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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD SERVICE
By Marc Kramer
"Web Sight"
marc@kramercommunications.com
My wife and I just got back from her home country Panama. I have been going to Panama for 15 of the 17 years we have been married. When I first went to Panama the quality of service by local businesses was not of the level I was used to in the United States.
Sadly, I have to say that the quality of service in Panama is now much better than what I have experienced in the United States by two of our leading corporations over the last two weeks. Once I relate these stories, you will know why we are an economic slump.
STORY ONE: CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
My wife and I contacted Continental and looked at their web site to get an understanding of the international luggage travel restrictions. We were told and read that our bags couldn’t weigh more than 70lbs and had to be a certain size. On one bag we were at the weight limit.
When we got to the airport to check in they told us that one bag was too big and one was 3lbs over the limit and that the country of Panama had an embargo on different sizes and weights of luggage. They told us we had to ship it air cargo, which would cost is $215, but it would arrive within a day or two after us. We weren’t happy, but we thought we could live with it.
Unfortunately, our baggage did not come for five days. During that period we spoke with two representatives, two supervisors and one managing supervisor. Although they took our money gladly, they said they couldn’t get our luggage on any flight because their cargo bays were full. Somehow they managed to get the luggage to Houston, the first leg of our trip, and then to Miami to send it through another airline.
All through out this fiasco, no one could assure us if and when we would get our luggage. I could write a book on all of the excuses we received. The managing supervisor said that if we read our contract they have to get us our luggage "in a reasonable amount of time," which according to the very fine light colored print is up to 120 days. I don’t know about you, but reasonable to me is a couple of days not four months. Finally, Panama’s airline, Copa, got us our luggage. When I called Continental about eliminating the fee, they still thought our luggage was in Houston.
STORY TWO: THE "V" IN VERIZON STANDS FOR VEXING
When we got back from Panama, we found that when picked up one telephone you could hear another person in our house on a different phone using a different number speaking. Sometimes you could hear a neighbor speaking. This is called phone bleeding or cross wires. Although, we had this problem, we were able to use our phones.
The telephone company sent three different repairmen out in 24 hours. The first guy said it wasn’t an inside problem, but an outside problem. The second guy said it was an inside problem. The third guy said an outside problem and that our lawn would have to be dug up.
The result, as I write this column I am waiting for repair crew No. 4 because we have no dial tone in either phone. The second guy somehow killed our service completely. Verizon now tells me it will be 10 to 15 business days or two to three weeks before they can fix the problem that they created.
No doubt Alan Greenspan derailed a robust economy with his interest rate hikes in 2000, but we aren’t helping ourselves with such sloppy no accountability service. Americans used to laugh at the poor quality of service small countries like Panama used to provide, but I can tell you that when we had a phone problem in Panama Cable and Wireless didn’t give us a time of between 9 a.m. and the next solar eclipse. They said between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. and at 9:15 a.m. they came and successfully completed the job.
Good service isn’t just picking up the telephone in less than 30 seconds, it’s all about accountability and execution. If we want to get the economic train back on the track we have to deliver.