Customer Service Agents Might Be Able To See What You're Typing In Real Time (gizmodo.com)

Gizmodo is warning that some customer service agents might be able to see what you're typing in real time. A reader sent them a transcript from a conversation they had with a mattress company after the agent responded to a message he hadn't sent yet. From the report: Something similar recently happened to HmmDaily's Tom Scocca. He got a detailed answer from an agent one second after he hit send. Googling led Scocca to a live chat service that offers a feature it calls "real-time typing view" to allow agents to have their "answers prepared before the customer submits his questions." Another live chat service, which lists McDonalds, Ikea, and Paypal as its customers, calls the same feature "message sneak peek," saying it will allow you to "see what the visitor is typing in before they send it over." Salesforce Live Agent also offers "sneak peak."

This particular magic trick happens thanks to JavaScript operating in your browser and detecting what's happening on a particular site in real time. It's also how companies capture information you've entered into web forms before you've hit submit. Companies could lessen the creepiness by telling people their typing is seen in real time or could eliminate the send button altogether. So if you don't want to be monitored or send secret messages to agents, put your phone on mute while on hold and copy/paste messages from another document to your customer service chatbox. And in general, be nice to customer service agents. It's not their fault.

Comments

The Logical Solution

[Barny]

The logical solution would be to insert a false delay of 3-5 seconds whenever the user types something to the CSR's replies so that it is never perceived to be answering too fast.

As for the creepiness factor—you're typing stuff into a text box on a website, nothing should be considered hidden from them.

Re:The Logical Solution

[rmdingler]

Those few seconds can really eat into profits when you add it all up.

The save-a-penny program:

When they build your home, unless it's a custom build and you know what to ask for, even the contractors who construct the homes of the regionally better off are prone to shave costs that don't seem like much to the fellow who purchases just the one home. For instance, particle board (OSB), rather than incredibly more durable plywood, is used beneath the sinks in your kitchen and bathroom. Since you're always and eventually only one leak away from standing water on the bottom plate of your marble-topped cabinet, the additional tens of dollars for cellulose material that survives a leak or three without swelling up like a Football parent in Texas seems a worthy investment.

Until you are building thousands of these houses.... then it's tens of thousands of dollars.

Re:The Logical Solution

[h33t l4x0r]

As for the creepiness factor—you're typing stuff into a text box on a website, nothing should be considered hidden from them.

Thanks for the tip you smug prick Thanks for the wonderful support!

And this surprises anyone?

[uncqual]

I always assumed that the CSRs could see every keystroke I type in the chatbox.

If I have a long question (often the first question is long for example), I usually type the text into emacs (and, if I'm being picky, spell check it as well) and then cut and paste into the chatbox just to avoid confusion (such as me leaving out a "not" and later correcting it and the CSR never noticing my correction).

Re:And this surprises anyone?

[Trailer Trash]

I always assumed that the CSRs could see every keystroke I type in the chatbox.

If I have a long question (often the first question is long for example), I usually type the text into emacs...

Hmm. I do the same thing with vi - tends to be a little faster and easier.

I gotta try this

[CaptainDork]

I just chatted with Amazon support yesterday. I'm gonna type, "Fuck you," and wait for a ten count and then back over it.

Easier "solution"

[Solandri]

If this really bugs you, just type your response into some other text editor. Notepad, or even a comment submission window on slashdot. Then cut and paste it into the CSR window.

Re:Easier "solution"

[AmiMoJo]

You can also use this to your advantage by telegraphing your true feelings while maintaining the an unimpeachable polite and calm veneer.

CSR: We have engineers looking into it now.
You: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H
You: Okay, thanks. Do you know when it will be fixed?
CSR: We hope to have the issue resolved by tomorrow.
You: You told me that yesterday you lyin^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H
You: Are you sure? I really need to get this resolved quickly.
CSR: I'm sure sir, don't worry.
You: OK Google take a screenshot^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H
You: OK Google post it to Twitter^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H
You: Thanks, I hope you are right.

Re:about time

[eriks]

Or talk from the '80s...

My Job Used Software That Provided This Featu

[nichogenius]

I used to work in a technical support role. We used a chat service provider called comm100 which does show the agent what you type in real time. At first, I felt dirty like I was invading their privacy, but it does help efficiency considerably. It's invaluable when it comes to de-escalating clients that start to type out a giant rant, then slowly edit it to be more civil... eventually they just chicken out and delete their entire whiny post when they decide it's not worth it. It feels bad and dirty, but also consider that the support agent is usually multi-tasking between clients, so being able to know what you are typing as you are typing it is a real time saver. The worst is when the client has typed out part of a question which you know the answer to and have a full response typed out, then you have to wait for them to hit the 'send' button before you can continue answering the question or solving the problem. Sometimes you have to wait a LONG time.

Re:My Job Used Software That Provided This Featu

[WaffleMonster]

I used to work in a technical support role. We used a chat service provider called comm100 which does show the agent what you type in real time. At first, I felt dirty like I was invading their privacy

Everyone that designs and installs shit like this knows damn well what they are doing is wrong. They persist only because they get away with it.

but it does help efficiency considerably.

Ends justify means?

but also consider that the support agent is usually multi-tasking between clients, so being able to know what you are typing as you are typing it is a real time saver.

If knowing is a timesaver and that's truly the justification then the solution is both obvious and trivial. Provide proper feedback in UI design such that end user knows what's happening. This is a trivial and obvious solution. The fact it's not being done speaks volumes to the true intent which is entirely to deceive the customer.

If Microsoft can be sued for intentionally deceptive interfaces ... why should these chat vendors and the companies who deploy them get a pass?

If spy speakers like echo started recording everything all the time and uploading it to Amazon/Google mothership while intentionally disabling the activation indicators to hide that fact from the end user would that be ok? Do you think they could manage to do that and successfully repel resulting lawsuits? Personally I very much doubt it.