Ready to Holler

I received a recall notice for my 2004 Honda Odyssey. I called Holler Honda to make a recall service appointment. I was told, specifically, that it takes a few days for the part to come in so “we’ll schedule you about four or five days out.” I agreed. 

When I showed up to my appointment at my scheduled time, I was asked my name and we verified that my appointment was valid. Manny, approached my driver side window and asked me my name again. He then asked me how we could help me, I thought that information had already been relayed when I made the appointment. Shouldn’t you know why your customers are there if they made the appointment?

 It’s like a server at a restaurant asking her guests what they ordered after they ordered it.
I told Manny that I was there for the airbag recall service, he asked me if the part was already in stock. How the heck am I supposed to know if the part is in stock?

 I asked him the same question. He said he’d check on it. He then came back and told me that part was not in stock, but asked me my address? I guess he needed one more piece of information to verify that there was the right silver Honda Odyssey owned by me at the right place during that exact time?
I made it clear that I didn’t appreciate having my time wasted, especially when you’re logging around a impatient two-year-old. And I made it clear what my expectations were, since I had made the appointment a few days out specifically so the part would be in. Manny explained to me that they’re having a problem with their call center not relating messages. That information means nothing to me. That’s his problem, and it shouldn’t have been made public. He said he would call me personally when they could do the work, I appreciate that. You should know, that he did just raise the bar by using the word “personally.” All customer service is personal. We’ll have to see how it pans out. It’s poor so far

Double Identity and Feelings

Lyman High School’s Lymlight Production of Dr. Jekyll an and Mr. Hyde was excellent. It was nice being on my old campus. I was anxious to see the adaptation because I had taught the classic novella only a few weeks earlier at The Ampersand School.
The interpretation of the diaries, the epistolary effects of disjointing, and mixing monologue with flashback was great and came through clearly. The device of the magician’s presto-chango door was kitschy yet clean and effective.

Using the Victorian period’s phenomena of bodysnatching, and burgeoning science butting heads with spiritual ethics as a story arc showed understanding. The brothel asides were distractingly hideous.

I have a few very specific complaints. The stage work, acting, lighting, music, direction and passion are not among them. The inappropriate female dress across the board and the adaptation’s use of highly sexualized characterization are. If this were in any other theater, I’d be fine. In a high school, not so much. When the Man Servant, Poole, is reimagined as a female, it doesn’t follow that a distinguished Dr’s. head mistress would be dressed as a can-can extra for the Moulin Rouge.

It didn’t escape me that the highly stylized production was closer to rock opera than Victorian classic stageplay. The only thing missing was a Meatloaf solo. It came off a little closer to Rocky Horror Picture Show then Robert Louis Stevenson
I suppose my gripe is with the author of the adaptation: Jeffrey Hatcher. The Hyde character’s emotional enmeshment with Elizabeth and his resulting concern of the safety of this hooker, fails big time. Hyde has no conscience. To have him scare away a woman for her own protection is squarely in contrast to the alter-ego’s purpose. It only serves to invite shallow melodrama into the wannabe rock opera.
Again, having a high school cast lose the books meaning, in favor of a reality show plot, is not why I applauded. The great acting certainly was.

I can’t be the only one who knows it’s inappropriate to shove a teenager into a bustier and heels and claim it’s okay because it’s a performance…can I?

I’ve had a gutful of customer (dis)service…

The pure and blessed way

As a self-employed person, I like to purchase the goods and services of other self-employed people as often as possible…

I place a lot of value on the personal touch and to me it is worth the extra pennies rather than handing over my hard earned cash to big faceless companies that offer knock down prices that drive small businesses out of business…

But Jeez…. it really is hard!!!

Now don’t get me wrong… I have had some exquisite service and wonderful purchasing experiences with independent retailers…

But on the other hand…

Oh! my giddy Aunt… it proves almost impossible to buy something you want…

I can’t understand the lackadaisical attitude of people who promote their goods then can’t be bothered to respond when you attempt to purchase… or those who take your orders and fail to deliver on time and seem to take a perverse delight in keeping you…

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Interface or Face to Face…Future of Customer Service?

Interesting choice of time on the devices. Great article.

Gerald Morrow

As the summer season wraps up, I look back on some experiences and ask myself if good customer service is a thing of the past or is there hope for the future?

During my travels this summer I experienced some of the best and some of the worst customer service.  Beginning in Orlando, Florida and no I wasn’t there to visit Disney but did make a stop at Downtown Disney.  WOW, Disney and its staff take guest service to a level we all should only hope to reach but may never reach in our own workplace.  But while at another place there in Orlando I was able to experience amazing service one minute from a staff member and then had a less than satisfying experience a few hours later in the same place by a different staff member.

How come every guest doesn’t get the same experience?  Of course Disney…

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What an incredible event!

the following is from a promotional email.

You’re not at the level of success you expected. Why is that? What’s missing?

* Time – you don’t have enough to get everything done.
* Money – sales haven’t really hit where you need them to be.
* Confidence – you’re going slow because you’re unsure.
* Attention – people don’t even seem to see you.
* Health – you feel tired and sluggish more often than not.
* Organization – everything’s scattered and nothing seems easy.
* Support – you’re trying, but everyone at home is getting anxious.

Did any of that ring a bell with you, ? All of it? Are you unhappy with where you are with your personal level of success and/or the health of your business?

Come to Camp

Announcing the Owner’s Path Training Camp (O.P.T.C.), a Two Day LIVE event in Boston, October 20th and 21st, led by Chris Brogan, Rob Hatch, and Jacqueline Carly at the beautiful Colonnade Hotel at 120 Huntington Avenue, in Boston, Massachusetts.

O.P.T.C. is a one-of-a-kind experience blending business and health, personal and professional development, and a full-spectrum dose of actionable plans and systems designed to help you attain and master a high level of performance and execution on your goals and responsibilities.

This is War

We are at war, you and I. The enemy wears the name “average” and “settling” and “good enough.” A great deal of what got us to where we are in our lives and efforts is that we fell away from consistent discipline, from living by a strong and guiding mission, and we got into the habit of doing the absolute minimum, especially if we felt any degree of pushback from many parts of the process.

One unique facet of the O.P.T.C. experience is that we will seek to reacquaint you with your commitments, your personal discipline, your ability to execute at a higher level. Through workshops, exercise, and your own discoveries, you will leave this event transformed by the process and committed to a higher level of personal and professional performance as a result.

What To Expect

Over the course of two full days, plan to move your body and stretch your mind as we guide you through a series of lessons, workshops, group sessions, and focused personal and professional growth.

You will leave with new systems, new beliefs, new ideas, fuel for your journey, new friends and allies, and the foundations of a new approach to what you need to do to build out everything it’s going to take to achieve the level of success you want in your life and your business.

Yes, you will have up close and personal time with Chris Brogan, Rob Hatch, and Jacqueline Carly. It’s not some mega-event. It’s small and intimate and touch-your-elbow level stuff.

Yes, you will be able to bring all your questions to be answered: on health, on home life, on fitness, on business, on goals, on sales, on marketing, on the digital channel. That’s why we’re here.

Yes, there will be actual physical exercise (adaptable to your level of health and readiness so don’t panic!).

We are seeking professionals who want to improve their level of commitment to success, who want to reach for that next level of performance, who want to bring their abilities far beyond the levels you’ve reached in the last year or two.

Is that you?

Make the Commitment

We will accomplish a lot together. Your first step? Register now. The full retail price of this event is $597 for the two days. If you purchase your ticket before September 30th, we will know you’re committed to being part of this experience. For that, we’ll make your ticket cost only $297 (keep the $300 for further developmental experiences, because we want you to grow and thrive).

If you wait, if you delay, if you procrastinate, there may still be a seat for you. It will cost $597, but provided we haven’t sold out, it would be our pleasure to help you improve your performance to a much higher level through the Owner’s Path Training Camp.

Be Part of the FOUNDING CLASS of O.P.T.C.

This event is growing, and will take on a whole new shape and form in subsequent years, but Chris and the rest of us at Owner Media Group always remember those who joined in and helped us shape the experience early on. If you come to O.P.T.C. this (date) with us, you’ll receive a special commemorative tee shirt and other awards citing that you were part of the O.P.T.C. Founder’s Class.

Come join us and get ready to grow your capabilities and connections with us!

–Chris

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Owner Media Group Inc 110 Marginal Way #744 Portland, Maine 04101 United States (207) 650-5290

God bless the SEC and great customer Service

Even if it’s a sales promo and shameless self promotion, the fiber-optic quality service being provided by epb is awesome. Check out this Facebook post compared to others as well. When you make a service promise, and tie it to SEC FOOTBALLyou’ve made a pact with God in Tennessee. You might even be Catholic and in the good graces of Vol fans if you are an installer. joke

Movie Review: TheTriplets of Belleville

This is one of those great movies which you may be unwilling to try. When we think of animated features we think they all have to come with mouse ears or scream “to infinity and beyond” or some combination and facsimile thereof. The greatest animated features typically have neither of these.

Think timeless and lesser known, such as Heavy Metal, maybe not part two. You could go through the entire Ralph Bakshi collection as far as I’m concerned, as well. In order to find some of the best in animated films, you have to search. Because the ones that are delivered to you are simply not in the category.

The Triplets of Belleville were an evening variety show favorite when television was new. In the context of this movie’s surreal satirical plot, they are has-been vaudeville style harmonizers with at least one hit for which they will be forever remembered, even when foiling a a room full of midget gangsters’ evil plots – listen for the sing-a-long. They are also keenly aware of their status and almost nothing else. Our heroine Mme Sauza remembered the hit she listened to with her pudgy grandson clearly enough to have been taken in by them in their golden-senile frog-eating years. As an after thought, this is a subtle warning to our protagonist that the French are in danger. Grandmother had been grooming her little grandson to be a cyclist. We first meet him as a chubby little boy watching the sisters on TV with his grandmother. The animation style in the first few minutes is a clear compliment to the long-gone age. We next find him as a lean and dedicated cyclist training for the streets of some backwater French town with grandmother in tow. When the great French bicycle race, Circuit De France begins, the lead cyclists are plucked and without circumstance, from the race and stolen away, rather exaggeratedly breathless, to the city of Belleville. Grandmother’s house chases the boxy villainous kidnapper and bodyguard clones across the sea, in a paddle boat, in an attempt to rescue her progeny who, along with two other cyclists, were kidnapped. The Tripletts happen upon the reliable woman and her locomotive obsessed dog, they are attracted to her by her ability to reproduce their tune on  bent bike wheel spokes. They take in the weary traveler and her dog-who’s el-train envy and dream sequences are nuanced wonders which provide a wonderful and ironic grounding to the otherwise fantastic reality in this movie.
Although you can ascertain historical and emotional relevancy, when you’re not sure what’s happening, you’re still willing to keep watching and find out. The animation continually borders on the grotesque, while walking that fine line of absolute beauty.

So Much of what you see is hyperbole, and when you get used to it, you are longing for more exaggeration.

Comcast Tells Customer The Only Reason He’s Getting Bogus Charges Refunded Is Because He Recorded Call

Movie Monday: The Immigrant

This is one of those great movies which opens with a symbol of hope, quickly dashes said hope then teases it’s frayed and dirty ends throughout. In the case of The Immigrant, it teases that hope through the gas lit streets of a burgeoning vaudeville and low-rent brothel. Bruno, played by Joaqin Phoenix – which should be enough said for anyone to watch this film plays the would-be savior of an immigrant woman whose sister has been detained at Ellis Island due to TB. After the classic frame of a shawl-draped dark-haired woman looking over the bow of a raggedy ship at the bright and domineering Statue of Liberty, we are quickly swept into the cramped and damp processing line inside the immigration center. A bit of forshadowing takes place as Ewa Cybulska – Marion Cotillard, or Geeks like me know her as Ra’s Al Ghul’s daughter Miranda in The Dark Knight Rises – warns her sister to cough quietly or not at all. It is a tip for the new world, don’t show your weaknesses. The sister is taken to an infirmary for an indeterminate period of time.

From amongst the dark overcoats in the waiting area springs the spider. Bruno feels the subtle and nuanced twang of a silken web, and recognizes fresh prey, bribes a guard and pulls the remaining fly from the line and takes her home. We immediately trust Bruno the way Ewa trusts him, barely at all. She sleeps with a razor. We quickly learn what Bruno’s trade is. His trade is in skin. He leans out the window the next morning, and like a pigeon clapper awakens his “doves”  across the courtyard and they respond in turn. Beautifully haggard woman moan and groan there responses through half-open and closeline connected windows, across Bruno’s web. He begs them to get ready for the day. They confide in Ewa, during an instance of faux intimacy and sisterhood in which they take her to their bosoms and bathe her, washing off the dirt and in a way baptizing her into their order. The tell her in order to make enough money to bribe her sister’s way out of the infirmary on Ellis Iisland, there will be a lot of sewing of costumes to do, “or a lot of fuc*ing.” admits one of the doves. This secondary money making talent was rumored on the immigrant ship on the way over. It becomes her primary job when the effeminite and slight son of a wealthy man askes Bruno for the gentle Ewa to make a man of the boy. Very drunk and very desperate, Ewa reaches for the boy and they both recieve an initiation. The Immigrant spares us from any sexual explicitness. We know what prostitutes do. It instead focuses on the emotional toll and downhill slide these characters undertake.

There is never a lure of glamour. Ewa’s existence sees small glimpses of redemption. We take hold of the American Dream for another brief moment as she finds the aunt and uncle whom were supposed to have sponsored her stay in the first place, but had dubiously disappeared according to immigration officers. It’s not Ewa’s new foray into stage burlesque – where she assumes the role of “Lady Liberty” ironically to a crowd of crude american men – which makes her uncle kick her out in the morning, it is a rumor of Ewa’s “woman of low morals” from the boat which threatens the good polish businessman’s reputation and becomes grounds for the eviction. She winds up back in the Immigration dormitory. The magician act on Ellis Island is headed by the levitating Orlando the Magician – actually Bruno’s cousin Emil, in a Dickensian melodramatic fashion – played by Jeremy Renner ( Yes, Hawkeye). They begin to attract back in NY when Bruno once again buys her way out of the island. We suspect it was he who sent the immigration guards to the aunts and uncle’s as well, hence no mention of the current job. She and Bruno are surprised – albeit differently – when Orlando is hired at the same theater as Bruno’s skin show and prostitution front. It ends badly.

Now betrayed by her own family and having run away from Bruno and returned to be caught in the middle of a romance triangle, Ewa begins to find strength and simultaneously accepts her position, though holding out hope of reuniting with her sister. We learn that Bruno’s cruelty is his ability to love, and he is in love with Ewa, as is his trickster cousin.This ends badly. The Immigrant gives us scant characters to trust. Emil/ Orlando tempts us to believe he is the savior, but his trade is trickery and he has a more sordid past. Ewa has a redeemable quest but is willing to prostitute, eventually taking on the stage – eventually a walking tunnel in Central Park – moniker of one of the wayward daughter’s of NY’s finest family. Even the sisterhood of the call girls, who may bathe and watch out for one another, proves Brutus to Ewa’s Ceasar.

Framed in a sepia stained story of Ellis Island and early 20th century NY, the conflict and characters could have happened anywhere at anytime. When it came down to it it was another prostitute who commits betrayal. Bruno, although initially, hiding his intentions and posing as a benevolent benefactor, seemed to have been the most honest. His damnable traits kept him alive, his saving grace was almost his fatal flaw.

In the end the duality of our heroine, and of our villain is expressed explicitly. And then it is beautifully depicted in the duality of the final powerful scene. The movie ends as it begins, damn-near exactly. And it is my birth-state of NJ which becomes the promise land.This is a must-watch. 

Movie Monday Review: Leave

This is one of those great movies which opens extremely violently. It then continues enigmatically. Every time you think it’s giving you the clue you need, it changes the mystery. Just like last time, it’s a movie about brothers. At least you are made to think that. I don’t want to give you any accidental spoilers.

Come to think of it, you could say it’s a Band of Brothers reunion. Starring Rick Gomez, Frank John Hughes, and Ron Livingston (All Easy Company) and emotionally validated by Vanessa Shaw. OD’ing high-end escort as a debut in Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, then a bit more of a dramatic career since including 3:10 to Yuma, The Hills Have Eyes redux, Side Effects and Showtimes’s Ray Donavan, really create a rounded co-star. The emotion in this movie is right on the surface.

This lineup of actors certainly helps portray it so that it doesn’t just come off as cheesy melodrama.

After the violent opening we discover that the attacked man is a writer, and not sure if the attack we saw happened or was a dream. What is alluded to is “you’ve been through a lot.” and some other vague hints of
trauma. We simply assume that means the opening violence. One begins to wonder, given the severity of the attack, why our protagonist has no scars or lasting negative effects.

Henry decides, after a small yet garish cocktail party thrown by his editor, that he’s going to go to his cabin in the woods to write his next masterpiece.
A quick bathtub scene between Henry and Amy solidifies the emotional bond. It’s an important factor later. It seems simple and inconsequential. Remember it at the end.
The second act of this mystery begins. We go immediately from an urban setting into a lone desert highway. It just gives the film a completely different feel. We are as alone and unguarded as our writer. Henry wonders aloud what the heck he is going to write about. The viewer may again begin to question reality. Wouldn’t a writer at least have some idea about his upcoming novel, before he leaves to isolate himself in his art? We also begin to realize that Henry has a meticulous eye for details. We assume it’s because he’s a writer, and that’s a common trait. It becomes a bit more useful. We get a little bit more action when an aggressive large wheeled, monster-style truck attempts to run Henry off the road. It’s purposeful conflict, reminding us that the attack isn’t so far away, even if Henry appears to have been completely healed. When our next main character enters the frame, he is sitting calmly at the counter of the diner which can’t be called a greasy spoon, for fear of insulting greasy spoons. A series of unexplainable and extremely tense events follow. An exchange of witty accusations and purposeful and seemingly contrived explanations volley back-and-forth and this reviewers sense of calm, security and trust follows. Hints and allegations begin to fly around and the stranger at the counter turns out to be extremely familiar after all. The scene happens to take this turn extremely easily after our struggle. So as a viewer, i’m still very skeptical. This is a type of tense conflict that keeps you glued. One begins to try to find comfort by assuming that the stranger was the attacker after all. He even asked Henry if he looks familiar to him. The keyword is: familiar. From this point on it’s hard not to spoil the movie. Just pay close attention to the verbal exchange at the counter.

The third act begins as easily as the previous two. We’re in a very comfortable cabin, drinking very expensive scotch, and eating a dinner of very comforting macaroni and cheese. It’s a heartwarming scene. Almost too heartwarming to be believable. You don’t trust the calm and easiness. After what we’ve seen so far it’s just too facilitating. It doesn’t take long for that skepticism to be proven. In the final scenes and denouement of this extremely well acted and well-written drama, as many mysteries are introduced as are finally solved. We are left with a very warm feeling; we are left with calmness and ease of mind. Leave is a wonderful movie full of intrigue. There are scenes of extreme violence and of tear rendering and heart wrenching love.

Be sure to take note of the final credits. It will make what you just saw even more authentic and add a special value. There’s really not a whole lot about the second half of this movie that I can tell you without completely ruining it just please watch it all the way through, including the writing and directing credits.