From time to time I've had to contact various companies for issue resolution. Smaller companies are generally the most responsive, mid-level companies take a while, but eventually get back to me. Gigantic companies tend to give a silent FU to their customers.
Contacting Amazon has been a challenge at times. Perhaps I've haven't had to do it enough to know where to exactly find its contact page, but when I do eventually find it, it lists three options, none of which have anything to do with my problem. Then I have to hunt some more. I've taken to Googling (more about Google forthcoming) "Amazon live chat" to even find a link to speak to an actual person. When I have managed to complete that task, the company's reps have been unerringly pleasant and helpful.
Google, on the other hand...
First of all, there is no earthly way to contact Google directly. I've tried responding to their emails, but that particular account is apparently unmonitored. I've searched for contact addresses, only to be directed to its "community", where I am at least able to post a question (and let the whole world in on my issue). I've tried its feedback form, which, too, must be unmonitored.
I vaguely remember when I lost access to my long-term blog many years ago. Granted, it was due to my own oversight. I'd been notified that I needed to renew my domain, but by the time I got around to it, it was too late. Back then I did manage to find an email address that actually was monitored, but Google's response led me in endless circles ("Go here. No, this link isn't right. Try this one.") Simply to recover all my old blog posts, I had to buy a new domain name and attach it, and by then all my followers were lost (and likely confused that the old link no longer worked).
Now Google has locked one of my blogs as spam. They did provide an appeal link, which I promptly clicked on, and the automated message assured me that since I'd clicked the link I was obviously a real person, and they'd get a team on it right away.
"Right away" apparently means something different in their world. It has been days. I tried replying to their initial email, figuring it would not be read, but that it was still worth a shot. Of course that was fruitless.
It's curious why mega-companies refuse to provide customer service. It's not as if they can't afford it. Is it that they can't be bothered with us plebes? I've used multiple Google services for years, from my YouTube accounts, to gmail, to domain services, to even a business account (which is not free) for my author domain. A community forum just won't cut it. But I'm at their mercy. Maybe they'll never unlock my blog ~ who am I going to complain to?
I'm driven to resolve this issue now out of principle. Granted, that blog doesn't get many visitors, but that's beside the point. I paid for a domain name, I attached it, I included it in the back matter of my book, and now it's sitting somewhere out there in limbo.
I've always hated WordPress, but perhaps I need to rethink that.
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