For a company that is struggling to survive, I was a loyal customer, just like I am sticking with Vonage. So far I have been a fan of NetFlix. But when these little underdogs piss me off with bad customer service, I don’t know what to think. They were doing a pretty good job of keeping me happy so far. I never had to call the customer service. I had to report a few broken DVDs, that’s all.

Let me explain what my issue with NetFlix is. The only links that I use on NetFlix are my queue and the link to “titles releasing this week”. The reason I use the releasing this week link is to avoid going through all old movies that I have already watched or not interested and get to the point as fast as possible. Today I go to add new movies to my queue, and the link is gone. In that place, there is a page garbled with old and new movies with now way of knowing where to find new movies. I searched for the link all over and I could not find it. Then I called the NetFlix customer service for the first time and they tell me that the link has been removed to improve the experience. Who’s experience I ask. The CS rep says they were trying out various options and customers seem to like this one better. Not sure who tried those options. I have seen this before. But removing a feature that I use most does not seem like a way to better way to serve a customer. Blockbuster still has that link on their web site. I am not sure if they will follow suite.

Now let me tell you, how many of us have unlimited time to browse through all these titles and click or mouse over them to find more information, date of release etc to make a decision? I personally don’t have because I do have a job to attend to, family and other priorities. Anyone who thinks they have a right to my time will loose my business with them. I have the same issue with Costco, at least the one in Sunnyvale, CA but that is another story. Would you wade through a store without clear markings on the aisles for hours to find out the one item that you need or would you go to a store that marks their aisles clearly what those aisles carry? Safeway or Target vs Costco is an example even though Costco claim they are supposedly in a different type of business. I would say, not anymore.

For your reference, I found some links on this subject.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/sd-dvd-film-documentary/266507-netflix-new-week-link-gone.html

http://www.hackingnetflix.com/2007/11/netflix-hiding.html

http://blog.netflix.com/2007/12/releasing-this-week.html

Some people on these web pages find out about new releases from other web sites and then rent the movie from NetFlix site. Honestly, I don’t think that is what I want to do. I am not a fan of going to another site to find information about this. If they say the movies are out there, you just need to find it, my answer is, I am not sitting at home doing nothing else. I prefer to spend that time elsewhere whatever that may be. Also, looks like they just took advice from a few readers of the NetFlix blog instead of asking real customers. When the company gets hit with a barrage of negative feedback and cancellations, the bosses will have to ask these web site design guys, what they were thinking. Also, most of the feedback on that blog entry seems to be negative. What it says is that NetFlix, like many big corporate’s, doesn’t care. As long as there is competition, that attitude will get you in trouble. I also think the only people who encouraged the new format are Blockbuster employees

The New Releases RSS feed is not same as what used to be in that page. Not categorized and does not include Indies and Foreign titles.

I am going to wait for a few weeks and then move to Blockbuster. I really don’t like Blockbuster, but I think I may have to live with that. I can get pretty much everything that I get from Block Buster online service plus in store rental and return. I prefer not to go to a Blockbuster store because of bad in store customer experience at block buster stores.

For a company that is struggling to survive, I was a loyal customer, just like I am sticking with Vonage. So far I have been a fan of NetFlix. But when these little underdogs piss me off with bad customer service, I don’t know what to think. They were doing a pretty good job of keeping me happy so far. I never had to call the customer service. I had to report a few broken DVDs, that’s all.

Let me explain what my issue with NetFlix is. The only links that I use on NetFlix are my queue and the link to “titles releasing this week”. The reason I use the releasing this week link is to avoid going through all old movies that I have already watched or not interested and get to the point as fast as possible. Today I go to add new movies to my queue, and the link is gone. In that place, there is a page garbled with old and new movies with now way of knowing where to find new movies. I searched for the link all over and I could not find it. Then I called the NetFlix customer service for the first time and they tell me that the link has been removed to improve the experience. Who’s experience I ask. The CS rep says they were trying out various options and customers seem to like this one better. Not sure who tried those options. I have seen this before. But removing a feature that I use most does not seem like a way to better way to serve a customer. Blockbuster still has that link on their web site. I am not sure if they will follow suite.

Now let me tell you, how many of us have unlimited time to browse through all these titles and click or mouse over them to find more information, date of release etc to make a decision? I personally don’t have because I do have a job to attend to, family and other priorities. Anyone who thinks they have a right to my time will loose my business with them. I have the same issue with Costco, at least the one in Sunnyvale, CA but that is another story. Would you wade through a store without clear markings on the aisles for hours to find out the one item that you need or would you go to a store that marks their aisles clearly what those aisles carry? Safeway or Target vs Costco is an example even though Costco claim they are supposedly in a different type of business. I would say, not anymore.

For your reference, I found some links on this subject.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/sd-dvd-film-documentary/266507-netflix-new-week-link-gone.html

http://www.hackingnetflix.com/2007/11/netflix-hiding.html

http://blog.netflix.com/2007/12/releasing-this-week.html

Some people on these web pages find out about new releases from other web sites and then rent the movie from NetFlix site. Honestly, I don’t think that is what I want to do. I am not a fan of going to another site to find information about this. If they say the movies are out there, you just need to find it, my answer is, I am not sitting at home doing nothing else. I prefer to spend that time elsewhere whatever that may be. Also, looks like they just took advice from a few readers of the NetFlix blog instead of asking real customers. When the company gets hit with a barrage of negative feedback and cancellations, the bosses will have to ask these web site design guys, what they were thinking. Also, most of the feedback on that blog entry seems to be negative. What it says is that NetFlix, like many big corporate’s, doesn’t care. As long as there is competition, that attitude will get you in trouble. I also think the only people who encouraged the new format are Blockbuster employees

The New Releases RSS feed is not same as what used to be in that page. Not categorized and does not include Indies and Foreign titles.

I am going to wait for a few weeks and then move to Blockbuster. I really don’t like Blockbuster, but I think I may have to live with that. I can get pretty much everything that I get from Block Buster online service plus in store rental and return. I prefer not to go to a Blockbuster store because of bad in store customer experience at block buster stores.

Today is June 7, 2007. I received a movie from NetFlix by mail. I also received an email asking if I received the movie on 7th, 8th or after 8th. Of course I clicked on the link that says I received after 8th