I recently wrote a review about my experience with Vonage. I still remain a very happy customer with both the product and the customer service. I was very pleasantly surprised when I received an e-mail from Vonage's publicist shortly after posting my blog, letting me know that she had read the review and would be happy to provide any information I needed in the future. In my opinion, this is good customer service and corporate awareness.
Now is the time to Twitter, blog, or just spread the word, about your experiences. Vonage, among other organizations, are listening to their customers. Publicists are being hired to search social networking sites for anything written about their clients, and the leadership in organizations are watching and listening. Reviews are being brought to the attention of the CEOs and they appear to be paying attention to what their customers have to say. This will be the difference between the companies who survive during this economy and those who do not. It all comes down to the customer and the reputation. Make yourself be heard.
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Friday, July 17, 2009
A Gumptionista in San Diego fights and wins!
Happy July everyone! I hope you all had a nice 4th and are enjoying the summer.
I just received an update from a friend in San Diego, who recently asked for some advice on fighting a vendor.
"Dear Gumptionista:
I took your advice and sent a certified letter to the President of the company that did the electrical work for San Diego Gas and Electric and broke my thermostat! Guess what??? Today, I got a call from the original person who told me he was denying my claim, that they are now promptly sending me a check to cover the cost of my broken thermostat!! WOO HOOO!!
Thanks, Gumptionista for the awesome advice!"
My recommendation, as always, is to send a certified letter to the President of the company and do not take no for an answer. If you have to threaten that you will report them to the Better Business Bureau, blog, or Twitter about the issue, do it.
I just received an update from a friend in San Diego, who recently asked for some advice on fighting a vendor.
"Dear Gumptionista:
I took your advice and sent a certified letter to the President of the company that did the electrical work for San Diego Gas and Electric and broke my thermostat! Guess what??? Today, I got a call from the original person who told me he was denying my claim, that they are now promptly sending me a check to cover the cost of my broken thermostat!! WOO HOOO!!
Thanks, Gumptionista for the awesome advice!"
My recommendation, as always, is to send a certified letter to the President of the company and do not take no for an answer. If you have to threaten that you will report them to the Better Business Bureau, blog, or Twitter about the issue, do it.
Monday, June 29, 2009
More Vonage Tips
In case you are interested in pursuing a Vonage phone line and you travel, I wanted to share these tips I received from Vonage:
VONAGE SUMMER TRAVEL TIPS:
The best part of summer is getting away, but even when taking a break from the real world, everyone still needs to be in touch with work, loved ones, or both. Vonage offers a number of ways to do just that:
- Domestic Travel: Did you know that if you take your Vonage adaptor with you while traveling domestically you can make and receive calls for the same cost of using the adaptor at home? Just plug in an adaptor in to a high-speed Internet connection, and your home phone number comes with you virtually.
- International Travel: If you are traveling or moving abroad this summer, Vonage offers a way to make calls back to the U.S. without getting charged an arm and a leg on your cell or using cumbersome calling cards. Plug in your Vonage adaptor and you can make calls to the U.S. for free.
- Virtual Number: While abroad, you may want to add a local phone number to your Vonage account so locals can call you for free. Vonage has you covered here, as you can add a local international number in several locations for an additional $4.99-$9.99 per month (more details here).
- Vonage’s $24.99 Residential Premium Unlimited Plan includes calls to the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and landlines in Italy, France, Spain, England and Ireland are included.
VONAGE SUMMER TRAVEL TIPS:
The best part of summer is getting away, but even when taking a break from the real world, everyone still needs to be in touch with work, loved ones, or both. Vonage offers a number of ways to do just that:
- Domestic Travel: Did you know that if you take your Vonage adaptor with you while traveling domestically you can make and receive calls for the same cost of using the adaptor at home? Just plug in an adaptor in to a high-speed Internet connection, and your home phone number comes with you virtually.
- International Travel: If you are traveling or moving abroad this summer, Vonage offers a way to make calls back to the U.S. without getting charged an arm and a leg on your cell or using cumbersome calling cards. Plug in your Vonage adaptor and you can make calls to the U.S. for free.
- Virtual Number: While abroad, you may want to add a local phone number to your Vonage account so locals can call you for free. Vonage has you covered here, as you can add a local international number in several locations for an additional $4.99-$9.99 per month (more details here).
- Vonage’s $24.99 Residential Premium Unlimited Plan includes calls to the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and landlines in Italy, France, Spain, England and Ireland are included.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Vonage Phone Service Rules...so far
If you've been following my cell phone drama, you know how unhappy I've been with AT&T. While it appears my cell phone issues have been resolved, I can't take the chance of being held hostage again if my service decides to go out. In addition, I was paying some God awful high cell phone bill every month for unlimited calls. I liked not having to watch my minutes, but I work from home and was talking on my cell phone in my home office most of the time. I can't really justify keeping an expensive cell phone plan, and I don't feel I should be giving my money to some ungrateful corporation.
In an effort to solve my phone issues, I did some research on Vonage. They provide voiceover IP service, which is an adapter that connects to your internet box. You must have high-speed internet in order to qualify. My last company used VoIP service exclusively, because we worked from home when we weren't traveling and it was very cost efficient. A good friend of mine (you know who you are), who is my technical guru and hero, came to my rescue when my cell phone service went out. He's had Vonage for years and has never had a problem, and convinced me to give it a try.
I called and spoke to a Vonage representative on Monday and then ordered my service online. What my technical guru didn't know was that if I put him down as a referral, we would both receive two months free. What a bonus!
I received my Vonage adapter today via UPS. All that was required of me was to plug in a cable from the Vonage box to my internet box. Voila! So far, so good.
If you are considering putting in another phone line or switching to a less expensive plan, I would recommend considering Vonage. They can port over existing cell or home numbers. One of the bonuses is that you can take the Vonage box with you anywhere you move in the country (as long as you have high-speed internet) and keep the same number. It's great for those of us with home businesses, because you never have to change your number. You can also pick any area code in the country you want. If you always wanted to live in New York, pick a New York area code.
If you try Vonage and are referred by an existing customer, make sure you click on Benefits---Benefits of VoIP---Refer-a-Friend, or mention the Refer-a-Friend if you call to order the service. You just need their phone number. This is the only way to get two months free for you and your referral. If you do not personally know someone who has Vonage, I would appreciate if you would use me as your referral. You have 30 days to try it so if you don't like it, you didn't pay for the first month, so nothing lost. Depending on the phone package you order, the adapter is usually free. If you don't want to wait to receive the adapter from Vonage, you can buy it at your local electronics store (Best Buy).
Just presenting another cost savings idea!
In an effort to solve my phone issues, I did some research on Vonage. They provide voiceover IP service, which is an adapter that connects to your internet box. You must have high-speed internet in order to qualify. My last company used VoIP service exclusively, because we worked from home when we weren't traveling and it was very cost efficient. A good friend of mine (you know who you are), who is my technical guru and hero, came to my rescue when my cell phone service went out. He's had Vonage for years and has never had a problem, and convinced me to give it a try.
I called and spoke to a Vonage representative on Monday and then ordered my service online. What my technical guru didn't know was that if I put him down as a referral, we would both receive two months free. What a bonus!
I received my Vonage adapter today via UPS. All that was required of me was to plug in a cable from the Vonage box to my internet box. Voila! So far, so good.
If you are considering putting in another phone line or switching to a less expensive plan, I would recommend considering Vonage. They can port over existing cell or home numbers. One of the bonuses is that you can take the Vonage box with you anywhere you move in the country (as long as you have high-speed internet) and keep the same number. It's great for those of us with home businesses, because you never have to change your number. You can also pick any area code in the country you want. If you always wanted to live in New York, pick a New York area code.
If you try Vonage and are referred by an existing customer, make sure you click on Benefits---Benefits of VoIP---Refer-a-Friend, or mention the Refer-a-Friend if you call to order the service. You just need their phone number. This is the only way to get two months free for you and your referral. If you do not personally know someone who has Vonage, I would appreciate if you would use me as your referral. You have 30 days to try it so if you don't like it, you didn't pay for the first month, so nothing lost. Depending on the phone package you order, the adapter is usually free. If you don't want to wait to receive the adapter from Vonage, you can buy it at your local electronics store (Best Buy).
Just presenting another cost savings idea!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
BMW Issue Resolution
As a follow-up regarding my letter to BMW, I received a voicemail last week from the Director of Finance indicating that she was in receipt of the letter I sent to Jim O'Donnell, CEO, BMW of North America, and would be contacting the dealership regarding my complaint. She said to expect a call from Customer Relations this week. Sure enough, I received a voicemail today from a gentleman in Customer Relations letting me know that the issue was resolved and they would be sending me out a check. I have to be honest, I didn't really expect that they would send me a check, because this is a 6 month old complaint, but obviously, they do take their customers seriously. I was really happy to see the loyalty returned. It does go a long way.
Remember, always go to the top. I know I keep saying this; it is definitely my mantra, but it works. There is no way any of my letters would be addressed had they not been sent certified to the CEO. You deserve to be heard. Also, keep in mind that you are not only fighting issues for yourself, but for others. There is more power in numbers, so never think what you are fighting for is not important. It could be impacting others, who do not think its important enough to fight, and if we all thought this way, nothing would be get fixed.
Remember, always go to the top. I know I keep saying this; it is definitely my mantra, but it works. There is no way any of my letters would be addressed had they not been sent certified to the CEO. You deserve to be heard. Also, keep in mind that you are not only fighting issues for yourself, but for others. There is more power in numbers, so never think what you are fighting for is not important. It could be impacting others, who do not think its important enough to fight, and if we all thought this way, nothing would be get fixed.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
AT&T Issue Resolution
As a follow-up to my cell phone saga with AT&T, as of today, it appears to be fixed. Since the problems are now intermittent (sometimes I can make a call from my home and sometimes I need to drive a block away to make a call), I am going to bite the bullet and get a VOIP phone in my home. I will be cutting back on my monthly cell plan. AT&T's CEO's office continues to e-mail me, and are monitoring the situation. It's great to have that level of service and a contact at the top. It definitely helped with expediting a resolution. I will be getting a month of free service.
I've been Twittering on this issue for the past few days, and my Twitter updates go to my Facebook page. A dear friend of mine in San Diego, who knows me very well and who has been following this issue, posted this on my Facebook page:
Given your reputation for extracting fine customer service I'm surprised that:
(1) The CEO of AT&T hasn't personally called you to apologize.
(2) He isn't onsite personally directing the erection of the replacement cell tower.
(3) The replacement cell tower isn't named after you.
(4) He hasn't invited you to work from his office and use his personal cell phone while yours is out.
(5) You haven't rearranged his personal staff, including firing two executive VPs where just laying around to make the entire operation more efficient at a cost savings of more than $1M annually.
This is the same friend who returned from Iraq several years ago, after serving there for a year in the US Marine Corps, and turned to me and said "JM, you could get the Shiites and Sunnis to stop fighting!"
You know the personality profiles and leadership exercises where you have to ask the people closest to you to describe who you are as a person? Well, it seems pretty unanimous. I am now, and will always be, a Gumptionista.
I've been Twittering on this issue for the past few days, and my Twitter updates go to my Facebook page. A dear friend of mine in San Diego, who knows me very well and who has been following this issue, posted this on my Facebook page:
Given your reputation for extracting fine customer service I'm surprised that:
(1) The CEO of AT&T hasn't personally called you to apologize.
(2) He isn't onsite personally directing the erection of the replacement cell tower.
(3) The replacement cell tower isn't named after you.
(4) He hasn't invited you to work from his office and use his personal cell phone while yours is out.
(5) You haven't rearranged his personal staff, including firing two executive VPs where just laying around to make the entire operation more efficient at a cost savings of more than $1M annually.
This is the same friend who returned from Iraq several years ago, after serving there for a year in the US Marine Corps, and turned to me and said "JM, you could get the Shiites and Sunnis to stop fighting!"
You know the personality profiles and leadership exercises where you have to ask the people closest to you to describe who you are as a person? Well, it seems pretty unanimous. I am now, and will always be, a Gumptionista.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Last But Not Least - Beware of the Gumptionista, BMW!
My car lease was coming up in December, so in November I traded in my 2006 BMW and leased a new 2009. My last four cars have been BMW’s. Since I can’t afford a house in California, I might as well drive a nice car. During the lease negotiations, I told the salesman that I had two payments left on my current lease, which they needed to take over. Somewhere along the line, he missed that fact, and when I was handed the paperwork to sign for the new lease, it did not cover the last two payments. I asked about it and he said his “manager” would not agree to that. I was not happy about it, but figured that I would take it up with BMW Financial. I spoke to BMW Financial about two things. One, the fact that the dealership would not take on the last two payments and two, about a dent in the front spoiler, which I was told I would be charged $400 for on my last bill. BMW Financial agreed to split the last two payments with me, but I was stuck paying the $400. I paid my final bill in January however I continued thinking about it and knew that I had to take some action. Finally, after 6 months, I mailed a certified letter to the CEO of BMW North America. I explained the situation about the fact that dealership would not cover payments for a car that they had in their possession, and that I had to pay $400 for a dented spoiler. One of the reasons why I am so frustrated about the dented spoiler is that these cars are built to dent at even the smallest bump. If they are going to have a faulty design, I am not going to pay for what is inevitable. I was at the dealership recently and they did a walk around my new car and told me there is a dent on the front spoiler, and I nearly went through the roof. They need to figure this out, because I am not going to pay for this again. It is only going to get worse over the next three years, too. If you look at any BMW on the road, you will notice damage underneath the front spoiler. I will guarantee it. I requested my money back for what I paid on my final bill. I will keep you posted when I receive a response.
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