Is Google Customer Service Hurting The Brand?

Through its short but illustrious history, Google has largely avoided the kind of bad PR that seems to inevitably plague a brand of such power and scale. The brouhaha over the brand's decision to cooperate with Chinese authorities despite a pledge to "Do no evil" was quickly forgotten. The only real PR "disaster" on Google's record is over an offensive Michelle Obama image in its top results. All that may soon change if Google cannot manage the growing problem over its customer support for the brand's Nexus One "superphone."

Unlike the smart phones before it, the Nexus One is being sold directly from Google, bypassing the conventional carrier model where consumers purchase phones from the companies that supply the service plans. The Nexus One does have a service-contract purchase option (T-Mobile) but it is not required. So having never sold hardware before, it is possible Google did not fully appreciate just how much customer support a first-generation device requires. Evidence? Google's Nexus One service and customer support is all online.

Not helping matters for the brand? T-Mobile is directing customer service problems to the Google. 

Until now, Google's main customer support crises have been confined to Gmail outages. The company handled these by fixing the problems relatively quickly and issuing an apology.

The big difference in its former experience and the problems it's facing now is that consumers will accept an explanation that includes the term "we definitely feel your pain" when the product is free. Because the Nexus One costs over $500 (or $180 with a T-Mobile contract), customers will certainly be less understanding.

Google is certainly aware of its new crisis. Google's vice president of engineering and mobile chief told the Wall Street Journal that the brand needs to "get better at customer service." As complaints mount, the questions is if Google will "get better" in time to avoid tarnishing a brand that plans on releasing more branded hardware devices in the near future.