The Search for Creme Brulee

First, an aside – I only had my first crème brulee about 7-8 years ago. I was visiting Chicago on business, and – in the mood for good Italian food – went online for reviews. Found a great review of a place near where I was staying; so I walked over.

It was actually in an indoor mall; and as I went up the escalator, I was nervous that it wouldn’t be any good. Instead, it was awesome. A free sample of “Baked Spaghetti” while ordering; then Chicken Parmigiana and Chocolate Crème Brulee for dessert. Instead of it being chocolate custard though; they essentially coated the dish with semi-sweet chocolate; to make a shell in which the crème brulee was placed. It was amazing.

I had a trip planned to Chicago again a year later, and as I was setting up a meeting, decided to hold it at that location. When I checked the online menu, though; the chocolate crème brulee was no longer available! I emailed the restaurant – told them how much I’d enjoyed my visit; and expressed my dismay at the dessert no longer being available, and in the span of three hours, the email had gone to four different people, before the head chef wrote me back – and told me to let him know when I was coming and it would be on the menu that evening.

I did; and it was spectacular. The maitre d' knew who I was; I was treated like royalty. After dessert, the manager came out to tell me the chef was so touched by what I’d said, that desserts were on the house that evening. It was an amazing display of customer service.

A year later, they were out of business; but I hope that was in no way related!

On to this year’s story:

 

Each year, I have a list of exceptionally designed houses for the Christmas season (ironically, everyone makes fun of me, until they want to go see these incredible houses) – but, I’ve broken these houses down into four quadrants of locations – and, over four separate nights, we visit each quadrant, plotting out the route through online software. In better times, we also head into Manhattan (although, we’re not crazy enough to do that with a three-year-old); and – the past few years, we’ve trekked out to Dyker Heights, in Brooklyn, to see the houses there.

This year, we spent the first two nights doing the houses in the northern sections of Long Island (and, as a showing to how long it had been since we visited those areas, we eliminated at least half of the houses, since the previous owners were no longer there).

Then, last Saturday, we headed to Brooklyn. We had a full day, visiting my mother's grave first, stopping at Roosevelt Field Mall (just because) and then heading out to Dyker Heights. I had looked online for some exceptional places to eat; and we decided to eat at La Sorrentina; then do the walking; then head to Gino's for dessert and coffee (most notably, because the top-listed item on the dessert menu was -- yes -- creme brulee).

After the walk (where we had met up with a friend), we hopped in the car to drive to Gino's. As we drove by, I remarked that it looked really crowded for 9:15pm at night. We called and we were told there would be a 45-minute wait. My wife -- not wanting to wait that long, said we should head elsewhere.

First, we looked up some places on Yelp. We decided on Audrey's Concerto, since it also listed creme brulee; but it was about 25 minutes away. Still, 25 is less than 45, so we headed over there. However, when we drove by the place we noticed 1) there was limited seating; and 2) it looked like it might be in a less-than-savory part of town. We decided to head back to Mona Lisa's (which had been recommended).

Walked in there, and looked at the varied pastries, etc. they had available. Then, I noticed that there was a sign saying the 'cafe' was closed. Upon asking, I was told they had no place to sit, because they were doing construction. My wife, resigned, said we could eat in the car. I asked for the bathroom and headed there -- and saw the cafe had about 20 people sitting there! I asked and was told "they" were allowed, since they were on a bus tour. I asked why we couldn't sit there; got no real answer.

Still, undeterred, we starting deciding what to eat -- and then, when my wife ordered coffee, we were told, "We don't have coffee anymore." Really? And, back on the road we went .

By now, however; there was no wait at Gino's, so we headed back there (of course, it was now 10:15pm)! Got seated, and looked at menus - and I ordered the creme brulee. The waiter just laughed and shook his head -- "No more left!" he cackled. "Look at this place, it's been this busy all day?" 

I'm not sure what that meant; I think if you're that profitable, you can afford to have more of your hottest item available, no? Nonetheless, I settled for some chocolate mousse; disappointed; and we finally got on the road; promptly got lost; and got home around 1am.

The following evening, we headed to the south-west corner of Suffolk County -- the "quadrant" with the most houses (and, evidently, a place where no one moves away from, because easily 80 percent of the houses remained on our list). It was cold and rainy, and my wife asked for a coffee. We passed by numerous Dunkin Donuts, but she had her heart set on a Caramel Brulee Latte from Starbucks (a holiday flavor).

It was late - around 9:45pm - so we intended to get the coffee and head home. We pulled in (the parking lot had spaces opposite the entry way, facing the street) and I walked in to get the coffees. When I came out, there was a giant 18-wheeler turning around in the parking lot. I got in the car, and waited for the trailer to pass me.

But he didn't. Instead, he stopped right behind us. I said to my wife, "I don't think we can get out!" Tried backing up; definitely couldn't (there were two cars on either side of me, so I couldn't even three-point-turn into an adjacent space.

She got out and told the guy (now in the back of the cab); and he looked over at my SUV and said, "Oh, he can get out" dismissively. She got back in and I said, "I'm pretty sure I can't." I backed up as much as I could, until I bumped into his truck.

By now, my son - already tired from the evening before - started to cry. My wife got back out and asked him - again - to move his truck up. He said, the driver had gone into Starbucks and he was unloading and we'd have to wait. I began honking my horn loudly; and there was no impact. She wasn't moving though; and she kept asking him; finally saying something like, "I don't give a s**t about you unloading." He began yelling back at her, "Don't be rude to me! I have a job to do!" His tone began to sound menacing to me, so I hopped out of the car, slamming my door behind me (sadly, my wife had lay her latte on the console; so slamming the door dislodged it, and it fell over ... )

Now irritated, I asked, "What is so hard to understand? You cannot willingly block in an entire row of cars that are trying to get out?" He just started yelling back at me, as well. I responded finally, "Let me call the police. I'm sure that when they hear that you are not allowing us to move, things will start happening." That seemed to work - and begrudgingly, the driver elected to move his truck.

It was, apparently, a bad week to be a "brulee."

Shockingly, I called the following day -- first the trucking company, Bartlett Dairy. After being passed around to 4-5 different people, I finally spoke to someone who listened to my story; apologized, but said she had to pass my info along to her manager. I never heard back.

I then called Starbucks (because, sadly, in today's world, when you're a brand as large as Starbucks, even your suppliers' actions reflect upon you). There, I didn't even get an apology; just a "oh well" basically from the customer service representative. I was a little shocked by that; but not tremendously shocked. I've learned, long ago, customer service isn't held in high regard; even by those companies that say they do in fact, value it.

Maybe I'm just ranting; but if so, it's understandable. It's now the day after Christmas, and I still haven't had creme brulee.

Sorry Your Kid is Disappointed; But it Was Only $5

I don't think I'm unreasonable. I really don't.

But, there are certain situations that are easily avoided through simple, clear communication. Two such examples from this past weekend.

A number of months ago, we signed up our son for the "Kidgits" program at the SmithHaven Mall. He's too young for most of the programs -- he's not really an "arts and crafts" kinda kid, at this time. But, one -- in particular -- struck us as a "must-do." Saturday, December 7, 8:30am-10am -- Breakfast with Santa.

So, I dutifully drove to the mall the day they opened registration; signed up my son. Then, despite the fact that we were exhausted (still getting over my PMP midterm class project, that sucked most of my energy), we got up on Saturday; dressed my son, and drove to the mall, all the while telling him that he would be able to see Santa.

We got to the mall around 8:40am (which we didn't think anything of -- most of the programs are more 'open-house' than anything). We quickly saw the inefficiency -- rather than having people there to check you in; you had to find your own name on the poorly written registration list (which took quite a long time); then, you got hit up for a $1 donation (more paperwork); and then, you went down to get the child's breakfast -- your choice of a sugary cereal; milk, juice and a donut. We finally got seated around 8:50am.

And, Santa was gone. I immediately suspected something was up; my wife chastised me for being too negative ("He probably had to run to the bathroom," she said.). Twenty minutes later, I retorted that was starting to seem improbable, unless he had a prostate issue. She went to inquire, and learned he was gone. So I went up.

I said, "My wife tells me Santa is gone?" The useless lead worker, Joanne, said, "Yes, he had to go to take pictures in the center." I pointed to the listing -- and asked, "Um ... did no one think that a pivotal part of 'Breakfast with Santa' was, Santa?" And she shrugged ... "Santa was here until 9am." I said that was certainly not true, and she relented that he had left at 8:50. So, he made two-thirds of the one-third of the time he going to be there (which was still vastly less than the 90 minutes any of us had thought).

I told the woman she could keep my kid's membership card. She smiled at me, way too pompously for my liking and said, "It's only $5 a year." I said -- the money isn't the issue. The whole way here, we told my son he'd be seeing Santa; now he's not here. If someone went out of their way to disappoint YOUR kid, would you take solace in the fact that you'd only spent $5 for the privilege?"

She asked, "What can I do to make this better?" I said, "Get Santa back here ...." No, that wasn't an option. So, I started to say -- "Perhaps you could, I dunno, *MENTION* that Santa will only be present until 8:50 -- that after that it's just "breakfast" (and, in fact, a nutritionally inferior breakfast to what my wife would've made him if we'd stayed home)." But, I didn't get all of that out -- instead, Joanne interrupted me to condescendingly sneer, "We have a thousand Kidgits members, there'll always be some that are impossible to please."

I then asked if she was interested in hearing my recommendation, since she'd interrupted me, or, if her request for how she could make things better was just a thinly veiled offer so she could continue to sit there and insult me?

Fortunately, my son is two, and the heartbreak was short-lived, and I didn't have to go into details about poor advertising, corporate greed and the inappropriateness of having non people-persons in customer service roles. But, it doesn't change the fact that a *simple* fix would have been to (1) list the times that Santa WOULD be at the "Breakfast with Santa" (as poorly named as that turned out to be) and/or (2) to speed up the check-in process; there's no reason to hold me up to request a $1 donation, so that Santa can be on his way before we even see him.

Yes, it's only $5; but in the future, that's going to be $5 in my pocket; and not in Kidgits'.

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Today was the Stony Brook Holiday Festival. And, I had great hopes for this, as well -- lots of events -- petting zoo, model train display, etc.

We went to the Winnie the Pooh play at St. Joseph's College earlier, and made our way up to Stony Brook by around 2:45pm, which seemed great, since everything was scheduled to end around 4pm. The operative word is "scheduled."

When we went to the "Inner Court," the Petting Zoo was GONE. When we made our way to the model train display, one had already been taken down and the other, larger one, was in the process of being dismantled. This is at 3:10.

Now, I have no real issue with the individuals -- although, really, show a little class; and don't start taking stuff apart while people are there. But, the organizers should be on top of this. Either *ask* the people, "how long do you want to be here?" or hold them to the times you've committed them to. No one should be seeing them pulling stuff apart an hour (or more!) before the scheduled event ends.

And, it's not as though the organizers are oblivious -- Santa was set up over by the Post Office, and he was scheduled to re-appear for the tree-lighting at 5:30. How do you ensure that happens?

It's really not that hard.

And, I think people can understand this a little more (especially since it's consistent with what's in the flyer). What's *not* in the flyer is the notice that (1) the Petting Zoo, scheduled for three hours, would barely last 90 minutes; and (2) the model train show, scheduled for four hours, would effectively be a show of watching the display being packed up.

Again - on both of these situations, I'm not suggesting that longer hours, etc. are needed. What I *am* saying is that clear communication needs to be the norm.

When I used to visit trade shows (as a magazine editor); there were occasions, during slower shows, when vendors would start packing up their booths earlier than the show end-time on the last day of the show. The organizers would come around and tell them to stop or don't bother signing up for next year. I'm starting to gain a far greater appreciation for that approach.

Customer Service is Just a Game -- Some Know How to Win; Some Don't

I had originally intended to write a blog about KMart opening on Thanksgiving Day; however, many other media outlets (Huffington Post, for example), have done so, already.

But, that potential post spring-boarded into two other examples and one mammoth blog post on 'predictability and programming' that I'm hoping to have up before next Monday.

I won't be shopping on Thanksgiving. I understand the necessity of certain things to be open (hospitals, pharmacies, police, etc.); but anything non-essential should be closed (and, that even includes football -- because, although the players are *well* compensated; there are countless others involved in the day (from stadium workers, to TV to newspapers, etc.) that aren't; and they all have to be there. I'd miss football; but I understand me wanting that to exist is hypocritical.

So, why, then, did KMart decide to open on Thanksgiving? Well, first off - they obviously know people will be there (ideally, they've done some market research to ensure they aren't opening their stores so *no one* is there). And, that's where the predictability/programming comes in (which I'll be discussing later).

Essentially, those blaming KMart for this decision are missing the point. The ire should be facing the shoppers that will be there (it's a which-came-first conundrum ...). If no one shows up on Thanksgiving, odds are this won't happen again next year. But (as I suspect) if people show up in droves, we've seen the future.

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Over the weekend, I had occasion to head out to buy bagels for a large gathering at my home. I went to the local shop (Stacie's Bagels), because I like the flavor, and I'd prefer to not go to a "chain."

I got there, and -- as expected -- the line was quite long. I was holding a coupon for a dozen bagels ($6). I finally spoke with the counterperson and began placing my order ... I needed an egg sandwich (probably ... $4?); a platter with eggs and hash browns ($2) and some cream cheese. While I was working with the clerk to determine which cream cheese I needed (finally settling on four different types .. probably $10 worth); I was leaning in to speak with her (since the place was so busy, it was hard to hear).

Stacie, the owner, apparently wanted to get to the cream cheese (she's a tiny woman, and *everything* she does is super-important (in her eyes). Everything is done incredibly fast, and she seems to have no patience.

(As an aside, part of the problem is the situation with a lot of businesses. She's understaffed, because she wants to maximize profits; so ... lines are long; people get annoyed; and -- ultimately -- she loses customers ... but, I digress.)

As she was leaning in to get *her* cream cheese, I leaned forward to speak to my clerk. Stacie turned on her heels and said, "Could you excuse me, I'm trying to work here!" (not in a calming way; more staccato and accusatory). With that, other patrons on line rolled their eyes and gave me a sympathetic look.

I then said to the clerk, I have a coupon here, for a dozen bagels, $6. Her face saddened and she said, "Oh, I'm sorry, that was a misprint, it's actually $7." I scowled, but I'd been waiting long enough, I simply said, "Fine." I had people waiting at my house, and I didn't feel like arguing over the fact that, whether it was a misprint or not, the coupon *has* to be accepted. I said, "fine -- no problem. I need two dozen bagels ..." And, I began listing what I wanted.

She scowled again and said, "Oh, the coupon is only good for the first dozen." Um ... why? Does it take longer to collect the second dozen? I said, "Well, I would like two dozen." And she said the second would be full price.

I then said, 'OK, never mind then." And, as she began asking, "Oh, so just one dozen?" I was already walking out of the store. I *presumed* they would call me back ... why would you let a  $40 order walk out over $3 (this *after* I'd already accepted their "Oh, the coupon is a misprint" tale; and -- let's not forget -- they'd already made up an egg sandwich and egg platter (now garbage, unless they decided to peddle them off to some unsuspecting person). In the end, over $3, they *ate* $6 worth of food, AND lost a customer, AND lost a customer who went home to write about it.

I headed down the block to another bagel store and placed my order there. When I got there, I saw a sign that they accepted competitor's coupons. I lamented my predicament (that I'd left my coupon on the counter, when I'd walked out angrily). And, the gentleman gave me the coupon discount anyway (because, he probably realized he would *gain* a customer over the other business' stupidity).

It's like shopping for gas. If you get to a corner and there's a Hess, Sunoco, Mobil and Shell -- and they *all* have the same price; and the lines are all the same, how do you decide which to go to? What if you knew one of them always had a guy on duty to wash your windshield?

It's all a game; and some companies get it, and some don't.

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Each week, I buy coldcuts for lunches. I normally do my shopping on Mondays, and Best Yet has the best prices, so I always head there.

They seem to rotate through various offerings each month -- one week it's Chicken Breast; one it's turkey, etc. Each time they offer Chicken Breast, I go there, and they've run out; so they do the right thing, and offer me something else as a substitute (although, from a profitability concept, this fails ... if I'm getting a discount on one type of coldcut, from my wholesaler, but then, I'm giving something else away, I'm *losing* money on that secondary type. It's great for customer service; horrible for business.

So, this last week, the chicken breast on sale was gone. So were all the other types of chicken breast I normally susbtitute, so we finally settled on turkey breast.

I asked, "Why doesn't the person who orders, just order more?" And the response was, "We always run out on Monday, and the next truck doesn't come until Tuesday; so Monday afternoon is never good."

Really? So, you're *aware* of the problem, but you don't actually want to do anything to change it (like, maybe, order more ... maybe track the number of orders you're losing (and, eventually, the amount of revenue you're losing, when those customers just go elsewhere). And, nowhere in the collective minds of upper management is a thought to "just order more."


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As many of you know, my main hobby is boardgaming. In the past, there were roughly six *major* online retailers (all of whom had slightly different prices, shipping policies and inventory. 2013 saw two of them, effectively, go out of business (Thoughthammer closed its doors and Boards & Bits seems embroiled in some heinous situation that has locked up his inventory (although, with nearly no communication ...)). So, that leaves, roughly, four.

Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) is part of this world, as well. Now, Black Friday brings forth a LOT of emotions. Here on Long Island, a number of years ago, we had the infamous "trampling" episode, where people died because others, behind them, wanted to get into the store.

Some retailers have done the smart thing. PC Richard (an electronics retailer) has said, "We won't have timed deals and we won't run out of stock ... and if we *do* run out of stock, we'll still allow you to purchase it at that price." Great -- I don't have to go there at 4am to ensure I get the TV I want.

Now, where are they making up the difference (compared to, say, Best Buy?) Well, maybe Best Buy is cheaper (although PC Richard price-matches). For the most part, the differential is financing for large purchases. But, if I just want to ensure I get the thing I'm looking for, PC Richard is going to trump Best Buy (which *may* run out, and has offered no assurances).

So, this morning I log onto the boardgaming site, and I see that one of the companies -- Miniature Market -- has released its Black Friday sale (through Monday).

I see they have a game I want. I head to the site (to see what else they have, since my group typically places large orders ... when you have 20+ members, that happens). The game I was interested in was out of stock. There's an option to chat with someone in real-time, so I chose that, basically to ask if new stock would be released for the sale.

Effectively (since I don't want to make this longer), the policy is "First-come, first-serve" (I guess, since it's online, there's no risk of trampling death). Since they didn't know when they would be getting new stock, it's no longer part of the sale.

I get this - it's a loss-leader. The idea is to get someone in, then have them look around and buy more stuff; and -- if they come there, thinking they'll be buying, and what they want isn't there, they'll just buy something else.

I thanked the rep and told him I wouldn't be placing an order, but they should look into allowing customers to still purchase "out-of-stock" items, especially when the customer doesn't have a drop-dead date when the product is needed by (which is the case with me).

His response was, effectively, "we don't have that mechanic enabled, and this is the way we've always done it."

So, we have another "this is how it's always been done" approach ... except, this year, two others with that mindset went out of business ... hmmm ....

I said he should go ahead and let his supervisors (or, more correctly, the CEO) know that the company just lost a $500+ order over the fact that "things are always done this way." I explained that I didn't expect anything else from them -- I knew he didn't have the power to change it; but, if I were a business owner, I'd want to know the reason why my customer went somewhere else. I asked, if he didn't feel comfortable providing that suggestion, I'd be happy to do so; just give me the CEO's email address.

support@miniaturemarket.com

I asked, your CEO's MAIN email address is the customer support email for his company? That's how he communicates with family? Friends? etc.? He said, "that's the email you need to send it to." Again, I declined, and said simply, "meh ... I'll just blog about it instead .... "

Sure enough, 30 minutes later, I got a response from a supervisor (although, ironically, again, there's no way for me to reach *her* directly, since it's only the generic customer support email). She did the correct thing -- apologized for inconvenience, etc. And, if I want to buy the game when it's back in stock, she'll honor the price. Fantastic.

Of course, there's more -- the retailer has free shipping above a certain amount; I would like the game to be included in *this* order (and the whole thing can ship together), That remains to be seen. Ultimately, I may just tire and decide to order elsewhere.

At some point, *someone* will be unique; someone will start a new trend, and they will mop the floors with companies that "always do the same thing." At least, I can hope.

A Blow-Your-Mind Example of Poor Customer Service

So, it's been a while since I've blogged, and I will have a bunch to share in the coming weeks.

I wanted to call attention to what I might consider the *worst* customer service I've ever witnessed. If I polled 100 business owners and asked, "if you could keep a loyal customer (who's been with you for 10+ years) and it'll cost you $100 -- would you do it? You might think 100 would say "Absolutely!" But, I now know, for a fact, there's at least one that won't.

Last year, my wife and I were shopping for new vehicles. We had decided to stick with Hyundai, since they'd been good to us so far. We shopped at a few different dealerships, including Mid-Island Hyundai (in Centereach), where we had purchased our last three Hyundais (although, at the time, they were known as Hustedt Hyundai ... they were subsequently purchased by Atlantic Auto Group.

We ended up buying the vehicles from Atlantic Hyundai, because, quite honestly, they blew everyone out of the water on price (same vehicles, and they came out about $50-55 per month, less than any other dealer).

About 8-9 months after purchasing the vehicles, the key fobs for my wife's car (which had the remote start installed by Hyundai), began cracking ... mine started disintegrating first; and then her's started developing the same cracks. I emailed the sales rep to see what we could do (because, after all, I have to imagine that with a company as keen on service and warranty as Hyundai, the fact that the fobs just disintegrated *had* to be covered under warranty.

I went back and forth with the rep for a while (he kept saying he'd follow up; but, truth be told, I wasn't pushing the issue a  lot). Then, in July, the fob on my key chain just gave up and all the pieces came tumbling out. I finally called the rep, and he said, "Definitely a warranty issue" and they'd replace them. He asked if I went to their location often, and I said I didn't, but that I usually visited Mid-Island. He said that would be fine -- all related and I'd get the same service there. If I had any issues, call him.

So, I made my appointment with Mid-Island for last weekend, Saturday, for an oil change and key fobs. Arrived early for my appointment (which, apparently, they never actually entered into the system ) and told the rep (Therese) what I needed. I also told her I'd be back later than service was open, so please just leave the new keys at the front reception desk. She told me she'd call me when the work was completed.

I never heard from her.

I arrived at the dealer around 6:30pm, and lo-and-behold, the keys were at the front desk; but not the new fobs ... just the old ones. The receptionist brought over the sales manager (Mike), who pointed out to me, on the receipt, that the keys were not covered under warranty, and would be $75 each, with $57.50 in labor (so, a total of approximately $200).

I asked why no one had called (especially when they had told me they would) -- obviously, I would've directed them to Atlantic Hyundai to figure everything out. He didn't know. Apparently, even if Mid Island isn't able to perform the work, it's not customary for them to inform the customer.  The customer only learns when he returns to pick up the vehicle (this is like ordering a dinner in a restaurant, and when the food comes out for the rest of the party, you don't get a plate. When you question it, the waitress says, 'oh, we ran out of that.')

When I told him that Atlantic said the parts *were* covered under warranty, he said, "So, go to Atlantic!" I explained I would've had the oil change done there too -- I didn't need to be without the car for two days, and -- since they had been servicing my cars for 10+ years, I thought it made sense to go there. He then proceeded to state that -- in his opinion -- the parts weren't covered, but, rather, Atlantic was going the extra mile for me, because I'd bought two cars from them.

I explained to him that I wouldn't be back, and that I'd be blogging about my experience. He asked me to hold off until Monday, so he could speak to his service manager (Tom) and rectify the situation. I agreed.

The next day, for some inexplicable reason, the car started honking. No pattern, and no consistency, just random, sporadic bursts of honking. This had never happened before; it only happened after the car was in the *care* of Mid Island Hyundai. My wife called and left a message and I called back and got Mike on the phone. His recommendation to me was to disconnect the battery -- of course, this would render the car un-driveable, but, no worries; I'm sure the next morning my wife could get up, reconnect the battery and park her non-stop honking car in the parking lot of her hospital.

He recommended I contact Hyundai Roadside Assistance, who said they could tow the vehicle to the dealer; but I'd still be out a car. I called him back to see if he had a loaner car -- no such luck.

I called Atlantic -- just to see what they could do; and I spoke to a sales manager, Russ. I explained the situation. He seemed appalled by Mid-Island's responses; and said he would take care of me

I then contacted Corporate Hyundai, to inquire if they really expected their franchises to respond in the way Mid Island had responded (telling me to go somewhere else and that the only reason another dealer was willing to perform the work was because *they* had sold be the vehicles). I explained that brand awareness was such that, even though this was a franchise's actions, it still reflected back on the parent. And, while I knew they couldn't *tell* their franchises what to do; they certainly had the power to not permit a franchise to sell their vehicles any longer.

Corporate was even more appalled than Atlantic. They were incredulous that over -- what was $200 out of my pocket (and, almost certainly less cost to Mid Island) the dealer was willing to lose a customer (and potentially many more, depending on the reach of this blog). They viewed my 10 years of service history as supreme loyalty.

And my car kept honking.

Monday morning, Mike called from Mid Island, and said he had spoken to Tom, and they (Mid Island) would be willing to do the work if Atlantic paid them (this, apparently, constituted "taking care of me" -- "If *someone* pays us, we'll do it"... great). He told me he had left  a message with Russ at Atlantic, and he (Mike) would get back to me that day. Car still honking.

That afternoon, a service adviser from Atlantic called on behalf of Russ, and said they would need to see the key fobs first (now, I started getting a little worried; since I already had verbal confirmation from the sales rep that the fobs would be covered). I told them I'd be in the next morning and I called the sales rep to fill him in on the situation, and ensure he'd be there in the morning.

I got there, went to service. The adviser took the keys to the service manager who said, "replace them, and run them through as a warranty item." Basically, everything they said they would do. The entire situation took about 10 minutes. The service manager said, point blank, that he was amazed that over such a little expense (somewhere between $100-200, of *their* cost), Mid Island would lose a 10-year customer.

I called Mid Island back to speak with Mike -- told him I was being taken care of by Atlantic. He said he hadn't gotten a call back from them; I told him I didn't think he would get one ...that the reactions I'd gotten from Atlantic (and corporate) led me to believe they saw no point in interacting with Mid Island.

A wise man once told me that businesses can excel in three things: Price, Product and Service. They can't do all three and remain profitable.

In the case of Mid Island (versus other Hyundai dealers) -- the product is the same at all dealers (a Santa Fe is a Santa Fe is a Santa Fe). The price is competitive; but as evidenced by the end result, Mid Island still can't compete with Atlantic on price. So that leaves service, and -- after this ordeal, I guess Mid Island has made the conscious choice to not excel in *any* of the three areas.


PS - I've now added "share" buttons (so, if you read something you like, you can share it on various social media sites) and -- for the RSS-feed resistant among you -- I've now added a "subscribe via email" form, so you can be updated via email whenever a new post is made!

PS - I've now added "share" buttons (so, if you read something you like, you can share it on various social media sites) and -- for the RSS-feed resistant among us, I've now added a "subscribe via email" form, so you can be updated via email whenever a new post is made! - See more at: http://cpalermo21.blogspot.com/#sthash.gps0cCPN.dpuf

PS - I've now added "share" buttons (so, if you read something you like, you can share it on various social media sites) and -- for the RSS-feed resistant among us, I've now added a "subscribe via email" form, so you can be updated via email whenever a new post is made! - See more at: http://cpalermo21.blogspot.com/#sthash.gps0cCPN.dpuf

PS - I've now added "share" buttons (so, if you read something you like, you can share it on various social media sites) and -- for the RSS-feed resistant among us, I've now added a "subscribe via email" form, so you can be updated via email whenever a new post is made! - See more at: http://cpalermo21.blogspot.com/#sthash.5zRMYBCr.dpuf

Double Shot: Customer Service Oops and Grudge, Much?

As many of you know, I had knee surgery last November. Minor stuff - meniscus; but still, it takes some rehab to get back to 100 percent.

So, my health insurance doles out a specific number of visits, and -- when those run out, the physical therapist has to petition for more.

The latest petition was denied (which is something I had expected). However, what makes it so amusing was the correspondence, I received back from them.
At the bottom of the letter, was an explanation for the decision.

Your request for additional visits has been denied, for the following reasons:
1. Your pain level is severe
2. You are experiencing improvement through continued physical therapy visits
3. You have reached the maximum amount of visits allowed through our plan.

These factors were considered in arriving at this decision.

Really?

So, the fact that I'm still in pain *and* I'm getting better, is the reason for the denial? Why even put those things in there? Just simply say, "If you continue to go to physical therapy, we will stop being profitable in your case; so we're going to just cut you off now."

There are few things more annoying than others having the expectation that you're stupid.

******************

Many years ago, I worked as an editor in the trade publishing field. In fact, at the time, I was the youngest editor ever named to the highest post of a magazine (although, I know at least one person beat my record).

In any event, I ended up being let go from the company, for what was, quite honestly, an extremely capricious reason. I ended up taking on another start-up magazine, made it quite profitable; left for another magazine, and then found my way into corporate/internal communications, where I've actually won awards for my work.

So, effectively, being let go was a pretty good thing, in retrospect. I enjoyed the company; liked many of the people, so I definitely would not have been looking for other opportunities. 

Fast forward to today, and many of the people I worked with, who never wandered away from the company, are out of work; their only marketable skills are from being a trade magazine editor and writer. So, again, in retrospect, I'm happy; even relieved; that I moved on.

On Thursday, I was at the Department of Labor, taking a class, and who should walk in but my former supervisor (who also had been a friend of mine at the time). We haven't spoken since that day, 16 years ago. I recognized him instantly. I cannot imagine he didn't recognize me.

The course ended, and he took off ... literally. The second the class was over he was the first one up and the first one out the door. I followed a few minutes later, and caught sight of him leaving the restroom and even a little later, after he'd meandered through the building a few minutes. I was curious if he'd approach me, but he seemed intent on avoiding me at all costs.

I ended up walking out behind him, and I felt like a hunter tracking a wounded deer; and I felt sorry for him (which is probably why I don't hunt). I easily could've called out, "Mark!" and forced the issue; but I elected to let him walk away.

I sent him a message here on Facebook afterwards, saying -- maybe he didn't recognize me; but, in my eyes, bygones were just that. If he wanted to exchange contacts, etc. - I was cool with that; and I invited him to my presentations next week on job seeking. No response.

And, then I thought to myself; how incredible sad is this. By all accounts, *I* was the one who was wronged. I was the one who was let go without cause. And yet, SIXTEEN YEARS later, he's still the one carrying a grudge? And, rather than being mad or angered, I found myself pitying him quite a bit.

If there's anyone out there with whom I haven't spoken for 16 years, due to a perceived slight; seriously, email me .... life is too short to hold a grudge that long (and, it's hard work, too).

On the other hand, if it's only been 15 years, don't bother me til next year.

More Sterling Customer Service, Starring Best Buy!

So - over Thanksgiving weekend, Best Buy was having a fantastic sale on Droid Razr Maxx phones ($0!) I didn't want to have to deal with lines, so I ordered the phone online.

My wife then decided that she, too, wanted  the phone, and we were out, so I decided to stop in to one of the locations -- lo and behold; there was nearly no line! I decided to call Best Buy and cancel my order; and get it at the retail location, instead.

I called the online store, and they assured me that I could do just this. Worst case, they said, I could buy a second one and return the first one when I got it. They told me the order had "already shipped" - although, later, I learned that it wouldn't actually ship until the next day.

I next learned that, ultimately, a short line at Best Buy for Verizon Wireless, doesn't necessarily mean no wait. An hour later, we were seen. I explained the situation, and the person sent me to a manager, who decided to tell me that I had "clearly misunderstood."

His interpretation of the conversation was that the phone service had told me to wait until I received the phone in the mail; then  return it, then purchase from the store.

I asked, 'so, you're suggesting that they recommended I return the Droid Razr Maxx that I receive from in the mail; take that phone that is already activated; and bring it back here, so I can buy the EXACT same phone and wait to have it activated again? That is what you're saying your CSR team said to me?"

And he said yes. I realized, at this point, that there was not going to be a phone in my future, so I told him to go away.

Humorously enough, when I did receive the phone (about a week later), I couldn't activate it (although, it was supposed to be delivered activated ...) When I called the Best Buy Mobile Specialist (to ask, simply, how to insert the SIM card), they told me they would call me back after THEY called Verizon! I explained I could  just as easily call Verizon myself; and that I was going through them first, because I had purchased the phone from them. Eventually, I got it figured out; but it was through no help of Best Buy.

************************************************
My last note on Customer Service, for 2012 (I do have two more non-CS posts in the hopper) deals with a simple rule. If your customer takes the time to tell you something, it's probably important.

Case in point, I visit physical therapy a few times a week. I prefer my session to go a certain way -- stretch/loosen up (exercise bike); do all my exercises; have the physical therapist work on my knee and then ice. Sometimes, that's the order; other times, the PT comes and works on me in between my exercises (and then I have to resume).

So, the last visit, I made a point of saying how much I liked it when the session went the way I like it. She nodded and said, "okay, we'll see." Now, ultimately, if I'm taking the time to say something; it's probably important to me. I would've finished up, headed to my chart and written myself a note about this particular client's preferences. Instead, it's anyone's guess how my next session will go .......

Cablevision Makes LIPA's Communication Look Exceptional

By popular demand – my “discussion” with Cablevision ……

When I got my electric back – about six days after it went out – I was curious if my Cablevision would be working. According to everything they’d said, it would still be functional.

Loaded everything up … and found that it wasn’t working. OK … so, I immediately called them to get an ETA.

They took a cue from LIPA’s customer service ideals, and basically had rendered any way to speak to a customer service rep null and void. You only had options to deal with automated menus, or call back later. So, I fired up my company’s iPad and hopped on the mobile network to chat with them.

The first person said he had “no idea” when we’d be getting cable back. He told me to check back later that evening. I checked back later, and again, was told “no idea.”  This time, the individual told me he would have someone contact me.

I checked with my neighbors, who had switched to FIOS last year; and they had their service. I called FIOS and inquired about their service. They, not surprisingly, answered (which indicates their outages weren’t nearly as severe). We spoke and I got an idea on cost and also, when they could get there to install.

The next day, I again chatted with Cablevision; again, was told, “no idea.” I explained that I had spoken with FIOS and now had an appointment for them to do the install (this wasn’t entirely true). I explained that it was now a race … if Cablevision could get there before FIOS, I’d stick with Cablevision. If FIOS got there first, there’d be no rush for Cablevision, because I wouldn’t have their service anymore. Again, I was told someone would contact me.

Around 4:30 (still not having heard from anyone) I chatted again, and bluffed hard. Told the specialist that I was ready to cancel, but needed to know the steps to take. He gave me a phone number and assured me someone would answer.

So, I contacted the disconnect department. Explained my situation. The rep was decent (mostly) – explained it was my decision, blah, blah, blah. Still no idea when I’d be getting connected again. But, then, she made some critical mistakes.

First – there’s *no way* they could absolutely have no idea …. They explained they were still “assessing the situation” – but, it had been six days (and, unlike power lines, there’s no inherent danger in just ‘flipping the switch’ on, to return service).

We then discussed the pace they were re-activating people. I explained that, according to their website, earlier that day, a total of 1547 customers (on Long Island) HAD power and didn’t have cable service;  now, it was down to 1512 … so they were activating about 35 people a day … at that rate, it would take about a month-and-a-half to get everyone back (and, worse yet, the percentage of people in my area that had service had DROPPED from 73% to 65% that day … what the hell were they doing?)

Her response was to explain why FIOS was still up (and had fewer outages …). Basically, there’s a hierarchy when it comes to lines. LIPA gets first crack at them; then Verizon (because, historically, they had been a phone company), and finally Cablevision, because, historically, there were a TV company. Even though Cablevision now has phone service, the hierarchy is unchanged.

I asked, how on earth she thought that would be a compelling reason for me to stay with Cablevision?

She told me about the higher cost of Verizon … something I also disregarded (and, of course, said, “at least they HAVE service).  Especially, when you consider many of my friends have Fios and say it’s roughly the same price (yes, the ‘taxes’ are all broken out; but, ultimately, taxes are just included with Cablevision … for example, if I can buy a  computer for $300, or I can buy one for $200, but there’s another $50 tax on top of that; I’m STILL going to buy the second one, right?

But, finally (and here’s the crux of the argument) she said,

“Of course Verizon is willing to work with you. You’re new money to them.”

Wow. Sure, that’s true and I totally get the idea of seizing market share. But, isn’t *every* customer, in today’s economy, “new money?” Shouldn’t they be?

When there are options and choices for consumers, why would any company not view even existing customers as ‘new money?’ This isn’t something like a mortgage, where the consumer really has no choice (once they’re secured), or even LIPA. This is something where *every month* a consumer has to make a conscious choice to stay with your service.

I definitely prefer things like loyalty rewards … if you want to retain your customer base, it’s best to not ignore them and focus on new business. Retention is just as important. So, if you want to add an incentive to your new customers; so be it (there has to be a reason for them to “switch” in the first place, right?), but even after they’re customers, figure out ways to reward their loyalty. Make them feel as though, by switching, they’ll be missing out on something.

I left the conversation, repeating the same ‘challenge’ to the rep. About 30 minutes later, my service returned. Although it feels good to say it was a result of my conversation, I’m far more likely to believe it was nothing more than coincidence.

A few other mostly unrelated tidbits:

LIPA – a lot has been made about LIPA’s poor communication. My power returned on Saturday, 11/3, but, for some reason, the following Thursday, I got a call from LIPA, advising me that my “outage” (which was non-existent) was ‘more severe than they’d originally though, and needed specialized manpower and equipment’ but I should have my service restored by Friday at noon. Then, Friday afternoon, I received the same message, apologizing for them not meeting their deadline, but committing to a Saturday deadline instead.

I had power the entire time. This is remarkably concerning. No WONDER it took so long; they were too busy restoring power to people who still had power!

Last week, I also visited another diner on Long Island (not the same one I ranted about the first post) -- probably my favorite ... the O-Co-Nee Diner. The place is a virtual Party City store … every holiday there are more decorations in the diner than anywhere else. But, the food is also exceptional. The owner had been the force behind the Seaford Palace (a fairly famous diner on Long Island) – which used to have a 90-minute wait on weekends for a table. For a diner.

On Foursquare, the dissenters will argue the service isn’t great. Previously, I’d never noticed one way or the other. Last week, though, we had an exceptional server. She was thorough, quick and friendly. While my sister was discussing which soup to get with her husband, she mistook what he’d ordered and she got the same type. When the soup came out, she expressed her regret, and said, “oh, I didn’t realize you got the same one; I would’ve gotten the lentil soup.” The server heard this and told her, “I’m happy to take it back and get you what you want.” There was no reason to do this; no one expected it; but – this was exceptional.

Halfway through the meal, the owner’s son came by and dropped four super-large chocolate chip cookies on the table for us. Gratis.

We’ve been to O-Co-Nee before. At one point, we were going fairly frequently. It’s definitely back in my rotation now. The sheer attention to what makes a visit meaningful is what separates this diner from the others.

What to do ... what to do ....

Hello again.

So, it's been a while since I've posted anything. 2012 has not been a great-fun year ... you can read back over my posts if you're not familiar with the circumstances (in short: my mom's passing, two surgeries, and a few other inconveniences that comprised my crap cake).

This blog originally started as a way for me to continue to keep up with writing, while I was unemployed. In fact, two years ago -- November 2010 -- I participated in NaBloWriMo (National Blog Writing Month), where each day I posted one story. At the time, since I wasn't working, this was my primary outlet for writing, and I used it pretty frequently.

When I started working again in 2011, my posting frequency dropped off ... why would someone who writes for a living (effectively) want to write in his spare time?


So, a few weeks ago, I had to wonder ... what is the purpose of this blog? For those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, you know that I'm not someone who posts random stuff there, necessarily ... my posts tend to be (1) informative, because Facebook is the quickest, easiest way to engage my friends in social media (as compared to emailing all of them separately, and having their responses in isolation); and (2) funny. Why should this blog be any different?

There are a few things I'm passionate about in life. One (which does make for good blog fodder) is customer service. I am continually amazed ... amazed ... by what passes for that these days. I've never been involved in customer service, directly, as a profession (although, I've been involved in training on it); but I also knew it wasn't my calling. I'm a firm believer that in today's commerce world, with online stores hammering away at price, the ONLY differentiating factor a company can offer is exceptional service. Too few get that.

In the past few weeks, before the hurricane, I had the opportunity to visit two 'restaurants' - 34 New (in Huntington, during Huntington Restaurant Week) and California Diner (in Patchogue). Both had remarkably poor service -- in the first case, they readily admitted they weren't prepared for large crowds due to Restaurant Week (mind you, the restaurant was *about* half-full ... I wouldn't rush there; if they aren't prepared to be half-full, I doubt they'll be successful). In the latter's case, *everything* was a surcharge ... you want a bread basket? $3 ... you want a refill of your unsweetened iced tea? full price.

So, initially, I was going to blog about the service there. But, then the hurricane hit. Between LIPA and Cablevision, new achievements were reached in poor service.

LIPA started by calling my cell phone the day after the hurricane and informing me (through automated message) that I would have my service back by noon that day. I was amazingly impressed -- this was a punishing storm, and there were nearly a million people out of service; what had I done to warrant such care? Ultimately, that wasn't true ... and when I called to inquire, they had no knowledge the call had gone out (one operator told me I had been mistaken). By Thursday of last week, the outage map was completely useless, except for the phone numbers at the top -- calling the 800 number took you to an automated center; but calling the local number provided you with the option to speak to a live person! So, I would call and politely (really!) inquire about an ETA (since the outage map didn't provide those; all ETAs were "being evaluated").

And, on Thursday, they rerouted the local number to the 800 number, so you no longer had the option of speaking to a live person ... awesome, LIPA! This is clearly the new, more transparent communication you were promising, yes?

*****************************

I don't know how much I'll be blogging still ... As I said, it's tough for writers to want to write in their spare time. But, I do think blogs need a focus; a purpose. And, hopefully, this can be this blog's purpose. It won't be a mish-mosh of topics, as it has been in the past.

With that, I just got notice of a delayed opening for my job today; so that provides me with an unexpected additional two hours where I can sit in a gas line! Joy of joys!

More Sterling Customer Service

I'm thinking I should simply rename and refocus this blog. I rarely get as excited or animated as I do when discussing the various customer service issues I encounter.

So, I'm in OfficeMax last evening -- had to pick up a receipt book for my son's nanny. I headed over to the area and perused the various offerings.

The first one I saw, obviously, was the most impressive. A giant book, with three receipts per page, carbon-copy included. There were 100 pages (so, 300 receipts) and the book cost $15.

There were then varying products in descending price (and quality). My use was nothing spectacular, so I tried to find an economical choice. Finally, I found one - 50 pages, one receipt per page, no carbon-copy, but when you pulled the receipt out, a stub was left behind for record-keeping. Price was $1.89. They also had a 5-pack for $7.29. I opted for the 5-pack.

I headed up to the register, and the cashier asked, "There are five books here; do you want all five of them?" (now, remember, this pack is completely shrink-wrapped together). I said I did -- they were sold as a 5-pack. She begins to remove the shrink-wrap and tells me, "No, they're not. Each book is $7.29." She scans one and shows me the price ($7.29), and says, "See?"

I tell her -- I think what's happening is she's scanning the barcode which is giving her the price for the 5-pack (in fact, on the monitor it came up "Receipt book - 2 3/4 x 6 - 5-pack"). She says, "no, each book is $7.29" and she scans another one (which, of course, comes up as the same price). I tell her that the shelf is marked wrongly then; each book is listed as $1.89 with the 5-pack being $7.29.

Then, I say, "you're telling me that 250 non-carbon-copy receipts will cost me nearly $40, but I can get 300 carbon-copy receipts for $15?" She now gets aggravated/exasperated and turns to her boss (who had just walked over) and says, "Can you please tell this customer that these books are $7.29 each?"

He looks at the register, and says, "well, the 5-pack is $7.29" - but he has to buy the 5-pack ... not 5 individual ones (which now, it looks like I've bought, since Ms. Brightness took them OUT of the shrink-wrap).

I would've preferred to see how this all played out, but I was hungry and tired, since this was my last stop after work, before I headed home. So, I quickly explained everything to him, and he overrode her. I got no apology; she just handed me the receipt and walked away.

Interestingly, before that, though, she told her boss, "Wow, I've been charging people $7.29 each all day." -- so, two thoughts there ... first, OfficeMax is probably going to have a fairly profitable Q1 in 2012; and second, what dolt is spending $7.29 on a receipt book?

I'm very worried about this country. More and more people are leaving college with a ton of debt in the form of student loans. They're leaving with the expectation that they'll be making more than I make, just to be able to afford their living expenses and student loan payments. And, when I meet people like this cashier (who lacked even the common sense to apologize for her behavior), I wonder who, exactly, is going to pay them that kind of salary.

Continuing on the Theme of Exemplary Customer Service

So, last week, there was an advertisement in our local paper for Petco, which was offering $20 off dog beds. Our dog has had her bed for quite a while, and we thought we might buy her a new one, but there was no information as to the price (just $20 off). So, I headed to the website to see if it was listed, and lo-and-behold, there was an option for a website chat.

 Here is the transcript to my "customer service" session: I think the transcript says it all...

Thank you for choosing PETCO! One of our representatives will be with you shortly.

You are now chatting with April.

April: Hello!  I am a PETCO Customer Relations Representative.  How can I help you today?

You: Hi - there is an advertisement in your weekly flyer for $20 off 'select PETCO oval pillow dog beds' -- do you know what the regular price of those beds might be? Where can I find them on the site?

April: May I know where did you see this advertisement?

You: weekly flyer - I'm on Long Island. Page 5

April: Thank you for waiting. I'll be with you in just a moment.

April: I'm sorry for the delay. I'll be right with you.

April: Thanks for your patience!

[total of 5 minutes]

You: ok

April: As much as I want to give you the regular price of that item. I'm sorry but we don't have the price list in our local PETCO store. However, I can advise you to call the store.

April: Can I have your ZIP code please so I can give you the phone number.  

You: Well - is it on the website?

April: I'll be right with you.

April: I'll be right with you.

April: Thank you for waiting. I'll be with you in just a moment.

April: I'm sorry for the delay. I'll be right with you.

April: I'm sorry for the delay. I'll be right with you.

April: Thanks for your patience!

[10 minutes goes by]

April: I'm sorry but we don't have online promo for $20 0ff.

You: Sigh...

You: No -- I'm asking -- do you have the bed, the product, online. Then, I can see what it is, what it's filled with, etc.

April: I will send you a link to a page that contains that information.

April: Beds.

You: there are 223 beds there

You: which is the bed that is listed in the flyer?

April: I'm sorry but we don't have the the list of promos that our local PETCO store have.

You: interesting

You: so, out of curiosity - and, no offense intended - but, what purpose does this chat serve?

You: If you're unable to tell me about products sold in your stores....

April: I can advise you to contact the store for more info.

You: but, I could do that without being on chat

April: I'll be right with you.

[5 minutes goes by]

You: Why would I just spend - approximately - 25 minutes in a chat window, to learn that, ultimately, the chat exists for the sole purpose of telling me to call the store?

April: I apologize for the inconvenience.

April: Thank you for waiting. I'll be with you in just a moment.

April: I'm sorry for the delay. I'll be right with you.

April: I'll be right with you.

[total of 15 minutes]

Sorry, our chat session has ended due to circumstances beyond our control. Please feel free to chat with us again if you need further assistance.