SPWD

Earlier today I was having trouble with my Internet. It’s nothing new, really. Every time the phone rings, my Internet shuts off. My understanding is DSL was to allow simultaneous high-speed (BTW 640K is NOT high-speed – but my location bets that’s all I can get right now) Internet and phone calls. On top of that, every phone call is either static laden or very high-pitched and tinny sounding. Similar to the way the phone I grew up with in a very small rural town sounded.

This is 2009, right? My T-Mobile Shadow, a Windows Mobile based cell phone, offers better quality and sometimes faster Internet speeds, which is saying something since T-Mobile has probably the smallest 3G network and my phone is definitely not 3G compatible.

A while back my wife (@raekaye) contacted our phone provider Qwest and was told we would need to install filters on the lines in the house and hook a phone up to the DMARC box outside to verify the problem existed at the point where the outside line transfers to the inside line. Pointless since we have their Linebacker service which means they will inspect, test and repair lines inside and outside of the house. But I digress. Testing done. Same issue.

Yes, the installation technician noted he filtered the line at the DMARC box. Why? He ran a brand new line, about 12 feet from the DMARC to where our DSL modem is in the house. He filter the other line that comes in to the house and powers the other phone outlets at that DMARC box. Filtering is good. Just to be safe I installed a filter on the only phone we have hooked up.

So time goes on, problem is getting worse. I Tweeted a time or two a few weeks ago. Venting really. I did the same today, and in under 3 minutes got a reply from “Steph” on Twitter, who works for Qwest. They can be found at @TalkToQwest on Twitter. Shock and Awe!

Needless to say, in under 20 minutes they contacted me on Twitter, verified my phone number and address via DM on Twitter and called me on my cell phone (since the main line was having trouble). At this point, Steph had a support tech on the line, conferenced us together and the support tech setup a support ticket to get a tech on-site at 9:30 AM the next day (March 11, 2008).

The fact that Steph stayed on the line until the tech was done scheduling the appointment and made sure that I was satisfied at the end of the call meant quite a bit. She took ownership of the situation. That is POWER in customer service. 100% pure power if employees are allow, nay encouraged, to take ownership of customer situations.

At this point, I will update the post once the service tech makes an appearance and I have been instructed to followup after the tech is here to ensure that it was satisfactorily accomplished. They told me to follow up, and that they would follow up. That’s power too. Too many customer service departments provide a fix, or what they think was a fix, and never follow through to ensure adequate completion and satisfaction.

So, what you and your business? Do you exercise 100% pure power in customer service? Have you experienced 100% pure power in customer service? Share your stories in the comments!