Another adventure in customer service

Tam tries to work out some problems with her cellphone.

Me: "I'd like to replace this old Audiovox."
Him: "What features do you want on a phone? We have..."
Me: "Cheap. All I want is covered buttons and more talk time. Your cheapest phone should be fine."
Him: "Well, even our cheapest phone is going to be $109."
Me: "That sign says $69.99 and the phone looks like what I want..."
Him: "That's for new customers."

How to chase customers away. I for one have resolved never to get involved with cable TV, because I'm unwilling to expend the energy to even consider the prospect of dealing with Comcast. Last night, talk over dinner with friends turned to cell phone companies, the first thing out of anyone's mouth was, "Remember, they're all weasels."


Related: From a story^[1] in today's Wall Street Journal:

A vote today on a proposal that could lead to stricter regulation of the cable industry was in jeopardy yesterday, as internal squabbling at the Federal Communications Commission and outside pressure from Congress and the White House threatened to delay, if not completely derail, the plan...

A rejection... would be a blow to [FCC Chairman Kevin] Martin, who has come under pressure from fellow Republicans and free-market advocates to back off his cable-regulation plan.

Given the public's hatred for cable providers, instead of fooling around with more regulation the Republicans ought to be calling for a Waco-style assault on the cablecos' headquarters, taking care to sow the grounds with salt afterward.

It'd set 'em up to win in 2008, for sure.

-----
^[1] FCC Proposal on Cable Industry May Die in Last-Ditch Haggling, WSJ, November 27, 2007, page A3

Posted by: Old Grouch in Rants at 17:56:28 GMT | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 278 words, total size 2 kb.

Aversion therapy and Hollywood's troubles

Two fascinating comment threads about what's wrong with Hollywood, one at Libertas, the other at Ace of Spades. In the crosstalk, this vital point was raised:

I remember having ‘Judgment at Nuremberg’ recommended to me by a friend. I looked at the poster, looked at the date it was made (1962), and I assumed it would be a one-sided American indictment of the Nazis. It would be preachy, smug, and have no drama. Even though I’m firmly anti-Nazi, there was no way I would want to watch something like that. Being lectured to is no fun, even if it’s something you agree with.

Years later, I finally saw the movie. More than anything I’ve ever seen, it showed how Nazi Germany worked. It’s a brilliant movie. It actually allowed you to understand — but not agree with — the motivations of senior Nazi figures.

Hollywood has forgotten how to do this. – “autonomoussource,” in the thread at Libertas

To which, “Looking Glass” at Ace:

Hollywood's contempt for its audience is reaching back in time to spoil great movies. The well is thoroughly poisoned...

...The learned reflex is that any given movie is not only bad, but insults the audience, with a slap in the face coming.

This is the result of years of aversion therapy, training people to cringe at the thought of a Hollywood movie.

Hollywood had better hope this attitude doesn’t spread very far among its audience, or it is doomed. An applicable story, about symphony orchestras, below the break...
more...

Posted by: Old Grouch in Rants at 22:32:06 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 751 words, total size 7 kb.

"Alleviate the problem" - issue more tickets

Lexington [Kentucky] police have increased patrols and ticketing around Fayette Mall and Hamburg Pavilion, where traffic problems persist throughout the shopping season.

The biggest problem is cars blocking traffic as drivers attempt to turn... Police have been handing out tickets for the offense, which will set drivers back $150 in court costs and a $20 fine.

"It's just one small thing we can do to alleviate the problem there," he [Lexington police Lt. J.J. Lombardi] said. – Lexington Herald-Leader

What about telling your officers to get their butts out of their squad cars and direct some traffic?

Via: Instapundit

Posted by: Old Grouch in Rants at 19:38:19 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 100 words, total size 1 kb.