Google Maps problem

[brieguy]

On March 20, I reported the following problem to Google Maps (Problem ID: 42C2-7D86-13D3-A7FD):

.... When I search "14*** n saint moritz ct, Phoenix, AZ, 85053" googlemaps goes to "14*** St moritz ln" ... a mile away, in a different zip code (85023).

1. After nine days, shouldn't Google Maps have responded?
2, Have you experienced a similar problem ... how did you resolve it?
3. The Google Maps app is conspicuously featured in Verizon's advertising. Then who has customer support responsibility ... Google or Verizon?

BTW, this problem is not limited to my phone ... same problem with my wife's Moto Droid.

Thanks,
jp

 

[toddegreene]

FI found the street with no problem (on my second search). I changed 'saint' to 'st'.

 

[brieguy]

Thanks ... that's an interesting solution! (it works).

I'll have to check if that should be a rule ... always use St instead of Saint?

JP

 

[toddegreene]

Trial and error. As a rule, it's the same as the street sign. When I don't get the expected result, I modify the search.

 

[brieguy]

You found the solution within hours ... Google Maps still has not! Thirteen days after I reported the problem, I received the following message from them:
"The Google Maps problem you reported has been escalated to the appropriate team. We don't have an immediate fix but are working hard for a resolution."

Google Maps needs to hire you to establish and run their Technical Support / Customer Service.

 

[Cold Irons]

Uhmmm...you do realize that the problem you reported was probably one of 11,231 problems reported to google that very hour of the same day?

Large organizations with a very large user base .... takes a while to respond to one specific problem.

 

[takeshi]

After nine days, shouldn't Google Maps have responded?

No idea what their typical timeframe is. What makes you think it's nine days or less?

The Google Maps app is conspicuously featured in Verizon's advertising. Then who has customer support responsibility ... Google or Verizon?

I wouldn't assume Verizon. You certainly can but I wouldn't expect decent support for Google Maps from them even if it was their responsibility.

 

[brieguy]

Cold Irons,

No, I did not realize that Google Maps would be so defective that it would generate anywhere close to 11,231 problem reports per hour ... if it were, we should be seeing a lot more threads in this forum dealing with Google Maps problems.

Large organizations should scale their support staffing to the magnitude of their user base.

JP

 

[brieguy]

Takeshi,

At the time of my original post, the delay was nine days ... now it is 17 days.

I understand you do not know what their typical timeframe is. Do you think 17 days is reasonable? ... I expect (and am accustomed to) better than that from my software, hardware, service vendors.

I wonder if any Google representative monitors this forum and would enlighten us as to Google's service standards.

JP

 

[sc4fpse]

Cold Irons,

No, I did not realize that Google Maps would be so defective that it would generate anywhere close to 11,231 problem reports per hour ... if it were, we should be seeing a lot more threads in this forum dealing with Google Maps problems.

Large organizations should scale their support staffing to the magnitude of their user base.

JP

Do you have any idea how many roads, intersections, addresses, etc. there are in the United States? For Google Maps to be as accurate as it is, it's nothing short of a miracle and a work of art. Much of the work that Google Maps does is intelligent guessing, and there are instances where the intelligent guessing still needs a bit of work. If everything was manual, the project would cost much, much more for Google.

Mind you, this is a free service that they're offering. Android is open source. They aren't getting paid for it... only indirectly through Google's Advertising. If you and everyone else who uses Google Maps would like to pay for it, then I'm sure they'd be more than willing to add a few more support people to their staff.

Until such time as everyone begins paying for Google Maps, you should stop complaining. Someone offered a simple workaround (something you probably should have thought of yourself... no offense.), and Google has replied saying they're looking into the problem. If you don't like that answer, then go buy a TomTom and stop being so ungracious for something that you're not paying for.

Also, do you have any idea how many people use Google Maps?

 

[brieguy]

sc4fpse,

Motorola Droid Google Maps is not free:

- As a member of the Verizon, Google, Motorola Team, Google receives sales proceeds from the sale of the $500+ handsets

- Google owns the pre-installed Google suite that features Google Maps. Note that in the Market site, Google Maps is not listed as "Free" ... just as "Installed." Also note that one cannot Unsinstall Google Maps ... just "Uninstall Updates."

Between their up-front income and the ad income, Google owes support to Droid Google Maps users.

JP