Recently, after an anomaly with our email “client” (I’m not sure that’s the right term, but “they” really like to use it on the internet), I went to Proton Mail’s help site and gave a detailed account in my plea for an explanation. As always, the first response was to refer me to an online list of “Commonly Asked Questions.”
Admittedly, in this age of technological complexity, perplexing use of jargon, eg. “email client,” and employ of any possible non-human mode for communicating with customers, I sometimes do ask questions that could be relatively easily answered if I’d be willing to read the fine print or Google more deeply. But I can honestly report that the majority of my questions can’t be characterized as “common.” In fact, most often they open a Pandora’s box of back and forth emails, compounded by even more jargon from the respondee, eliciting even more questions by me in my attempt to understand their answers. A federal case!
This one is all because when my wife emails me links from her iPad they are clickable on my phone, but not on my desktop computer. Seems simple enough. But, is there something wrong with me in the sense that, magnet-like, I seem to attract problems with cyber tools that everyone else uses without issue? This current test is into its fourth day, somewhat understandable because Proton Mail is on Euro time. Yet their questions get more complicated with each exchange, and I am forced to send more screenshots, upload EML files and repeat things I’ve already told them.
Still, I have the impression that I’m actually now engaging with a real person, despite the slight language imbalance and the overlay of tech speak. There’s room for a bit of sarcasm or eventually real rudeness on my part to try to bring the process to conclusion. However I keep worrying what’s going to happen to me when AI completely takes over this customer service sphere and I lose those advantages. AI don’t have no mama!
While being unique, or at least thinking so, is a source of pride for me, when it comes to having issues I’m getting tired of thinking that I’m continually the first of the earth’s eight billion inhabitants to have experienced any particular one. At least that’s the impression I get when the people I ask have to scramble so hard and so long to get me a fix. Perhaps they should hire me to come up with a list of Un-Commonly Asked Questions.
©2025 David B Bucher
PS: I finally did get an answer after Customer Service got in touch with the developers: It’s a problem they’re aware of and may be fixed at some indefinite point in the future.
SoEast 