eHarmony customer service “on the ball” / long v. short questionnaire?
I recently (today, on a Sunday) sent in an request to eHarmony customer service. First of all, I was amazed that I got an answer on a weekend and within a couple of hours. I’ll have more details on the actual request, which is a separate topic, once I see what happens with the request (something that was possible in the past but not practical).
The interesting thing about this e-mail from CS was the second part of the message, which had nothing to do with my request:
Additionally, I’d like to take this opportunity to give you a suggestion that you may find helpful. While reviewing your account, I noticed that you originally took the questionnaire in 2006. As it has been a significant amount of time, I would like to recommend that you consider retaking your Relationship Questionnaire. With six PhD Psychologists constantly working to improve our matching process, we want you to have the most up to date version we can provide. We understand that often peoples’ goals, interests, and desires change over time and updating the questionnaire will help you insure that you are being matched with the most compatible individuals for you at this time.
The decision is entirely yours. Please know that if you do decide to retake it, you will not be able to access your account or communication until it is complete. As such, I would recommend setting some time aside to take it. The results will only affect new matches, not the ones currently in your account. If you are comfortable with this and would like me to reset the questionnaire for you, please respond to this e-mail and we will be happy to reset it for you.
Interesting. I took the 436 question survey way back in late 2006. I wonder if I would get more/better matches with the updated survey. I have had some changes in my beliefs as a person since then but I’m not sure how much of an impact this will have overall on finding more or more suitable matches for me.
I think what is most disturbing about this, is that I’ve been on the service long enough to be in this category. Oh, to be less knowledgeable/picky and just find someone, eh?
I have to wonder how many others have been on eHarmony for over the recommended interval of 1 year without having found “that special someone”. There is a statistic for them to start tracking: how many couples do they successfully match in a certain time-frame versus how many active subscribers don’t find someone and what can eHarmony do to help those of us that aren’t meeting with success.
I see a couple of ideas: automatically e-mail us telling us to broaden our geography if it sees that we are too picky or maybe even automatically send us some potential matches outside our parameters and throw them up in another search tab without actually matching us (notifying them, since we aren’t really a match by our standards).
Categories: eHarmonipedia
The new questionnaire is a shortened excerpt of the old one and is, thus, less accurate. If you ask me, even if you did change as a person, it wouldn’t matter because the questionnaire is less accurate anyway. Plus, the old one gave a better personality report (in my opinion) and a “compatibility profile”.
I know a lot of repeat subscribers: people who return for another 3-month subscription to find a new girlfriend/boyfriend. Warren is laughing, “You’ll be back, hahaha!”, all the way to the bank.
by eHarmony Blog on Mar 4, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I’m not so sure. When you get a large group of people to take a test, and do further psychometric analysis (Being a statistics-head, I know a LITTLE about this), you often find that you can get equally good results after deleting questions that, over the long haul, don’t really make a difference. Of course, eHarmony keeps it’s statistics secret… so we’ll never REALLY know whether they did the job right.
I recently re-took the test myself, after reflecting upon the fact that my personality is different since I started on eH. Yes, they did “nerf” the reports, so they could sell “premium personality reports”… but, if you look closely, old-timers like us have had their old reports nerfed!
Oh, and, if you retake the test… copy your profile and your self-selects. You’ll need to reenter them during the test process.
by Scott Grey on Mar 5, 2008 at 6:53 am
I completely agree with the person above: Dr. Warren is laughing all the way to the bank! I was a member for three months. First of all, they sent matches who, it seems to me, were not even paying members. So, in effect, they were no matches at all. Then, lo and behold, three days after my membership expired, they sent SEVEN matches. Anyone else find that ironic? We should start some viral email that tells people NOT to join eHarmony.
by Posa on Mar 24, 2008 at 2:23 pm
How can i log in to get my matches? about 25% of the time the servers are too busy and will not allow me to sign in. I sent an email to eHarmony to see what was going on and they changed my password – AS IF THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. They don’t even read the messages i send them and no matter how good they may be at matching, I will no longer pay for a service with a customer service and troubleshooting systems than can not keep up with their customers! MY WARNINGS TO ANYONE CONSIDERING PAYING FOR A SUBSCRIPTION!
by Bill K on Mar 25, 2008 at 12:31 pm
They have an 800 number. I’d suggest calling it if your concerns aren’t getting proper attention via e-mail. Their customer support has been good about reading about what I write to them via e-mail and I personally haven’t had to resort to calling them for anything. Yes, sometimes their servers are busy but as often as I am on the service (several times a day) it’s pretty rare. Try logging in at a different time.
It’s just another way to meet people. It’s not going to guarantee you a spouse. How you use it will determine what you get out of it, having been a subscriber for over a year. I’m getting more out of it now than I initially was because I’m a more informed consumer and understand it’s limitations. Those who think otherwise, should do some more reading (this website and Dr. Warren’s books area good places to start) and soul-searching.
by SingleGuyInNC on Mar 25, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Well, I finally retook the questionnaire. I sent a few more scammers to CS and the most recent reply from CS included (again) a reply to retake the questionnaire. With a major lull in communications, I figured I could afford to spend what I thought would be two hours on it and see if how it will affect my matches.
I was on hold for maybe 5 minutes on the 800 number to get to a CS rep (my only phone call to them). Not too horrible of an experience, especially when the message on the VM system was that they were undergoing maintenance and they recommended calling back later.
by SingleGuyInNC on Jun 1, 2008 at 11:44 am
I needmy password I have been gone for quite awhile but want to renew my membership. I have been trying to get my password for 4 days now and no reply.
Could you please send it to me
by Joe fagan on Oct 28, 2009 at 7:55 am
Joe, you need to call them. This site is not eharmony and cannot help you.
The phone numbers are found at http://eharmony-blog.com/12
by eharmonyblog on Oct 28, 2009 at 10:31 am
I was given the same “retake the questionnaire” routine when I called in and they noticed I last took it in 2003! Granted, I was not a paying member the entire time but still . . .
Oh, and when I mentioned I had “special concerns” that would not fit in the 1,000 character limit for additional information they immediately suggested buying their new $99.95 Profile Advisor without even asking anything about what my concerns were. Like I want to pay them to figure out how to summarize my physical disability in 1,000 characters and still get someone to believe my mind is unaffected.
I could just say “I use a wheelchair for mobility and I was excepted into the Honors Program at WIU in 2000.” but my “matches” would be unable to verify said fact with just my first name so they probably wouldn’t believe it anyway.
by Bryan on Nov 11, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Bryan said:
I could just say “I use a wheelchair for mobility and I was excepted into the Honors Program at WIU in 2000.” but my “matches” would be unable to verify said fact with just my first name so they probably wouldn’t believe it anyway.
I wonder…
Would an Honors Program graduate such as yourself make a glaring grammatical error as “excepted” instead of “accepted” ?
Just diggin’ at you man. =)
My friend joined EH for awhile, he is a quad.
He didn’t seem to have any trouble getting across what needed to be said in his Profile.
Post a Photo with you in your wheelchair, and mention it again in the Profile, for those who are unable to view the Photos (ie, the non-paying members).
Then just mention that your disability is JUST your legs, arms, whatever, and that everything else is just fine.
I HIGHLY recommend that you DON’T harp on your brains, your intelligence, etc, in your 1000 letter “About Me” section, as all that is going to do, is to turn your Matches off, as you will appear to come across as a know-it-all, regardless of your disability.
Good Luck.
by Scottk on Nov 12, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Can somebody help me I have been trying to contact eharmory on 18009512023 and can not make contact with them. has anybody have a number for them. Kind Regards Elizabeth
by Elizabeth on Jan 13, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Elizabeth, 18009512023 is a US toll-free number. eHarmony Australia doesn’t have a local phone number. See http://eharmony-blog.com/1642 .
Cheers,
EHB
by eharmonyblog on Jan 13, 2010 at 4:45 pm