We want your feedback

[Jeremy_M]

Hey Community!

When we first opened our doors in February 2015, we proudly hung up the BETA shingle on our home page because we wanted to make it clear that we are in a period of test and learn. 

 

Well, we have received a lot of great feedback and have been able to either act on it or put it on the roadmap for a future change.  But we think it’s time, since we are well past our 1 year mark, to remove the yellow BETA bar from the home page. 

This doesn’t mean we’re not going to continue to look for feedback and make improvements - because that’s what we’re all about.  We want to work with our customers to make Public Mobile a better wireless service but we don’t think we need the word “BETA” to do that anymore.

So, let us know if you agree that it’s time to take the BETA sign down.

[Martin]

Hi @imm1304,

Without wishing to put you on the spot, how do you know that increased revenues from being non-Beta will be used to improve/enhance the service, rather than being put into general coffers as increased revenue per customer?

As matters stand now, PM's goal is to eliminate chronic problems, while in Beta. As a for-profit company, is it not possible that, should PM officially launch, senior management would put problem-resolution on the back burner? After all, couldn't their argument be that PM officially launched; therefore, there are no longer any Beta - type problems?

[Martin]

Hi @crazyfrog,

Thank you for your opinion, with which I fully agree.

Cheers.

[crazyfrog]

For me the basic issues like Activation and Payment problems needs to be sorted out completely before we can take down the BETA tag and for this reason I agree with my friends here who recommended the same.

[imm1304]

I am glad to see clearly thought-out views on this topic.  We all want our favourite PM to function flawlessly, thrive and stick around for the years to come. 

PM has been in open beta for over 8 months now.  Obscure errors/bugs have been highlighted and are well known by now.  Practically speaking, PM is well into release candidate phase already with only a couple of rare but serious bugs. Its realistic to pick a beta exit date in near future and just go for the big push to fix as much as possible what is known to be broken.

It would help greatly if numbers are put forward.  For example, if more than 95% of the customers are experiencing a trouble-free service, then we are clearly ready to leave beta.  I believe this to be the case and that's the reasoning behind my opinion.  

There are obvious disadvantages of prolonged beta phase and I would rather see PM go full speed ahead and start generating more revenue which would drive the positive cycle forward with more funds to improve/enhance the service.  

[homer]

WooooHoooo! Finally. I am so glad. 

[Martin]

Hi 778,

Thank you. Much appreciated!

Cheers.

[7789849803]

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@Martin wrote:

The problems that PM is experiencing are of a serious chronic nature, thus precluding officially launching. Had Telus committed sufficient resources, rather than expecting PM to survive or fail on its own, the current problems would be ones consigned to the past. I empathize with PM that Beta seems interminable, but that's the fault of upper management not obtaining sufficient funds to rectify systemic problems.

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I couldn't possibly agree with the above any more.

[Martin]

Hi @jairolevi,

I agree with everything you said. Thanks.

To @Chicklets,

The problems that PM is experiencing are of a serious chronic nature, thus precluding officially launching. Had Telus committed sufficient resources, rather than expecting PM to survive or fail on its own, the current problems would be ones consigned to the past. I empathize with PM that Beta seems interminable, but that's the fault of upper management not obtaining sufficient funds to rectify systemic problems.

[Chicklets]

If Public Mobile waits until all of the problems are solved then the beta sign will never come down. I've been with a few cellular companies and I still read their forums from time to time. I have found that PM has the same or even less problems than ither carrier's. @Luddite mentioned before that there are thousands of customers with PM and only a very small percentage are having problems and if there are problems, they are dealt with quickly thanks to @Shazia_K, @Kalla_A. @Mary_M and of course all the Oracle's.

Take down the sign.

[jairolevi]

No,

There are way too many problems with Activations / Plan changes.  

Unfortunatelly PM is not mature enough ( in my opinion ) to remove the "Beta".

When I signed in for PM I knew there were going to be a few bumps down the road, and even though the "Beta" is clearly indicated we get cusomters yelling and complaining when stuff go wrong ( Like the guy who was going to sue us all because we had "messed up with the wrong guy" LOL, I would just de activate his account for fun... )

If all that happens and it is clearly indicated that we are in Beta, I cant imagine the frustration people will get when the face the same issues and we dont even warn them.

I'd say we are not ready to remove the beta.

JL.

EDIT:  The feedback link in the "Beta" banner, should take people to a landing page where they can actually leave their feedback!

[Martin]

Hello,

I fully agree with 778, @NDesai and @ckl. Until and unless those problems, associated with being in Beta, are eliminated, it would be misleading to drop the Beta shingle, thus implying that Public Mobile has officially launched.

Speaking for myself, I would find it impossible to explain to a disgruntled customer that, though PM is no longer officially in Beta, the same problems are occurring when the company was still officially in Beta. There are two things that I always respected about PM: its honesty and openness. By lying about PM no longer having Beta-era problems, the company is asking us to use our credibility to misrepresent the facts, namely, there are no serious or chronic problems. I haven't lied on PM's behalf, and I don't plan on prostituting my values.

To PM's decision-makers: Food for thought!

[ckl]

I agree with @7789849803. If there are still problems activating and renewing (automatically), then the beta sign should not come off. Also the billing system (ie. displaying the breakdown of credits and charges) should be 100% accurate and working.

[NDesai]

I agree with @7789849803 There are still problems related to activation, payment, add-ons, self serve etc. Even after maintanaece some random problems pops up. We have no idea if they are taken care of just like that. I get it that many will say they are in beta for a long time and whenever in problem they say we are in beta but until things doesnt get smoother for longer time, it should stay in beta.

[imm1304]

I agree with you, @Jeremy_M, its time to take that beta ticker down.  

The presence of our super active moderators has ensured that no customer is left alone waiting without official communication.  Old days of waiting days for an email reply are thankfully behind us.  

Here are the 3 most frequently reported problems in my opinion: 

1.  Plan renewal troubles (failure to change to a different plan... autopay processed but plan still suspended)
2. Activation troubles - an increasingly smaller fraction of activation are failing.
3. Lost access to selfserve - Moderators can and do step in and perform tasks on behalf of the customer until access is restored.

To me, this looks like very manageable list and PM already has plan in place to resolve/manage each of these.   So, I think PM is ready to come out of beta now.  

[7789849803]

I think there's a couple more big ticket items left unresolved as far as the self-serve, renewal, and payment systems go. Once these are resolved, I think it'll make a bit more sense for PM to shed the beta status.

In the meanwhile, I think having the beta status openly declared makes PM appear open and honest about this still being a work in progress.