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January 2008
Customer Service?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
High tech purchases and gifts too often come with a downside: the need to contact customer service or technical support.
For instance, a radio-controlled airplane I got as a gift had instructions that were both useless and amusing. The person who translated the instructions from Chinese knew about as much English as I know Chinese.
I needed help, and I had to fight to get it. Unfortunately, you’ll probably be in the same boat several times during any given year.
Here’s the rub. “Customer service” doesn’t exist for the most part. Sure, there are departments with that name and people who hold that job, but I get more helpful answers from my beagle.
There’s not much we can do to change that reality. But there are tactics to make the painful process a bit less painful. So here are my seven rules for surviving an encounter with customer service.
Don’t communicate by e-mail if you have a choice. You’ll be entering a loop that lasts forever and ends up breaking your heart. If you get an answer at all it’ll usually be a canned response. Then the merry-go-round starts. You’ll answer, they’ll answer asking for more information, you’ll answer … ad nauseum.
But wait, you say, there’s no telephone number listed on the Web site or in the material that came with the item. There is a way around that. In many cases you can find a telephone number and a mailing address at this Web site:.
Be prepared before you call. That means having the model number of the item, your order number, and a brief description of your problem. The process is time consuming enough; don’t make it worse.
Politeness counts on both ends of the telephone. Make a game out of winning over the person on the other end of the line. The more hostile or cold they seem, the better the challenge. Be human and polite. Ask how their day is going. You might just warm them up. Unfortunately, there’s also another “be” to remember.
Be ready. If the first person on the line can’t solve your problem ask to speak with a supervisor. Always get names and contact information. Some companies don’t allow representatives to give out their names. But there’s usually some identifying data allowed. In some cases, it’s an “agent number.”
Many of you will still have trouble getting your problem resolved. That’s when it’s time to send a polite letter, outlining the problem and your efforts to get it resolved. Again, be polite but firm. Send the letter to the head of customer service. State a reasonable deadline for a reply. I’m talking letter here, not e-mail. Sending it certified mail is not a waste of money. Find the address on the company’s Web site or use the Hoovers Web site I mentioned earlier.
Don’t give up. I know it would be easy to just call it a day after going through all these steps. But, in every case where I’ve continued the fight, I’ve eventually gotten help. Companies set up obstacles to discourage you, I believe. That alone should be incentive to keep trying.
One more thing: Tell me how you’ve done when you’ve tried to resolve a complaint. I would also welcome any tips you have for getting through the customer service system. You can write me at bhusted@ajc.com or better yet, leave a note here.
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High on Hi-Def
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I bought my HDTV several years ago. At the time there wasn’t much programming. I spent a lot of time watching documentaries about the love life of otters and travel shows that offered a peek into life in Estonia.
Now, the high-def content is finally there. And in 2009, all programming will be digital. So, even though your old analog TV will work just fine with a cable box or satellite receiver, common sense dictates that if you’re in the market for a TV you should be looking at HDTV options.
And that’s where things can get a mite confusing. HDTV is a great advance, but it has made buying a TV a lot more complicated than it used to be.
To start with, you’ll be choosing from a menu of technologies that includes LCD, plasma, DLP and old-tech rear projection or tube models.
Start by ruling out rear projection, even though that is what I have. When I bought mine, rear projection offered a decent HDTV picture at a price I could afford. Prices now have fallen, and there’s no longer much of an argument for rear projection. Sony, in fact, is going out of the rear projection business.
That leaves us with a choice between LCD, plasma and DLP. You’d be fine with any of the three. One of my favorite HDTV experts believes the DLP picture is unmatched. But if I was buying today, I’d pick a plasma set. The brightness and depth of the blacks from plasma is hard to beat. However, plasma uses more electricity and runs quite a bit hotter than LCD.
And while plasma is fairly dependable these days, LCD is the way to go if long life is the most important factor in your decision.
To narrow down brands and specific choices, read reviews. I suggest www.cnet.com, and Consumer Reports magazine does a good job. Use the reviews to rule out sets that have repair issues, or if you find horror stories about the way the manufacturer supports the warranty. Try to build a list of sets in your price range that seem worth considering.
Now use the most powerful selection tool available: Your eyes.
Picture quality is highly subjective. Spend time looking at the pictures on sets that make your short list. Watch from about the same viewing distance and angle you’ll use at home. Retailers will likely have the set hooked up for the best possible high-def picture; ask to see it in standard definition as well, if possible.
As far as size, the temptation is to buy the biggest set you can afford (or can’t afford). To really see the amazing detail offered by HDTV, a big screen is unmatched. But for settings like the one I have at home - a smallish den - a 42-inch set is plenty big enough.
The right sound system brings out the theater-quality of the HDTV experience. When I first got my set I used the built-in speakers. I was amazed at the difference when I added a five speaker system made for home theater. The big sound makes it seem more like being at the movies.
One thing not to fret about: Most manufacturers are touting 1080p sets. The “p” stands for progressive scan. It is superior to 1080i (the “i” stands for interlaced). You can read about the difference in the two methods of displaying the picture here: http://tinyurl.com/y9lcxt.
Progressive scan is better, but keep in mind the fact that no broadcaster is sending out images in that format. So if the set you want offers progressive scan (that’s the way the market is going) that’s great. But do not rule out a 1080i set if the price and picture knock you out. For smaller sets of under 40 inches, experts say a 720p set is fine, by the way.
I hope these tips help. If you make the switch you’re in for a treat, and you won’t have to watch a bunch of otters to get it.
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A spy at work
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How would you like to be literally connected to your computer at work?
Not much, I suspect. Because this new software would let your boss know if your attention is drifting off, or if you’re angry. It’s an electronic monitoring technology for the workplace.
Sounds like more Big Brother than most folks would want.
Read it and weep at the Web link here.
Permalink | | Categories: General
Cleaning house
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s no hope of getting my house in order. Squirrels have invaded the attic, Lucy the beagle has a love affair with my socks and has them scattered about, and - as I write this - the Christmas tree is still up.
But the New Year is a new beginning. So today we will talk about how you can get your computer system in order. You’ll note I said “system” because that’s what it is - computer, monitor, network and various gadgets connected to it.
Since there’s so much to cover, I’ll give the short version here but rely on Web links to fill in details.
Computer: I hope it’s silly for me to remind you that you need to use an anti-virus program and a firewall. But I’ll do it anyway.
Also let me remind you to occasionally defragment your hard disk and eliminate files and programs that you no longer use.
While you’ll need an add-on program for anti-virus protection - there are many fine choices - Windows XP and Vista have built-in firewalls.
I’m fine with the firewall that comes with Windows Vista. If you have an earlier version of Windows you might consider firewalls from Norton or Zone Alarm.
Network: Keep in mind that your router also serves as a firewall of sorts. So that’s a good first step.
If you use a wireless router, it’s a giant doorway into your computer for anyone within radio range. There are ways to make it comparatively safe. You should find complete instructions in the manual that came with it, or on the manufacturer’s Web site.
Just to be sure that we cover all the bases, here’s a Web site that discusses wireless security in detail:
To be doubly safe, I usually turn off a wireless router when I’m not using the computer. If you follow all the security tips that’s probably not necessary, but - if you’re in doubt - there’s no harm in following my example.
Passwords: If any of your passwords are words that can be found in the dictionary, or names, you need new ones. A good password should contain both letters and numbers.
Monitor: If you have an LCD monitor, heat build-up is no problem. But if you still use a tube type monitor you need to make sure that it doesn’t become an extra storage shelf. I’ve literally seen these monitors catch on fire because of newspapers placed on top.
Printer: Do yourself a favor if you have an ink jet printer. Turn off your printer when you aren’t using it. That parks the printhead in a way that prevents ink from clogging. My wife has ignored this advice for years; we buy a lot of printers.
If you print a lot of documents, strongly consider a laser printer. You can buy a black and white laser printer and hang on to the ink jet for times you need color. The cost of printing a black and white page is much lower using a laser printer.
UPS: You need an uninterruptable power supply. It provides the power needed to shut down your computer when the power goes out. It also makes sure that the current that your computer used is is relatively clean and free of spikes.
I favor the APC brand of UPS. Regular readers know that I avoid specific brand recommendations when I can. But the quality in this case makes it worth consideration.
No matter what brand you buy make sure it offers protection for your telephone line and - if you use a cable modem - the cable line. Lightning strikes are more likely to come through the cable or phone line than they are through the electrical line.
Finally, take a moment to straighten up any wiring - especially ethernet cable - around your computer. Kinks in ethernet can slow the data speed. And kinks can lead to breaks in the tiny wires inside the cable.
Enough housecleaning for today. Take a well-deserved break.
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Filtering is fine for water, bad for the Net
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s a move afoot by the big Internet providers to ‘filter’ the Internet.
That’s a polite way of saying that they want to check to see what you’re doing online. The reason - searching out people who download pirated material. But, to do that, they have to monitor what you’re doing.
Here’s a Web link so you can check out the growing possibility that Big Brother wants to keep an eye on you.
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It’s a giveaway - and you’re doing the giving
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sometimes the best thing you can do with a computer is give it away.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because I say it around this time every year. Many of you got computers for Christmas, which means you may have a surplus machine sitting around. The worst place for an extra computer is an attic or basement, where it will just take up space until dampness or critters destroy it.
Let someone use it instead.
It could go to a member of your extended family, or to a friend’s family. Or you could check with your church or synagogue, a civic club you belong to, or a school.
Young people enjoy messing with computers. And, for old people, the Web and e-mail enable travel to places where legs will no longer go.
A computer that was cruising the Web, writing letters and e-mails, and helping create documents before the holiday season is still capable of doing all that, probably for quite a while to come.
It’s fun for me to find someone who would enjoy having the old computer. But there are also organizations that take old computers and refurbish them. I live in Atlanta, and the group closest to me is called Tech Corps Georgia. You can find information on making a donation at this Web address: . If you live in another area, just use Google and type in this search: donate computer.
Many of you want to give a computer away but worry - with good cause - that the information you saved on the hard disk could be used by someone else. And you know that merely erasing, or even reformatting, the hard disk isn’t a surefire method of getting rid of data.
Here’s what I do with a computer that I plan to donate: I open the case and remove the hard disk. Some people physically destroy the hard disk, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But, for me, I simply stick the hard disk in a drawer.
That way, if I need some data from the old computer and can’t rely on my backup data, I can retrieve it by temporarily installing the hard drive as a second hard disk in the new computer. That’s an easy task. I’ll include a link here that will offer some tips on doing that
In some cases, you can give the computer away without the hard disk. Other organizations may want a fully functioning computer.
There are two ways to go if you’re in that boat. You can buy another hard disk -it’s easy find one for $50 or less. Or you can use a program that reliably removes data. For a discussion of that process the names of various programs- including a free one that claims to do it safely, check out this Web address:
So if you have a computer that isn’t being used, go ahead and have some real fun with it. Give it away.
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