Public service announcement from AOL-anyone @home listening?
This is EXTREMELY relevant to us because of the difficulties it causes new ATHM customers trying to convert from AOL.
The Fool 4/23
FWIW I ran across this on a Company Sleuth AOL report: Over 30 lawsuits filed against them in the past 90 days. For comparison ATHM shows one.
Please read my comments that follow.
Litigation for AOL top
Information provided by MarketSpan, Inc.
DATE
PARTY
CASE CAPTION
19-APR-00 defendant Irish, et al v. AM Online Inc
17-APR-00 defendant Vaca v. America Online Inc
13-APR-00 defendant Susan Fishman v. America Online Inc
13-APR-00 defendant Matthew Fishman v. America Online Inc
13-APR-00 defendant Clark v. America Online, Inc
13-APR-00 defendant Drew v. America Online, Inc
12-APR-00 defendant Rodriguez v. America Online, Inc
12-APR-00 defendant Schilling, et al v. America Online, Inc
12-APR-00 defendant Goldberg v. America Online, Inc
06-APR-00 defendant Lofty, et al v. America Online, Inc
05-APR-00 defendant Parker v. America Online Inc
04-APR-00 defendant Galaxy Internet Serv v. America Online, Inc
03-APR-00 defendant Wilhelm v. America Online Inc
22-MAR-00 defendant Veak v. America Online Inc
21-MAR-00 defendant Rowland, et al v. America Online Inc
21-MAR-00 defendant Brooks, et al v. America Online Inc
20-MAR-00 defendant North v. America Online, Inc
20-MAR-00 defendant Langert v. America Online, Inc
20-MAR-00 defendant Archibald v. America Online Inc
10-MAR-00 defendant Lloyd, et al v. America Online
10-MAR-00 defendant Konetz v. America Online, Inc
09-MAR-00 defendant EZ Booking, Inc v. America Online, Inc
09-MAR-00 defendant Lovoi, et al v. America Online Inc
07-MAR-00 defendant Muzio v. America Online Inc
07-MAR-00 defendant Muzio v. America Online Inc
03-MAR-00 defendant Brooks v. America Online Inc
29-FEB-00 defendant Melody Munro v. America Online Inc
24-FEB-00 defendant Schmidt v. America Online Inc
22-FEB-00 defendant Kieves, et al v. America Online, Inc, et al
11-FEB-00 defendant Wise v. America Online Inc
11-FEB-00 defendant Bisselle v. America Online, Inc
11-FEB-00 defendant Jaykins, et al v. America Online, Inc
10-FEB-00 defendant Zinman v. America Online, Inc
10-FEB-00 defendant Henshall v. America Online, Inc
Case is pissing off more than a few people. I would think this will continue as more customers attempt to leave AOL for broadband, eventually delete their AOL 5.0 program, and encounter the huge frustration that I did (it wiped out so much of my operating system the computer became unusable, requiring me to reformat the hard drive).
This is EXTREMELY relevant to us because of the difficulties it causes new ATHM customers trying to convert from AOL. I suspect that we lose many who haven't the patience to endure the process. I KNOW we lose some. I've had two AOL-using friends sign up for ATHM and become so frustrated with the problems they encountered that they became part of those supposedly tiny churn numbers. A third I spoke to last night said he's had @Home for two weeks but because he's having so much trouble with it (home page won't load, etc.) he's still using AOL. I'm trying to coach him through it. Problem is that after using AOL for a long time it's hard to quit cold turkey. But as long as you attempt to use both on the same machine these problems keep creeping up. Since the troubles only start with the installation of the ATHM software, these people assume it sucks!
IMO the key is making sure every new AOL convert to ATHM is advised of the problems they can expect, and given clear solutions.
I suspect that many of the above plaintiffs are people who eventually came to realize who was really responsible for their frustration and lost productivity.
fxguy
From the wasteland:
ATHM employees are NOT leaving!
by: sss4646 4/23/00 11:42 am
Msg: 203672 of 203675
Stop spreading incorrect information! I work in the Redwood City offices. There has not been any such thing occuring here. Most of the stock options we get are at a cost well below current prices. Have you noticed all the other Web related companies stock prices in this area? Most are well off their highs. Everyone in the San Mateo area is in the same boat. Since it says you are from Boston, how do you know what's happening in the SF area? The morale at our office is fine as we work to create better and better customer service for all our customers. We have never been busier! |
