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LOGGING on to Gmail or other e-mail service has become a routine of daily life, completed without a thought. What would you do, however, if you woke up tomorrow, plugged in your user name and password as you always do, but then received an unfamiliar message: “User name and password do not match”? If you’re a Gmail user, what you’ll want to do after a few more unsuccessful, increasingly frantic attempts is to speak with a Google customer support representative, post haste. But that’s not an option. Google doesn’t offer a toll-free number and a live person to resolve the ordinary user’s problems. Discussion forums abound with tales of woe from Gmail customers who have found themselves locked out of their account for days or even weeks. They were innocent victims of security measures, which automatically suspend access if someone tries unsuccessfully to log on repeatedly to an account. The customers express frustration that they can’t speak with anyone at Google after filling out the company’s online forms and waiting in vain for Google to restore access to their accounts. Tom Lynch, a software entrepreneur who lives near Austin, Tex., discovered early last month that he had been locked out of both Gmail accounts he used; he had no idea why. He received boilerplate instructions for recovering his accounts that did not apply to his particular circumstances, which included his failing to maintain a non-Gmail e-mail account as a back-up. He said it took him four weeks, including the use of a business directory and talking with anyone he could find at Google, before he succeeded in having service restored. A Google spokesman placed the blame on Mr. Lynch, saying he did not follow Google’s guidelines. The spokesman characterized Mr . Lynch’s ordeal as a praiseworthy illustration of Google’s tough security: “We have had no cases of falsely recovered accounts.” Google does provide phone support to Gmail customers who subscribe to Google Apps Premier Edition, which costs $ 50 annually and includes larger storage quotas and other benefits. Customers who use the advertising-supported version of Gmail, however, must rely solely on what Google calls “self-service online support.” Microsoft and Yahoo similarly offer phone support only to their premium e-mail customers . (Yahoo says it offers phone support for its free e-mail service “in some cases,” but it does not publish the phone number; it is revealed to the user in distress only after e-mail communication fails to resolve the problem. ) Last month, Google’s official blog dispensed advice for those unfortunate souls who find themselves locked out. The post, “What to do if you can’t access your Webmail,” scolded users about not sharing passwords with anyone, pointed customers to a form to reset the password and, if that doesn’t solve the problem, to another form to start the “account recovery process.” As customers, we bring the same expectations to Google’s personalized information services, like Gmail or Google Docs , Its word-processing service, as we do to our bank’s Web site. These are places that hold information very dear to us. My bank recognizes that losing access for days at a time is unacceptable. It provides me with round-the -clock phone support for account problems. So, too, should Google, even if I pay the company not in the form of a monthly account fee, but with my attention, which Google commercializes by selling slices to its advertisers. Last month, with cases like Mr. Lynch’s in mind, I contacted Google to see what the company had to say about my suggestion that it add phone support for its customers with account-related problems. The company returned with a debate team of three to argue the negative position: Matthew Glotzbach, who works with Google’s business customers; Roy Gilbert, who handles consumers; and Greg Badros, who is an engineering director. Mr. Glotzbach began by saying that “one-to-one support isn’t always the best answer “because it would take Google too long to collect lots of data about a problem that is affecting many users simultaneously. For systemic problems, data collection is important. But not for other categories. Account recovery could be slow for a locked - out customer who doesn’t have a backup e-mail account, and who declined to provide a security question and answer because of concerns that someone else could use it to get in (which is what someone did to Gov. Sarah Palin’s Yahoo Mail account). Mr. Badros argued that Google asks so little personal information of a new Gmail customer that it’s hard to determine identity when the genuine user and the impostor both present themselves to claim the account, and neither can produce the verification. He said more information could be asked of users when they sign up, but the inconvenience would dissuade them from trying the service. Mr. Gilbert added that proving identity with only minimal information is a problem, whatever form of communication is used to reach customer support . He said, “Even if they were standing right in front of us, it wouldn’t help.” THIS makes sorting out competing claims seem permanently hopeless, when, of course, this is not the case; it simply means that standard security questions will not suffice. But if Google were to use real people to sort out identity problems over the phone, the only remaining consideration would be the one that Google’s panel of experts didn’t mention in our talk: cost. Google says it has “tens of millions” of Gmail customers. (It declines to be more specific.) If it’s willing to consider phone support for account-access emergencies, it can take heart in the example of Netflix, which last year adopted phone support with enthusiasm, replacing online support completely. For all customers. For all problems. And without resorting to an offshore call center. It turns out that a staff of 375 customer service representatives are enough to handle calls from Netflix’s 8.4 million customers, answering most calls within a minute. Netflix says with justifiable pride that it has received the top ratings in online retail customer satisfaction by both Nielsen Online and ForeSee Results. A Netflix spokesman explained the complete switch to phone support: “Most people don’t need customer service, “he said,” but when they do, they want it now. ”
Log in to Gmail or other e-mail service has become a routine of daily life, the completion of thinking. I would like to ask you to do so, however, if you wake up tomorrow, insert your user name and password, you always do, but then received a strange message: “The user name and password does not match”?

If you are a Gmail user, you will want to do, a number of unsuccessful attempts to be more and more crazy talk with Google customer support representatives, after the rush. But this is not an option. Google does not provide free telephone number and a live person to address the general user.

Discussion forum can be found everywhere share a common fate of the story from the Gmail customers who find themselves locked in its own account a few days or even weeks. They are the innocent victims of the security measures, including automatic suspension of the opportunity, if someone failed repeatedly trying to log on the account. Customers satisfied, they can not speak with anyone at Google, the company filled out the online form and wait in vain for Google to restore access to their accounts.

Tom securities, the software entrepreneur who lives near Austin, Texas, was found early last month, he was locked in his Gmail account at the same time; he did not know why. A model that he had received instructions to take back his account, he does not apply to the special circumstances, including his failure to maintain a non-Gmail e-mail account as a backup. He said that in his 4 weeks, including the use of corporate directory, and chat with others, he can be found in Google, he successfully returned to service.

Google spokesman for the Arab-Israeli blame Mr. Lin Qi said that he did not follow Google’s guidelines. Mr. Lin Qi, the spokesman of the characteristics of suffering as a commendable that Google’s hard-line security: “We have no false accounts to resume.”

Google does not offer telephone support to customers who subscribe to Gmail Google Apps Premier Edition, which costs 50 U.S. dollars per year, including more storage quotas and other benefits. Customers who use the advertising-supported version of Gmail, but it must be totally dependent on what Google’s so-called “self-service online support.”

Microsoft and Yahoo also provide phone support for its premium e-mail only to customers. (Yahoo, said the company, which provides telephone services in support of its free e-mail, “In some cases,” but that does not publish the telephone number, which is revealed in times of crisis only if the user e-mail communication is the answer.)

Last month, the official Google blog dispensing recommendations of the unfortunate souls who find themselves locked. , “What if you do not have access to your e-mail network,” scolded the user password can not be shared with anyone, pointing out that customers in the form of an order to reset the password, if we do not solve this problem, an alternative way to start “Account recovery process.”

As more and more customers, and we look forward to bring the same to Google’s personalized information services such as Gmail or a Google document, the word-processing services, because we do our banking website. These places at the value the information to us. Bank of China recognizes that the loss of opportunities for days is not acceptable. It provides round-the-clock telephone support for my account. As a result, Google should even if I did not pay the company in the form of monthly account fees, but my attention, Google through the sale of commercial advertisers.

Last month, as the case of Mr. Lin Qi, I contacted Google to see if the company has indicated to me the proposal, it added in support of its mobile phone customer account-related issues. The company returned to the debate on the three teams that the negative position:格罗兹巴赫Matthew, who is with Google’s business customers; Roy Gilbert, who deal with consumers; and Greg Badros, who is the project director.

Mr.格罗兹巴赫the beginning of “one-on-one support is not necessarily the best answer,” because Google will take too long to collect a large amount of data a problem affecting many users at the same time.

The systemic problems of data collection is very important. But it does not apply to other categories. Account recovery may be slow to lock customers who do not back up e-mail account, and who refused to provide information on security questions and answers, for fear that someone might use it to get (this is what the governor did not Suolapalin of Yahoo E-mail account).

Mr. Badros believe that Google asked so little of the personal information of a new Gmail customers, it is difficult to determine when the identity of the real users and the liar claims to have the account can not produce verification. He said that more information could require users to register, but the inconvenience will not try to dissuade them of this service.

Mr. Gilbert said that the identification, only minimal information is a problem, any form of communication is used to reach customer support. He said that “even if they are standing right in front of us, and it will not help.”

This makes clear the conflict seem to always hope, of course, is not the case, it just means that the safety standards are not enough. However, if Google is to use the real identity of the people sort out the problem over the phone, the only remaining consideration will be a Google expert group made no mention of our conversation: the cost.

Google said that “tens of millions” of Gmail customers. (It declines to be more specific.) If it is willing to consider supporting the call to visit the emergency account, you can take heart in the case of Netflix, which last year with the enthusiastic support by phone, totally removed from the on-line support. For all customers. For all the problems. And not to resort to offshore call centers.

It turned out that the staff of 375 customer service representative enough to deal with the requirements of 8,400,000 U.S. dollars of Netflix’s customers, most in need of a minute to answer. The Netflix said that the reason to be proud that it has received the highest ratings of the online retail customer satisfaction by the Nelson-line and predictable results.

Netflix spokesman for the Arab-Israeli interpretation of a complete switch to the phone: “Most people do not need customer service,” he said, “but when they do, they want now.”