My cell phone rang insistently during my estate-sale hunt at a sure-to-be-torn-down Mercer Island view home. I barely had a chance to say hello before My Attorney launched into an exasperated tale.
Comcast/Xfinity had done the unthinkable and blocked My Attorney’s continued access to live streaming video of Women’s Olympic Curling.
If you have watched even one moment of curling, you understand the egregious error Comcast made in denying continued access to adorable frownie faces, strategic sweeping motions and riveting booty-up displays of athletic prowess and agility. The physics alone of rock on rock displacement and movement are enough to make anyone want to break out the popcorn.
When his trial viewing pass expired, My Attorney hurried to call Comcast before the Russia/Canada match only to experience frustration usually reserved for generations of women: he is NOT the primary account holder. He also failed every security test given.
After some discussion, the woman who answered told him with a suspicious tone, “You seem unsure” and then insisted they would have to talk to me instead.
I was endlessly amused, but also concerned his poor reaction had gotten us blacklisted from ever again receiving priority service. Boy, was I wrong. While My Attorney learned a few important things that day (like our address and the last four of my Social Security number) I was glad to be reminded of an even more important lesson during my 45 minute phone call with Jose.
I explained our urgent need to access Olympic Curling events. We chatted amiably about the hurdles My Attorney failed to clear in the first phone call and I was surprised to learn we have a Comcast email account and also an associated password. Jose was ridiculously pleasant.
Once the Russian team was safely back online; I said, “Jose, can you take a look at our account and add that new fangled HD thing, keep all of our old channels and make it cheaper?” He did. He then insisted on doubling our Internet speed and setting up a VOIP phone line all for $20 less than we are paying now. Okaaay.
I was impressed and felt that Comcast should know how well Jose represented their brand. I asked to be connected to a supervisor and as is so often the case with technology timing, his computer froze. So I asked for his ID number, hit redial and went through the arduous vetting process again to connect to a supervisor.
She was so shocked that I was calling to compliment rather than complain that she asked me twice to verify. The manager’s reaction was an important reminder to me to try to always act on the impulse to give feedback, especially the good kind, immediately.
Picking up the phone to compliment excellent service doesn’t burn as many calories as Olympic curling, and thankfully it requires far less training. And while we will likely never know if our words made a difference, the effort alone imparts a warm and fuzzy Gold Medal glow.
Follow @Heija on Twitter, friend her on Facebook or silently judge her life at her blog The Worst Mother in the World.
