It has now been two months since I lost access to my KDP account and the royalties trapped inside it. Over that time, I’ve received multiple emails from Ethan R. of Amazon’s “Executive Customer Relations.” Each note has been politely worded, filled with assurances that my case is a “priority,” and that updates would come by a specific date.
Each email has ended with an invitation: if I had further thoughts or questions, I could reply directly. Twice I’ve taken Ethan up on that offer. Twice, my replies disappeared into silence. Not even an acknowledgment. The polite façade suddenly looks less like a human being at the other end of the line, and more like an automated script designed to calm authors into waiting indefinitely.
I’m not the only one noticing. David, until very recently the CTO of one of IBM’s divisions, wrote to me after seeing my updates. His response was blunt:
“This is their #1 priority and are working diligently to fix a problem of over 30 days. This is what they call quality customer service! Seems like it can be fixed with 1 conf call or note to all parties concerned but who am I to question their quality, integrity or technical prowess? Just a poor retired schlub!”
David’s point is hard to ignore. A company the size of Amazon, with resources that dwarf most nations, shouldn’t need thirty-plus days and three deadline extensions to resolve a login verification issue. One well-managed conference call could likely bring this to resolution. Instead, it’s delay after delay, apology after apology.
At this point, I’m left wondering: is Ethan even real? Or is this entire dance just customer-service theatre, a carefully scripted bot feeding me soothing sentences to keep me patient while nothing actually happens?
I will continue to share updates here, publicly. Because when silence is the only response from the other side, shining a light is the only accountability mechanism left.
⚑ Lesson for leaders
When you tell your people something is a “priority,” your actions must match your words. Endless delays, unacknowledged replies, and reliance on scripted messaging erode trust faster than any technical glitch. Real leadership requires candour, presence, and above all, humanity.
