Bad planning... made me chuckle
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
August 2, 2011 6:52pm CST
I just encountered a bit of bad planning in an online application that made me chuckle, so I thought I'd share it.
I subscribed to a certain site to get access to a freebie offer but it turned out to be one of those misleading things where they give you access to get access to freebies through other offers of free access (!!). In other words, they'll spam the wobblies off you if you want your freebies.
So I logged into their support system and raised a ticket, asking them to delete my account and all my personal data held on their system (including email address).
I just received a response... and here's the oversight.
The email I received tells me to log in to check the ticket status. But I can't, 'cos my account's been deleted. 
I could assume it's been deleted but, as they say, assumption is the mother of all mess-ups. So how can I check? I could re-open my account but then I'd have to close it again. Welcome to the eternal loop.
Developer obviously missed a little "send notification of deletion" option there!
Have you ever run into a situation like this in a system (manual or computer-based) that you built?
I could assume it's been deleted but, as they say, assumption is the mother of all mess-ups. So how can I check? I could re-open my account but then I'd have to close it again. Welcome to the eternal loop.
Developer obviously missed a little "send notification of deletion" option there!
Have you ever run into a situation like this in a system (manual or computer-based) that you built?1 person likes this
3 responses
@kaylachan (58214)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 Aug 11
I would go and try to log in and see if I got an error saying my "account doesn't exist" to see if my account was truely gone. I've delt with this before needing to delete an account I didn't sign up for (apparently if you signed up to one you were autonatically signed up to their sister site) and needless to say when I got charged month after month for a service I didn't use nor even know existed.... I went through helll and back to get my issue resolved. And no, they did not notify me that the account had been deleted. I had to go to the website and try to log-in. Some website owners can be real idiots.
1 person likes this
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
3 Aug 11
But not being able to log in isn't the same as having the account and all personal data deleted. It could just mean they deactivated your login. And if they're retaining your details, they can still spam you. That's why I want to check properly.
I would have thought that anything involving money would be regulated by law - surprised they could get away with being rubbish when there's cash involved! That's awful!
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
3 Aug 11
I think i have had that same thing happen to me. An email was sent asking me to xheck the status of my complaint but when i went to log in my account had been deleted as asked.
1 person likes this
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
3 Aug 11
LOL, brilliant - especially the survey one!
Funny how we miss simple things in the design stage. It'd be so simple to add a "send details" and "send survey" checkbox that could be marked/unmarked in individual cases.
@kelly10 (678)
•
3 Aug 11
This maybe a daft question but have you tried to login to check that your account has been deleted? Most companies on receipt of a ticket raised via the support system automatically send a reply saying they have received your question/reply and will be in touch with an answer and to login into your account to check the status. Personally I'd be shocked if they have deleted your account right away
1 person likes this
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
3 Aug 11
This was the "We've updated your ticket" response. And I can't log in, presumably 'cos they've deleted the account, though I can't be sure without logging in... 
