What attributes does an ideal customer have?

[rupe]

After being treated rather poorly by a provider, who shall remain nameless for now , I was curious to know what your ideal customer would consist of. I always thought I was a pretty good example of one (9 support tickets in over a year, all of which were problems on the provider's side; use less than few hundred MB of bandwidth since becoming a customer and practically zero server resources), but it seems some don't really care

If not for providers like BuyVM and RamNode, I would think that customer appreciation was a thing of the past. 

So tell me about your ideal customer wish list...

 

[mitgib]

My idea customers are ones who submit support tickets with enough detail to reproduce their issue without needing to go back and forth a number of times trying to gain that info.

Frosting on the cake would be on time payment and not using public trackers to torrent.

 

[MannDude]

• Ability to communicate issues or concerns in tickets properly. (Not: "hi my vps has error plz fix now")
• Does not create multiple accounts in the billing system to bypass/abuse coupon codes for single use / new customers only.
• Does not beg or plead to have you or a support worker change company policy to accommodate them.
• Reads the damn TOS/AUP (see above).

Those are the major things I can gripe about. If submitting a ticket to report an error, please do not delay the resolution of the problem by giving absolutely zero information on where the error is seen, how to replicate it, etc. Too many times has this been seen and it only causes further delays as the ticket awaits the customer's update on how/where they see the error.

The coupon code thing really bugs me. Creating multiple accounts in the billing portal to take advantage of advertised coupon codes that are for new customers only should be something that is more strictly enforced. You'll often see an unpaid service in their main account, and that service was re-ordered under a new account with similar/matching details. I've seen people who has done this 5+ times and it's a pain in the ass when they request assistance and they don't know what account their stuff is under because they've created so many. That is when they should be merged to one and coupon code revoked and extra services should renew at normal cost. (Others may disagree with this, which is fine, but I don't like people trying to game or take advantage of the system)

Begging and pleading in a ticket I don't think really ever works. Please don't do it. If something is against the TOS/AUP, that is company policy, and this should have been known to you. No, no one should give you an exception to mine coins or do network 'stress testing' when it's specifically says this is not allowed in the TOS. You should not be rewarded and given an exception for your lack of reading, no, skimming the TOS for items that pertain to your intended use of the service.

I get that Terms of Services can be long and boring. Generally speaking, they're mostly the same. If you are using your VPS or hosting service for something that you know is an uncommon use then for the love of god spend 2 minutes skimming a TOS. If you want to run IRC related stuff, just ctrl+f and search the page for "IRC" and see what it says about IRC... If you plan on running a game server, do the same. If you're just operating a normal website it's rare anyone will ever get hit with a notice about violating the TOS. When caught, do not big/plead for an exception as pointed out above.

I love Customer Service and helping customers out and take pride in doing so, but for the love of god, I have seen some horrible customers over the years who wanted everything for free and went through great lengths to 'game the system', who wanted changes to the company policy to be made for them specifically, who think cussing at staff in tickets are okay and who think that if it "is not illegal in my home country" that they can do it on the servers that are hosted in the USA by an American owned company.

 

[MannDude]

Oh, just to add:

Most hosting companies WILL give you an extension on your invoice if you contact them BEFORE your service is suspended for non-payment. If you write in and let them know you need an extra few days until payday or a week or so, most hosts won't have a problem with that and will happily extend your invoice and override the suspension date in WHMCS so your service isn't interrupted. Though not everyone is as kind to do this after you have waited until your service is suspended.

 

[lowesthost]

• Ability to communicate issues or concerns in tickets properly. (Not: "hi my vps has error plz fix now")

Get a few of those now and then its usually the same customer(s)

or my favorite  my mails broke please fix  with no information.

We always politely ask for more information and sometimes even give them the steps  on how to format a perfect ticket so we can diagnose the issue instantly. but low and behold the next ticket will be the same   

• Clients that use or suspension system as a cancellation service  it takes all of 30 second to properly cancel a service.
• Clients that after Breaking a TOS/AUP and refuse to fix Get mad and threaten when their service is suspended or terminated. I have to admit I can still count one 1 hand how many time this has happened  and the few times it has the customer was put in their place Politely and professionally. One is still a customer today ( they cleaned up their act)  and have brought their friends & colleges and they now have service with us.

ManDude covered the rest I'm sure there is more I just can think of any at this time

 

[perennate]

Customer who uses all or most of the features, fills out service feedback form, and opens ticket when they need help.

 

[drmike]

Ideal customers to most shops... Haha...

1. willing to pay monthly

2. overpays for what they are receiving

3. never uses any resources (leaves it idle)

4. never submits a ticket

5. during multiple hour outage never notices or complains

6. promotes your brand online since they are pleased with the bargain the received