AppleInsider Staff
Apple on Monday announced a new iTunes Connect feature that allows developer customer support teams to respond to submitted App Store reviews.
Announced through Apple's Developer web portal, the new Customer Support role in iTunes Connect grants support team access to the tools they need to interact with customers leaving reviews through the App Store. Previously, only individuals with admin access were able to respond directly to reviews.
Developers with admin privileges can assign the role to users in combination with other iTunes Connect roles. Those granted Customer Support access will be privy to Resources and Help, Users and Roles, and My Apps in iTunes Connect, Apple says.
Within the iTunes Connect interface, Customer Support roles will be automatically directed to "Ratings and Reviews" when they click on the "My Apps" tab. From there, users can respond to posted reviews, as seen in the above image.
Apple is merging two former roles, Manager and Marketer, into the new Customer Support role. Users who previously held those roles prior to July 13 will be automatically moved over to Customer Support.
A long-requested App Store feature, developer responses to App Store reviews first arrived as part of the StoreKit API released with iOS 10.3. The toolset was announced in January and saw public release in March.
The response mechanism adds a layer of personalization to App Store interactions. For example, when a developer — and now Customer Support role — files a response, a notification is sent out to the user who posted the original comment, who then has an opportunity to update their feedback.
Christine McKee
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14 Comments
Thank you for you valuable feedback. A very good time we want you to have with our codes and wares and are so-sorry for your discomfort. Please feel free to reach out to us again to receive the exact same dispassionate response.
It's either that or using some manipulative language to spin it to the rest of the folks reading.
All Apple has done here is to provide developers with a manipulative PR mechanism.
It it would be better if the dev response was direct to customer email. And the customer then had the opportunity to update.
Customers want ant to read reviews by other CUSTOMERS. Not read some copy that is intent on either spin, the standard "we are so sorry. We will make it up to you. See how awesome we are for taking the two seconds out of our day to save face?", or flat out manipulation.
Reviews should be a safe haven for customers, both satisfied and disgruntled.
All Apple has done here is copy what the also-tabs do. And they seem to be picking up steam on that. Would be nice for Apple to regrow some new convictions and put their foot down.
In my experience I've never once been contacted back when I have gone through the Apps "Contact Us" support email, so why would they take the time to read reviews and respond?
I could see this being good for the garage coder struggling to get an app out to the market, but the most used apps (with the most reviews) won't get any attention from Dev's.
I thought this was already a thing? Over a month ago, a developer responded to a review I wrote for an app. I even received a notification stating such.