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Ghost Routine

sjtryon
Community Member

Every morning at 4 AM, Google Home turns on my bedroom lights. No routine has this command. 

To troubleshoot, all routines were deleted and recreated. All devices have been robooted. No amount of checking and testing corrects this situation. 

Anyone have any ideas what is happening and how it can be corrected?

3 Recommended AnswerS

sjtryon
Community Member

I solved the problem! I discovered that if you replace your Google Nest devices with Alexa devices, most of the assorted problems and frustrations go away! Of course, Alexa devices come with their own issues, but significantly fewer (by all of my testing and experimentation) and they have considerably more features and functionality!

View Recommended Answer in original post

sjtryon
Community Member

If you really want to provide a better experience for your customers, change your support model.

A community forum that Google just sort-of monitors is exceptionally frustrating. Responses take too much time - if any responses are received. Responses that are received are typically from other users and speak to the unique environment of those individuals - which is never quite like the unique environment of the person asking the question. And in too many cases, responses are just completely irrelevant. All too often, responses are made by people claiming to have the same problem and wondering when an answer might show up.

When I first installed my Google mesh wifi system, it was a profound struggle to get answers about the connection problems with my smart home devices (lights, outlets, etc). It was months before I was finally able to determine, through another source, that it was the Google mesh wifi system itself that was built in such a way as to make it impossible to connect those devices. This was another disappointing Google technology and one where the marketing that got me to purchase the technology didn't match the reality of its operation. Throughout those many months there was never any way to get a response out of Google. The questions were tossed out to be answered, but Google never bothered.

Just look at this thread as an example. The question went out four weeks ago. The first response was from another community member and was complete gibberish. You wandered in with some slightly helpful info two weeks after the question was posted. That's two weeks of my Google technology and the support system related to it bothering, then frustrating, then infuriating me. 

With an eero system, support comes from people who know the product and who are able to answer questions when I need the questions answered. It's just that simple.

But now you're all "...sad to see (me) go." I don't know you so I won't make any assumptions about whether that statement is true. But my experience would suggest that Google certainly isn't sad to see me go. The proof is in these forums which are filled with postings by frustrated customers who are similarly considering a move to your competition or have already jumped.

I'm sad to go too because I trust Google far more than I trust Amazon. But at least Amazon understands that there is a need to engage with customers in helpful and meaningful ways even after the widgets have been purchased.

View Recommended Answer in original post

sjtryon
Community Member

No, I have no desire to keep wasting my time trying to solve this problem. I just don't care any more. Your support model is just too frustrating. I'm eliminating all my Google home products and moving to another solution - which, if you were paying any attention to this thread, you would already know.

View Recommended Answer in original post

14 REPLIES 14

Smithashle504
Community Member

The new rules will allow companies to sell products to 

Juni
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi sjtryon,

 

Thanks for posting here in the Google Nest Community.

 

This is not the experience that we wanted you to have; let me help you out. Do you have a home member added to your Google Home app? If so, you can check their Google Home app and review the routines that they set up. You can also check your Google Assistant activity to see if someone made a command to turn on the lights during that time. Check out the steps below on how to get to this setting.
 

Check your Google Assistant activity history

 

  1. Open the Google Home app .
  2. At the top right, tap your account.
  3. Tap My Activity .

Keep me posted.

 

Regards,

Juni

sjtryon
Community Member

The Google Home app for the other household member has been checked several times and has no routines other than those I have created. 
Viewing the app history shows voice commands shortly after 4AM turning off the lights, but no activity prior to that other than the night before. 
Hopefully it is obvious, but we simply use switches on the lights now to be sure the lights stay off. The records for voice commands issued to turn the lights off only appear in the early morning hours on the days I've tested whether this is still a problem. 

Juni
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi there,

 

Thanks for the details you shared, and I am sorry that you are still experiencing the issue. You can change the name of the light; in that way, wherever this routine is created, it will not trigger the light anymore.

 

Let me know how it goes.

 

Thanks,

Juni

Juni
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi there,

 

I just wanted to follow up to see if you still need our help. Please let us know as we would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
 

Regards,

Juni

sjtryon
Community Member

I solved the problem! I discovered that if you replace your Google Nest devices with Alexa devices, most of the assorted problems and frustrations go away! Of course, Alexa devices come with their own issues, but significantly fewer (by all of my testing and experimentation) and they have considerably more features and functionality!

Juni
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi sjtryon,

 

We're sad to see you go. We'll definitely take this as feedback, and we'll ensure that we learn from it to be able to deliver a better experience in the future.

 

Thanks,

Juni

sjtryon
Community Member

If you really want to provide a better experience for your customers, change your support model.

A community forum that Google just sort-of monitors is exceptionally frustrating. Responses take too much time - if any responses are received. Responses that are received are typically from other users and speak to the unique environment of those individuals - which is never quite like the unique environment of the person asking the question. And in too many cases, responses are just completely irrelevant. All too often, responses are made by people claiming to have the same problem and wondering when an answer might show up.

When I first installed my Google mesh wifi system, it was a profound struggle to get answers about the connection problems with my smart home devices (lights, outlets, etc). It was months before I was finally able to determine, through another source, that it was the Google mesh wifi system itself that was built in such a way as to make it impossible to connect those devices. This was another disappointing Google technology and one where the marketing that got me to purchase the technology didn't match the reality of its operation. Throughout those many months there was never any way to get a response out of Google. The questions were tossed out to be answered, but Google never bothered.

Just look at this thread as an example. The question went out four weeks ago. The first response was from another community member and was complete gibberish. You wandered in with some slightly helpful info two weeks after the question was posted. That's two weeks of my Google technology and the support system related to it bothering, then frustrating, then infuriating me. 

With an eero system, support comes from people who know the product and who are able to answer questions when I need the questions answered. It's just that simple.

But now you're all "...sad to see (me) go." I don't know you so I won't make any assumptions about whether that statement is true. But my experience would suggest that Google certainly isn't sad to see me go. The proof is in these forums which are filled with postings by frustrated customers who are similarly considering a move to your competition or have already jumped.

I'm sad to go too because I trust Google far more than I trust Amazon. But at least Amazon understands that there is a need to engage with customers in helpful and meaningful ways even after the widgets have been purchased.

Juni
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi there,

 

Sorry for the frustration; if you wouldn't mind filling out this form, we'll get you the right level of help.

 

Regards,

Juni

sjtryon
Community Member

Almost two months after reaching out for help in your help forums, you now want me to put the same information into a form so I can get “the right level of help”? 

I don’t know if I should be upset or just laugh at how absurd this is! 

if YOU needed help with anything in your life and received this kind of response from the product manufacturer, I’m pretty sure you’d be pretty frustrated - and would probably never purchase any of their products again. 

I have a better idea, how about you Google Chat the “right level of help” and send them the link to these forums so they can be useful to all of your customers and not just those who allow themselves to suffer through this kind of disrespect. 

Juni
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi there,

 

I understand that this is frustrating. Please fill up the form so we can move to the next step and assist you with your concern. 

 

Best,

Juni

Juni
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi there,

 

I wanted to follow up if you are still in need of any help. If so, please fill out the form above.
 

Thanks,

Juni

sjtryon
Community Member

No, I have no desire to keep wasting my time trying to solve this problem. I just don't care any more. Your support model is just too frustrating. I'm eliminating all my Google home products and moving to another solution - which, if you were paying any attention to this thread, you would already know.

Dan_A
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hey there sjtryon,

 

We're sad to see you go. We hope we can make it up to you in the future. Send us a message if you change your mind.

 

Kind regards,

Dan