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As an engineer, there's only one reason I don't want to be on customer calls: Once a customer knows the person who actually builds the product, they will short
by ilc 1y ago
As an engineer, there's only one reason I don't want to be on customer calls:
Once a customer knows the person who actually builds the product, they will short cut:
- Customer Service
- Product Management
- Any other sane defenses you put in to protect a developer's time.
And just contact me directly.
Then what do I do to get them off of me without losing a customer?
... That is why engineers don't get on support calls.
If I could be "Anon E. Mouse" for the engagement, that'd be fine. But fact is, that's not what happens.
- jacquesm 1y agoYes, god forbid that an engineer would be contacted directly to solve a problem they have. The thought alone.
- ilc 1y agoYes, god forbid people escalate their issues properly so they go to the right people. The thought alone.
- convolvatron 1y agopersonally I think the customers and I both get some value out of our interactions. but I normally don't sit on customer calls. why? because half of the time I screw up the sales aspect by saying - the salesperson told you what? no, we don't do anything like that - oh, yeah, this is easy, you don't really need our product, just use X - yeah, we have vague plans to do that, but no real schedule. its gonna be a major lift - once we finish coding and testing that, its gonna be great!
- teunispeters 1y agoAnd from experience, customer requests will not only be pushy and aggressive, but often at odds with company policy and directions. If they have a direct way to contact, one may end up not being able to do one's job due to the interruptions.