By Graham K. Rogers

Introduction

In the interests of fairness, I downloaded the app for a look. While there are some points about it that are usable, it may not suit all users for its general fussiness when it comes to registration. It worked, but the jumping through hoops that users have to go through may not be totally welcome. They seem to demonstrate the company's concern with control over the user experience. Many big names - Amazon, Apple, Citibank et al - have apps that do not require such levels of security even for online transactions.

Heavens, this is only a TV guide.

Background

At the beginning of the year there was a nasty surprise when the January version appeared. Instead of the usual listings for the day (24 hours), there was a mixed bag of channels for the evening only: a spread of about 3 or 4 hours. Day by day the order of those channels differed, so planning was not as easy as it might be, even with the limited time spread of programming.

With the limited information now available, it would seem that there is an intent to drive customers to digital solutions, but not everyone wants to access information in this way. There is also the significant question of whether all TrueVision customers are actually owners of suitable devices. Just because I have and you have does not mean the family round the corner own such devices. If users do not have such access, they are now not being given enough programming information.

A comment from a reader - who outlined problems he had with the app - told me that information about the TrueVisions App had been in the December print issue. As all I do is look at the program listings and occasionally the Pizza ads to see what may be for dinner, the chances of me seeing the information about the app were small. I expect I am not alone here.

The reader's problems had begun when he tried to register, as information told him that the certificate for the server was invalid. When he contacted TrueVisions over this, he was told he was in error with his registration and he should do it again, ignoring the point about the server certificate report.

TrueVisions App

Advertisements for future programs and for local products scrolled across the screen. On the iPhone the display is limited of course, and only works in portrait mode. On the iPad, both portrait and landscape modes are available.

Highlights gave a display of panels showing some of the items viewers might like. Scrolling to the far left revealed a panel which would allow fine-tuning of selections with 8 categories shown. The default display was for Highlights, but a Favorites tab was shown. Sadly each time I selected this, the app crashed.

The Listings section (TV Guide) showed all channels by default, but users may select the particular service (e.g. Gold or Silver) to limit the display. In landscape mode on the iPad 8 channels may be seen over a 3-hour time period. In portrait mode, there are more channels (13) but the time is shorter (2 hours). For the Gold service (which is what I subscribe to) there are 77 channels, if I counted right, some of which I never knew I had access to. At the bottom of the screen is a date display so it is possible to look forward (4 weeks) and back (7 days). There was a small delay while data was downloaded.

Tapping on one of the program boxes in the listing, brought up fuller details for many. Some only showed viewing times, while others provided full information including a synopsis. It was also possible with the program display to add an item as a favorite.

I now have more data than is manageable of course and while the intent may have been to assist customers, while reducing costs of print and distribution, the digital world may not always be the best solution for a particular problem.

The Reminders icon shows programs that the user (when registered) adds so that some planning may be accomplished, while Services included Subscriber Info, Package (Gold in my case), Equipment which gave technical information and allowed some troubleshooting; Billing; Preference number (showing my phone number); and Address, which showed me where I lived, but in Thai. Some of the items produced a Bad Server Response, but not every time.

On the iPad, the Magazine section is a mish-mash of the same shallow and poorly-organised content available in the print edition. It is in either JPEG or PDF format and cannot be copied (unlike an ebook) while none of the links in the text are live. It is mostly in Thai. Much of the viewing information is available in other parts of the app. If the object of the exercise is to save costs, then if the print version is ever laid to rest, this could be cut and perhaps no one would be any the wiser.

Registration

Part one of the registration has three options: registered preference number, True Visions account number, or smart card number. A little more information about each of these was on that digital form.

Part two requires a True ID or the email that was used when the user registered for the service. As that required several paper documents (and a copy of passport or national ID) not all users may remember this when it is completed in busy shop. I have three or four email addresses I use regularly. I had these ready. Users are also required to enter a password and repeat for confirmation.

The final part is an option. Register for the service and we go Green: no more print. While I am all for a reduction in the number of trees cut down - particularly in this part of the world where the authorities seem to be powerless (or in cahoots) to stop this destruction - the idea of the term "Green" tends to be overdone: as if it is some magic spell. I left this checked although did make sure that it could be unchecked. I am unable to confirm if the registration fails in this case.

In the interests of finding out about registration and how the other features would work, I did enter the details I thought were right and pressed the button to register. Or not.

The screen first reported that my phone number was not entered. True already has this, so I am unsure why they think they need it again, but in re-entering some data I may have deleted this. I tapped in the details once more.

The screen then reported that the True ID was wrong. Following the initial instructions, I had found a bill and copied the number - digit by digit - into the space provided. I double-checked and sent the form again. Once more a refusal. After the third time, I gave up; but then I saw that an email had arrived from True asking me to click for verification. When that was done another message arrived confirming my details.

The messages were in Thai and English (good) but there should not have been the errors:

and . . .

As small as these errors are, you would think that a company with all the resources that True has at its disposal would at least have someone check the English for a pro-forma email it sends out to ITS CUSTOMERS. But who am I trying to kid? This is a battle I have been fighting for years: even at work where I am available for free, some would rather trust themselves than ask for help.

The result is posters that look stupid and we all laugh at them; while some come to me after journal papers have been rejected because of English problems: then I am expected to wave a magic wand.

Comments

The app has a certain value in that full scheduling is now available to me, but for most users the waste of time that registration entails outweighs what they might get out of it. What the company gets out of the customer data may be something else: data being a valuable resource. For now, it may be just as useful if users skip registration and learn to use the time displays to make their own schedules.

The IT overkill here is not atypical for this company where the customer experience is often sacrificed to the need to comply with systems: filling out a form correctly or rating the service (1 - 5) of the officer are more important than serving the customer.

Systems serve the user. The customer is not there to serve IT.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs.