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He was “that customer.”
You know him. The guy who always has a question, always has something going wrong, always needs some kind of extra attention.
He was always in my grill - “Fix my MySpace, I can’t play Mafia Wars, My music won’t play.” Never a please or a thank you. Not rude really, but always there, always insistent.
Always
… and then he wasn’t.
I’d like to say I missed him, but the truth is I didn’t. I didn’t notice he was gone.
… and then he came back.
Standing at the desk one day I looked up and he was there. I kinda laughed under my breath and thought about how I hadn’t seen him in a long time and I approached him to say hello.
“Hey man, how you doin’? Where you been? What’s up?
He did not reply.
“What’s up bud?”
He stammered and motioned toward the desk where he laid down a huge stack of papers and then he began to (try to) speak.
In a choked stuttering sometimes non-existent voice, using the papers for illustration he told me.
He’d had a stroke. He was in the hospital for some time, but he was okay now, slowly recovering. He leafed through doctor’s orders and therapist’s instructions, forms he had filled out, and more forms he hadn’t gotten to yet. The stack was endless.
He told me how he hadn’t always taken very good care of himself and in a halting cautious tone with motions to match he told me how it had been the alcohol and the crack that had caused his stroke.
I don’t know why or how, but my heart reached out to this man and I told him that if I could help him I certainly would and I urged him to continue to do the right things, to go to therapy, to stay clean and to please keep in touch.
Because now I was worried. He wasn’t “that customer” anymore. He was now “my customer.”
As the year progressed James continued to get better. He took advantage of the health care aid for which he was eligible, and any other assistance he could get. (I believe, though I’m not certain he is a Veteran.) and really tried hard to improve himself.
He bought himself a laptop and made me his best friend. I told him to come to my Open Lab and helped him with some setup and a free anti-virus solution. He would stop by from time to time to show some new gadget he was into, a camera, a music recorder, and the tiniest wireless mouse I have ever seen.
We have become, in a manner of speaking friends.
When the hard drive on his laptop went south a few months ago he asked for my assistance. I told him that the computer was still under warranty and he should take it back to have it replaced.
A week later James showed up at the library very agitated, not angry but frustrated, fidgeting. “What’s wrong?” I asked him.
He had gone to find out about returning his computer and was basically told he would have to make a number of phone calls.
Remember, he still has a hard time speaking.
I said: “You want me to call for you don’t you?” with kind of a “‘wassup” look.
He grinned. That was exactly what he wanted. He just didn’t know how to ask.
So I called, and I have to give major props to both the retail store customer service department and the computer manufacturer tech support for working with me to find a way to replace James’ hard drive in a pretty timely fashion. In a little less than 2 weeks his computer was as good as new.
Of course now he was concerned about setup and the antivirus and what were his passwords and...
I told him to use the trial anti-virus software until we were sure the computer was going to be okay and we’d do all that setup then. He was okay with that. But...
He couldn’t remember his passwords. No matter how many times I tried to tell him. No matter how many times I went over actually inputting the numbers he wasn’t getting it. But then finally, he did. I thought.
I stopped to say hello to him on my way to do something with Netter and the girls and he was frustrated once again. I tried to help him, but I was in a rush to be on time and he could tell. He assured me he would figure it out and sent me on my way.
… and then he disappeared again.
After a few weeks I put some other staff on alert and asked them to keep an eye out for “my customer.”
They told me they had seen him, but I still had not.
Until yesterday.
There he was; Waving his arms at me, silly grin on his face. “Jim. Jim there you are. Jim, I need my AVA, (actually AVG), and I of course thought to myself: “Whew, thank God he is okay.”
So we got him all setup with his antivirus and I took a peak around to make sure his computer was running well and he went on his way.
A co-worker sidled over to me and said: “Are you ever sorry he made you his best friend?”
“No.” I replied. “I feel like I need to do this, to help James. He has come so far and done so much. He’s really trying to do things the right way. I’m just a little part of that, and I’m glad I can help.”
“I know what you mean,” said my co-worker. “I feel like he is ours, like he is our miracle.”
Exactly.
If I had to pick a season to call my favorite it would be Fall. The start of hockey season comes in the Fall. I love college football - Fall. My favorite beer is only available in the Fall. Unless you stock up which I may or may not be guilty of doing. Once. Last year. Because it was the first time it occurred to me. Yes, I probably will, might do it again this year.
But I digress... Sorry.
My birthday is in the Fall. My wife’s birthday is too. Halloween is my favorite holiday. Okay, I don’t really like holidays in general, but if I had to pick I pick Halloween. Hard to hate on free candy right?
Oh, and I really like the word “Autumn.”
But still, I suck at Fall. I get really sad. I get grouchy. I just want to sleep all the time. (Yes, even more than usual Dave.) I hole up in my office and stare blankly at my computer screen for hours on end. If you ask me, I don’t even remember what I was staring at...
… and I don’t know why. I don’t remember Fall always being like this, or maybe it was. As a young person I didn’t like Fall because I was not a fan of school, but that’s normal right. (Hey, I used normal in reference to myself. That doesn’t happen very often. Let me have this one.)
Still, as I got older, and especially after I met Netter I learned to really appreciate the beauty of Fall, the changes in the leaves, (even when Netter was pregnant and I had to rake them), the colors, the smells, the way the sun sets differently, the crisp autumn air. I love it all.
But then there’s that drag. Even as I write this my head feels heavy and my eyelids are drooping. I could be asleep in minutes.
This fall I’ve been working very hard to stay on task, to get things done, to make progress on my 3 words. I’ve been successful sometimes and sometimes I catch myself - just - staring - into - space.
Netter thinks I have seasonal affective disorder. I suppose that could be true, but I have always had the mindset that if you’re not bleeding or dying you play the game. And so I go on...
I try to stay on track, and focus. The girls are busy now. K just went off to college. D is caught up in band. Plenty to watch and see and listen to. Netter and I have been going on regular walks, exploring our neighborhood parks and trails. We take Mulligan along when we can.
We get really busy in the Fall.
I love Fall!
So why do I suck at it so much?
What do you think?
(This is long and maybe overly detailed, but a lot of folks have been asking me why I am so frustrated with Verizon so...)
Dear Verizon Wireless,
I’m going to need some real help with my next phone purchase. I’m going to want to know that I have the right phone plan, the right data plan(s). I’ll need a sales person with a real solid understanding of what it means to review a customers account and provide them exactly what they need. I feel I’ve earned it and I’m going to tell you why...
Oh, where to begin...
Let’s see - I’ve been a customer since December 2001 even though the guy at Radio Shack where we bought our phone acted like we were riff raff and couldn’t possibly afford such a luxury. While I will admit I was a little surprised at the cost it certainly wasn’t anything outrageously expensive. I didn’t blame you though, I blamed the Radio Shack guy. Not sure we’ve ever been back in fact.
By 2003 there were actual Verizon Wireless stores in our area so I dutifully marched in two years to the day it was due and renewed our contract. (Okay, I was one day late, but I’m still guessing that doesn’t happen very often.) I had no concept of “new every two” at the time so I wasn’t at all surprised when again I found myself forking over a fair amount of cash for a new phone.
By 2005 I decided to live on the edge and see what would happen if I didn’t renew my plan. It was a tight financial year for us and I thought the phone I had was sufficient so we just went with what we had...
We kept the same phone until March of 2008 - A new Verizon store had been built very close to our house, and after driving by it many times we finally decided it was time for my wife to get her own phone. I admit I was pleasantly surprised when our new phones and contract renewal cost seemed fairly affordable and we were very happy to have finally come in to get new phones...
As an aside I wasn’t especially thrilled in 2007 when I found out from a co-worker that I was eligible for a 15% discount and had been for the six years prior as well. I mean I know you’re trying to make a buck, but come on... I didn’t even know such discounts existed, don’t you think someone might have asked me where I worked before that? You know? In the interest of good customer service? Ah well, I have always believed that ignorance is no excuse so no I didn’t really pin this on you, but man it was disappointing.
It would be nice though if you’d also let my wife get the 8% off her job with her non-profit employer allots. I’m just sayin’
We added phones for our daughters as the year progressed with the only mild bump coming in January of 2009 when my oldest wore out the battery on her phone very quickly, presumably from so much texting. Still, the phone was under warranty so it was just a good laugh for us, but then...
Then came August of 2009. Here is where I seriously began to think about leaving Verizon Wireless. You see, though your network has always been strong, and your website has steadily improved - well, your customer service skills are in serious need of improvement. I will grant that some of these experiences stem from your satellite stores, but not all and though you call them satellite stores... Let’s be honest - They all say “Verizon Wireless” all over them.
So what experiences you say? How ‘bout...
The sales rep who told me that my Internet access on my new Blackberry would cost me $15 a month rather than the $29.99 the unlimited plan demands.
Or... The form that allowed him to uncheck Internet access for the Blackberry my daughter purchased from an outside vendor with her birthday funds when in reality that was not an option - All smart phones demand Internet access, and you miraculously “fixed” that form the very next time I came into the store.
Thankfully, after much begging and pleading and many - MANY - DID I MENTION MANY? - phone calls and emails a kind manager, (or was she just sick of hearing from me?) moved up my daughter’s renewal date, (you’ll see why this is important in a bit) and allowed that we could just purchase a “pretty phone” that did not require a data plan which was all my daughter wanted in the first place. Luckily, the outside vendor allowed us to return the phone she had purchased, less 8 bucks for shipping.
Of course, we couldn’t buy the new phone at the satellite store as Agent 10, yes that’s what she called herself didn’t want that store to get “another” commission for selling us another phone. Of course he hadn’t sold us the previous phone, but Agent 10 remained undeterred. So, we got to get the phone in the mail. Yay for Internet setup. Maybe... It was not without glitches and we did have to go back to the satellite store one last time to have my daughter’s address book moved to her new phone. (This was my fault as I missed this step in the instructions.)
A few months later my wife was due for an upgraded phone and my mother-in-law wanted to transfer her phone to our plan so she could text her grandchildren. Yay for Grandma! Boo to the salesman who didn’t hear me say we would not be needing the “extras” and brought them out anyway - we got away with just the memory card which you over charged for as I recall, and boo again for charging us for among other things, an activation fee he failed to mention of $25.00 While we were issued some credits which took effect immediately, that blindside $25 fee... That refund? Yeah that took more than 4 months. No, I’m not exaggerating. I can show you the emails if you’d like.
In February of 2010 for some unknown reason we renewed my youngest daughter’s phone. I’ll save you the big long story about what has happened with her phone since and just put it this way - The first phone was defective, the slider failing almost immediately leaving her phone in essentially 2 pieces all of the time. The second phone, (a different model) was defective. After only 11 months the phone would dial out and send blank text messages without anyone even touching it. It was replaced in February of 2011 - still under warranty. The new phone works fine except that the battery failed last month, and we learned that though the phone was only 5 months old the warranty for the battery goes back to the first phone and new batteries cost $39.99 less 25% for? I don’t know what for? Because I glared at the sales person and told him Verizon was lucky to have my business because they have the best network and NOTHING more? Customer loyalty? V.I.P. status? It doesn’t matter really. You got my $32 and change.
In what I am starting to wonder may be against my better judgment we went ahead and renewed my oldest daughter’s phone again this summer, and I was delighted by the customer service person who worked with her to transfer phone numbers from a (water) damaged phone and worked with me by transferring my renewal to my daughter’s phone so we could get a $50 rebate and essentially pay only $3 and change for the new phone.
But now Verizon Wireless, now you are started to really disappoint me again.
You see my wife would like a smart phone, and I really want to buy her one. We have a line that is eligible for renewal even, but here’s the thing... We’ve made 2 trips into your store, the real store and we still don’t have a phone.
Why you ask?
Well, my wife wants a Droid 3, and at least until yesterday the Droid 3 was on sale 2 for 1. We thought that was fantastic, but of course we don’t have another line up for renewal until August 11.
On our first trip in though, the rather nice sales person offered that the phones could be purchased within 14 days of each other and we could still take advantage of the sale. So, on Friday July 29 we returned to the store where another sales person, (the same one who sold me the battery) explained that while that was technically true the sale might not be continuing into August so he could not sell us the phones. He could sell us one, but not two... and oh by the way - he didn’t know if the sale would be continuing and wouldn’t know until today.. Oh and they didn’t have the phones in stock anyway. We would have to order it.... and why the heck couldn’t the guy have just moved up my renewal day anyway. Seriously, we’re talking all of 13 days here fer cryin’ out loud.
and now... NOW I have a question Verizon Wireless. Actually 3.
Do you try to frustrate all of your customers this way?
Or, is my experience about typical for your customer base?
Finally, what exactly does “New every 2” mean anyway?
I’m going to need some help here.
Okay? Thanks!
This is my speech from The MJB Foundation's 17th annual Golf for Joy today. It is being cross posted at The MJB Foundation blog.
When I was a little kid, and even a little bit today I would wonder how super heroes decided who to save? I mean you see Batman saving Vicky Vale, and Spider Man saving Mary Jane. Heck, Superman turns the world backwards to save Lois Lane.
But let’s say it’s not their girlfriend. It’s not an easy or obvious choice, although even those choices aren’t always easy or obvious. 50 people on a bus or my girlfriend? Hmmm... Let me think about that...
What about if there is more than one crime going on at the same time? We see stuff blowing up on the screen, but you know some body is being robbed in the next block over right? Bad stuff happens to good people all the time. How does the super hero decide?
Here’s what I think.
Sometimes the super hero lets us decide. Because sometimes we are the super hero.
I’m gonna let you in on a secret - Actually, it might not be a secret at all... Still, I want to share it with you today because it’s something that is really special to me.
Ready?
I Am Batman
I know. I know. Most of you already knew that, What you don’t know is the secret behind why I am Batman? The core of my “super-hero - ness” if you will...
I am Batman because of you, and what’s more... You are Batman too.
So, uh Jimmer where are you going with this?
Think about this... How is Batman different from you or me or anybody else?
He can’t fly. He doesn’t shoot webs. He doesn’t talk to fish. He doesn’t have a mighty shield. He certainly is not a god.
He’s human. A regular everyday person like you, and like me.
Except...
For the toys.
Remember in the first Batman movie with Michael Keaton where it seemed like the Joker was always one step ahead and then Batman would press some button on his utility belt and swing off to safety. That’s how he rescued Vicky Vale right? and then the Joker said:
“Where does he get all those wonderful toys?”
Well in this world where I am Batman, where you are Batman - I get all my wonderful toys from you, and we get to try to save all these wonderful kids the Joy of childhood. Or at least share it with them anyway.
And just like Superman honors his parents Jor - El and Lara, Spiderman is driven by the death of his Uncle Ben and Batman is driven by the tragic death of his parents - we are all driven by a magical little girl named Meghan Joy.
We don’t have any of the “cool toys,” but we do have the love and support of family and friends and I feel very fortunate to have that support, to feel that love, to share the gifts that we can with folks who need them.
Because while we’re not really super heroes, we are all deciding to help, and that makes all the difference.
Thank you for all for supporting The MJB Foundation. (and coming to Golf for Joy 2011.)
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