Form-Box Frustration

[Joe]

Let's suppose you go to a website. Let's suppose you need to contact the person or organization running the
website. They give you an email address to write to: info@whatever.com or support@whatever com

These are fine because if I write something, a copy will be saved in my "Sent" folder along with the date, etc.

However, let's suppose instead that they force me to use a "form-box" (or whatever it is called) to put my message in. Unless I have the foresight to save a copy myself to some other file and note the date, etc., then this info will be lost.

My experience with these "form box" thingies is that there is an exceptionally high chance that I will never get a substantive reply to my inquiry. And I will be fumbling around trying to remember when I sent it, what exactly I said, etc.

What has been your experience with these things?

If I don't get an answer, what remedy do I have?

 

[Andy_T]

Normally, once you have filled in your request, my guess is that they would send back an acknowledgement in the form of

Dear JOE, we have received your request
"Please tell me whether your product XXX is vegan, thank you"
and will attend to it shortly...

At least that is my experience with the better ones of these kinds of interaction forms.

 

[Joe]

Normally, once you have filled in your request, my guess is that they would send back an acknowledgement in the form of

Dear JOE, we have received your request
"Please tell me whether your product XXX is vegan, thank you"
and will attend to it shortly...

At least that is my experience with the better ones of these kinds of interaction forms.

Yes, but I said substantive reply. That means a reply where they actually answer the question, or at least try to. Not one where they just robotically state they have received my question.

By the way, they almost NEVER "attend to it shortly," nor at all. That is my point.

 

[Andy_T]

Hopefully, they would come back at a later step with a full answer.

But, well, I agree, often that is wishful thinking.
My thought, however was, that you are concerned with getting some kind of acknowledgement in the first place.

And if they simply - stupidly - copy your request, you should at least have some record of what exactly you asked them.

 

[Joe]

Hopefully, they would come back at a later step with a full answer.

But, well, I agree, often that is wishful thinking.
My thought, however was, that you are concerned with getting some kind of acknowledgement in the first place.

And if they simply - stupidly - copy your request, you should at least have some record of what exactly you asked them.

Yes, it is better to get a "robo-letter" acknowledgment than none at all. But it still falls short of what I am looking for.

Perhaps I should post some of the robo-letters I have gotten back in this thread. Sort of create a "hall of shame."

 

[Second Summer]

I think often it's better to call (if that is an option) than to send a question through a web form. I suspect that often these forms don't work, or they send the request to an email account which is not read regularly.

 

[Clueless Git]

My websites all use 'form fill' instead of displaying an email address.

I get enough spam through the form fill with it's 'captcha' thingie to convince not to make it even easier for spammers to spam me.

Purpose of my site is to sell stuff though. So if it's a genuine enquiry my site users are guaranteed a fast and friendly reply.

 

[Amy SF]

Indian Summer: Calling may be an option in some cases, but not every website offers a phone number to call. They want communication to be internet-only. Even then, trying to communicate with them via internet is a lost cause. A while ago, I created an account on a certain website. When I finished, there was a message saying a confirmation email would be sent to my inbox, and to follow the steps in the email to complete the registration process (which is common with a lot of websites, and not a problem for me ordinarily), and only then would I be able to access my account. I waited and waited and waited for the email, but it never came. I waited several days for it and it never came. I decided to create an account a second time using the same email address, and I was very careful to enter the email address correctly, but a message popped up saying there was already an existing account with that email address, and I was unable to create a new account with it. I tried to access my account without the confirmation email, and was denied access. So, I sent a complaint to the “contact us” email listed on the website, and never received a reply. So I said, forget it, not worth the hassle.

 

[ledboots]

Indian Summer: Calling may be an option in some cases, but not every website offers a phone number to call. They want communication to be internet-only. Even then, trying to communicate with them via internet is a lost cause. A while ago, I created an account on a certain website. When I finished, there was a message saying a confirmation email would be sent to my inbox, and to follow the steps in the email to complete the registration process (which is common with a lot of websites, and not a problem for me ordinarily), and only then would I be able to access my account. I waited and waited and waited for the email, but it never came. I waited several days for it and it never came. I decided to create an account a second time using the same email address, and I was very careful to enter the email address correctly, but a message popped up saying there was already an existing account with that email address, and I was unable to create a new account with it. I tried to access my account without the confirmation email, and was denied access. So, I sent a complaint to the “contact us” email listed on the website, and never received a reply. So I said, forget it, not worth the hassle.

Did you check your email spam box? Sometimes automayed replies,end up there.

 

[beancounter]

I've had both good results and bad results with form boxes. It depends on the oganization. Sometimes I get a very quick response, and sometimes I never hear back from them. It really depends on whether they actively manage it.

 

[Amy SF]

Did you check your email spam box? Sometimes automayed replies,end up there.

Yep. I do that routinely every day anyway, to check for legitimate emails that often end up there. In this case, no dice.

 

[Joe]

I think often it's better to call (if that is an option) than to send a question through a web form. I suspect that often these forms don't work, or they send the request to an email account which is not read regularly.

Thanks, IS. That makes sense. It is generally more convenient for me to e-mail rather than phone, especially if the answer I'm looking for might be a URL that's a mile long, or whatever. But that is a good idea for future reference.

 

[Joe]

My websites all use 'form fill' instead of displaying an email address.

I get enough spam through the form fill with it's 'captcha' thingie to convince not to make it even easier for spammers to spam me.

So is that the primary reason for these form-fill boxes? As a spam-deterrent?

 

[Clueless Git]

So is that the primary reason for these form-fill boxes? As a spam-deterrent?

It is for honest websites, Joe, yes. It stops your actual email addie from being 'harvested' by spammers.

For less integruous websites it's also a good way of preventing proof/record of communication with them though.