Perhaps it’s because Google hasn’t had “traditional customers” en mass for so long? Perhaps it’s because Google is 99% full of techno-geeks that are very focused on technology? Perhaps it’s just a lack of management’s vision?

Regardless of the reason, it’s hard to dispute that Google, Inc. lacks in Customer Service. Most recent post I saw was this Computer World article on the Nexus One fiasco.  Or just search google for the issue.

In my own experience with Google at work, I’ve had horrible, terrible, and just downright non-existent support on critical issues with Google Apps and Google Enterprise Support (both of which we are a paying customer).

A 7 day response time is about as good as a 700 day response time in today’s business world.  A phone number which we pay to have access to that is not answered in a time of need?  Unanswered requests by email and web forms?

Google has figured out how to manage vast quantites of talent to produce a wide array of successful products.  But if they continue to ignore their paying customers, it will take a toll on them that will be beyond repair.

If Google is reading this, remember that bad word of mouth is 100 times as fast spreading as good word of mouth.  I encourage you, Mr. Schmidt, to apply a resonable fraction of your vast resources to create the best customer service experience in the world.   Then, you will truly, do no evil.