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View Full Version : Customer Service - who's the best?


GC4062
08-02-2002, 05:33 AM
Hiya folks,

Have been interested in hearing your BEST experiences dealing with customer service departments of technology companies.

Here's an example:

I tested Premium Service with Mazingo. While I enjoyed all the channels I could get without the limitations of download size, it was a killer for me using dial-up service. Unfortunately, the area of Toronto I live in does not have high speed service. So I decided to cancel my Premium Service account. I dropped a quick note explaining this via the contact form on Mazingo's site. Within 30 MINUTES (!!!) I had already received two replies, one stating they had received my message and would handle the cancellation, and also asking for ideas to improve the service, any ideas for channels or channel content, and any other suggestions I had. Well, I have a few favourite Canadian news sites, and I sent the information to them, and they contacted the companies and the channels were up in a day. After the first message, I received another e-mail 10 minutes later confirming that what they had told me they would do had been done. Will I stay with them for free content... YES! Will I rejoin Premium Service once I get access to a high-speed connection - definitely!

I have worked in IT for 20 years, and have seen many changes... have had my share of good stories and horror stories dealing with service departments. And I have read much lately about experiences dealing with manufacturers or content providers (seems to be much written about AvantGo lately, especially now that they charge $19.95 to get a technical issue dealt with and they no longer answer free inquiries).

Here's what I'd like to hear from you:

Share your favourite story about when you have received outstanding service from a company (hardware, software, services). What was it that impressed you the most?

Jim

Malacandra
08-02-2002, 02:34 PM
When I got my PPC a few months ago, I had to put Palm Reader on. I had the Pro version on my Handera, but didn't want to pay for it again. Still, even the free version is really nice.

Well, the Palm Reader software had all kinds of glitches relating to bookmarks. They owuld disappear, wouldn't save, showed from other books than the one open, etc. So, I fired off a compaint email to Palm Digital Media. (This is Peanut Press, by the way; I know Palm owns it but I don't know the relation to their hardware or software divisions).

So I'm sitting at my desktop a day or so later and the phone rings. It's some guy (can't recall the name) from Palm Digital Media! At first I really thought it must be a joke or scam. Nope! He walked me asked me some questions about my Maestro and Palm Reader. We tried some things and he talked me through a small workaround which would be fixed by the next verions. Right on the phone and HE called me!

But, it gets better! I asked what was different or better about the Pro version of Palm Reader for PPC. Well, the fonts come with Windows so the main thing is getting autoscroll. I told him I had just switched to PPC from Palm and that I had Pro for the Palm. So, he offered and did change my purchase on the peanutpress website. Now instead of owning Pro version for Palm, I own it for PPC and I could download it from the site instead of paying for it again!

That customer service blew me away. I buy books from there all the time. They've got a great selection, good security that is not restrictive and obviously top notch customer service. Three cheers for Peanut Press/Palm Digital Media!

GC4062
08-03-2002, 10:02 AM
Excellent!!

I have bought all my e-books from Peanut Press (Palm Digital Media) for the past few years... they were good on my m505, but even better on my HP 568. After reading your post, I'll be sure to stick with them for future purchases of e-books. I also like their e-book creation software (Palm e-book studio)... I regularly carry loads of reference material with me, and instead of a few hundred notes (which aren't the easiest to categorize using the default notes software), I now have a few books with the material I need, and taking up less space as well. I wish it had been around a few years back when I was teaching... some of the Palm software for creating similar things was "okay" but nothing like what's out there for Pocket PC!

Any other stories of outstanding customer service from any Pocket PC related companies??

Jim

Thinkingmandavid
08-04-2002, 05:47 AM
I have a good customer service story but It wasnt with a palm but I will still tell it since good customer service is so unusual in my opinion:)
I had an IBM 3c palm and the button broke, so i called them and they sent me a another one, and the same box was used to send the broken one back in. This was all done in days by special delivery. This was great because I didnt have to worry about going without my pda for long at all and I could continue as nothing had happened. They representatives were very good onthe phone so taht was great:)