Kudos to MyHeritage! The company is listening to customers, improving its DNA product and delivering on its promises.
In my first job as a grocery store clerk, I learned that most customer service issues can be solved if you just make the customer feel heard. Even if you never actually resolve their issue, if they feel like you listened, they leave happy.
Such is the case for MyHeritage*. For months after the launch of their in-house DNA testing product in the fall of 2016 their DNA matching algorithm had problems. Even a year later, the late summer and fall of 2017 several reports of discrepancies between the match lists of parents and children were alarming. And yet, the genetic genealogy community was patient. Patient because MyHeritage had so far delivered on every promise they had made to the community. They had delivered a competitive Origins product, adopted a stringent privacy policy, and let everyone upload their DNA for free.
MyHeritage fixes problems
In January of 2018 all that patience paid off. MyHeritage updated their matching algorithm and re-calibrated all of the DNA matches in their system. The result was a much more robust depiction of our relationships with others in the database. Most users saw a dramatic increase in the total number of matches, and a significant decrease in the number of false positives, or matches that are on your match list, but shouldn’t be.
Additionally, to the delight of many genetic genealogists, MyHeritage launched a chromosome browser. This tool allows you to see the locations on the DNA that are shared with your match. Many genetic genealogists like to use this tool to help them visualize the shared DNA, and group their DNA matches.
While you can just transfer your DNA into MyHeritage for free if you have tested at another genetic genealogy company, there is value in having your actual DNA sample in more than one location. We never really know what the future of DNA testing or our testing companies will hold. So taking a DNA test at MyHeritage and having your DNA sample at more than one testing company might prove to be advantageous. Here’s an added bonus, MyHeritage offers a free 14-day subscription trial, so you can transfer your DNA and use the free trial to explore your results!
Whether you upload or test there, the inexpensive MyHeritage DNA quick reference guide we publish will guide you through the rapidly-improving DNA tools there. Check it out!
Take me to those Quick Guides!
Originally published January 2018 on Genealogygems.com.
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