Ways to improve geocaching.com

[Team Rascal]

I didn't mind paying for geocaching premium to support further development, because after all I love geocaching.

The problem arose when 1 time I asked for support and I was getting an automated answer that didn't even in the slightest address my problem. I write back one more time, asking for help and stating that if I get another automated answer I will cancel my premium membership. Sure enough I get another automated answer, nobody ever actually helped me with my problem, so I immediately canceled my premium membership.

Let's be real, adding your souvenirs takes one person at most 1 day to do, you don't do anything else, so what the heck do you get paid for with premium membership? At the very least (!) you could maybe look at the support tickets and give some real answers? It's fine to ignore non-paid accounts, fine, ignore paid accounts that submit one support ticket per week, fine, but once in a life-time paid account asking for help and you can't provide it? I'm sorry but that's asking for money without doing any work for it. This is the reason why I canceled - the customer has spoken.
You ask, what can you do better, this is it.

 

The original problem was that I accidentally logged 2 geocaches in the wrong order and since I "visited" trackables, it screwed up the miles on them. Even though I was able to fix the logging issue, the trackables were still screwed up, this is why I contacted them for help about it.

 

[+Max and 99]

6 minutes ago, Team Rascal said:

I didn't mind paying for geocaching premium to support further development, because after all I love geocaching.

The problem arose when 1 time I asked for support and I was getting an automated answer that didn't even in the slightest address my problem. I write back one more time, asking for help and stating that if I get another automated answer I will cancel my premium membership. Sure enough I get another automated answer, nobody ever actually helped me with my problem, so I immediately canceled my premium membership.

Let's be real, adding your souvenirs takes one person at most 1 day to do, you don't do anything else, so what the heck do you get paid for with premium membership? At the very least (!) you could maybe look at the support tickets and give some real answers? It's fine to ignore non-paid accounts, fine, ignore paid accounts that submit one support ticket per week, fine, but once in a life-time paid account asking for help and you can't provide it? I'm sorry but that's asking for money without doing any work for it. This is the reason why I canceled - the customer has spoken.
You ask, what can you do better, this is it.

 

The original problem was that I accidentally logged 2 geocaches in the wrong order and since I "visited" trackables, it screwed up the miles on them. Even though I was able to fix the logging issue, the trackables were still screwed up, this is why I contacted them for help about it.

 

I bet you would have gotten good help from right here in the forums. 

 

8 minutes ago, Team Rascal said:

Let's be real, adding your souvenirs takes one person at most 1 day to do, you don't do anything else, so what the heck do you get paid for with premium membership?

They don't do anything else? 

 

 

[RuideAlmeida]

17 minutes ago, Team Rascal said:

I didn't mind paying for geocaching premium to support further development, because after all I love geocaching.

 

So?...

[+cerberus1]

20 minutes ago, Team Rascal said:

I didn't mind paying for geocaching premium to support further development, because after all I love geocaching.

 

Let's be real, adding your souvenirs takes one person at most 1 day to do, you don't do anything else, so what the heck do you get paid for with premium membership?

At the very least (!) you could maybe look at the support tickets and give some real answers?

It's fine to ignore non-paid accounts, fine, ignore paid accounts that submit one support ticket per week, fine, but once in a life-time paid account asking for help and you can't provide it?

I'm sorry but that's asking for money without doing any work for it. This is the reason why I canceled - the customer has spoken.
You ask, what can you do better, this is it.

 

The original problem was that I accidentally logged 2 geocaches in the wrong order and since I "visited" trackables, it screwed up the miles on them. Even though I was able to fix the logging issue, the trackables were still screwed up, this is why I contacted them for help about it.

 

 

Right.  I could be playing just like you, not using near enough of the many benefits of premium membership.   

 - But instead I realized that all the tech stuff (phones mostly...) that's included today , most I don't use at all, still has to have staff maintaining it.

We still pay for pm so basic members will continue to be allowed to play for free.  

 

You seriously believe that one person's day job is to work on souvenirs only ?   

You gave up PM because of a logging issue for trackable mileage?  That's a new one...

[Keystone]

This is not a feature suggestion or bug report, so I am moving this thread to the general Geocaching Topics forum.  It could also go in the "How do I...?" forum or the Travel Bug forum, but the primary focus of the post was to vent about canceling premium membership.

 

As for the correcting the error which the OP made in logging trackable mileage correctly:

1. Delete the logs on the two caches.
2. Delete the corresponding logs on the trackables' pages.
3. Re-log the caches in the correct order while visiting the trackables.

These steps assume that OP owns the trackables in question.  (If not, then why such a fuss?)

[+colleda]

4 hours ago, Team Rascal said:

I didn't mind paying for geocaching premium to support further development, because after all I love geocaching.

The problem arose when 1 time I asked for support and I was getting an automated answer that didn't even in the slightest address my problem. I write back one more time, asking for help and stating that if I get another automated answer I will cancel my premium membership. Sure enough I get another automated answer, nobody ever actually helped me with my problem, so I immediately canceled my premium membership.

Let's be real, adding your souvenirs takes one person at most 1 day to do, you don't do anything else, so what the heck do you get paid for with premium membership? At the very least (!) you could maybe look at the support tickets and give some real answers? It's fine to ignore non-paid accounts, fine, ignore paid accounts that submit one support ticket per week, fine, but once in a life-time paid account asking for help and you can't provide it? I'm sorry but that's asking for money without doing any work for it. This is the reason why I canceled - the customer has spoken.
You ask, what can you do better, this is it.

 

The original problem was that I accidentally logged 2 geocaches in the wrong order and since I "visited" trackables, it screwed up the miles on them. Even though I was able to fix the logging issue, the trackables were still screwed up, this is why I contacted them for help about it.

 

The taxes you pay support your government. So, if the government doesn't do what you want it to do, you stop paying your taxes?

[+TheLimeCat]

43 minutes ago, colleda said:

The taxes you pay support your government. So, if the government doesn't do what you want it to do, you stop paying your taxes?

Geocaching premium isn't a tax and it's not similar to a tax. It's a novelty item, not a contribution to critical infrastructure. 

[+The Jester]

36 minutes ago, TheLimeCat said:

Geocaching premium isn't a tax and it's not similar to a tax. It's a novelty item, not a contribution to critical infrastructure. 

True, but is an infrastructure many are critical about!  

[+colleda]

4 hours ago, The Jester said:

True, but is an infrastructure many are critical about!  

Yes. And without the infrastructure, which is supported by Premium contributions, you don't have a game to enjoy.

[+ecanderson]

12 hours ago, colleda said:

The taxes you pay support your government. So, if the government doesn't do what you want it to do, you stop paying your taxes?

No, but I CAN vote the bums out every few years.

[Team Rascal]

I know how to manually fix the problem with the trackables but the problem was that I had nearly 200 of them and in the end I did manually delete each log from each trackable, which took me a long time. That whole point is that one time I asked for help and I didn't get any help and that's why I canceled my membership.

What I said about souvenirs is an exaggeration, it means for what they are getting paid they can do a lot more. My case is just another example, when you delete a trip to a geocache, the trackable logs that went along with that should also be deleted, that's common sense; however it would actually require someone to get off their butt and put in some real work for a week to do it. No matter how many years go by, they don't care enough to put in the effort. You guys can say whatever you want, I'm glad I canceled my membership and I'm sticking to my opinion! 

[+cerberus1]

13 minutes ago, Team Rascal said:

My case is just another example, when you delete a trip to a geocache, the trackable logs that went along with that should also be deleted, that's common sense; however it would actually require someone to get off their butt and put in some real work for a week to do it.

 

This subject is explained in the Help Center , and though it seems it should be that way, it's not.  

 I've deleted a find on a hide I wasn't happy signing, but left the trackable there (by wishes of the TO).

We know a few people who "fixed"  trackable movements for others, by logging it into a cache, then deleting their write note.

Though if I do that, I leave the write note there, so there's more for a TO to go by if it goes "missing" again.  

[Keystone]

If you are visiting "nearly 200" trackables with every cache you find, and you make a mistake, I think that's on you to fix.  Asking a Lackey to fix your mistake for you is not a reasonable customer support expectation for the amount of money you were (previously) paying.

[+JL_HSTRE]

18 hours ago, Team Rascal said:

when you delete a trip to a geocache, the trackable logs that went along with that should also be deleted, that's common sense

 

Once a log is logged are the corresponding TB logs connected with it? Maybe they are behind the scenes, but looking at the logs on the user side they don't seem to be. It seems like if you log 1 Find with 200 Visits you have created 201 independent logs with no direct connection to each other. Someone correct me if that's wrong. It just looks that way on the front end.

 

If they are linked, it would be a nice option to offer ("Delete associated trackable logs?").  But I'm sure an argument could made for situations where someone would want to keep the TB logs. Examples:

 

1. Someone logs a Find, but forgets to log trackables. Not realizing they could do this by editing the Find log, instead log a Note with and mark trackable visits. Then delete the Note so it does waste space in the logs.

 

2. Log a Find in the field via the app because you're dropping a trackable. Cacher gets home a week later and wants to write a proper log about their visit so they delete the original Find and write a new Find log so that the CO and Watchers will see it.

 

3. For whatever reason the log is deleted, but the trackable really was dropped in that cache and has already been retrieved by another finder.

Edited August 15, 2020 by JL_HSTRE

[+TeamRabbitRun]

On 8/13/2020 at 5:57 PM, Team Rascal said:

I didn't mind paying for geocaching premium to support further development, because after all I love geocaching.

The problem arose when 1 time I asked for support and I was getting an automated answer that didn't even in the slightest address my problem. I write back one more time, asking for help and stating that if I get another automated answer I will cancel my premium membership. Sure enough I get another automated answer, nobody ever actually helped me with my problem, so I immediately canceled my premium membership.

Let's be real, adding your souvenirs takes one person at most 1 day to do, you don't do anything else, so what the heck do you get paid for with premium membership? At the very least (!) you could maybe look at the support tickets and give some real answers? It's fine to ignore non-paid accounts, fine, ignore paid accounts that submit one support ticket per week, fine, but once in a life-time paid account asking for help and you can't provide it? I'm sorry but that's asking for money without doing any work for it. This is the reason why I canceled - the customer has spoken.
You ask, what can you do better, this is it.

 

The original problem was that I accidentally logged 2 geocaches in the wrong order and since I "visited" trackables, it screwed up the miles on them. Even though I was able to fix the logging issue, the trackables were still screwed up, this is why I contacted them for help about it.

 

 

So let me get this straight:

You're upset because you think ONLY an automated process is reviewing your communications with the company, and that automated process isn't sophisticated enough to properly direct your inquiry.

So, your reaction is to send it ('it' being the assumed 'stupid' automated process) a threatening note saying that if it (the assumed 'stupid' automated process) doesn't answer better, you'll cancel your membership.

Hmmm. That WOULD be some fancy programming.

Do you also tell phone bots to not call back?

[Team Rascal]

6 hours ago, TeamRabbitRun said:

 

So let me get this straight:

You're upset because you think ONLY an automated process is reviewing your communications with the company, and that automated process isn't sophisticated enough to properly direct your inquiry.

So, your reaction is to send it ('it' being the assumed 'stupid' automated process) a threatening note saying that if it (the assumed 'stupid' automated process) doesn't answer better, you'll cancel your membership.

Hmmm. That WOULD be some fancy programming.

Do you also tell phone bots to not call back?

 

Since you must ask, my correspondences where with "Freddie, Geocaching Community Coordinator", email address contact@geocaching.com, and in accordance with the statement "Reply above this line or click the link below to add a note to this request". Please tell me the correct person to contact TeamRabbitRun, I'd appreciate it for next time.

 

[+RocTheCacheBox]

On 8/14/2020 at 2:42 PM, Team Rascal said:

You guys can say whatever you want, I'm glad I canceled my membership and I'm sticking to my opinion! 

 

Don't forget your ball!

[Team Rascal]

On 8/14/2020 at 3:53 PM, Keystone said:

If you are visiting "nearly 200" trackables with every cache you find, and you make a mistake, I think that's on you to fix.  Asking a Lackey to fix your mistake for you is not a reasonable customer support expectation for the amount of money you were (previously) paying.

 

@Keystone, I sent you a PM, basically explaining to you that I wasn't looking for a Lackey but more like a database administrator that could take 5 minutes and save me hours. You didn't write me back and actually the message has somehow been deleted. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you don't know how software works, which is fine of course, however just to be clear if your intent was to just give me a hard time then you should really use your personal account. The last thing I wanted to tell you is that while you take issue to 200 trackables, know that there is no limit and if anything I just enjoyed buying trackables and by that I was also supporting geocaching so you really shouldn't hold it against me.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

6 hours ago, RocTheCacheBox said:

 

Don't forget your ball!

 

Shaming someone because of the way they chose to play (or not play) the game is really low.

[Keystone]

5 hours ago, Team Rascal said:

 

@Keystone, I sent you a PM,

 

Both your PM and your most recent post are condescending in tone, and I have better things to do than respond to them, like being a software application owner and a technology and systems risk manager for a Fortune 500 company.  My prior post was accurate and was issued in an official capacity as a site volunteer, so I stand by it.  Geocaching HQ does not offer the service you were expecting. 

 

Also, Freddie is very much a human, not a robot.  He wears his Lackey badge with pride.

[Team Rascal]

Edit:

Sorry @Keystone that I offended you.

Sorry @RocTheCacheBox and @TeamRabbitRun that I upset you.

Sorry to everybody else that got upset at what I said and thanks to those with the kind words.

Now let's get back to geocaching

Edited August 18, 2020 by Team Rascal

[+TmdAndGG]

26 minutes ago, Team Rascal said:

Note to self: Don't post anything in this forum because clearly my opinion is not welcome here.

Don't take it personally. It happens to everyone here. We like thinking people's opinions are wrong

Edited August 18, 2020 by TmdAndGG

[+dprovan]

4 hours ago, TmdAndGG said:

Don't take it personally. It happens to everyone here. We like thinking people's opinions are wrong

Well, not to draw this out too much, but in this case the opinions were actually wrong for reasons people patiently explained. I think the pertinent comment here is that lots of people like thinking their opinions are beyond contestation. Those people tend to get huffy no matter how calmly and clearly counter points are presented.