First-Hand Experiences Of Good Service, Installation
By Steve Smith -- TWICE, 2/21/2005
During the past couple of weeks I fulfilled one of my New Year’s resolutions, to upgrade the electronics in my home. So I write not as an industry observer, but a consumer.
The whole experience was somewhat daunting, even for this reporter who (allegedly) knows something about CE and related products and services. This is not a “mystery shopper” tale, but a story about how installation and service can make a difference.
My technology “to do” list was varied. My PC needed the latest virus protection and spyware software, and a USB 2.0 port was installed for a new digital camera. I also wanted my PC checked to see if it was slowing down my broadband Internet connection. (It turned out that the problem was with my Internet provider.) Not having VoIP available in my area, I switched our local and long-distance home phone plans, as well as wireless service and the aforementioned ISP to Verizon. And, last, but not least, my wife Marion and I now own a 40-plus-inch HDTV with DirecTV HD TiVo.
Here is a relatively brief look at my technology adventures:
•PC upgrade / Internet connection replacement: I’ve written about them long enough so I had Best Buy’s “Geek Squad” come over to install the USB port and give my PC the once-over. The “Geek Squad” employee on the phone was friendly and knowledgeable, but neglected to put in the report that a USB port was needed. So when my “Geek” (who pulled up in his distinctive white VW with orange logo, dressed in white shirt and black pants) visited he didn’t have the USB port with him. Before I had a chance to say anything, he offered to go to my local Best Buy, get the USB port and install it at the end of the day. And he did put my PC through its paces and advised that my Web bandwidth problem was due to my Internet provider. The experience was informative, professional and relatively hassle-free.
•Giving Verizon Our Business: While we were already Verizon wireless and local customers, we switched our long distance and added DSL. Because we did that we received a cut on the DSL price and will receive one bill for our phone/Internet needs. And our monthly phone bills should be cheaper.
The person I spoke to at Verizon was informative. The hardware package of DSL filter plugs for all my phones, the modem and software arrived two days early. (The same day our HDTV was delivered, which kind of gave me electronics overload.) James Earl Jones called (via a recording) to say that DSL was available at my home two days earlier than scheduled.
During the installation, the new firewall my “Geek” installed was so effective it stopped DSL. A call to Verizon tech support said to remove that firewall and begin the installation again. (Verizon DSL has its own compatible firewall.) After that, everything went according to plan.
•Having HDTV and DirecTV HD TiVo Installed: While reviewing all the different display formats available, based on my living room layout and existing furniture, my wife and I decided on a plasma TV. Since we’ve been a happy customer of DirecTV, it was easy for us to go with the DirecTV HD TiVo box for our programming.
We made the purchase at P.C. Richard & Son because they had the model we wanted, and, when buying major appliances in the past, their delivery and installation services have been excellent. Typically the delivery was made on time and the installers were professional. But there were a few gaps in what I thought I needed.
For instance, I thought we would also need an over-the-air HD antenna to get local HD broadcasts. While that’s a good backup if my DirecTV goes out, the installer told us that since we signed for the premium package I got all my local network stations in HD via DirecTV.
As for the TiVo connection, I forgot that the box must be connected to a phone line 24/7. Retailers should remind consumers like me about that because for a few days a long phone line ran from the living room through the dining room and into the kitchen wall phone.
A wireless sender from the TiVo to our phone might be a solution for some, but my previous experiences with senders in our century-old home in Brooklyn, N.Y. was that I needed a dedicated extension, which Verizon installed.
We also wanted to disconnect one of our DirecTV boxes, and that became a problem during the installation since the company did not have a record of the box, even though we have been billed for it ever since we had the system. But another phone call to the DirecTV help line made all the difference.
I’m happy to report that all the products and services that we purchased are all working beautifully. (And yes, maybe my wife was right when she said I would have been less harried if we hadn’t done all of these things all at once.)
What I was reminded of first-hand, after preaching about this for a couple of years, is this: Installation and service are just as important as the technology being bought. Successful installation and service, on the part of retailers and service providers like phone, cable and satellite providers, give consumers peace of mind and creates that rarity, customer loyalty. That usually drives not only future sales, but profitability too.
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