Guest Blogger, 1to1 Customer Champion Brynn Palmer: Feelin' the Love
It finally, unexpectedly happened: I'm at my new HP Pavilion laptop, there is a flash of blue, the scrolling of words, and then the screen goes black--followed by the sickening silence of death. Having raised three children to adulthood I've calmly lived through emergency room stitches and teenage drama, so I wasn't quite prepared for the sheer terror that erupted in my body.
I tried the owner's manual and all the usual dance steps I had learned over the years from the tech support guys ats the office, but to no avail. So I dug out my sales receipt, took a deep breath, and prepared to make the call. You know, THE CALL. The call to the technical-support desk that only the desperate make.
As I dial I mentally prepare myself to run the gauntlet of automated prompts. Thank you for calling Costco Concierge Services, for English, press 1, easy. Hours of operation are, great they are open. For help with your television, press 1, for help with your desktop or notebook computer, press 2. So far so good.
There is a ring and, "poof," Martha answers the line with her name, ID number, and an offer to assist. Momentarily stunned that I reached a CSR so easily, I quickly move from silence to an unintelligible download of information. Martha doesn't interrupt and simply replies, "It's okay, it will be alright. I'm going to help you. Let me get a few pieces of information."
Although Martha's calm demeanor leads me to believe she has seen her own children stitched at least once or twice, my skepticism has me ready with my owner's manual, prepared to read any and all number sequences that will be required.
Martha asks me for my name, my COSTCO Wholesales member number, and the model of my laptop.
"Thank you, that's all I need." I've decided that Martha's physic; surely there are more than three questions.
"Okay," Martha says, "let's get started."
Yes, it seems simple to run a laptop through diagnostic yoga positions, unless you're holding a phone. The phone takes a nose dive to the floor. I apologize to Martha. "It's okay," she says, "I understand completely. It will be all right."
After a few plugging and pressing moves, my screen lights up.
"Oh Martha," I ooze, "it's working." I'm not sure exactly what I said after that, but I think I told her I love her. And why shouldn't I?
I was a frazzled and frustrated new laptop owner when I called, I wasn't sifted through a long, automated system, my call didn't sit in queue, and Martha told me she cared about my situation by being patient and calmly reminding me that everything I felt was okay and she was going to help me. And she did.
So Martha, just in case I didn't tell you, I do love you. I just wish there were more businesses that made it easy to get to a person like you when I need help.
Read more on Brynn Palmer's 1to1 Customer Champion approach to service in "2006 Customer Champions Revealed."
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