Why does customer service just recommend apps instead of helping?
Customer support representatives often don't know how to use their own platform's built-in features, pushing users to install paid apps instead. Coupled with frustrating automated phone systems that hang up or get confused, this leaves customers anxious and unable to solve problems on their own.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1searching for built-in platform functionality independently
- 2using custom code or theme changes instead of installing apps
- 3Switching banks
- 4Choosing institutions known for faster phone or live chat support
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“what really gets on my nerves is that Shopify's customer service a lot of the time doesn't know how to use Shopify. they will just recommend an app vs. letting us know how to do it on our own. very upsetting.”source ↗
“I just spent more than half an hour yelling commands into their automated system, having it get confused, go back, end the call (!) before finally getting through to a human on my third attempt.”source ↗
“The anxiety of thinking I might have to do it again someday is too much.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 2Getting bounced between support reps after a delayed delivery
- 16How do you deal with a rigid and untrustworthy service provider?
- 15How to respond when a client says your rates are too high
- 2Clients who refuse to fix underlying problems before repairs
- 12How to bypass customer service chat bots to talk to a human
- 28Vendor tech support takes months to respond to tickets