Update
Water heater was fixed this morning. The guy who came out was very professional and friendly, he quickly identified the problem as being the lower heating element had burned out. He recommended replacing both elements and thermostats, and I thought that was appropriate so I paid extra for those additional parts. Later I followed up with the boss, let them know how pleased I was with the service and asked about the value of the warranty program. He told me that the price without the warranty would have been about 40-50 bucks more, but (like any kind of insurance policy) it's probably still a good deal because there are much more expensive jobs that would have been covered. So, I'm pretty happy with how things turned out. I got to experience the warranty service with a relatively minor incident, found a good plumbing service along the way, and now I have hot water again.
I also contacted AT&T this morning. They reported that my balance had been paid, so I can stand waiting a little longer for the silly online registration code to arrive in the snail mail. While I was on the phone, I upgraded my DSL from tier 3 to tier 1 (from 1.5 megabit to 6.0 megabit, the fastest option). We'll see how it compares to my former cable service which was also 6.0 megabit. It was also a very pleasant transaction.
I have found that getting quality customer service is heavily influenced by your own attitude. In these two cases, I went into the situation with a critical but positive attitude and ended up feeling very happy. Part of this is completely artificial (me telling myself that I am satisfied), but there is something to be said for this artificial happiness. There was a TED talk about that concept a few months ago and the focus was a study that showed how people are generally happier when they are faced with fewer options, even compared with someone who has more options and the best option has higher utility than the happier person. (confusing?) The point is that an artificial happiness is actually just as legitimate as a more organic happiness. The other point is that a simpler choice yields a happier outcome. This is why I have started to limit my menu-study at restaurants; I find one or two things that look good and then I stop looking. According to the study, I am ultimately happier with my decision than if I had studied the entire menu and found a higher-utility option.
One more sappy consumerist anecdote and I will wrap this up. Back when I was in the process of closing on my house, I got a phone call from USAA regarding my mortgage application. I explained to them that I applied online, but I ended up going with a local mortgage broker (exclusively endorsed by Dave Ramsey). I probably spent about 15 minutes on the phone with this guy describing my experience. Basically, when I went to apply one of the first questions was for the loan amount, which was confusing because I wanted pre-approval and I wasn't sure how much I could qualify for. Then I made up a number and went through with it, got pre-approved but they didn't really follow through to get me on to the next steps. And I told them that I was really happy with my banking and insurance services but that I ended up going with this other company for reasons A,B,C,D. At the end of the call, the guy was so hyped to be getting all of this quality feedback, he couldn't believe it. He told me multiple times that it was the best feedback he had ever gotten. That made a big impression on me, and was part of the reason I followed up with the plumbing company today -- that guy ALSO said that he really appreciated the feedback.
I guess the common thread to this entry is that dealing with customer service reps, while usually a gigantic pain in the ass, can actually be very satisfying if you approach them with a positive attitude. And the larger point is somewhat introspective, but that's what silly blogs are for, right? That is, I am starting to really identify myself as a very upbeat, positive person. What's more is that it isn't a natural development for me; I remember being a much more selfish and cynical person in high school. Maybe that's how all high school brats are. Anyway, I've been making a conscious effort over the years to become a more outgoing person. My hope is that the alleged health benefits of laughter and optimism will kick in, because I sure as hell am not getting there via diet and exercise.
Maybe one of these days I'll have something substantive to post about and not this mindless drivel. Stay tuned!
I also contacted AT&T this morning. They reported that my balance had been paid, so I can stand waiting a little longer for the silly online registration code to arrive in the snail mail. While I was on the phone, I upgraded my DSL from tier 3 to tier 1 (from 1.5 megabit to 6.0 megabit, the fastest option). We'll see how it compares to my former cable service which was also 6.0 megabit. It was also a very pleasant transaction.
I have found that getting quality customer service is heavily influenced by your own attitude. In these two cases, I went into the situation with a critical but positive attitude and ended up feeling very happy. Part of this is completely artificial (me telling myself that I am satisfied), but there is something to be said for this artificial happiness. There was a TED talk about that concept a few months ago and the focus was a study that showed how people are generally happier when they are faced with fewer options, even compared with someone who has more options and the best option has higher utility than the happier person. (confusing?) The point is that an artificial happiness is actually just as legitimate as a more organic happiness. The other point is that a simpler choice yields a happier outcome. This is why I have started to limit my menu-study at restaurants; I find one or two things that look good and then I stop looking. According to the study, I am ultimately happier with my decision than if I had studied the entire menu and found a higher-utility option.
One more sappy consumerist anecdote and I will wrap this up. Back when I was in the process of closing on my house, I got a phone call from USAA regarding my mortgage application. I explained to them that I applied online, but I ended up going with a local mortgage broker (exclusively endorsed by Dave Ramsey). I probably spent about 15 minutes on the phone with this guy describing my experience. Basically, when I went to apply one of the first questions was for the loan amount, which was confusing because I wanted pre-approval and I wasn't sure how much I could qualify for. Then I made up a number and went through with it, got pre-approved but they didn't really follow through to get me on to the next steps. And I told them that I was really happy with my banking and insurance services but that I ended up going with this other company for reasons A,B,C,D. At the end of the call, the guy was so hyped to be getting all of this quality feedback, he couldn't believe it. He told me multiple times that it was the best feedback he had ever gotten. That made a big impression on me, and was part of the reason I followed up with the plumbing company today -- that guy ALSO said that he really appreciated the feedback.
I guess the common thread to this entry is that dealing with customer service reps, while usually a gigantic pain in the ass, can actually be very satisfying if you approach them with a positive attitude. And the larger point is somewhat introspective, but that's what silly blogs are for, right? That is, I am starting to really identify myself as a very upbeat, positive person. What's more is that it isn't a natural development for me; I remember being a much more selfish and cynical person in high school. Maybe that's how all high school brats are. Anyway, I've been making a conscious effort over the years to become a more outgoing person. My hope is that the alleged health benefits of laughter and optimism will kick in, because I sure as hell am not getting there via diet and exercise.
Maybe one of these days I'll have something substantive to post about and not this mindless drivel. Stay tuned!