

 

That is exactly my point.

 

IMO, that makes it a very poor platform for providing any type of complicated technical support, especially where you are limited to 240 characters per post.

 

Twitter is, IMO, much better suited to responding to "How To" questions, where a link can be provided to a KB article.

 

Of course, IMO, from Evernote's perspective, I suspect it is all about marketing, giving the appearance of support for all users, and capturing the social media crowd.  Just my 2¢.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

Then there's also this: you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. If one is not into twitter, then no amount of discussion is going to make sense. 

 

False premise.  Other than being cool, being a fad, every technology tool has to stand on its own merits, regardless of media hype.

It's not about "leading a horse to water", it about leading him to salt water and expecting him to drink it just because "everyone else" is doing so.

 

I have continually adapted to, and made good use of, new technologies over the years.  But I have learned to "look before I leap".

I welcome and embrace new technologies that are useful and help improve my workflow.  I am usually on the leading edge, and even occasionally on the "bleeding edge" if circumstances dictate it.

 

Actually, that's why I started this thread.  I thought perhaps I had missed something about Twitter, and wanted to see how others would use it for Evernote support.

 

FWIW, I have tested Twitter several times and have never seen the benefit from a business perspective, other than marketing.  Of course, I also have never used my smartphone to text my friends hundreds of times a day. 

[Metrodon 2,184]

It's not about providing a searchable resource or providing complex support. It's about providing reasonably quick interactions with users who are very happy and comfortable using the platform. Just because you don't see the value in it, doesn't mean there isn't any value. All kinds of organisations use Twitter as a face for customer service, mainly because their customers like to use it and I guess because it must be reasonably effective.

[CalS 5,280]

If Tweeting helps solve someone's problem, more power to them.  My guess would be they would need some PhaseExpress hot keys set up to add the links to the actual solution to the problem.  That or we could add #sync whenever possible and see if sync issues are trending. 

 

Totally off topic, but as I was typing this a new tab opened in Firefox relative to how to use Clipper.  Say what?!?!?!?

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

Just because you don't see the value in it, doesn't mean there isn't any value.

 

I did not say that.  Please don't put words in my mouth.

 

Yes, I do have an opinion (just like you), but I was also asking for feedback from others on how Twitter could be use for support.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

 we could add #sync whenever possible and see if sync issues are trending. 

 

Now that's a great idea!  A good use for Twitter.

[Frank.dg 1,385]

...but I was also asking for feedback from others on how Twitter could be use for support.

 

 

The first thing that comes to mind is that, on Evernote's part, it's in part an accountability/ reputation thing. Tweets cannot go unanswered and keep piling up. It's an open invitation to complain, suggest, etc. So Evernote has to give timely responses.

 

The other thing I think of is that it's not so much about individualized, detailed tech support. Not practical on Twitter. I'm thinking more of the generic stuff that one can get a link or a short answer to. It's an attention-getter, first and foremost. One could also, most likely, post a support ticket number to expedite action on Evernote's part. If they say they'll look into it, they most likely will. More detailed responses could go directly to email.

 

There's the dynamic of twitter being a live, dynamic feed of what is currently happening. I see this as a positive thing when it comes to bugs. If there are hundreds of tweets on any given day about, say, the iOS camera feature crashing or whatever... one has the sense that you are not alone. You can either get vocal and chip in... or you could take it that it's not an issue unique to yourself. On twitter you have volume... potentially many more people weighing in than on the Evernote forums. A composite of recent tweets in the feed would give a decent picture of what's happening. Twitter is not so much about what happened recently or at any time in the past (although it is all searchable)... it is more a thermometer of what is happening now, today. It's often a hit-and-run dynamic. Never static. The landscape never stays the same.

 

I see a lot of value in twitter (on both ends). It may even just cut down on overhead in other customer service avenues... but, for sure, it is not quite the same as a live online chat or a detailed email reply. It is by no means a substitute... and for those who reach out on twitter - they know the inherent limitations... yet it has its use cases which cannot be replicated quite the same on other platforms.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

OK, I'm going to give Twitter a shot.  Have followed @evernotehelps and a couple of other Evernote folks.

[Morticia 193]

One more Evernote Twitter account

@EvernoteStatus

https://twitter.com/EvernoteStatus

A bot, tweeting when it's time for service and maintenance (not all the time)

How to set up notification in mobile, tablet:

https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/84295-evernote-status-service-release-maintenance/?p=360019

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

@Frank, or anyone:

 

Help me (and others) get started using Twitter for Evernote support.  Maybe this would be of interest to other forum users who don't use Twitter regularly.

 

How do I use Twitter?:

1. Logon web site and tweet only when I have an issue?
2. Logon daily just to see if there is anything of interest?
3. Can I get email notification when a topic of interest is tweeted?
4. Other?

TIA.

[Frank.dg 1,385]

If you take a look at the @evernotehelps feed, you'll see a fair amount of interesting interaction. It should pick up more in coming days. 

 

 

If you take a look at the profile, you'll notice that, unlike most big corporations, it is actually possible to message Evernote direct and perhaps send them email addresses, ticket numbers, etc. They also give a link to where one can submit a support ticket. So for many people, this is like a portal to support, with the added plus of being able to message direct and/ or tweet publicly. I think it's an admirable thing to invite any form of support via twitter... simply because there's the risk of inviting a lot of negative tweets when things go pear-shaped.

 

[Frank.dg 1,385]

@Frank, or anyone:

 

Help me (and others) get started using Twitter for Evernote support.  Maybe this would be of interest to other forum users who don't use Twitter regularly.

 

How do I use Twitter?:

1. Logon web site and tweet only when I have an issue?
2. Logon daily just to see if there is anything of interest?
3. Can I get email notification when a topic of interest is tweeted?
4. Other?

TIA.

 

 

All of the above, depending on your need and how much time you have on hand 

 

Then there are platforms like "Mention" and TweetDeck, HootSuite, etc, etc, that really take things up a couple of notches. You can get notifications related to multiple parameters you set up to filter keywords, topics, etc. One can keep track of all incoming tweets that fit your criteria and scroll through the tweets until you've seen them all. Pretty much like the Evernote forum. So... keep in mind that twitter is not limited to twitter. There are many 3rd-party apps that go way beyond. It is something that one can really delve into for promotion, interaction... and also to glean information. Incredibly powerful. It's like this whole other ecosystem that one might liken to a secret society if one is not a Twitterer... except that it's not a secret. It's a whole other addictive world that one can plunge into and get as obsessed as you wish... but there is no hall of fame, since everything changes quicker than one would want. It's really for opportunists... and you can join or leave this ongoing rat race whenever you want.

[Morticia 193]

Twitter is an information network made up of 140-character messages called Tweets.

 

How to use Twitter

 

Twitter Help Center - New users FAQ

 

Some apps make it easy to follows hashtag.

[Morticia 193]

If you want to see all tweet to and from an account you can search

Evernotehelps

Without @ or # before

Show all tweets

[jbenson2 2,147]

If you want to see all tweet to and from an account you can search

Evernotehelps

Without @ or # before

Show all tweets

 

I tried it without the @, but still got the same limited results.

I had to click each of the "View conversation" links to get an idea what the topics pertained to.

[Morticia 193]

That weird.

On my screen that links not exist

[Morticia 193]

I search for content not account

All tweet

from all

from everywhere

(I'm not sure what the title of the options are in English)

https://twitter.com/search?q=evernotehelps&src=typd&vertical=default&f=tweets

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

@Morticia:

Thanks for the references -- they look very helpful.  I'm studying them now.  

 

 

Twitter is an information network made up of 140-character messages called Tweets.

 

How to use Twitter

 

Twitter Help Center - New users FAQ

 

Some apps make it easy to follows hashtag.

 

[remy-actual 4]

It's Internet grandstanding.
Providing support on Twitter is not a bad idea. It makes your responsiveness to user travails very public:
"Look how helpful we are!"
However, it should be an add-on, not a company's primary support strategy. Definitely shouldn't be implemented as an either/or propisition. As pointed out earlier in the thread, it ignores building a library of searchable support solutions.
Lots of people use Twitter Search for all kinds of clever things (including myself) -- searching for support answers is rarely the motivation.
Providing support on Twitter and neglecting your own branded and hosted support forums?
Foolish. I can't think of a quicker way to obilterate Lifetime Customer Value. 
It shows Evernote is prioritizing New User Acquisistions over long-term user experience.

[Frank.dg 1,385]

1. Providing support on Twitter and neglecting your own branded and hosted support forums?

2. It shows Evernote is prioritizing New User Acquisistions over long-term user experience.

 

1. There hasn't been a shift in focus. Twitter support is as "additional" as Evernote socks are. Some people use them and benefit from them, some people don't... although the former is quite contiguous to their overall support effort. 

 

2. Quite the opposite. Evernote's model is: "If they stay, they'll pay". They count on converting an established base of long-term users to Plus and Premium. 

 

There is no prioritization with the official Twitter support. It just adds variety. Think about why you yourself use twitter. Is this your primary means of communication in whatever it is that you do?

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

There is no prioritization with the official Twitter support. It just adds variety. Think about why you yourself use twitter. Is this your primary means of communication in whatever it is that you do?

 

Frank, I don't think we actually know this.

 

Evernote does NOT officially use these forums as a support tool.  Sometimes an Evernote employee responds to a post here, but clearly not always.  It is often stated that this is a "users forum" as opposed to an official EN support forum.

 

Whereas, Evernote has announced that their Twitter account is an "official" support tool.  That is hugely different.

[Frank.dg 1,385]

Well... @evernotehelps points directly to where you should go to open a support ticket... for miscellaneous issues, Basic Evernote users are directed from the support site directly to the Evernote forums... in the forums, many power users have support ticket links in their taglines. This all points towards the support site and back a full circle. As far as I can see, there has been no scaling back in customer service that we had before the official announcement of an official twitter support platform a couple of days ago. What would any scaling back actually look like anyways? Whatever avenue they promote/ push, the other avenues will still be there. That leaves us with a choice. Those who have twitter accounts may want to explore that means to an end on occasion. 

 

I am convinced that it's simply a viable and beneficial alternative for Evernote to bring an extra vehicle into their repertoire. A positive side effect, if you will, is that it creates a little extra buzz on Twitter. I see it as more of a promotional thing than a mass support initiative. Once again... getting back to the dynamic of twitter itself... ask anyone who harnesses twitter for whatever purpose... and they'll all tell you that Evernote should have capitalized on what Twitter had to offer in terms of another customer support facet many moons ago - independent of whether it is an effective support platform or not. I just think Evernote is using twitter to branch out a tad more, not unlike most corporations out there. There's no direct restructuring of Evernote support. It's a branching out.

 

In the post that @gbarry pinned: 

 

"Announcing another way to communicate with us: @Evernotehelps over Twitter"

 

"...So over the past year + we’ve been quietly providing support over social media, honing our processes and incrementally expanding coverage."

 

This is nothing new... it just wasn't promoted all that much before. 

 

One final thing - twitter is an excellent way to tune in on useful info. Evernote does a great job with their frequent blog posts and tips. Incredibly prolific. I'd venture to say that many people who visit these forums looking for help have not yet subscribed to email updates from Evernote's blog. If they had, many would find that those posts rehash useful little tips again and again in various little combos and how-to's.... and the thing is that now if you follow the @evernotehelps twitter feed, it's an additional way to get the same links to the same posts one is not subscribed to via email notifications. And that, in turn, most definitely cuts down on the need for customer support to some degree. Most of the good stuff I know about Evernote came directly from those blog posts.

[Metrodon 2,184]

 

Just because you don't see the value in it, doesn't mean there isn't any value.

 

I did not say that.  Please don't put words in my mouth.

 

Yes, I do have an opinion (just like you), but I was also asking for feedback from others on how Twitter could be use for support.

Oh, I thought you said this....

 

"FWIW, I have tested Twitter several times and have never seen the benefit from a business perspective, other than marketing"

[jbenson2 2,147]

People can make the choice based on their needs. In my opinion, here is what I see as the key differences.

 

If the Evernote twitter fast-response continues, I would expect to see the Evernote forum activity slow down.

More newbies and free users will use Twitter to get access to an Evernote Support human being.

 

Evernote Forum:

1. a historical and searchable source for issues, tips, opinions and solutions
2. intelligently grouped  by topic (Windows, Mac, Business, Beta, Developers)
3. very fast response from users
4. a learning machine for thousands of users
5. minimal to zero participation by Evernote employees
6. a variety of reply threads ranging from single replies to hundreds of replies

 

Twitter:

1. a real-time solution for an individual user
2. no grouping - no categorization - just a mish mash
3. very fast response from Evernote employees
4. a specific problem-solving machine for individuals
5. 100% participation by Evernote employees
6. a relatively short reply thread

[Frank.dg 1,385]

Nice comparison @Jbenson2.

Another thing is that one will most likely get responses from @evernotehelps during office hours... Whereas the forum is a recourse at odd hours too.

One thing forum members can do immediately (on Monday) is to refer people to Twitter support during office hours if there is a more pressing need that cannot be resolved here. I think that Twitter may expedite tech support, especially if a ticket number is sent their way by direct message.

[CalS 5,280]

Seems one might want to use chat over twitter if premium?  More direct.  Just wondering...

[Frank.dg 1,385]

Seems one might want to use chat over twitter if premium?  More direct.  Just wondering...

 

Once again, it all depends on whether one is a twitter aficionado. Any twitter users here? Plus, the chat people don't send you updates and useful info. Neither can one gauge whether your issue is a common occurrence (your chat isn't publicly visible). You have to go through all the pleasantries too. 

 

The best thing would be to try it out (if you're a twitter user, that is)... but then again, twitter users who reach out on twitter already know the dynamic.

 

I don't think Evernote is trying to get people to open twitter accounts... in essence they're saying, "If any twitter users out there find it useful, we're there too". 

 

Hypothesizing about twitter support if one is not a twitter user is like trying to imagine the benefit of WhatsApp over email never having even downloaded the app.

 

Twitter exists. It fills a whole big fat niche in itself. It's there to use if one wishes. 

[CalS 5,280]

Small time twitter user, never really used it for support, more following comedians for a good 140 character laugh.

 

I am probably more comfortable with chat to solve issues, in my non EN experiences anyway.  I like the feel of the one on one, here to get to the root of the problem chat presents.  Got no issue with Twitter, just another tool n the bag.  Good folks can pick the one that works for them. 

[gazumped 11,652]

Two thoughts - on the "twitter only works on weekdays" point - a direct message to @Evernotehelps (by putting that word in the tweet) means that it will be in Evernote's inbox like an incoming email,  ready to be answered in its turn. 

 

And while I agree that if you get a quick response via Twitter more people will use that route,  I don't necessarily see that stopping forum entries;  -you try explaining a tech fault in 125 chars or less!  (That's 140-"@Evernotehelps"...)  I've already been suggesting that folks explain their issues - with pics if necessary - on the forums,  then tweet the thread URL to @ENH.

 

I'm part of a mildly crazy network of independent operators who mix Facebook,  Twitter and Website activity to keep everyone in several regional loops,  and once you get over the initial shock it does actually work quite well...

[Frank.dg 1,385]

Just to help my BFF, @Mata Hari out, I tested @evernotehelps out. You'll see the stealthy response on this thread:

 

https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/85210-what-symbol-is-this/