World's Worst PR Guy Gives His Side 576
First time accepted submitter Narnie writes "Follow up to Tuesday's story of a PR rep's lack of professionalism. Kyle Orland provides a follow up interview with Paul Christoforo after a simple email chain escalated into internet infamy. N-Control official response to Paul Chrostoforo's actions can be found here. Kotaku.com even has a whole section devoted to covering the entire ordeal. I for one found myself caught following the news releases and in awe of the combined load forced on penny-arcade's servers from Slashdot, Reddit, Digg, Kotaku, and other news sites covering the story."
'Roid Rage (Score:5, Informative)
They connected him to a user id, TheAngryPimp, on a steroid board. http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/12/cut-paul-oceanmarketting-christoforo-a-breakhe-might-just-have-roid-rage/ [kotaku.com.au]
Re:I never got why this became so big (Score:5, Informative)
The whole thing looked way blown out of proportion to me. [...] Conversely, the guy on the other end was WAY overboard on wanting that controller by Christmas (must be a helluva controller). [...] Very unprofessional on Christoforo's part, for sure. But hardly worthy of the massive scorn he's gotten.
The customer hardly went overboard, the company processing the order was in violation of federal regulations (when you place an order online that cannot be fulfilled within 30 days there are regulations that state you must contact the customer notifying them of the issue and providing the option to cancel or alter the order) as well as merchant agreements (both VISA and MasterCard prohibit charging the customer's account prior to shipping merchandise).
As the customer service representative handling the order, not only was Christoforo "unprofessional" in lacking the ability to communicate in English (or, most likely, any other language), he was openly degrading toward the customer when it was pointed out the company he was representing was operating outside of the rules and regulations that governed their operation. This is an offense worthy of immediate termination at EVERY company I've worked for or had a contract with.
I've certainly experienced bad customer service, but this goes so far beyond anything I've ever encountered that it is practically unbelievable ... if it weren't a story sourced from multiple reliable individuals and news services, I wouldn't take it at face value ... as it is, yes, this ought to be taught to every jerk trying to party through school toward their MBA.
Re:Let me rephrase that (Score:5, Informative)
And no, his life isn't over. Nor IRL or online. It's just how you handle the backlash. At the moment he isn't doing very well, but only because he cannot stop his ego trip and humble down.
Re:Typical... (Score:5, Informative)
You don't know shit.
He's just being politically incorrect. He shouldn't have said "control the customer", because it sounds bad. But believe me, there are ways to do it.
You have no idea the jedi tricks these people can pull on you, and you don't even notice and fall right into their trap. How do you think "social engineering" works?
Let me teach you a little bit:
B is the caller, let's say a bank. C is the customer ("victim" if you want a politically incorrect term).
B: Hello?
C: Good day sir, is this John Doe?
B: Yes, who's this? --"yes" #1
C: This is X from Bank Y, do you have a minute? -- it's more than a minute, but if i say "a minute" i'm more likely to get your attention
B: Um...okay? --didn't say yes, try again
C: Excuse me? I can't hear you?
B: Yes, I have a minute --- "yes" #2
C: Oh very good. Just a minute, I'll check the computer...ohh it's slow today, it's one of those days, how is your day? -- fake slow day to get him into small talk
B: I'm doing fine
C: Oh it's so good to hear you're having a good day, it's been crazy here! --show him how good he is, and how bad you are, so he'll feel sorry for you
B: Oh i see, yes, it's been good --great, you got him on a positive mood!
C: OK, here we are.. let me check, are you John F. Doe, yes? - ask with yes, not "right". you want him to say "yes", not "right
B: Right -- try again
C: Excuse me? I can't hear you
B: Yes, I'm John F. Doe
C: Oh ok, and your address is 123 Fake St.?
B: Yes. --good
C: And your date of birth is 12/23/55?
B: Yes ---ooh man, we're on a roll!
C: Oh OK, everything sounds right. So, let me tell you about the deal we got for you: because you've been a great customer to us, we're offering a new *whatever* blah blah blah
then you explain how much he's gaining from this "deal", why he wants it, etc.
Why did i make such an emphasis on getting a YES answer? Because ultimately you're going to ask him if he wants, say, a new credit card. You want him to say "yes", not "right", "uh-huh", "OK". You need a "yes". So you ask him a lot of questions that will get him saying "yes", so he's more willing to say "yes" later on.
THAT's how it works. THAT's what "controlling" a customer is. When you get a call from some sales person you say "I'm not interested" and hang up right away. The moment you let them speak, they get into your head. They have all sorts of tricks to get even the most "uninterested" person in buying things they don't want or need. This has been true for decades. They have teams of psychologysts to understand people, and millions of hours of conversations to learn from.
Re:Lack of character shines through.... (Score:5, Informative)
And since this is Slashdot and a lot of us presumably live in California it's worth mentioning that barring a warrant only one party to a phone call needs to be aware that it's being taped in this state.
Nope, that's wrong. California is a two-party consent state:
"without the consent of all parties to the communication..." [ca.gov]
Steroids (Score:4, Informative)
Re:So he hasn't learned a thing. (Score:2, Informative)
Because 99% of them are idiots.
Re:So he hasn't learned a thing. (Score:5, Informative)
I don't understand the constant Slashdot slurring against MBAs. Yes, I have one. But MBA means you can't use Google now? It means you can't understand anything related to IT in any form? Why do slashdotters use MBA as an interchangeable term for "idiot"?
Because most of us are the technical type that clash with management, management with MBAs. Though unfair, you chose a degree that many here consider of low practical value. Our heroes in management are those that never even heard of "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" or "Six Sigma Lean". They got there because they were charismatic, bad-ass techies with a flair for business. And often, we believe that MBA techniques are political window dressing designed to enrich the manager at the expense of the talent. See: Programming Motherfucker, Do You Speak It? [programmin...fucker.com]
Oh it's unfair I know. MBAs, Law, PR, and other degrees and their professions grew out of need. But you're on a site that is "News for Nerds." I'm surprised you need an answer as to why there is bias against your degree. Hell, having a degree in general is under attack and probably always will be. We venerate the self-educated genius, not the above average guy that needed someone to teach him or her the basics.
Re:Typical... (Score:4, Informative)
That gave me a headache... You mixed up the caller and customer.
Re:I commend Mike at PA for doing this. (Score:4, Informative)
Mike posted it to his blog, as a professional with a large following. From previous experience (cf. Dickwolves), he knew what the reaction would be. Hell, he even ended his initial post with the guy's full contact details.
So he basically told the internet: "Here's this asshole, have at him," knowing full well that people would engage in illegal harassment of Mr. Christoforo. And those are details you could probably convince a jury in a tort trial of.
If Mr. Christoforo weren't such an idiot, he'd have lawyers in contact with PA, working out a settlement. The Avenger folks should be working something out too, preferably (for both parties) on friendly terms.
Yes, big douchebag Mr. Christoforo, but what Mike did doesn't strike me as blameless, ethical, or even legal.
Re:Keep digging Paul (Score:5, Informative)
YknowwhatImean?
This is a very brief demonstration to a semi-professional gaming enthusiast journalist. At no point does he demo the thing properly. He comes over like he only had a couple of cue cards and no real concept of how he wants to sell the idea to the punters.
He misses the heartwarming story of a teacher who came up with the idea to help out a student with a disability. Which would have taken all of 20 seconds of his 2 minutes pitch.
He didn't show the mechanics behind the thing and how and why it is so customizable. which would have taken one minute of his two minutes pitch.
He didn't hand it over to the punter so he could at least have touched it for a couple of seconds. The tactile experience is an important factor when you sell physical goods. While the guy was holding a mike he could have held it for at least 30 seconds while Christoforo points out that the thing is optimized for 1st person shooters or talk about plans for the PS3 version or answer questions for future improvements.
Tap into the PS3 market. Yeah, right. That's the right choice of words when talking to N-Control but a big no-no when talking to punters. That's grandstanding and fairly ridiculous.
All in all it shows he is no professional. A booth-babe showing her perlies and not saying a word would have done a better job.
It's very likely he literally needs mental help (Score:5, Informative)
He completely flew off the handle when the customer complained about being treated badly (Reacts to criticism with anger, shame, or humiliation), doesn't seem to care about or even really understand why the customer is pissed off (Obsessed with oneself and Lacks empathy and disregards the feelings of others)
.
The entire thing describes him almost to the letter.
Re:Let me rephrase that (Score:5, Informative)
I just looked at his twitter....
Holy crap, it was not just a bad day...
@tonycline How does it fel to be a ginger that no one loves or wants.
OK ENOUGH! Just fuck off already u god damn fucking gaming cunts. Boo Hoo I yelled at a customer big deal. Ge over it
@TrafficKidPT I don't need a degree I'm just naturally smart.
Look at all these gamers. Bunch of fucking losers, everyone in the biz makes fun of you fucks. All the sites you like laugh at yuo.
Penny Arcade is for autsitic preteens that can handle good entertianment. I'm suprised you can even read at all.
@threetimestrue Bullshit, I'm a hot commodity. Everyone will pay to have my services after this. Because I'm a survivor.
@IamPter Don't make me come over there and smack the dick out of your mouth sunshine.
@ChibiUFO No Pax = Penis Addiction Experts. Cause they love dick
That's all from just TODAY.
Riiiight.. bad day.
Re:Let me rephrase that (Score:4, Informative)