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How would you approach this. You email a company that has something you want to license. An agent responds. Do you abandon your pursuits at that point and consi

How would you approach this. You email a company that has something you want to license. An agent responds. Do you abandon your pursuits at that point and consider other options?

variety8675 11d ago
I mean honestly yes, if given the choice not to interact with an AI system for something I will. Simple example, the Comcast AI slop bot stonewalls you online, but you can walk into a retail location and have a human resolve the issue in 30 seconds
- joshtronic 11d ago
  Totally get that. I think the fear there is that maybe this is the timeline where we just keep running out of those options. I still favor a longer line with a human or two in the loop at the store rather than self checkout. Depending on the time of day, self checkout is the only options. Fortunately, there's usually problems and you still get a chance to connect with a human :) RMS drew a line in the sand with how he interacts with closed-source systems. Starting to wonder if that's how extreme we need to be AI systems.
AnimalMuppet 11d ago
Depends on how close other options are to what I want. But if you're going to have an agent rather than a human respond to enquiries from potential customers (= $), then I'm not convinced I'm going to like how you respond after I am a customer.
- joshtronic 11d ago
  Yeah, that closeness of options makes it tough to really dig the heels in. Also, you can become a customer today, and have them fire their entire support staff and replace it with an agent tomorrow. Dwindling QC and CS isn't a new concern though, just need to make sure the space isn't owned by a single company
  - bigstrat2003 11d ago
    It's certainly true that companies can take a turn for the worse and stop treating their customers well. But a company using bots to communicate with prospective customers is sending you a signal that they already treat their customers poorly. Maybe you don't have any alternative options, but if you do, it's wise to listen to the unintentional warning this company is giving you.
    - joshtronic 11d ago
      Wasn't really the point of my post, but definitely something for me to think about. Appreciate you reading!
vips7L 11d ago
Yes.
- joshtronic 11d ago
  Let's say it was critical for the business, with no viable alternatives? I'm all for "find a way or make one" but there are times when you need to be more practical than dogmatic. Would love to hear your thoughts
  - setr 11d ago
    Sometimes in business you ultimately and unavoidably have to eat shit, so it is what it is. But you should strive to be someone who doesn’t have to eat shit, and until then, if you still gotta eat shit, then try not to make a habit of it.
    - joshtronic 11d ago
      Well said :)
      - onemoresoop 11d ago
        Well, if you start accepting eating shit in a new way you’re only fooling yourself you won’t accept it again.
  - 1659447091 11d ago
    > Let's say it was critical for the business, with no viable alternatives? If its that critical for you why are you rolling the dice on a general email and ... waiting for an email back and forth? Something so important as a vender "license" deciding if your company succeeds or fails should not rely on an email sent to an address pulled on their website. Find a contact, a human, drive (or fly) to their office and make an in-person appointment, show they are important to you. Otherwise that game of AI email tag should be more than enough to tell both parties just how not serious the whole thing is.
  - vips7L 11d ago

How would you approach this. You email a company that has something you want to license. An agent responds. Do you abandon your pursuits at that point and consider other options?

variety8675 11d ago

I mean honestly yes, if given the choice not to interact with an AI system for something I will. Simple example, the Comcast AI slop bot stonewalls you online, but you can walk into a retail location and have a human resolve the issue in 30 seconds

joshtronic 11d ago
Totally get that. I think the fear there is that maybe this is the timeline where we just keep running out of those options. I still favor a longer line with a human or two in the loop at the store rather than self checkout. Depending on the time of day, self checkout is the only options. Fortunately, there's usually problems and you still get a chance to connect with a human :) RMS drew a line in the sand with how he interacts with closed-source systems. Starting to wonder if that's how extreme we need to be AI systems.

AnimalMuppet 11d ago

Depends on how close other options are to what I want. But if you're going to have an agent rather than a human respond to enquiries from potential customers (= $), then I'm not convinced I'm going to like how you respond after I am a customer.

joshtronic 11d ago
Yeah, that closeness of options makes it tough to really dig the heels in. Also, you can become a customer today, and have them fire their entire support staff and replace it with an agent tomorrow. Dwindling QC and CS isn't a new concern though, just need to make sure the space isn't owned by a single company
- bigstrat2003 11d ago
  It's certainly true that companies can take a turn for the worse and stop treating their customers well. But a company using bots to communicate with prospective customers is sending you a signal that they already treat their customers poorly. Maybe you don't have any alternative options, but if you do, it's wise to listen to the unintentional warning this company is giving you.
  - joshtronic 11d ago
    Wasn't really the point of my post, but definitely something for me to think about. Appreciate you reading!

vips7L 11d ago

Yes.

joshtronic 11d ago
Let's say it was critical for the business, with no viable alternatives? I'm all for "find a way or make one" but there are times when you need to be more practical than dogmatic. Would love to hear your thoughts
- setr 11d ago
  Sometimes in business you ultimately and unavoidably have to eat shit, so it is what it is. But you should strive to be someone who doesn’t have to eat shit, and until then, if you still gotta eat shit, then try not to make a habit of it.
  - joshtronic 11d ago
    Well said :)
    - onemoresoop 11d ago
      Well, if you start accepting eating shit in a new way you’re only fooling yourself you won’t accept it again.
- 1659447091 11d ago
  > Let's say it was critical for the business, with no viable alternatives? If its that critical for you why are you rolling the dice on a general email and ... waiting for an email back and forth? Something so important as a vender "license" deciding if your company succeeds or fails should not rely on an email sent to an address pulled on their website. Find a contact, a human, drive (or fly) to their office and make an in-person appointment, show they are important to you. Otherwise that game of AI email tag should be more than enough to tell both parties just how not serious the whole thing is.
- vips7L 11d ago