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Tag: User experience

Does Meta and Twitter Care About Free Speech or Money?

February 20th, 2023

As technology continues to advance, social media platforms are constantly looking for new ways to generate revenue. Recently, Twitter has been shifting its focus towards subscriptions, which has raised concerns about the impact on its users. In this article, we will explore Twitter’s new subscription-based model, its potential impact on users, and how it compares to other social media platforms.

Twitter’s Shift Towards Subscriptions:

In an effort to diversify its revenue streams, Twitter has been actively pursuing subscription-based models. This includes the recent acquisition of the newsletter platform, Revue, which allows users to monetize their content through subscriptions. Additionally, Twitter has been testing its own subscription service, called Twitter Blue, which offers features such as an “Undo Tweet” button and the ability to organize bookmarks.

Impact on Users:

While Twitter’s shift towards subscriptions may seem like a positive step towards generating revenue, it could have negative implications for its users. One concern is that Twitter may start prioritizing content from users who pay for subscriptions, leading to a two-tiered system where some users have an unfair advantage over others. Additionally, the introduction of subscription-based features could create a pay-to-win environment, where users who can afford to pay for premium features have an unfair advantage over those who cannot.

Comparison to Other Social Media Platforms:

Twitter is not the first social media platform to introduce subscription-based models. Facebook and LinkedIn, for example, both offer premium versions of their platforms for a fee. However, the impact of these models on users has been mixed. Some users have reported feeling left behind or excluded from certain features, while others have enjoyed the benefits of a premium membership.

Final Thoughts:

In conclusion, Twitter’s shift towards subscriptions could have both positive and negative implications for its users. While it may provide a new revenue stream for the platform, it could also lead to an unfair advantage for those who can afford to pay for premium features. Ultimately, it remains to be seen how Twitter’s subscription-based model will impact its user base and whether it will prove to be a successful strategy for the platform’s continued growth.
Why Our Chipotle Order Was Trash: A user experience left much to be desired

February 11th, 2023
Maybe this is a technological snafu due to using Uber Eats, or maybe it was a systemic failure throughout. We will go through the entire journey, given this is from our perspective, but this experience left much to be desired.

Let’s start this journey last weekend at my daughter’s 7th birthday surprise at a local water park chain. Everything was going great-ish (we have concerns with that experience as well, but this blog is about other things), until I got my foot caught on a waterslide, which ended up curling under my body. I got help down the platform from one of the lifeguards, filed a report, got some ice packs. I tried to remain strong throughout the day, but ended up going back to the room to elevate my leg. Initially thinking it was just a bad sprain, we would later find out it was in fact an ankle sprain, with a fibula fracture.

Fast forward a few days into the future. Trying to be a nice husband as my wife is taking care of me, two children (one of which is on amoxicillin for an ear infection), our dog, and a dog we agreed to dog sit, I would order dinner to be delivered. I had a gift card with Uber Eats and thought this would be an easy fix.

Near the house was have several options. We don’t eat a lot of major fast food chains, but Chipotle is one that we can all agree on, and typically enjoy. After ordering was complete, I was shocked the total was nearing $90. I had my wife double check the order and everything looked good. She had a burrito bowl, I had a burrito, and both kids had a quesadilla, and a build your own tacos meal. Both kids’ sides were fruit and chocolate milks.

The order was delivered ahead of time and when we sat down to unpack we were met with very peculiar results. The only things that were right about the order was my burrito, chips and guacamole. Both kids meals didn’t have fruit nor their chocolate milks. Our son’s meal had a side of corn with jalapenos. My wife’s burrito bowl was completely incorrect with numerous missing ingredients and ingredients that weren’t even ordered.

When I attempted to get correction through Uber Eats, the only offer was to contact the driver (which he had nothing to do with the errors, he was great), or contact support through the app. When I contacted support, I aired my grievances and I have yet to hear back with any resolution. It’s been 3 days. My wife ended up going back to the restaurant and getting her bowl remade and getting the fruit and chocolate milks for the kids. In all defeating the purpose of not having to leave the house and having dinner prepared for us. I’m at the point now of giving up on customer service with Uber Eats. Neither Chipotle nor Uber Eats have reached out to resolve anything. The only reason I had been inspired to write this blog is I received an email from Uber Eats to sign up for their Uber One program to get 3 months free. After this experience, I’m looking to uninstall the app, and never look back.

Moral of the story, listen to my wife. She suggested ahead of time instead of having the order delivered, she would go and pick it up to save money on the delivery. They always say, hindsight is 20/20.

Update:

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