5 ms·

GE Answer Center, 1989 Commercial [video]

40 points by 1970-01-01 4y ago

Animats 4y ago
The GE Answer Center is still available, at the 800 number in the ad.
- nayuki 4y ago
  It's like they know that "Cool URIs don't change"! https://www.w3.org/Provider/Style/URI https://www.w3.org/Provider/Style/URI
  - beenBoutIT 4y ago
    The people answering are probably not situated in the USA.
- schoen 4y ago
  Do they still answer somewhat arbitrary questions like they do in the ad? Do they charge for the service somehow?
nayuki 4y ago
Also on the HN front page right now, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34541926 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34541926 "A Fix-It-Yourself Trend for Appliances (1983)"
ugh123 4y ago
So, is ChatGPT supposed to be the modern "GE Answer Center"? Seems plausible
- kube-system 4y ago
  Or is ChatGPT the modern answering machine? Depends on how empowered it will be to actually solve problems, which given the failure of other automated customer service systems, I suspect it won't.
- toast0 4y ago
  I think the GE Answer Center is just support for their appliances? Not a general question line. Hard to tell from the ad though.
- ashleyn 4y ago
  AIUI this is less like ChaCha/kgb (which were services that would have a human answer any text question at a premium rate) and more like "24/7 support for GE products".
kube-system 4y ago
Looking back, it's really amazing how the 24/7 economy has slowly taken over. Could you imagine someone running a grocery store today that wasn't open on the weekend?
- pan69 4y ago
  When I was young, 70's early 80's, in the country I grew up in stores were closed on Sunday. Impossible to imagine now.
  - kube-system 4y ago
    I don't remember many stores being open on Sunday back in the 90s where I was from in the US. Heck, the US still has some blue laws floating around. https://www.kxnet.com/news/local-news/no-more-blue-laws-stores-can-be-open-on-sunday-before-noon/ https://www.kxnet.com/news/local-news/no-more-blue-laws-stor...
  - dhdgrygev 4y ago
    Stores are closed on Sundays in Germany. People just plan around it.
- 404mm 4y ago
  Lot of lines became pretty blurry in the recent few decades. Lots of business target the “off time”. Lots of companies offer or run non-traditional schedules where employees are off on “work days”. And finally, saying “we’re closed for the holidays” - which ones? It’s becoming less clear with so many cultures in the mix. So yes, 24/7 became the norm. And it’s ok if people get paid fairly and are willing to do it. On a side note, I do miss the old simpler days.
  - lotsofpulp 4y ago
    With dual income M-F 7AM to 6PM working households becoming common, I assume there would be significant demand outside of those hours for non work activities. The interesting part would be if grocery stores start charging more for evening/weekend/overnight hours.
sgerenser 4y ago
Anyone know who was the voiceover actor? Reminds me of the one on contemporaneous Apple commercials.
1970-01-01 4y ago
See also: https://www.csmonitor.com/1982/0729/072913.html https://www.csmonitor.com/1982/0729/072913.html
- gumby 4y ago
  Man, I miss that newspaper! It probably still exists, but went downhill so far I stoped subscribing when it was still a paper edition.

40 points by 1970-01-01 4y ago

Animats 4y ago

The GE Answer Center is still available, at the 800 number in the ad.

nayuki 4y ago
It's like they know that "Cool URIs don't change"! https://www.w3.org/Provider/Style/URI https://www.w3.org/Provider/Style/URI
- beenBoutIT 4y ago
  The people answering are probably not situated in the USA.
schoen 4y ago
Do they still answer somewhat arbitrary questions like they do in the ad? Do they charge for the service somehow?

nayuki 4y ago

Also on the HN front page right now, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34541926 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34541926 "A Fix-It-Yourself Trend for Appliances (1983)"

ugh123 4y ago

So, is ChatGPT supposed to be the modern "GE Answer Center"? Seems plausible

kube-system 4y ago
Or is ChatGPT the modern answering machine? Depends on how empowered it will be to actually solve problems, which given the failure of other automated customer service systems, I suspect it won't.
toast0 4y ago
I think the GE Answer Center is just support for their appliances? Not a general question line. Hard to tell from the ad though.
ashleyn 4y ago
AIUI this is less like ChaCha/kgb (which were services that would have a human answer any text question at a premium rate) and more like "24/7 support for GE products".

kube-system 4y ago

Looking back, it's really amazing how the 24/7 economy has slowly taken over. Could you imagine someone running a grocery store today that wasn't open on the weekend?

pan69 4y ago
When I was young, 70's early 80's, in the country I grew up in stores were closed on Sunday. Impossible to imagine now.
- kube-system 4y ago
  I don't remember many stores being open on Sunday back in the 90s where I was from in the US. Heck, the US still has some blue laws floating around. https://www.kxnet.com/news/local-news/no-more-blue-laws-stores-can-be-open-on-sunday-before-noon/ https://www.kxnet.com/news/local-news/no-more-blue-laws-stor...
- dhdgrygev 4y ago
  Stores are closed on Sundays in Germany. People just plan around it.
404mm 4y ago
Lot of lines became pretty blurry in the recent few decades. Lots of business target the “off time”. Lots of companies offer or run non-traditional schedules where employees are off on “work days”. And finally, saying “we’re closed for the holidays” - which ones? It’s becoming less clear with so many cultures in the mix. So yes, 24/7 became the norm. And it’s ok if people get paid fairly and are willing to do it. On a side note, I do miss the old simpler days.
- lotsofpulp 4y ago
  With dual income M-F 7AM to 6PM working households becoming common, I assume there would be significant demand outside of those hours for non work activities. The interesting part would be if grocery stores start charging more for evening/weekend/overnight hours.

sgerenser 4y ago

Anyone know who was the voiceover actor? Reminds me of the one on contemporaneous Apple commercials.

1970-01-01 4y ago

See also: https://www.csmonitor.com/1982/0729/072913.html https://www.csmonitor.com/1982/0729/072913.html

gumby 4y ago
Man, I miss that newspaper! It probably still exists, but went downhill so far I stoped subscribing when it was still a paper edition.