AQA, Gorillas and text answering/entertainment services

I was talking to Peter from AQA (Any Question Answered) the other week and I asked him if he’d any examples of conversations between the AQA team and their customers. He sent me this rather amusing exchange which took place over five hours a few weeks ago.

USER: 09.19pm Is HMS Belfast firing her guns this week? Please
AQA: 10.23pm Sorry, AQA can’t find when HMS Belfast is firing her guns. Try contacting the ship services on 02074036246. It is part of the Imperial War Museum.

USER: 10.25pm Ok. Thanks for the advice
AQA: 10.25pm Thanks for using the AQA service. Some random trivia: 1 in 18 people has a 3rd nipple; 75kg of raw material go into the making of a mobile phone.

USER: 10.32pm I must be stronger than I thought. I reckon I could benchpress, ooh, THREE ‘phones . Not sure about nipples though

AQA: 10.34pm AQA is delighted to hear you could benchpress 3 phones. The future of the human race is in safe hands. A gorilla could benchpress 486kg.

USER: 10.40pm Not in my garage/gym. (a) no simians allowed (b) I couldn’t afford that many weights
AQA: 10.44pm AQA thinks you are right not to bench press in your garage or gym. Weights are very expensive. You should consider using the council gym.

USER: 10.54pm What? And have my pet Gorilla embarrass me in PUBLIC?
AQA: 10.59pm Fair enough, AQA wouldn’t want that. Try taking your gorilla to a private members gym and, for the utmost discretion, get an out of hours session.

USER: 11.09pm They wont sign him up. Doesn’t carry money, drops banana skins everywhere. Oh, and YOU try and get him in a Smart car
AQA: 11.11pm It is difficult to get gorillas into Smart cars. They are terribly aware of their reputation & the chimpanzees laugh at them. They are so cruel.

USER: 11.18pm You are more surreal than I am. Love it. “By the way, I don’t drop my banana skins.” ( My gorrilla )
AQA: 11.21pm Okay, your gorilla doesn’t drop banana skins, but he likes his grapes peeled, the skins of which are even more lethal (and less cliched).

USER: 11.31pm Now you’ve done it, calling him a cliche. He’s nicked the car after leaving a pound of squashed grapes at the top of the stairs

AQA: 11.35pm He just wants you to think he’s nicked the car. He’s actually parked it round the corner & is secretly filming you to see you slip on the grape skins.

USER: 11.40pm Your RIGHT! Not only the car but my camera’s gone as well. I’m going to buy a goldfish
AQA: 11.43pm AQA thinks that is a good idea as it will keep the gorilla company. You should called him Mustava. Random trivia: Hippo milk is pink.

USER: 11.50pm Thanks again. Now he’s filled the Smart with water, put the goldfish in it and told me it’s a German tank.
AQA: 11.57pm Got to hand it to him, he’s good. But what he doesn’t know is that the Smart’s budget engineering means it leaks like a sieve. Save your goldfish-quick!

06/05/08 USER: 12.01am Mustava leak then.
AQA: 12.13am AQA applauds your genius one-liner. Suggestions for employment: comedian; sea life related journalism; Clint Eastwood in ‘Every Which Way But Loose’.

USER: 12.24am The only person who laughs at me is the ex wife. The orangutan was female and I found Jacque Cousteau unable to pronounce sea lion. ” zee loin “

AQA: 12.35am AQA suggests you ditch the goldfish & set your gorilla up on a date with the female orangutan. AQA foresees you working in a vineyard, squashing grapes.

USER: 12.47am I think the gorilla/orangutan hybrid has been done. How else can you explain Wayne Rooney? As for grapes, my carpet is ruined and I’m at the bottom of the stairs with a broken leg, a soggy Smart and a camera wielding ape

AQA: 12.59am AQA hopes your gorilla was smarter than your car & captured all this for YouTube. AQA suggests you create a make-shift crutch from the banister rail.

USER: 01.11am Good suggestion. I could use one of his bananas as padding for my armpit. One drawback; the bannister is 14 feet long and he’s playing tunes on my saw. Pretty good though.
AQA: 01.19am Fear not, there’s a big market in primate rock beat combos. An A&R man will soon appear at your door. Claim to be his manager & take the limo to A&E.

USER: 01.32am He’s halfway through the theme tune to Doctor Who ( saw version ) and wont answer the door. I can’t get up. What now AQA?
AQA: 01.39am If your gorilla wants to make it in the industry he will need to make small sacrifices and open the door. AQA foresees ‘Doctor Who Saw…’ being #1.

USER: 01.50am No 1 sounds like a result. Maybe Simon Cowell will make “Britains got Primates” or reform the Monkeys or, better I just leave you in peace. G’night
AQA: 01.53am Simon Cowell is preparing his monkey themed put-downs already. The show is sure to be a massive hit. AQA hopes you sleep well and the gorilla is quiet.

  • gilesadams
    Hi there - Giles from Texperts here. I just thought I might clarify some confusion with regards to our pricing. We charge for answers, not questions as we believe that if the answer is not 'out there', then our customers do not deserve to be charged for asking. And to make sure we provide the best answers possible, our brand promise states that if you're not impressed with your answer, the next one is on us.

    As Texperts is a human powered service, we do sometimes misinterpret context, as in Whatleydude's example. Sometimes we need to engage customers in a text conversation to clarify what they are asking - these exchanges only cost you a text (c.10p), not a pound and therefore you only get charged when you receive the information you want. Also, we don't charge you for saying thanks or raising a concern.

    I hope that helps clarifies things - please give me a shout if you have any further questions (giles@texperts.com).

    Cheers, Giles
  • *claps hands in applause at texperts*

    :) - Nice one.
  • Hi Giles, just checking - when you say that you don't get charged asking a question you don't really mean that do you - as later on you say that you do get charged, albeit 10p, whenever you text textperts? As you didn't answer the question, and possibly contradicted yourself, can i have my next one free? Of course 10p doesn't sound much, but then neither does £1. or am i penny wise and pound foolish? that's it. I'll get my coat.
  • Edit: bah, this was supposed to be a reply to whatley above.
  • My best AQA exchange?

    "It's 4am, I need a drink. Where should I go?"

    "AQA thinks you should go home."

    Brilliant.
  • Very funny, but not very helpful (although you didn't give them much to go on... a location would have been a start!)
  • Ok - Well how about this one from Texperts?

    Me: Did tolkien invent Elves?

    TP: No, elves originally from Germanic mythology. Tolkein popularised them as a wise, immortal, and humanoid people -- have been a fantasy staple ever since.

    Me: Ok. So who's right? Aqa said that they were of Norse origin.. (and you can't spell tolkien)

    TP: Elves appear in Norse, German, Scandinavian and English folklore and different sources claim different origins. Both Norse and Germanic elves have different roots are thought to be light creatures who lived in heaven during the era of Germanic paganism, and may have included dark elves or dwarves underground (as understood to be similar to the alfr of Old Norse mythology). No charge for this and as you were unhappy your next answer will be free.
  • informative (to an extent) AND free!... Go Textperts!
  • I have more:

    Me: Hello. I used to buy my flared jeans from GAP, (note: FLARED not BOOT CUT), but they've stopped selling them. Where can I get them now please?

    TP: www.ebay.co.uk offers a variety of GAP flare jeans in many colors and sizes. Asking prices currently range from £0.50 - £10.05, not including shipping.

    Me: From ebay?! That's a rubbish answer. GAP is a high st store. Ebay isn't.

    TP: Apologies if you are unhappy with the previous response and as an apology your next answer will be free. No charge for this response.

    Me: Ok. GAP have stopped selling their Flared Jeans range (flared, not boot cut) where else on the high st can I get them? I'm in Twickenham but can get to London.

    TP: Topshop (Arcadia Group) on 70 Berners Street London W1T 3NL, sell a flared Jeans for £ 40, a map will follow this text.

    Me: I'm a boy texperts! My fault. Should've told you. Topshop is no good to me!

    TP: We couldn't find a men's retailer selling flared jeans, however you can purchase Lee Denver Flared Jeans on-line from www.denims4u.co.uk for £42.50

    Me: That's more like it. Good work. Love you guys.
  • Nice, how much did that interaction cost you? I spot £3 before they actually answered your question
  • Presumably this was billed at the standard AQA rates?... I can think of better things to spend 16 quid on
  • Chris
    18 quid - two of his questions were over 160 characters...
  • Aren't you charged per response?
  • Chris
    With Texperts - yes. But I think AQA charge for submitting the question, not receiving the answer.
  • Ouch. That I did not know.
  • I think it was a quid a go, aye. I know a lot of people who enjoy doing
    this!
  • I'm all for the idea of paying £1 for a bit of knowledge I needed in a hurry (personally I just use wikipedia but I totally see the value in this) but £1 per message for a bit of a chat?!?!
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