WordPress.com did WHAT Customer service update

WordPress.com did WHAT?? Customer service update 🔗 **Source:** [WordPress.com did WHAT?? Customer service update](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [wordpress-hosting, customer-service, hosting-comparison] > author: WP Beginner > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs > date created: 2024-12-28 14:30 > > # 🏷️ Title: WordPress.com did WHAT?? Customer service update >  ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Review hosting customer service comparison methodology — 00:00 #hosting - [H2] Implement objective scoring system for service evaluations — 09:45 #methodology - [H3] Consider entry fee model for unbiased comparisons — 10:30 #business ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [WordPress.com Customer Service Update](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs) - [Original Customer Service Comparison Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MISSING) ## 📝 Summary - WP Beginner conducted a follow-up to their managed WordPress hosting customer service comparison from three months ago - WordPress.com implemented dramatic improvements in weeks after receiving feedback, including AI chatbot tuning, 24/7 support availability, and better communication processes - All hosts were receptive to feedback, but WordPress.com showed the most comprehensive response with specific implemented changes - Future comparisons will use an entry fee model and more objective scoring to eliminate bias concerns - The community response demonstrates the WordPress ecosystem's commitment to continuous improvement ## 📖 Main Content Three months after WP Beginner's comprehensive customer service comparison of managed WordPress hosts, the channel released this follow-up examining how hosting companies responded to feedback. The original study tested Kinsta, Hostinger, InMotion, Rocket.net, WP Engine, WordPress.com, and BigScoots using a virtual assistant to ensure unbiased testing. The original results showed BigScoots in first place, Rocket.net second, with Kinsta and Hostinger performing adequately. InMotion struggled with migration communication, while WP Engine and WordPress.com had significant issues - WP Engine's aggressive AI chatbot suggested dangerous database changes, and WordPress.com experienced a critical service failure with days-long ticket response delays. WordPress.com's response was unprecedented in the creator's 14-year YouTube career. Within weeks, they implemented multiple systematic improvements including AI chatbot refinement for immediate human escalation on critical issues, technical fixes for support handoff glitches, elimination of support blackouts to ensure 24/7 availability, expanded timezone coverage, clearer communication about support process status, auto-response confirmation for email tickets, and enhanced migration communication processes. The video addresses transparency concerns about BigScoots sponsoring the original comparison while winning first place. The creator explains BigScoots had no advance knowledge of tests, timing, or accounts used, and took a significant risk sponsoring a video where they could lose. Future comparisons will use an equal entry fee model from all participating hosts to eliminate bias concerns. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=0) — [H1] Original Customer Service Comparison Results - Key idea: Secret shopper study revealed wide performance gaps among managed WordPress hosts - Evidence: "BigScoots came in first place and Rocket.net was a close second" #### ⏱️ [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=92) — [H2] WordPress.com's Critical Service Failure - Key idea: WordPress.com failed to respond to critical site lockout for several days - Evidence: "Our account was seemingly stuck in a loop where there was no acknowledgement that the ticket was escalated to a human" #### ⏱️ [02:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=165) — [H1] Universal Host Receptiveness to Feedback - Key idea: Every tested host reached out for comprehensive debriefs after video release - Evidence: "Every single host featured in the video reached out to have a conversation about their results and ways they could improve" #### ⏱️ [03:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=195) — [H1] WordPress.com's Unprecedented Response - Key idea: WordPress.com implemented multiple systematic improvements within weeks - Evidence: "I'm just legitimately blown away by all the ways wordpress.com has improved the experience in a matter of weeks" #### ⏱️ [04:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=242) — [H2] AI Chatbot Optimization for Critical Issues - Key idea: AI chatbot now immediately escalates critical site errors to human support - Evidence: "Our site error site won't load message that our tester used would now be sent directly to a human without the AI chatbot intervening" #### ⏱️ [04:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=265) — [H2] Technical Infrastructure Improvements - Key idea: Fixed handoff glitches with fault-tolerant message delivery system - Evidence: "They fine tuned this to be fault tolerant if your connection drops, even saving your last message in your browser and redelivering it when your connection comes back online" #### ⏱️ [04:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=288) — [H1] 24/7 Support Availability Commitment - Key idea: Eliminated all support blackouts to ensure year-round availability - Evidence: "WordPress.com has changed their policy to ensure that live chat is always available every day of the year" #### ⏱️ [05:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=325) — [H2] Enhanced Support Process Communication - Key idea: Users now receive clear status updates throughout support flow - Evidence: "You'll now get clear communication on where you are in the support process" #### ⏱️ [05:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=352) — [H2] Email Support Auto-Response Implementation - Key idea: Added immediate confirmation for email support tickets - Evidence: "WordPress.com has added an immediate auto response, confirming they've received your email" #### ⏱️ [06:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=375) — [H2] Migration Process Communication Enhancement - Key idea: Improved migration communication including security and quality review notifications - Evidence: "WordPress.com has added more communication to migrations to inform you of the full process, including a security review and quality review" #### ⏱️ [06:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=405) — [H1] Unprecedented Feedback Response Quality - Key idea: Most impressive response to YouTube feedback in creator's 14-year career - Evidence: "This is the most impressive response I have ever received to feedback I've given in a video" #### ⏱️ [07:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=450) — [H3] Hostinger's Proactive AI Improvements - Key idea: Hostinger updated AI chatbot to take action on user's behalf rather than directing user actions - Evidence: "They've updated it so the AI can make changes on the user's behalf" #### ⏱️ [08:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=525) — [H2] BigScoots Sponsorship Transparency Concerns - Key idea: Addressing potential conflict of interest from sponsor winning comparison - Evidence: "BigScoots had no idea what the tests were, when they were being performed, and which account was being used" #### ⏱️ [10:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=630) — [H1] Future Entry Fee Model for Unbiased Testing - Key idea: New model requires equal entry fees from all hosts to eliminate bias - Evidence: "We're going to try having every web host pay an equal entry fee to be included. That way there's no concern of bias" #### ⏱️ [11:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs?t=705) — [H2] Kevin Ohashi's Objectivity Feedback - Key idea: Industry expert suggested more objective scoring criteria beyond subjective impressions - Evidence: "He pointed out how the results were seemingly based on vibes, and there didn't seem to be objective criteria judging the outcome" ## 📚 References - [WordPress.com](https://wordpress.com) - [Review Signal WordPress Hosting Benchmarks](https://reviewsignal.com) - [Original Customer Service Comparison Video](https://www.youtube.com/channel/MISSING) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - A follow-up study revealed that WordPress.com made extraordinary improvements to their customer service within weeks of receiving feedback, implementing fixes for AI chatbot escalation, support availability, and communication processes - While all hosting companies were receptive to criticism and engaged in constructive dialogue, WordPress.com demonstrated unprecedented responsiveness with concrete, measurable changes - Future hosting comparisons will adopt an entry fee model and more objective scoring criteria to address transparency concerns and eliminate potential bias from sponsorship arrangements ## 📰 Newsletter **WordPress Hosting Support Gets Major Upgrade Thanks to Community Feedback** Great news for the WordPress community! A recent follow-up study shows that constructive feedback can drive real improvements in hosting customer service. WordPress.com led the charge by implementing comprehensive support enhancements within weeks, including 24/7 availability, better AI chatbot handling, and clearer communication processes. **What This Means for You:** - Improved support experiences across the hosting ecosystem - More transparency in hosting comparisons going forward - Evidence that community feedback drives industry improvements **Key Takeaway:** The WordPress community's commitment to constructive feedback and continuous improvement benefits everyone in the ecosystem. Resources: [Learn WordPress](https://learn.wordpress.org/), [Developer Docs](https://developer.wordpress.org/), [WP-CLI](https://wp-cli.org/) ## ✅ Action Items #### WordPress - Core: Evaluate community feedback mechanisms for platform improvements - Community: Develop frameworks for constructive industry feedback - Marketing: Highlight responsiveness to user feedback as competitive advantage - Support: Benchmark against hosting industry customer service improvements - Documentation: Create guides for effective customer service feedback processes #### DevRel - Developer advocacy: Use hosting comparison methodology for developer tool evaluations - Community management: Implement feedback loops similar to WordPress.com's response model - Developer marketing: Showcase responsiveness to developer feedback as key differentiator #### Community - Maintainers: Establish transparent feedback implementation tracking systems - Contributors: Create structured feedback collection and response protocols - Ecosystem: Develop industry-wide standards for service improvement transparency ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Entry fee models for comparative studies reduce perceived bias more effectively than sponsored content disclosure - Rapid implementation of user feedback creates stronger brand loyalty than gradual improvements - Standardized testing protocols produce more actionable feedback than naturalistic user behavior simulation - Public comparative studies drive faster industry-wide improvements than private feedback channels ### 📊 Methodology - A/B test entry fee vs. sponsored comparison models measuring audience trust metrics - Longitudinal study tracking customer satisfaction before and after rapid vs. gradual service improvements - Controlled comparison of standardized vs. naturalistic testing approaches measuring feedback actionability ### ❓ Questions - How can other industries adopt WordPress hosting's responsive feedback culture? - What makes certain companies more receptive to public criticism than others? - How should comparative studies balance objectivity with editorial perspective? ### 🔮 Future Research - Industry-wide analysis of feedback responsiveness across different business models - Longitudinal tracking of customer service improvements following public comparisons - Development of standardized frameworks for unbiased service evaluations ### 💡 Implications - Practice: Customer service teams should prepare rapid response protocols for public feedback - Policy: Comparative study methodologies need transparency standards and bias mitigation - Education: Business schools should study WordPress.com's feedback response as a case study - Funding: Entry fee models may become standard for unbiased comparative evaluations ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 9th grade (Flesch-Kincaid) #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Video format with host comparison screenshots and results graphics - Improve: Infographic showing before/after improvements, timeline visualization #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: YouTube video with clear narration and verbal explanations - Improve: Podcast version, audio-only summary of key improvements #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Clear definitions of hosting terms, analogies for technical concepts - Improve: Glossary of hosting terminology, comparison frameworks explained #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Step-by-step testing methodology explanation - Improve: Interactive checklist for evaluating hosting support, hands-on testing guide #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Structured comparison methodology, clear cause-and-effect relationships - Improve: Decision matrix for hosting selection, quantitative scoring rubrics #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Community feedback examples, industry dialogue discussion - Improve: Forum for hosting experience sharing, moderated comparison discussions #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Individual reflection on hosting experiences, self-assessment prompts - Improve: Personal hosting evaluation worksheet, private journaling questions #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Real-world testing scenarios, authentic user experiences - Improve: Environmental impact considerations in hosting choices ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Video has descriptive title and clear chapter structure - Improve: Full transcript with timestamp navigation, detailed alt text for graphics #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Standard YouTube player keyboard controls - Improve: Custom chapter navigation, skip-to-content options #### Contrast and readability - Present: High contrast video player interface - Improve: Transcript formatting with sufficient color contrast ratios #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: YouTube's responsive video player - Improve: Scalable transcript display, text-only version option #### Media and captions - Present: YouTube auto-generated captions available - Improve: Professional captions with speaker identification, downloadable transcripts #### Forms and interactions - Present: Standard video player controls with labels - Improve: Enhanced control descriptions, customizable playback options ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: Focus on English-speaking WordPress hosting market - Improve: International hosting comparison, multi-language support considerations #### Inclusive language - Present: Professional, respectful tone toward all hosting companies - Improve: More diverse examples of business sizes and use cases #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Clear chapter structure, consistent presentation format - Improve: Content warnings for criticism, processing time considerations #### Representation - Present: Balanced treatment of all hosting companies regardless of size - Improve: Include perspectives from diverse business owners and developers #### Psychological safety - Present: Constructive criticism framework, recognition of improvements - Improve: Guidelines for giving/receiving feedback respectfully ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - Deductive strength: Clear cause-effect from feedback to improvements (timestamps 03:15-06:45) - Inductive strength: Generalization about industry responsiveness from multiple host examples - Causal reasoning: Direct link between public criticism and service improvements - Analogical strength --- ## Full Transcript [00:00] - Three months ago, I ran a secret shopper project [00:02] to compare the customer service [00:04] at the top managed WordPress hosts, [00:06] and the results were all over the place. [00:08] There were clear winners and losers, [00:10] but what I didn't expect is how receptive [00:13] the hosts would be to the feedback. [00:15] So in this video, I'll show you [00:16] which hosts have taken the feedback to heart [00:19] and which hosts have unfortunately not shown [00:21] any visible improvement. [00:23] In my original video, I hired a virtual assistant [00:26] to run the same six test scenarios at Kinsta, [00:29] Hostinger, InMotion, Rocket.net, [00:32] WP Engine, wordpress.com, and BigScoots. [00:35] You can watch the original video [00:36] to learn more about each test, [00:38] but the results were as follows. [00:40] BigScoots came in first place [00:41] and Rocket.net was a close second. [00:44] Kinsta and Hostinger did well, [00:46] though not well enough to stand out from the crowd. [00:48] It wasn't bad by any means, just nothing special. [00:51] InMotion struggled with communication [00:53] around the migration process, [00:55] and their support was generally a bit technical for our VA. [00:58] WP Engine and wordpress.com [01:00] are where things went off the rails. [01:03] WP Engine uses an AI chatbot that's so aggressive [01:06] it was telling our tester to log into phpMyAdmin [01:09] and make database changes generated by the AI. [01:13] And wordpress.com, unfortunately, [01:15] had a critical service failure. [01:16] Not only insisting its AI chatbot could help [01:19] when it actually couldn't, [01:21] but also by failing to reply [01:23] to a critical site lockout ticket for several days. [01:26] Our account was seemingly stuck in a loop [01:28] where there was no acknowledgement [01:29] that the ticket was escalated to a human, [01:32] but trying to reach out via the AI chatbot [01:34] resulted in no reply, possibly because the ticket [01:37] was escalated to a human. [01:39] We also tried emailing [email protected], [01:42] figuring we could submit a ticket that way, [01:44] but there was no autoresponder, and no reply came. [01:48] After several days, we had to cut our losses [01:50] and create a new wordpress.com account [01:52] to continue with the rest of our tests. [01:54] I did reach out to wordpress.com as a courtesy [01:57] to let them know what happened, [01:58] but that did not influence [02:00] the way I ranked them in the video. [02:01] I mean, they came in last place. [02:04] So I released the video during WordCamp US in August, [02:07] and the response was incredible. [02:09] Every single host featured in the video [02:11] reached out to have a conversation about their results [02:14] and ways they could improve their service. [02:16] And while every host had a comprehensive debrief [02:18] on ways they could improve their service, [02:21] one host in particular really took [02:23] this feedback to heart, wordpress.com. [02:26] (group cheering) [02:30] (static beeps) [02:31] I quickly want to disclose that this video [02:32] is not sponsored by wordpress.com. [02:35] It's not sponsored by anyone. [02:37] Though I have an ongoing engagement with wordpress.com, [02:40] they did not ask me to make this video, [02:42] and they are not getting to see it before it's released. [02:45] I'm just legitimately blown away [02:47] by all the ways wordpress.com has improved [02:49] the experience in a matter of weeks. [02:51] And yes, it was just a couple weeks. [02:54] I'm actually late to the party making this video. [02:56] So with that being said, [02:58] let's run through the changes they made. [03:00] First, they've tuned their AI chatbot [03:02] to escalate critical issues to a human immediately. [03:05] Our site error site won't load message that our tester used [03:09] would now be sent directly to a human [03:11] without the AI chatbot intervening. [03:13] Next, they fixed a technical glitch [03:15] that broke the handoff between the AI and human support. [03:19] It looks like a request may have not made it to a human, [03:22] so they fine tuned this to be fault tolerant [03:24] if your connection drops, even saving your last message [03:27] in your browser and redelivering it [03:29] when your connection comes back online. [03:31] Perhaps the most impressive change [03:33] is wordpress.com's decision to eliminate support blackouts. [03:37] Our tester reached out during a 24-hour period [03:39] where the live chat was closed for a company event, [03:42] but wordpress.com has changed their policy [03:44] to ensure that live chat is always available [03:47] every day of the year. [03:48] They've also expanded their time zone coverage [03:50] to provide broader, more consistent coverage [03:53] around the clock. [03:54] One piece of feedback I brought up privately [03:56] was the fact that there wasn't much communication [03:58] about where the user was in the support flow. [04:01] Was the request escalated to a human? [04:03] How long is the wait? [04:05] Will I get an email follow up if I close my browser tab? [04:08] Wordpress.com has fixed this, [04:10] and you'll now get clear communication [04:12] on where you are in the support process. [04:14] Now, I also mentioned that we got no response [04:17] when we emailed [email protected]. [04:20] Not even an acknowledgement that a ticket was opened. [04:22] Wordpress.com took this to heart [04:24] and added an immediate auto response, [04:26] confirming they've received your email. [04:28] They even went above and beyond [04:30] to listen to my feedback on migrations. [04:32] I let them know that I really appreciate [04:34] BigScoots' clear, rich communication process [04:37] throughout the entire migration experience. [04:40] Wordpress.com has added more communication to migrations [04:43] to inform you of the full process, [04:45] including a security review and quality review [04:48] before your site goes live. [04:50] Look, I'll be honest, this is the most impressive response [04:53] I have ever received to feedback I've given in a video. [04:56] I'm legitimately blown away [04:58] by how committed wordpress.com is [05:00] to taking customer feedback to heart [05:02] and improving their product. [05:04] I have never seen this before in my 14 years [05:07] of making YouTube content. [05:08] While every host took the time to hear my concerns [05:11] and feedback on our experience, [05:13] no other host has given me consistent updates [05:16] on things they've implemented. [05:17] That's not to say they ignored the feedback, [05:19] but they certainly haven't been proactive [05:21] about communicating updates. [05:23] Although I do need to give an honorable mention [05:25] to Hostinger, they let me know after I released the video [05:28] that their AI chatbot had already been updated [05:31] to fix some of the concerns I mentioned. [05:33] Mainly the fact that their AI chatbot [05:35] was heavy on expecting the user to take the action, [05:38] but now, they've updated it [05:40] so the AI can make changes on the user's behalf. [05:43] And they were already implementing these changes [05:45] before the video was released, [05:46] but they didn't start making the changes [05:48] until after our testing was complete. [05:50] There was about a month window of time [05:52] between when the testing wrapped up [05:54] and the video was released. [05:55] But as for wordpress.com, I have a new respect [05:58] for their product and team after releasing this video, [06:01] and I learned a lot from the experience. [06:03] There's also ways I want to improve the next iteration [06:06] of my customer service comparison [06:08] based on feedback that I received. [06:10] The most common concern I saw [06:12] was that the video was sponsored by BigScoots [06:14] and it looks a bit suspicious that they won. [06:17] I can assure you, BigScoots had no idea what the tests were, [06:20] when they were being performed, [06:21] and which account was being used. [06:23] In fact, after the video went live, [06:25] their team asked if I could finally share the account [06:28] with them so they could investigate [06:29] exactly what their responses looked like [06:31] because they legitimately had no idea. [06:34] They tried to figure it out even after the video dropped [06:36] and they were clueless. [06:38] Every host was blindsided. [06:40] For transparency, we gave every host access [06:42] to the test accounts after the video was released [06:45] so they could do their own investigations. [06:47] We also hired a virtual assistant to remain [06:50] as unbiased as possible, [06:52] and we factored their personal experience [06:54] into the results to make sure the winner [06:56] was easy to work with even from our tester's perspective. [06:59] Despite this, I understand that BigScoots sponsoring [07:02] the video could be taken as a conflict of interest. [07:05] And to be totally transparent, [07:06] we could not have done this video without them. [07:09] They took a risk. [07:10] We pitched them this grand idea and said, [07:13] "Hey, you're telling us that your customer support [07:15] is the best in the industry. [07:17] How about you put your money where your mouth is? [07:19] You sponsor this video so we can fund it. [07:21] We can hire a VA, we can do all this testing, [07:24] and you're not going to get to see the video [07:26] before it goes out. [07:27] You don't know who we're comparing you against, [07:29] you don't know what the tests are, when we're doing it, [07:31] which account, and if you lose, [07:34] you just paid to sponsor a video that you lost." [07:36] And they were bold enough to say, "You know what? [07:39] We believe in our product, we'll do it, [07:41] we'll take the risk." [07:42] So it was kind of this mutual shared risk [07:45] where they went out on a limb [07:47] and we went out on a limb as well. [07:48] I was concerned that it would be taken [07:50] as a conflict of interest, but I was very clear with them [07:53] that they had no editorial control over the outcome. [07:56] But after seeing the incredible response from the video, [07:59] we're changing the model going forward. [08:01] We're going to try having every web host pay [08:03] an equal entry fee to be included. [08:06] That way there's no concern of bias. [08:08] I think the entry fee model is fair for everyone involved, [08:12] and it also may change the dynamic [08:14] of which hosts are included. [08:16] See, this time we picked hosts [08:18] based on who we thought were the most popular players [08:20] in the managed space. [08:22] But I get it, it's highly subjective. [08:24] With the entry fee model, hosts will only enter [08:27] if they're confident in the quality of their support, [08:29] so a new winner may emerge. [08:31] Now, we also got some great feedback from Kevin Ohashi. [08:35] Kevin is the founder of Review Signal, [08:37] and his WordPress hosting performance benchmarks [08:40] are the industry standard for unbiased performance data. [08:43] So when Kevin reached out with his thoughts, [08:45] I was eager to hear his feedback. [08:47] He pointed out how the results were seemingly [08:49] based on vibes, and there didn't seem [08:52] to be objective criteria judging the outcome. [08:55] And after rewatching the video, I totally agree. [08:58] We could have had a more objective scoring system [09:00] without it being 100% opinionated. [09:03] Now, I will say that I always want my content [09:05] to be editorial to some degree. [09:07] I'm never just going to show a spreadsheet [09:09] and read out numbers without giving my opinion. [09:12] However, I acknowledge that I could be a bit more objective [09:15] and demystify things next time. [09:17] I like the idea of having a scoring system [09:19] with a scale from one to five in various categories, [09:23] so that way it could be maybe response time, [09:26] response quality, migration experience, [09:29] different categories like that. [09:30] And finally, we want to standardize the testing process [09:33] even more next time to eliminate [09:35] as many variables as possible. [09:37] This time around, our tester completed the same tests [09:40] at each host, but they didn't use identical language. [09:43] They typed their requests in their own words each time. [09:46] Next time, we want to pre-write the copy [09:48] and have our tester paste it into the opening ticket [09:50] or chat at each host to ensure [09:52] that every host gets a 100% fair and equal opportunity [09:57] at understanding the issue. [09:58] My biggest takeaway from this experience [10:00] is that the WordPress community cares about feedback. [10:04] I love how this video pushed [10:05] the entire industry to do better. [10:07] Wordpress.com is raising the bar, [10:09] and this is only going to put pressure on competitors [10:12] to improve their support as well. [10:14] At the end of the day, that's the best possible outcome [10:16] I could hope for. [10:17] If you want to check out wordpress.com, [10:19] I've got it linked below, including a special discount. [10:22] And if you want to see how the rest of the host [10:24] performed in the comparison, you can watch the video here.  ## 📺 Video ![](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs) --- # 📄 Full Transcript *Auto-generated from YouTube captions · timestamps roughly every 30 seconds · [watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xbG6f0stWs)* **[00:00]** Three months ago, I ran a secret shopper project to compare the customer service at the top managed WordPress hosts, and the results were all over the place. There were clear winners and losers, but what I didn't expect is how receptive the hosts would be to the feedback. So, in this video, I'll show you which hosts have taken the feedback to heart and which hosts have unfortunately not shown any visible improvement. In my original video, I hired a virtual assistant to run the same six test scenarios at Kinsta, Hostinger, InMotion, Rocket.net, **[00:32]** WP Engine, WordPress.com, and Big Scoots. You can watch the original video to learn more about each test, but the results were as follows. Big Scoots came in first place, and Rocket.net was a close second. Kinsta and Hostinger did well, though not well enough to stand out from the crowd. It wasn't bad by any means, just nothing special. InMotion struggled with communication around the migration process and their support was generally a bit technical for our VA. WP Engine and WordPress.com are where things went off the rails. WP Engine **[01:03]** uses an AI chatbot that's so aggressive it was telling our tester to log into PHP MyAdmin and make database changes generated by the AI. And WordPress.com unfortunately had a critical service failure. not only insisting its AI chatbot could help when it actually couldn't, but also by failing to reply to a critical site lockout ticket for several days. Our account was seemingly stuck in a loop where there was no acknowledgement that the ticket was escalated to a human, but trying to reach out via the AI chatbot resulted in **[01:35]** no reply, possibly because the ticket was escalated to a human. We also tried emailing helpwordpress.com, figuring we could submit a ticket that way, but there was no autoresponder, and no reply came. After several days, we had to cut our losses and create a new WordPress.com account to continue with the rest of our tests. I did reach out to WordPress.com as a courtesy to let them know what happened, but that did not influence the way I ranked them in the video. I mean, they came in last place. So, I released the video during **[02:05]** Word Camp US in August, and the response was incredible. Every single host featured in the video reached out to have a conversation about their results and ways they could improve their service. And while every host had a comprehensive debrief on ways they could improve their service, one host in particular really took this feedback to heart. WordPress.com. I quickly want to disclose that this video is not sponsored by WordPress.com. It's not sponsored by anyone. Though I **[02:37]** have an ongoing engagement with WordPress.com, they did not ask me to make this video and they are not getting to see it before it's released. I'm just legitimately blown away by all the ways WordPress.com has improved the experience in a matter of weeks. And yes, it was just a couple weeks. I'm actually late to the party making this video. So, with that being said, let's run through the changes they made. First, they've tuned their AI chatbot to escalate critical issues to a human immediately. Our site error site won't load message that our tester used would **[03:09]** now be sent directly to a human without the AI chatbot intervening. Next, they fixed a technical glitch that broke the handoff between the AI and human support. It looks like a request may have not made it to a human, so they fine-tuned this to be fault tolerant if your connection drops. even saving your last message in your browser and redelivering it when your connection comes back online. Perhaps the most impressive change is WordPress.com's decision to eliminate support blackouts. Our tester reached out during a 24-hour period where the live chat was closed **[03:40]** for a company event, but WordPress.com has changed their policy to ensure that live chat is always available every day of the year. They've also expanded their time zone coverage to provide broader, more consistent coverage around the clock. One piece of feedback I brought up privately was the fact that there wasn't much communication about where the user was in the support flow. Was the request escalated to a human? How long is the wait? Will I get an email follow-up if I close my browser tab? WordPress.com has fixed this and you'll now get clear communication on where you **[04:12]** are in the support process. Now, I also mentioned that we got no response when we emailed [email protected]. Not even an acknowledgement that a ticket was opened. WordPress.com took this to heart and added an immediate autoresponse confirming they've received your email. They even went above and beyond to listen to my feedback on migrations. I let them know that I really appreciate Big Scoot's clear, rich communication process throughout the entire migration experience. WordPress.com has added more communication to migrations to inform **[04:44]** you of the full process, including a security review and quality review before your site goes live. Look, I'll be honest. This is the most impressive response I have ever received to feedback I've given in a video. I'm legitimately blown away by how committed WordPress.com is to taking customer feedback to heart and improving their product. I have never seen this before in my 14 years of making YouTube content. While every host took the time to hear my concerns and feedback on our experience, no other host has given me **[05:15]** consistent updates on things they've implemented. That's not to say they ignored the feedback, but they certainly haven't been proactive about communicating updates. Although, I do need to give an honorable mention to Hostinger. They let me know after I released the video that their AI chatbot had already been updated to fix some of the concerns I mentioned, mainly the fact that their AI chatbot was heavy on expecting the user to take the action, but now they've updated it so the AI can make changes on the user's behalf. and they were already implementing these changes before the video was released, **[05:46]** but they didn't start making the changes until after our testing was complete. There was about a month window of time between when the testing wrapped up and the video was released. But as for WordPress.com, I have a new respect for their product and team after releasing this video, and I learned a lot from the experience. There's also ways I want to improve the next iteration of my customer service comparison based on feedback that I received. The most common concern I saw was that the video was sponsored by Big Scoots, and it looks a bit suspicious that they won. I **[06:17]** can assure you, Big Scoots had no idea what the tests were, when they were being performed, and which account was being used. In fact, after the video went live, their team asked if I could finally share the account with them so they could investigate exactly what their responses looked like because they legitimately had no idea. They tried to figure it out even after the video dropped, and they were clueless. Every host was blindsided. For transparency, we gave every host access to the test accounts after the video was released so they could do their own investigations. **[06:47]** We also hired a virtual assistant to remain as unbiased as possible. And we factored their personal experience into the results to make sure the winner was easy to work with, even from our testers perspective. Despite this, I understand that Big Scoot sponsoring the video could be taken as a conflict of interest. And to be totally transparent, we could not have done this video without them. They took a risk. We pitched them this grand idea and said, "Hey, you're telling us that your customer support is the best in the industry. How about you put your money **[07:18]** where your mouth is? You sponsor this video so we can fund it. We can hire a VA. We can do all this testing." And you're not going to get to see the video before it goes out. You don't know who we're comparing you against. You don't know what the tests are, when we're doing it, which account. and if you lose, you just paid to sponsor a video that you lost. And they were bold enough to say, you know what, we believe in our product. We'll do it. We'll take the risk. So, it was kind of this mutual shared risk where they went out on a limb and we went out on a limb as well. **[07:48]** I was concerned that it would be taken as a conflict of interest, but I was very clear with them that they had no editorial control over the outcome. But after seeing the incredible response from the video, we're changing the model going forward. We're going to try having every web host pay an equal entry fee to be included. That way, there's no concern of bias. I think the entry fee model is fair for everyone involved, and it also may change the dynamic of which hosts are included. See, this time we picked hosts based on who we thought **[08:19]** were the most popular players in the managed space. But I get it, it's highly subjective. With the entry fee model, hosts will only enter if they're confident in the quality of their support. So, a new winner may emerge. Now, we also got some great feedback from Kevin O'Hashi. Kevin is the founder of Review Signal, and his WordPress hosting performance benchmarks are the industry standard for unbiased performance data. So, when Kevin reached out with his thoughts, I was eager to hear his feedback. He pointed out how the results were seemingly based on **[08:50]** vibes and there didn't seem to be objective criteria judging the outcome. And after re-watching the video, I totally agree. we could have had a more objective scoring system without it being 100% opinionated. Now, I will say that I always want my content to be editorial to some degree. I'm never just going to show a spreadsheet and read out numbers without giving my opinion. However, I acknowledge that I could be a bit more objective and demystify things next time. I like the idea of having a scoring system with a scale from 1 to **[09:21]** five in various categories. So that way it could be maybe response time, response quality, migration experience, different categories like that. And finally, we want to standardize the testing process even more next time to eliminate as many variables as possible. This time around, our tester completed the same tests at each host, but they didn't use identical language. They typed their requests in their own words each time. Next time, we want to prewrite the copy and have our tester paste it into the opening ticket or chat at each host to ensure that every host **[09:53]** gets a 100% fair and equal opportunity at understanding the issue. My biggest takeaway from this experience is that the WordPress community cares about feedback. I love how this video pushed the entire industry to do better. WordPress.com is raising the bar and this is only going to put pressure on competitors to improve their support as well. At the end of the day, that's the best possible outcome I could hope for. If you want to check out WordPress.com, I've got it linked below, including a special discount. And if you want to see how the rest of the hosts performed in **[10:24]** the comparison, you can watch the video here.