Rob Leavitt | Digitareality
Sunday, July 5, 2015
My Blind Friend
I've got this buddy from high school--nice guy, former Army Ranger, All-American--who I've traded arguments with recently about the use of the word "Redskin" as a mascot. One very specific team's use of it; the Washington professional football team.
He's for it. I'm against.
In his arguments, he cites the 2004 Annenberg survey of 768 people who identify as Native Americans claiming they think the use of the word is okay as a big reason why the word isn't offensive. I say it's racist. On just the basis of those arguments, you would think that he's the logical one and I'm the emotional one. But in reality it's just the opposite.
You see, my friend lives in the heart of Washington football territory. We both grew up in the area, both were rabid team fans as kids and while I stayed close to home for college, he traveled the world via the US Army. But life settled us elsewhere; he moved back while I leap-frogged the country and settled into the Pacific Northwest outside of Seattle.
There's no way that this posting addresses all the arguments and counter-arguments of the issue--you need more time and space than I have have to give--it would require serious scholarship and personal commitment to remove all of the false information on both sides.
Fortunately, my friend and I can disagree on the mater and still find common ground in other topics. This is a notable achievement these days as people seem to move toward extremes on all issues. Which is why when I write that my friend is blind, it's with the intent to explain that people like him who fail to see the offensiveness of the word are not bad or stupid or bigoted--they just don't see it because they live in the middle of it--like a fish in water. Hell, it took me moving 3,000 miles away and a lot of life lessons to finally agree that the word is offensive.
But inevitably, the word will cease to be a mascot for teams at all levels of competition. We're living in an age of cultural enlightenment, like it or not, and those heritage-type terms are no longer acceptable. It will probably take some sort of tragedy to finally bring this one to a close, but it's days are numbered. Just like the Confederate flag.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Comcast Customer Service Hell
Recently, Comcast rolled out a new security feature that requires account holders to enter an assigned PIN before the website will display detailed account information--you can see your balance due, just not the detailed charges that add up to the amount. However, Comcast is not mailing out the PINs as promised, so I used the website to request a PIN be mailed to my house. After more than a week, nothing arrived, and the website is a mess--a mishmash of irrelevant content designed to enhance my Comcast experience and completely confuses the account management experience.
So I tried chat, hoping for a quick fix. Disclaimer: I entered into the chat already frustrated by the website. The chat rep gets high marks for managing through my frustration but low marks for efficacy:
Actual Chat Transcript:
So I tried chat, hoping for a quick fix. Disclaimer: I entered into the chat already frustrated by the website. The chat rep gets high marks for managing through my frustration but low marks for efficacy:
Actual Chat Transcript:
analyst Marygold has
entered room
Marygold: Hello
Rob, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Marygold.
Please give me one moment to review your information.
Rob: My
Issue: Comcast never sent an account PIN to me. I have already requested this
once before using the website. You need to provide me with a PIN now.
Marygold: Were
you able to successfully log in?
Marygold: Sorry
for the typo. Please disregard that last message.
Marygold: Our
goal is to provide you with a consistently superior customer experience –
that’s our guarantee. Learn more about the Comcast Customer Guarantee at
http://www.comcast.com/corporate/Customers/CustomerGuarantee.html?fss=customer%20guarantee
Rob: Well it
ain't happening.
Marygold: I
understand the importance of having your security PIN, Rob.
Marygold: By the
end of this chat I am sure we will have resolved this issue together to your
satisfaction.
Rob: Comcast
is currently denying me access to my account information online
Marygold: What
username are you using to access your account?
Rob: (xxxxx)
Marygold: Thank
you.
Marygold: Let us
stay on top in resolving this issue by pulling up your account first. Thank
you for providing your account information in the chat initiation form.
Marygold: To
protect your account I will need to verify some additional information. Would
you please provide me with the last 4 digits of your social security number?
Marygold: Did you
receive my last message?
Rob: (xxxxx)
Marygold: Thank
you.
Marygold: I have
sent your security PIN to your Comcast email which is
Marygold: You can
check it by clicking this link:
Marygold: https://login.comcast.net/login?ts=e5919f1b&s=wnamp
Marygold: Log in
using your Comcast email and password.
Rob: Why
would you do that? I never use that account
Rob: Send it
to my gmail account
Marygold: If you
have Internet service with Comcast, you automatically have a Comcast
username.
Marygold: All
your Comcast notifications are sent to your Comcast email.
Rob: Which.
I. Never. Use.
Marygold: If you
want, you can set Email Forwarding, so that all your emails and notifications
from Comcast will go to
Rob: Such a
nightmare.
Rob: So I
reset my password on comcast.net and got an error
Rob: Sorry!
Something went wrong... We are currently experiencing technical difficulties.
Please try again in a moment. If this issue persists, please contact us and a
customer support agent will help you.
Marygold: Can you
access your Comcast online account?
Rob: Well
after I log in I get a landing page with links to email , vmail, text
messages and other content
Rob: But when
I click the email button I get a page that reads:
Rob: Access
requires Comcast High-Speed Internet Need it? Subscribe now » Have it? Use
your Comcast ID & password to Sign in now » Forgot your Comcast.net
sign-in info? Get it now » Learn more about mySIGN-IN by Comcast If you
landed here when attempting to configure "Advanced Call Forwarding"
on Xfinity Connect, it is because the Xfinity Voice 2go "Advanced Call
Forwarding" feature is not currently available for your level of service
(Xfinity Voice only or Xfinity Voice & Xfinity TV). At this time you
cannot have calls forwarded from your Xfinity Voice home number to your
mobile devices or to your Personal Phone Numbers. This feature should be
available in the near future. Please look for an e-mail in the beginning of
July letting you know when the Advanced Call Forwarding feature will be
enabled.
Marygold: May I
ask to what account did you log in?
Rob: comcast
Rob: http://xfinity.comcast.net/
Marygold: Okay.
Rob: This is
a horrible customer experience.
Rob: Either
give me a PIN now or send it to my gmail account
Marygold: I am
sorry but we can only send the security PIN to your Comcast email account.
Marygold: Please
refresh the page of your email account.
Marygold: You may
press F5 key on your keyboard.
Rob: Not
working.
Marygold: Is it
okay with you if you will give me your password for your Comcast online
account so I can replicate the issue here on my end?
Rob: I want
this escalated--this is a serious customer experience breakdown. I have done
everything right and Comcast is keeping my detailed account information from
me.
Rob: This is
a breach of my customer agreement
Marygold: If you
can take our call on your Comcast home phone, we can call you and give you
the security PIN over the phone.
Rob: I don't
use the phone. And I am at work. This simple task is becoming a burden
Rob: Comcast
owes me a PIN now. I submitted a request over a week ago and have not
received it
Rob: Your own
channel is failing
Marygold: Rob, I
have sent the security PIN to your Comcast email account.
Marygold: The
reason that I am asking for your password, is to check if your email account
is functioning properly.
Rob: again??
Rob: (xxxxx)
Marygold: Thank
you.
Marygold: I was
not able to log in using the password you gave me.
Rob: Exactly.
because I used your instructions to try and reset it
Marygold: I did
not give you instruction to reset your password, Rob.
Marygold: Is this
the password you are using to access your Comcast online account?
Marygold: I am
referring to your Comcast online account where you can pay your bill online.
Rob: Yes
Rob: You sent
me a link to a page that gave me instructions to reset my password.
Rob: I would
advise that you not get caught up in semantics right now
Marygold: The
link I gave you earlier is a login page where you can log in using your Comcast
username and password.
Rob: All I
get is a page with the $$ of my bill. No other information Because I Don't
Have a PIN
Rob: So you
need to answer this question: are you going to send me to a manager or do I
have to escalate this issue?
Marygold: What
username do you use to access your Comcast online account? Is it (xxxxx) or (xxxxx)?
Marygold: Rob, I
assure you that this issue does not require a manager.
Marygold: All you
need is access to your Comcast email account.
Rob: Apparently
it does.
Marygold: You
mentioned earlier that you reset your password. Is (xxxxx) the new password?
Rob: I have
logged into my comcast account using my @gmail user name and usual password.
The Comcast website will not display my account information because I don't
have a PIN. I don't have a PIN because Comcast never sent it. I requested a
PIN using the website over a week ago and it never arrived. You sent the PIN
to my Comcast email--which I never use and have never used--but when I follow
all instructions to access it the website displays an error message, which I
have copied and pasted for you
Marygold: I
believe I advised you to log in using your Comcast username and password.
Marygold: Since
you are using your gmail account to access your Comcast email account, you
need to have a password for your Comcast username.
Marygold: Since
you are using your gmail account to access your Comcast email account, you
need to have a password for your Comcast username.
Marygold: Since
you are using your gmail account to access your Comcast email account, you
need to have a password for your Comcast username.
Marygold: I am
sorry for the repeated posts.
Marygold: Since
you are not home to take our call, you need to call 18009346489 to have your
password for your Comcast username.
Marygold: Once
you have that, just go to www.comcast.net , click the EMAIL icon and log in
using your Comcast username and password.
Marygold: You
will then see the security PIN emailed to you.
Rob: It Does
Not Work.
Marygold: If you
want, I will stay online while you call the number I posted above.
Marygold: What
does not work?
Rob: No. I am
done. You've wasted my time.
|
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
GE Appliance Customer Experience = $8.25
I am in the midst of a customer experience fog. In essence, my GE Profile refrigerator of 3 years has just had it's 6th maintenance visit for unit malfunctions and the response from the manufacturer is mystifying.
As a digital professional, and having worked for companies that live and die by customer service, I am approaching this with the objective of getting the refrigerator fixed and coming to resolution quickly without hardship to my bank account. So naturally, I employ digital channels. In this case, Twitter, phone, and email. Here is the original tweet:
I also call to make sure I have the traditional route covered. I use my cellphone to open a ticket with customer service, so yes, I'm still in the digital realm.
About that fan, by the way, here's a link to a :20 recording of the refrigerator fan I made using my iPhone Voice Memo app. Distance is 6-inches from the unit. The dishwasher (Kenmore) can be slightly heard in the background.
The next day, I receive an email from "Alison" on the ~AppLight Social Media Team. She is on the case and promises to follow-up with me after the repairman visits!
Time passes--well, a few hours anyway--and the repairman comes and goes. Andy, by the way, has visited our house before. He's awesome. Alison follows up again via email promising to get back in contact soon.
This morning, I receive the following email from Alison:
So let's see... the total estimate provided to fix my refrigerator--this time--is $258.34. The cost of labor is $235.93. The tax is $22.41. Which leaves the parts cost as $16.50. GE is willing to forego $8.25 to provide me compensation.
As you can imagine, my reaction is at first... incredulous...
Alison's response follows. By my count, she references herself as "I" or "me" 5 times, and GE Appliances "we" or"us" 4 times. She references me ("you") ...3 times.
At this point, I am awaiting GE Appliance's response. I don't think Alison really understands the math of what she offered. $8.25 hasn't even covered the cost of her time to the company to manage the issue so far. Plus, an inadequate response by GE Appliance to this issue is not going to be productive for the company in the long run.
However, I'm generally a positive guy. I believe that people and companies can do the right thing.
Stay tuned. I'll let you know what happens here.
As a digital professional, and having worked for companies that live and die by customer service, I am approaching this with the objective of getting the refrigerator fixed and coming to resolution quickly without hardship to my bank account. So naturally, I employ digital channels. In this case, Twitter, phone, and email. Here is the original tweet:
I also call to make sure I have the traditional route covered. I use my cellphone to open a ticket with customer service, so yes, I'm still in the digital realm.
About that fan, by the way, here's a link to a :20 recording of the refrigerator fan I made using my iPhone Voice Memo app. Distance is 6-inches from the unit. The dishwasher (Kenmore) can be slightly heard in the background.
The next day, I receive an email from "Alison" on the ~AppLight Social Media Team. She is on the case and promises to follow-up with me after the repairman visits!
Time passes--well, a few hours anyway--and the repairman comes and goes. Andy, by the way, has visited our house before. He's awesome. Alison follows up again via email promising to get back in contact soon.
This morning, I receive the following email from Alison:
On Feb 27, 2013, at 4:23 AM, "~AppLight Social Media Team" <ConsIndsocialmedia@ge.com> wrote:
Dear Mr. Leavitt,Thanks for your patience.I have reviewed the information you provided along with your service history and I would like to offer you further assistance by waiving 50% of the parts cost to have your unit repaired. You will be responsible for 50% of parts and the full labor cost. You will not be charged another home call charge as long as we schedule service within 30 days of your last appointment.Please contact me to confirm acceptance of this offer.Is there a day this week that you would be available for service to be scheduled? If this week is not good for you, we can schedule at a future time. Just let me know.I will look for your reply.Sincerely,Alison
So let's see... the total estimate provided to fix my refrigerator--this time--is $258.34. The cost of labor is $235.93. The tax is $22.41. Which leaves the parts cost as $16.50. GE is willing to forego $8.25 to provide me compensation.
As you can imagine, my reaction is at first... incredulous...
Alison's response follows. By my count, she references herself as "I" or "me" 5 times, and GE Appliances "we" or"us" 4 times. She references me ("you") ...3 times.
At this point, I am awaiting GE Appliance's response. I don't think Alison really understands the math of what she offered. $8.25 hasn't even covered the cost of her time to the company to manage the issue so far. Plus, an inadequate response by GE Appliance to this issue is not going to be productive for the company in the long run.
However, I'm generally a positive guy. I believe that people and companies can do the right thing.
Stay tuned. I'll let you know what happens here.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Monday, January 7, 2013
Oh, the pain... the pain
Dr. Smith would have been in pain during Sunday's match-up between the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins. Seattle lost two players to injury... defensive end Chris Clemons tore his ACL and kicker Steven Hauschka hobbled through the game in pain due to a calf injury.
Frankly though, I could do without another Redskins quarterback suffering a leg injury. The painful knee twist that phenom Robert Griffin III suffered was a flashback-inducing reminder of Joe Theisman's famous leg break.
Despite the injuries and the abysmal field conditions, this was a great game featuring 3 of the NFL's marquee rookie players; RG3, Russell Wilson, and Alfred Morris all played with talent that explains why fans on both coasts have been ecstatic all season long. For me, it was a game of loyalties. Since before I can remember, the Redskins have been my team. My Christmas tree still has a Billy Kilmer ornament. At the same time, I've been a Seahawks fan since my 7th grade football team by the same name won the championship.
Sure would have been nice to see these teams in the conference championship instead of the first round.
Frankly though, I could do without another Redskins quarterback suffering a leg injury. The painful knee twist that phenom Robert Griffin III suffered was a flashback-inducing reminder of Joe Theisman's famous leg break.
Despite the injuries and the abysmal field conditions, this was a great game featuring 3 of the NFL's marquee rookie players; RG3, Russell Wilson, and Alfred Morris all played with talent that explains why fans on both coasts have been ecstatic all season long. For me, it was a game of loyalties. Since before I can remember, the Redskins have been my team. My Christmas tree still has a Billy Kilmer ornament. At the same time, I've been a Seahawks fan since my 7th grade football team by the same name won the championship.
Sure would have been nice to see these teams in the conference championship instead of the first round.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Old Friends
Today I learned that a friend from childhood died over the weekend from a heart attack. He was 52.
52 is not a ripe old age. To complicate his life toward the end, he was also battling cancer.
Looking back, the signs were there. Though always tall, he seemed from my young eyes to carry a little more than was normal around the waist. I attributed this in my youth and ignorance to lack of an active lifestyle. Toward his end, that little extra vanished in Facebook photos. Again, in my ignorance, I attributed the weight loss to aging and as the result of good health habits; exercise, improved diet.
As it turns out, ignorance is not wasted on the young.
The sudden (to me) loss of my friend is hitting me hard, and harder than I ever would have predicted. We were on-again, off-again friends as kids, and Facebook helped us to reconnect. He often posted about his latest car acquisition or ski trip. Funny enough, one of the strongest memories I have of him is the ski trip we took back in the 70s to Bryce Mountain. I can still see him in my mind's eye.
And now, with him gone, what remains are memories. Tinged with the regret that I could have, should have, been more appreciative of the gentleness he brought to this world, is the observation that others are coming forward, via Facebook, to express their fond memories of him.
I've always said that one of the greatest pleasures of Facebook is that it allows me to bring the best people in the different phases of my life together in one place.
It looks like the best phases of my life just got a little more empty.
52 is not a ripe old age. To complicate his life toward the end, he was also battling cancer.
Looking back, the signs were there. Though always tall, he seemed from my young eyes to carry a little more than was normal around the waist. I attributed this in my youth and ignorance to lack of an active lifestyle. Toward his end, that little extra vanished in Facebook photos. Again, in my ignorance, I attributed the weight loss to aging and as the result of good health habits; exercise, improved diet.
As it turns out, ignorance is not wasted on the young.
The sudden (to me) loss of my friend is hitting me hard, and harder than I ever would have predicted. We were on-again, off-again friends as kids, and Facebook helped us to reconnect. He often posted about his latest car acquisition or ski trip. Funny enough, one of the strongest memories I have of him is the ski trip we took back in the 70s to Bryce Mountain. I can still see him in my mind's eye.
And now, with him gone, what remains are memories. Tinged with the regret that I could have, should have, been more appreciative of the gentleness he brought to this world, is the observation that others are coming forward, via Facebook, to express their fond memories of him.
I've always said that one of the greatest pleasures of Facebook is that it allows me to bring the best people in the different phases of my life together in one place.
It looks like the best phases of my life just got a little more empty.
Another Craigslist Attempt
See the posting here.
FREE CHUNKS O' CONCRETE PIECES SMASHED BY HULK!
BAH! Former owner of house build big concrete pad in back yard, and Hulk no like concrete pad. So Hulk get rid of pad by SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! Now concrete pad many, many pieces because no rebar. NO REBAR! NO REBAR!
Now Hulk no like many, many pieces either. So Hulk say,"Who want concrete pieces?" But nobody answer Hulk. This make Hulk sad, so Hulk post this listing on Craigslist and think somebody want concrete. That somebody you? Well come get it before Hulk start throwing pieces at Ironman. He make Hulk confused with all that talking and funny beard.
You tell Hulk if you want concrete. Take as much or as little as you like. Hulk no care. Pieces were 18'x28' pad, 4-6" deep. Hulk think about 9 cubic yards.
Now Hulk no like many, many pieces either. So Hulk say,"Who want concrete pieces?" But nobody answer Hulk. This make Hulk sad, so Hulk post this listing on Craigslist and think somebody want concrete. That somebody you? Well come get it before Hulk start throwing pieces at Ironman. He make Hulk confused with all that talking and funny beard.
You tell Hulk if you want concrete. Take as much or as little as you like. Hulk no care. Pieces were 18'x28' pad, 4-6" deep. Hulk think about 9 cubic yards.
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