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Deal Killers

If Comcast is Dumb, Verizon is Dumber.

March 2007 By Denny Hatch
21
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In the News

Verizon High Speed Internet for $21.99/mo
For one year. (up to 768Kbps) (plus taxes and fees)
Personalize life. “My girls call me ‘Fast Fingers Felicia.’ The reason why is simple ... I am a shoe fanatic who lives on the Internet. One day I hit ten shoe sites in two minutes. Talk about quick! Hey, I don’t know about you, but when shoes are on the line, so am I.”

—Verizon Free Standing Insert (FSI). The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 24, 2007
I despise the 8,000 pound Philadelphia gorilla known as Comcast.

I signed up for DirecTV and the guy is coming to install it today.

But picture this: On my HBO Channel, a crawl runs across the bottom of my screen with the following message:

ACTION IS REQUIRED ON YOUR PART to continue to receive HBO. As of March 28, you will no longer be able to view HBO without a digital cable box. Please contact Comcast at 1-800-COMCAST to get a digital cable box.

This message—in very large type—runs continually 24/7 during the programming and totally destroys the viewing experience.

I called 1-800-COMCAST to see what would happen and got the de rigueur recorded female voice:

Thank you for calling Comcast.
For English, Press 1
Por Espanol gibberish gibberish
For trouble with your service, press 1
For billing inquiries, press 2
To add or upgrade your current service, press 3
Transfer, downgrade or discontinue service, press 4

Nothing on this recorded menu dealt with HBO or new cable boxes. I pressed nothing. The message was repeated, and again I pressed nothing. The recorded voice came on and said, “For quality and training purposes, your call may be monitored.”

This was followed by commercials for HDTV, digital voice and an invitation to “Visit us at www.Comcast.net.”

When the telephone rep came on the line, she told me that all premium channels would be going to digital and that three new digital cable boxes would cost $1 each. This would take our monthly bill up to $140 a month, or $1,680 a year, for roughly 75 channels and high-speed Internet access.

DirecTV is 185 channels for $59.95 a month.

Comcast’s rude crawl over the HBO channel and exorbitant pricing are deal killers.



The Goofball Sales Rep From Verizon
When the Verizon FSI—with its offer of high-speed Internet for $21.99/month—arrived in my morning Inquirer, I took it up to the office and saved it. Since I was dropping Comcast cable in favor of DirecTV, why not switch to Verizon for Internet service and save another $23.

Last Friday, the phone on my desk rang. It was a nice-sounding guy from Verizon who wanted to sell me high-speed Internet. I told him that I was looking at his circular and I wanted to order. We decided I needed more horsepower than the 768Kbp on the circular and the cost would be an additional $10. I agreed to that.

Takeaway Points to Consider:

* “Always make it easy to order.”
—Elsworth Howell

* On the Internet, a marketer is a mouse click away from oblivion.

* Telephone reps must be thoroughly trained and their performances monitored.

* Before inserting a URL in a print promotion, always test it with and without the URL as the single variable.

* “The single variable test is the Holy Grail of direct marketing.”
—Don Nicholas

* If a URL is included, make sure the landing page directly relates to the offer being made. Do not send a prospect to your general home page.

Web Sites Related to Today's Edition:

Comcast
www.comcast.net

Verizon High Speed Internet
http://tinyurl.com/ypnkdz
 

Companies Mentioned:
21

COMMENTS

Click here to leave a comment...
Comment *
Most Recent Comments:
MarCom Guy continued - Posted on April 01, 2007
Customers are currently flocking to their "Triple Play," mainly because it's cheaper. When (not if) Comcast raises their bundle pricing after the introductory period without giving anything of real value back (as a wireless company will with an upgraded handset), these customers will take off for something cheaper or better.

During my time with Comcast, not once did I hear "lifetime value," as the place is run by accountants... even the marketers are 90% bean counters. It was all about getting more customers, then raising their rates as much as possible.

I bet nobody in a management meeting even raised the issue of not charging good high-value customers like Denny the extra $1 per box. But, that $1 broke the camel's back. They've lost him forever, and now he's told lots of other people about his "love" for Comcast.

Frankly, the government should be mandating customer choice in allowing them to buy only the channels they want to see when there is such a monopoly (I know Denny and most business people do not like government fingers in business, but it can sometimes be justified --- or at least have the threat available --- to protect consumers? pocketbooks in a monopoly or duopoly, in my humble opinion).

With more and more cable companies switching to full digital service, that is extremely easy to do from an operational standpoint; their excuse that it was too expensive with old technology is now moot.

Some company will eventually give the customer a real choice, whether it's FIOS from Verizon, or a DBS company.

It's about time the cable customer had the power.

And, frankly, both DirecTV and DiSH have better pictures, anyway, and more real choice and value.
MarCom Guy - Posted on April 01, 2007
Denny hit the nail on the head about Comcast and the rest of the non-competing cable and telephone companies.

I say "non-competing," as there is a de facto monopoly amongst a handful of huge 8 million pound gorillas. As someone formerly employed by several of these companies, Comcast is the least competitive of them all. They have no idea what "lifetime value" or customer loyalty is all about, nor direct marketing. They also have no idea of the 80/20 rule... They simply want to get as many customers on board, and gouge as many of them as possible every rate increase (by the way, which is handled by the marketing
department; rate increases are marketing???).

Frankly, they are driving their best customers to the dish.

Most of the cable industry?s version of direct marketing has not changed since 1982, or before. "If it isn't a post card or self mailer, it is a waste of money" is their mantra. "Testing" is almost a foreign word. At least some of the phone companies are getting a bit direct marketing minded, as they actually do send out direct mail letters from time to time (but none of them seem to have installed serif fonts on their computers, and their disclaimers are often longer than the letter).

Frankly, I cringed when I read about the 24/7 crawl on Philadelphia's analog HBO. If I was marketing manager at this cable system, I would have jumped up and down
screaming ?Nooo!" about this (and probably would have got fired over it). Totally customer-unfriendly. This is akin to T-Mobile interrupting
your conversation every 30 seconds to remind you that your area code is changing, so you need to go to the store and get your phone reprogrammed. Of course, that never happened with a real competitive telecom company, but might well have if they employed Comcast's "we don't give a damn about the customer" attitude.

(continued...)
Justin - Posted on March 29, 2007
Can't speak about Verizon, but my experience with Comcast was much, much worse. Their products worked great. Their customer "service" might be the worst of any company I've ever seen where it should matter.
Tom Girgash - Posted on March 29, 2007
Ahhhh, Denny, you have hit on the very essence of the problem...COMCAST really does not care about good customer service because they do not have to...they are a monopoly, certainly here in Baltimore County, Maryland!! It is the only cable company, something a friend of mine calls "the evil empire"!!
(Now what can you do about our local gas & electric company -Baltimore Gas & Electric- another monopoly, spiking up our rates by almost 75% in less than two years??)
If you want cable tv and internet service, you must play according to COMCAST'S rules. They own the ball and the bat and the bases and the concession stand and the...!!
Tom Girgash
Michael R. - Posted on March 28, 2007
As a Comcoast and Verizon customer, I particularly enjoyed Denny's comments. I love Comcast when it works; however,whenever I have to deal with their people, ugh! The same is true with Verizon. I use Verizon DSL at home and in the office. It's fast enough and lower cost than Comcast. However, installation is not necessarily "easy." I've done a number of installations over the years and sometimes it goes smoothly and sometimes it doesn't. Since I live in Philly, and since I get so much value from reading Denny's essays, I volunteer to help you Denny if you want to go with Verizon DSL.
Steven Sashen - Posted on March 28, 2007
While I'm no fan of cable and broadband providers, I'm going to take Verizon's side for a moment. I assume that you have a food processor. And I'm going to assume that it never occurred to you that you would need someone to set it up or show you how to work it. Or, if it did, I'll bet that the absence of such a person wasn't a deal killer. What if the Verizon rep was correct and it *IS* so simple to set up the modem that even a "non-tech" person could do it? Not getting what we want or, more accurately, *think* we need, does not equal bad service. That's not saying that EXCEPTIONAL customer service doesn't have value, but maybe not enough value to warrant its delivery. I would *love* to offer "free" installation and training for the software I sell... but since it's not free for me, and since our margins are not huge, if only 10% of my customers used it, each sale would be a coffin nail.
Sid Bursten - Posted on March 28, 2007
As a certified CRM consultant formerly with IBM, I'm constantly startled by the incompetence and counterproductive statements of CSR (customer service reps) and their supervisors. Numerous times I have decided to cross companies off my "friends list" for years due to their inability to recognize when their companies have done something stupid, unethical or even illegal. You'd think someone, somewhere would have the brains to create an escalation mechanism so significant problems can get to the attention of someone who can solve the caller's problem and fix the processes that caused it. But it appears that the only goal of the CSR is to get the caller off the phone, no matter how frustrated and angry he has become.
David Garfinkel - Posted on March 28, 2007
Denny, you've hit upon something bigger than you've let on, although me knowing you, I suspect you knew it and you wanted to stick to the basics because that's what it seems your focus is in this newsletter. What I'm dancing around is the bigger issue of the mindset of tech-driven companies. I've been approached to talk to VCs and CEOs in Silicon Valley about direct marketing and copywriting and the mindset that rules there is going to be a tough nut to crack. Since it is, in essence, to find uber efficient ways to remove humans from the business equation. Sounds sarcastic, I know, but I am perfectly serious about that conclusion. It's what my research is showing. Interesting challenge.
JAF - Posted on March 28, 2007
On point, as ever. Unfortunately, I believe, companies like Verizon or Comcast are so big, and with such poor customer service, that they could care less if you (one customer) don't use their service. However, they LOVE customers who don't want to put up with "the deal" nonesense and just sign and agree to WHATEVER is put in front of them to get it done, get it done, get it done. At all costs, get it done. Cheers.
Wash Phillips - Posted on March 27, 2007
About Steve R.'s comment:
Two call reminders and an assessment of service performed...when no service was needed or performed and you told them twice? Sounds like your Time-Warner org has a minor glitch of its own in the call processing dept that still needs looking after. You should bring that to someone's attention, in the interests of truly faultless service.
Wash Phillips - Posted on March 27, 2007
The problem with Dish Network--in my area, at least--is getting truly fast internet connection. Unlike Comcast's cable, the Dish only goes one way, which is why Dish is often bundled with Qwest or Verizon here for the internet service. Alas, their version of "high speed"is DSL, which is markedly slower. So I remain with Comcast (though I believe them overpriced) since I have no real option.
Steve R. - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny,

You are always right on ?target?.

I have an experience to share. While Time/Warner has publicized problems in new markets or where they have taken over an existing market, I?ve received great service from them in Encino, CA.

I hate paying $160 a month for their phone/internet/cable combo, when I see special offers with lower prices. But when I was evaluating this cost a few days ago, after 18 months of great service, I stopped and said, ?I get such great service from them, a few dollars more is worth it.? - for the incredible service.

With every call to customer service, I get courteous helpful people. They have gladly granted requests i.e., replacement of a TV clicker and burned out transformer internet modem, etc. The TV clicker for some reason would not adjust volume. I called about getting a new one. They gave a choice of a new one from a driver in a few days or pick up it up at one of their offices (no charge either way). My wife picked it up. When she arrived home she couldn?t program the new clicker. So she called in and they scheduled an appointment in two days for someone to come and do it.

When I got home I simply read the very easy instructions and programmed it in less ten minutes (my wife has a problem with written instructions).

The next morning I received a call reminder call that a service tech was coming the next morning to program the clicker. I told them it was okay and they didn?t need to come (I forgot to call them back and cancel).

The next morning I got another call saying that the tech would be there in a few hours. I thanked them and said it was not necessary, etc.

Two days later I got a call to ask if our needs were fulfilled and was the service satisfactory. I appreciate follow-up calls ? it offers so many opportunities to get great service.

If we ask them to come out, they always accommodate, without charge. There are more good stories about Time/Warner service but you get the idea.

The great service is worth the few extra dollars!

Steve
Encino, CA
doug r. - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny, Excellent essay, as usual. I especially enjoyed the aside about "Por Espanol: gibberish gibberish." I wonder how many lives have been lost on emergency lines because of this foolishness. I sincerely doubt that, south of the border, they ask "For English, presso el numero whatever," even if they have these frequently lifesaving services.
Aaron S. - Posted on March 27, 2007
To Rob F: I'm afraid that's a false analagy, Rob. At Target, you buy a phone (a commodity, not a service) at a one-off price. You know you're making a one-time purchase for the just the product. But Verizon is a SERVICE company with a repeat monthly bill. It makes sense for ongoing service companies to start with a loss leader (losing money on the initial sale/install/service) to get the regular monthly income. Denny's point was that Verizon should make the order process as easy as possible in order to make more sales, including free or low cost installation. Of course they'd lose money initially if they offered free or low cost installation...But it would definitely close more sales AND give them a higher monthly income in return. I don't know what the numbers are, but I'm sure Verizon could do better than $150.
Debbie M - Posted on March 27, 2007
Dish is the same way. When my hd crashed in my box, they were going to send me a new one within 7 days. I told them to cancel my account because I wanted TV today not a week from now!
Michael G - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny, being from the Philly area, I too have had to put up with this Comcast nonsense. After going through hoops on the 800#, I spoke to a rep, ordered 1 box, and was told it would take 2-3 days to arrive. After waiting 3 weeks (and having to put up with the words across HBO for 3 weeks), I placed another call to a clueless Comcast rep who proceeded to tell me I never placed an order ... even though I had the time, day, and rep I had spoken with ? Comcast had no record of the order. I placed another order, waited a week, still no box, called again ... you guessed it, no record of me placing the second order. Asked the rep where I could pick one up (as this was an option), went to the Comcast office in West Chester, PA the Comcast rep gave me, and there was a sign on a door that the office had closed in Sept. 2005. Called Comcast again, told them I?m standing at the front door of their long closed office and she informs me that office has been closed for years and ?why?d I go there?! The rep gave me another address which was near my wife?s office so I asked my wife to pick it up on her way home from work. The rep there was clueless about the offer, checked in back, come out front, and with a loud moan (indicating immense effort), slung a bag with the wires, a remote, and a 5?x8?x2? box onto the counter ? which weighed all of a few pounds. Then, when my wife asked if it was easy to setup, she simply shrugged her shoulders and muttered a one word ?don?t-know?. Thought about going to Verizon, but after they installed my neighbor?s service, leaving an unfilled trench line, tire tracks, snack/lunch trash, wire, screws and more cigarette butts than I could count in my front yard, Verizon has about as much chance as getting my business as Comcast has in retaining it ? DISH, here I come!
David Rosen - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny, your e-letter today touches on the dirty public secret of the service economy: service generally sucks. I am usually inordinately grateful whenever I get merely competent service, e.g., a Staples employee who knows where an item can be found and can actually tell me something helpful about it. As far as your "direct mail killers", I think what you say about including urls is part of the broader phenomenon of "choice depresses respone." Every additional check box, option or requested action in the order form and promotion is a potential danger. Of course, this can come into conflict with the broader service issue. Providing an 800# makes it easier for your customers to contact you (which is good customer service), but in terms of response dynamics its inclusion in a promotion can have a negative impact. One of those rare moral ambiguities of direct marketing, I guess ;-)
JP Maroney - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny -- In a day of blistering fast market evolution and relentless competition, you would think even the big boys would WAKE UP. Some just never do.

Great post... and once again... powerful insights.

JP Maroney | http://www.jpmaroney.net
Rick Olson - Posted on March 27, 2007
Being in the electronic payments business, I am continually amazed at ecommerce sites where you can't even figure out how to pay for what you want to buy, as though it were a design afterthought.

I've also been told by so-called web merchants that they didn't want to scare away their customers by making it too obvious that there is a payment involved in purchase process. My response is alway "so, how's that working out for you?"

You mentioned Amazon.com. I spent some time pitching them a few years ago at their converted hilltop VA hospital facility in Seattle. They've thought through everything, even a way to make the ride in old painfully slow elevators more efficient by lining the walls with whiteboard material, with plenty of pens-on-strings, and sign that said "Have an idea? leave it for someone else to see". Their one-click checkout, clearly visible on practically every page on the site, is what keeps me a regular customer. Their vendor requirements are such that they will not accept any delay or interruption in the fast and smooth order and payment process, almost to the point of neurosis, but this has made all the difference for them, I'm sure. It's the closest thing to ecommerce perfection I've ever seen.

BTW, Brighthouse Network, the major cable here in Tampa Bay, has done a pretty good job. Their reps set appointments, their installers are on time and pro, and the upgrade to a digital cable box does not cost extra (unless you want the DVR). Not bad.
Rob F - Posted on March 27, 2007
This is all good advice but I gotta ask: Denny if you bought a regular ol' landline phone at Target, would you expect them to come home with you and hook it up?
Jim B - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny,
As always both smart and wise. If you want an example of folks doing it right, try Zappos. Order a pair of shoes, go immediately to the door, and expect them to be there. I ordered a pair and exactly a year later got an email from them asking if I would like another pair like those I had bought a year ago.
Click here to view archived comments...
Archived Comments:
MarCom Guy continued - Posted on April 01, 2007
Customers are currently flocking to their "Triple Play," mainly because it's cheaper. When (not if) Comcast raises their bundle pricing after the introductory period without giving anything of real value back (as a wireless company will with an upgraded handset), these customers will take off for something cheaper or better.

During my time with Comcast, not once did I hear "lifetime value," as the place is run by accountants... even the marketers are 90% bean counters. It was all about getting more customers, then raising their rates as much as possible.

I bet nobody in a management meeting even raised the issue of not charging good high-value customers like Denny the extra $1 per box. But, that $1 broke the camel's back. They've lost him forever, and now he's told lots of other people about his "love" for Comcast.

Frankly, the government should be mandating customer choice in allowing them to buy only the channels they want to see when there is such a monopoly (I know Denny and most business people do not like government fingers in business, but it can sometimes be justified --- or at least have the threat available --- to protect consumers? pocketbooks in a monopoly or duopoly, in my humble opinion).

With more and more cable companies switching to full digital service, that is extremely easy to do from an operational standpoint; their excuse that it was too expensive with old technology is now moot.

Some company will eventually give the customer a real choice, whether it's FIOS from Verizon, or a DBS company.

It's about time the cable customer had the power.

And, frankly, both DirecTV and DiSH have better pictures, anyway, and more real choice and value.
MarCom Guy - Posted on April 01, 2007
Denny hit the nail on the head about Comcast and the rest of the non-competing cable and telephone companies.

I say "non-competing," as there is a de facto monopoly amongst a handful of huge 8 million pound gorillas. As someone formerly employed by several of these companies, Comcast is the least competitive of them all. They have no idea what "lifetime value" or customer loyalty is all about, nor direct marketing. They also have no idea of the 80/20 rule... They simply want to get as many customers on board, and gouge as many of them as possible every rate increase (by the way, which is handled by the marketing
department; rate increases are marketing???).

Frankly, they are driving their best customers to the dish.

Most of the cable industry?s version of direct marketing has not changed since 1982, or before. "If it isn't a post card or self mailer, it is a waste of money" is their mantra. "Testing" is almost a foreign word. At least some of the phone companies are getting a bit direct marketing minded, as they actually do send out direct mail letters from time to time (but none of them seem to have installed serif fonts on their computers, and their disclaimers are often longer than the letter).

Frankly, I cringed when I read about the 24/7 crawl on Philadelphia's analog HBO. If I was marketing manager at this cable system, I would have jumped up and down
screaming ?Nooo!" about this (and probably would have got fired over it). Totally customer-unfriendly. This is akin to T-Mobile interrupting
your conversation every 30 seconds to remind you that your area code is changing, so you need to go to the store and get your phone reprogrammed. Of course, that never happened with a real competitive telecom company, but might well have if they employed Comcast's "we don't give a damn about the customer" attitude.

(continued...)
Justin - Posted on March 29, 2007
Can't speak about Verizon, but my experience with Comcast was much, much worse. Their products worked great. Their customer "service" might be the worst of any company I've ever seen where it should matter.
Tom Girgash - Posted on March 29, 2007
Ahhhh, Denny, you have hit on the very essence of the problem...COMCAST really does not care about good customer service because they do not have to...they are a monopoly, certainly here in Baltimore County, Maryland!! It is the only cable company, something a friend of mine calls "the evil empire"!!
(Now what can you do about our local gas & electric company -Baltimore Gas & Electric- another monopoly, spiking up our rates by almost 75% in less than two years??)
If you want cable tv and internet service, you must play according to COMCAST'S rules. They own the ball and the bat and the bases and the concession stand and the...!!
Tom Girgash
Michael R. - Posted on March 28, 2007
As a Comcoast and Verizon customer, I particularly enjoyed Denny's comments. I love Comcast when it works; however,whenever I have to deal with their people, ugh! The same is true with Verizon. I use Verizon DSL at home and in the office. It's fast enough and lower cost than Comcast. However, installation is not necessarily "easy." I've done a number of installations over the years and sometimes it goes smoothly and sometimes it doesn't. Since I live in Philly, and since I get so much value from reading Denny's essays, I volunteer to help you Denny if you want to go with Verizon DSL.
Steven Sashen - Posted on March 28, 2007
While I'm no fan of cable and broadband providers, I'm going to take Verizon's side for a moment. I assume that you have a food processor. And I'm going to assume that it never occurred to you that you would need someone to set it up or show you how to work it. Or, if it did, I'll bet that the absence of such a person wasn't a deal killer. What if the Verizon rep was correct and it *IS* so simple to set up the modem that even a "non-tech" person could do it? Not getting what we want or, more accurately, *think* we need, does not equal bad service. That's not saying that EXCEPTIONAL customer service doesn't have value, but maybe not enough value to warrant its delivery. I would *love* to offer "free" installation and training for the software I sell... but since it's not free for me, and since our margins are not huge, if only 10% of my customers used it, each sale would be a coffin nail.
Sid Bursten - Posted on March 28, 2007
As a certified CRM consultant formerly with IBM, I'm constantly startled by the incompetence and counterproductive statements of CSR (customer service reps) and their supervisors. Numerous times I have decided to cross companies off my "friends list" for years due to their inability to recognize when their companies have done something stupid, unethical or even illegal. You'd think someone, somewhere would have the brains to create an escalation mechanism so significant problems can get to the attention of someone who can solve the caller's problem and fix the processes that caused it. But it appears that the only goal of the CSR is to get the caller off the phone, no matter how frustrated and angry he has become.
David Garfinkel - Posted on March 28, 2007
Denny, you've hit upon something bigger than you've let on, although me knowing you, I suspect you knew it and you wanted to stick to the basics because that's what it seems your focus is in this newsletter. What I'm dancing around is the bigger issue of the mindset of tech-driven companies. I've been approached to talk to VCs and CEOs in Silicon Valley about direct marketing and copywriting and the mindset that rules there is going to be a tough nut to crack. Since it is, in essence, to find uber efficient ways to remove humans from the business equation. Sounds sarcastic, I know, but I am perfectly serious about that conclusion. It's what my research is showing. Interesting challenge.
JAF - Posted on March 28, 2007
On point, as ever. Unfortunately, I believe, companies like Verizon or Comcast are so big, and with such poor customer service, that they could care less if you (one customer) don't use their service. However, they LOVE customers who don't want to put up with "the deal" nonesense and just sign and agree to WHATEVER is put in front of them to get it done, get it done, get it done. At all costs, get it done. Cheers.
Wash Phillips - Posted on March 27, 2007
About Steve R.'s comment:
Two call reminders and an assessment of service performed...when no service was needed or performed and you told them twice? Sounds like your Time-Warner org has a minor glitch of its own in the call processing dept that still needs looking after. You should bring that to someone's attention, in the interests of truly faultless service.
Wash Phillips - Posted on March 27, 2007
The problem with Dish Network--in my area, at least--is getting truly fast internet connection. Unlike Comcast's cable, the Dish only goes one way, which is why Dish is often bundled with Qwest or Verizon here for the internet service. Alas, their version of "high speed"is DSL, which is markedly slower. So I remain with Comcast (though I believe them overpriced) since I have no real option.
Steve R. - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny,

You are always right on ?target?.

I have an experience to share. While Time/Warner has publicized problems in new markets or where they have taken over an existing market, I?ve received great service from them in Encino, CA.

I hate paying $160 a month for their phone/internet/cable combo, when I see special offers with lower prices. But when I was evaluating this cost a few days ago, after 18 months of great service, I stopped and said, ?I get such great service from them, a few dollars more is worth it.? - for the incredible service.

With every call to customer service, I get courteous helpful people. They have gladly granted requests i.e., replacement of a TV clicker and burned out transformer internet modem, etc. The TV clicker for some reason would not adjust volume. I called about getting a new one. They gave a choice of a new one from a driver in a few days or pick up it up at one of their offices (no charge either way). My wife picked it up. When she arrived home she couldn?t program the new clicker. So she called in and they scheduled an appointment in two days for someone to come and do it.

When I got home I simply read the very easy instructions and programmed it in less ten minutes (my wife has a problem with written instructions).

The next morning I received a call reminder call that a service tech was coming the next morning to program the clicker. I told them it was okay and they didn?t need to come (I forgot to call them back and cancel).

The next morning I got another call saying that the tech would be there in a few hours. I thanked them and said it was not necessary, etc.

Two days later I got a call to ask if our needs were fulfilled and was the service satisfactory. I appreciate follow-up calls ? it offers so many opportunities to get great service.

If we ask them to come out, they always accommodate, without charge. There are more good stories about Time/Warner service but you get the idea.

The great service is worth the few extra dollars!

Steve
Encino, CA
doug r. - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny, Excellent essay, as usual. I especially enjoyed the aside about "Por Espanol: gibberish gibberish." I wonder how many lives have been lost on emergency lines because of this foolishness. I sincerely doubt that, south of the border, they ask "For English, presso el numero whatever," even if they have these frequently lifesaving services.
Aaron S. - Posted on March 27, 2007
To Rob F: I'm afraid that's a false analagy, Rob. At Target, you buy a phone (a commodity, not a service) at a one-off price. You know you're making a one-time purchase for the just the product. But Verizon is a SERVICE company with a repeat monthly bill. It makes sense for ongoing service companies to start with a loss leader (losing money on the initial sale/install/service) to get the regular monthly income. Denny's point was that Verizon should make the order process as easy as possible in order to make more sales, including free or low cost installation. Of course they'd lose money initially if they offered free or low cost installation...But it would definitely close more sales AND give them a higher monthly income in return. I don't know what the numbers are, but I'm sure Verizon could do better than $150.
Debbie M - Posted on March 27, 2007
Dish is the same way. When my hd crashed in my box, they were going to send me a new one within 7 days. I told them to cancel my account because I wanted TV today not a week from now!
Michael G - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny, being from the Philly area, I too have had to put up with this Comcast nonsense. After going through hoops on the 800#, I spoke to a rep, ordered 1 box, and was told it would take 2-3 days to arrive. After waiting 3 weeks (and having to put up with the words across HBO for 3 weeks), I placed another call to a clueless Comcast rep who proceeded to tell me I never placed an order ... even though I had the time, day, and rep I had spoken with ? Comcast had no record of the order. I placed another order, waited a week, still no box, called again ... you guessed it, no record of me placing the second order. Asked the rep where I could pick one up (as this was an option), went to the Comcast office in West Chester, PA the Comcast rep gave me, and there was a sign on a door that the office had closed in Sept. 2005. Called Comcast again, told them I?m standing at the front door of their long closed office and she informs me that office has been closed for years and ?why?d I go there?! The rep gave me another address which was near my wife?s office so I asked my wife to pick it up on her way home from work. The rep there was clueless about the offer, checked in back, come out front, and with a loud moan (indicating immense effort), slung a bag with the wires, a remote, and a 5?x8?x2? box onto the counter ? which weighed all of a few pounds. Then, when my wife asked if it was easy to setup, she simply shrugged her shoulders and muttered a one word ?don?t-know?. Thought about going to Verizon, but after they installed my neighbor?s service, leaving an unfilled trench line, tire tracks, snack/lunch trash, wire, screws and more cigarette butts than I could count in my front yard, Verizon has about as much chance as getting my business as Comcast has in retaining it ? DISH, here I come!
David Rosen - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny, your e-letter today touches on the dirty public secret of the service economy: service generally sucks. I am usually inordinately grateful whenever I get merely competent service, e.g., a Staples employee who knows where an item can be found and can actually tell me something helpful about it. As far as your "direct mail killers", I think what you say about including urls is part of the broader phenomenon of "choice depresses respone." Every additional check box, option or requested action in the order form and promotion is a potential danger. Of course, this can come into conflict with the broader service issue. Providing an 800# makes it easier for your customers to contact you (which is good customer service), but in terms of response dynamics its inclusion in a promotion can have a negative impact. One of those rare moral ambiguities of direct marketing, I guess ;-)
JP Maroney - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny -- In a day of blistering fast market evolution and relentless competition, you would think even the big boys would WAKE UP. Some just never do.

Great post... and once again... powerful insights.

JP Maroney | http://www.jpmaroney.net
Rick Olson - Posted on March 27, 2007
Being in the electronic payments business, I am continually amazed at ecommerce sites where you can't even figure out how to pay for what you want to buy, as though it were a design afterthought.

I've also been told by so-called web merchants that they didn't want to scare away their customers by making it too obvious that there is a payment involved in purchase process. My response is alway "so, how's that working out for you?"

You mentioned Amazon.com. I spent some time pitching them a few years ago at their converted hilltop VA hospital facility in Seattle. They've thought through everything, even a way to make the ride in old painfully slow elevators more efficient by lining the walls with whiteboard material, with plenty of pens-on-strings, and sign that said "Have an idea? leave it for someone else to see". Their one-click checkout, clearly visible on practically every page on the site, is what keeps me a regular customer. Their vendor requirements are such that they will not accept any delay or interruption in the fast and smooth order and payment process, almost to the point of neurosis, but this has made all the difference for them, I'm sure. It's the closest thing to ecommerce perfection I've ever seen.

BTW, Brighthouse Network, the major cable here in Tampa Bay, has done a pretty good job. Their reps set appointments, their installers are on time and pro, and the upgrade to a digital cable box does not cost extra (unless you want the DVR). Not bad.
Rob F - Posted on March 27, 2007
This is all good advice but I gotta ask: Denny if you bought a regular ol' landline phone at Target, would you expect them to come home with you and hook it up?
Jim B - Posted on March 27, 2007
Denny,
As always both smart and wise. If you want an example of folks doing it right, try Zappos. Order a pair of shoes, go immediately to the door, and expect them to be there. I ordered a pair and exactly a year later got an email from them asking if I would like another pair like those I had bought a year ago.