A Culture of Convenience

Now that I'm back on the job market (you can read the full announcement here, if you didn't see it already), I've been doing quite a bit of thinking about the type of company I want to work with. That has led to an analysis of what types of companies even exist today.

Lloyd Dobler, in Say Anything, said, "I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that."

My own variation now, is I don't want to work in an unstable industry. I realize in today's market, that's a near-impossibility; but I think there are some warning signs I've learned.

My second-to-last job was with a window and door distributor. The company distributed luxury products, and -- when the recession hit, harder and faster than anyone expected -- business dried up. In fact, they really haven't even fully recovered. People's priorities changed, and suddenly, buying a world-class luxury window wasn't nearly as important as it was in 2005.

The company had experienced meteoric growth, prior to that. And, to be sure, they were absolutely identified as experts in their field ... the salespeople and support personnel were among the most knowledgeable in the industry.

But, all they sold were windows and doors (eventually the product line opened up a little bit), and -- when a recession hits -- people are looking at one-stop shopping more than anything.

Think about it: If you wanted to make a sandwich, but you had to go to a bakery to buy the roll; a deli to buy the coldcuts; a farmstand for the produce/veggies; and a grocery store for the condiments ... or, you could go to a WalMart and get everything (albeit the roll, coldcuts and veggies were *guaranteed* to not be as fresh or tasty if you'd purchased them separately), which would you do? Most of us, I submit, would head to WalMart (or, quite possibly, Subway, instead), sacrificing quality for convenience.

So, now we head to my most recent position, with an educational technology distributor (again, with the distributors!). Unlike the previous company, this company had a value-add built in to the product offering. Since the technology was so new (and was being sold to school districts, nearly exclusively), the company offered a world-renowned professional development program, to help instruct teachers on the use of the equipment (initially; this eventually increased into become trusted partners with teachers with a goal of improving the quality of teaching, in general).

Sounds good, right? We have the one-stop shop. The district doesn't need to purchase the equipment from one company and then seek out training elsewhere. We've appeased that culture of convenience (and, best of all, the training really was the best around, and the pricing on the hardware was certainly competitive).

One catch. As a distributor, you're almost always at the mercy of the manufacturer and the vendor controls the pricing. So - if for example - you're accustomed to selling Equipment Piece A for $100 to the marketplace, and you're paying $75 for it to the vendor; and the manufacturer decides to raise the price to $85, you have a choice to make: Do you pass that increase on to the customer (up to $110) and risk them going elsewhere (even if they love your training program -- and, worse yet -- since we already discussed above with the sandwich metaphor, maybe they take *all* their business with them!); or do you eat the increase and see your profit margin suffer?

Tough choice. And, suddenly, things are unstable.

As a jobseeker, this is the type of industry I'm now leery of. Knowing consumers are so interested in the one-stop shop mentality; that culture of convenience that's been bred into us; it's imperative for companies to be able to satisfy that desire. But, it's equally important for a company to control its own destiny. Do any such companies exist? I'm not entirely sure. Look at Apple - certainly they're a consumer favorite; but do they really control their own destiny? Could any of their suppliers suddenly raise the rates on their materials? Or, is Apple so much the 800-lb gorilla that no vendor would dare do that?

Are there any companies that are truly "stable" today?

Visiting Dyker Heights at Christmas

For years, my mother had asked us (her children) to take her to Dyker Heights, in Brooklyn, which is well-known for its exuberance during Christmas (the entire neighborhood goes overboard with lights).

We never went.

I thought it would be a great tribute to head there, for the first time, last Christmas, so my wife and Nicolo joined me the Saturday before Christmas for a road trip and walking tour of the area. Here is a sample of some of the amazing sights (omitted pix includes the nasty storeowner who refused to let me use his restroom (nor the great restaurant that did).

You can check out a video of our trip (although, at the end of the video, some freak is talking to my son .... oh my GOD, does my voice really sound that way)?

I recommend the visit, if you like Christmas lights; although, from where I live, it took nearly longer to get there, than it did to walk the entire neighborhood.

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.

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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?

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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!