Bots Make Terrible Customer Service Reps

Have you ever called customer support with a simple question, but ended up spending 20 minutes navigating a phone tree, repeating yourself to multiple people, or struggling to convince a chatbot your problem doesn’t fit into one of its preset options? Perhaps you’re even among the 67% of Americans who say they’ve hung up on a service call before getting their issue resolved.

You’re not crazy. Customer service has gotten bad, with multiple surveys finding it’s the most frustrating it's ever been.

It’s no secret why service has gotten so much worse: companies are saving a few bucks by leaning into automation or outsourcing support overseas, betting their customers won’t be so annoyed that they’ll leave. 

We’ve decided to try a different approach. We view high-quality customer service as a crucial part of our offering. A “core” part, if you’ll excuse the pun. Delivering reliable internet service to smaller communities is our main focus, but we know it doesn’t mean much unless customers are actually using it. 

If you have a problem or question, you can reach out directly to your Core Advocate. That’s not a bot; that’s not a random customer service rep in a giant overseas phone bank somewhere. It’s a real person who also hails from a smaller community in the US, and they’re the same person you contact for all your internet-related issues. 

Our customers have their Core Advocate’s direct phone number and email. You know their name. They know yours. Think of your Core Advocate like a trusted, tech-knowledgeable friend who can help you find the answers you need. 

Internet connection out? Your Core Advocate will help you troubleshoot the issue and, if necessary, schedule a technician visit. If your Core Advocate isn’t available at that moment (they’re humans, not bots, after all) and you need help right away, no worries: just stay on the line; another member of our team can step in, and your Advocate will review and follow up if necessary. But most of the time, we hope customers will choose to talk with the dedicated Advocate they’ve worked with previously, and who understands their unique setup and needs.

We’re in the internet business, so naturally we spend a lot of time thinking about networks, equipment, speed, and reliability. All of those things matter. But at the end of the day, we’re also in the business of enhancing the lives of people living in smaller communities. A fast connection isn’t much comfort if you don’t know how to use it for the things you care about. That’s why we want Core Fiber customers to know there’s a real person they can turn to. Someone who can answer a question, help work through a problem, or simply point them in the right direction.