I help teams fix systemic engineering issues: processes, architecture, and clarity.
→ See how I work with teams.
It's wild that even with all the cool tech we've got these days, like AI solving complex equations and doing business across time zones in a flash, so many companies are still struggling with the basics: taking care of their customers.
The drama around Coinbase's customer support is a prime example of even tech giants messing up. And it's not just Coinbase — it's a big-picture issue for the whole industry. At some point, the idea of "customer obsession" got replaced with "customer automation," and now we're seeing the problems that came with it.
Customer obsession means treating support as a strategic investment that protects trust and retention. Modern support organizations often drift away from this principle because they are driven by KPIs such as average handle time, deflection rate, and ticket closure speed. The rise of AI chatbots, low cost outsourcing, and rigid workflow systems reduces the ability to listen, understand, and solve real customer problems. The shift from human judgment to automated triage is one of the main reasons customers feel abandoned, even though companies insist they are obsessed with customer needs.
"Cases" What Not to Do
Coinbase, as main example, has long been synonymous with making cryptocurrency accessible. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned trader, their platform was once the gold standard for user experience. But lately, their customer support practices have been making headlines for all the wrong reasons:
- Coinbase - Stuck in the Loop: Users have reported being caught in never-ending identity verification cycles. No one likes repeating themselves, and when there’s no human to help, frustration only grows.
- Coinbase - Lost Assets, Lost Trust: User said they were told to deposit more money to solve a missing balance issue. It's like being told to pay more to fix what you've already lost. That's how you lose trust.
- Coinbase - Radio Silence: And then there are the folks who can't get into their accounts, and they're stuck waiting for days with no answer. In the world of crypto, where every second counts, that kind of delay feels like being stranded on an island with no way off.
- PayPal - Outsourcing - At PayPal, you'll first chat with an LLM chatbot, which is still in beta. When you want to get transferred to a real person, you end up in a confusing maze of Indian customer support. They'll send you links to their FAQs, which are pretty much useless. In the end, I decided to close my accounts there.
- GO Telecommunications - "AI": There's a WhatsApp chatbot that repeats the phrase "I'm Nicky, GO's friendly chatbot" and then asks you to "Please select one of the items below." It also wants your ID number and starts from the beginning.
- AT&T - "Automation": Once you make it through their awful system, you wait 10 minutes, through the nerve-racking jingles, then the line drops, and you have to start over. Guess what? I also have no contract there anymore.
These aren’t just “bad days at the office”; they’re systemic issues that reflect a broader problem in today’s workforce and business mindset.
What Happened to Customer Obsession?
Having worked in tech for years, including Cloudera’s first customer support team, I’ve seen what happens when companies truly care about their customers. Back in 2012, our team had a simple philosophy: customer support wasn’t a cost—it was an investment. Our KPIs were pretty straightforward: keeping customers (we worked closely with our sales reps to make that happen), boosting our Net Promoter Score (NPS), and getting rid of this issue for our customers. I know that's the main reason Cloudera is still in business.
We didn’t treat support tickets as just numbers to close. Every issue was an opportunity to understand the customer better, improve the product, and build trust. And we didn’t rely on bots to do the heavy lifting. Sure, we used tools to streamline processes, but the human element was always front and center.
So why is that mindset fading? A few reasons stand out:
- Over-Reliance on Automation: When they're growing fast, a lot of companies put too much faith in AI and automation. They forget that not every problem can be solved by a simple flowchart.
- Short-Term Thinking: Metrics like “time to resolution” often overshadow the bigger picture of customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Workforce Burnout: Support teams are stretched thin, undertrained, and undervalued. When the people on the front lines aren't empowered, it's the customers who suffer.
- Lack of Empathy: Somewhere along the line, empathy—listening, understanding, and genuinely caring—has been replaced with efficiency.
Folks, Customer Support Matters!
Here's the deal: customer support isn't just something nice to have — it's actually the foundation of any successful business. This is especially important in B2C industries, where trust, brand, and customer retention are everything. Your support team is often the only human connection your users have to your company.
Done right, customer support can:
- Turn Problems into Loyalty: If a company can handle an issue well, it can turn someone who's upset into a person who'll always defend the company.
- Prevent Churn: People aren't leaving because something's gone wrong—they're leaving because no one can help them fix it.
- Enhance Your Reputation: Great support isn't just about solving problems; it's about creating stories that people share with others.
- Drive Growth: Happy customers bring in more customers. It's the simplest way to grow.
If you need help with distributed systems, backend engineering, or data platforms, check my Services.