Monthly archive

June 2009

Customer service at scale, part II: Why my experiences with AT&T make me fear for GM

Yeah, you may have a great big battle station, but if you waste the opportunity to shore it up, a rebeliions gonna come. (Image from The Daily Yeah.)
Yeah, you may have a great big battle station, but if you waste the opportunity to shore it up, a rebeliion's gonna come. (Image from The Daily Yeah.)

I’m going to resist the temptation to turn this post into a therapy session over the myriad problems I’ve had with AT&T over the past month. Specific situations will crop up organically in the descriptions below, but instead of a chronological chapter-and-verse story, I’m going to focus on the lessons I’ve learned about AT&T and its processes. Keep Reading

Stream o' consciousness for June 29th

blog (feed #1)
5:09pm via orrenmedia.com
twitter (feed #10)
@JoostTX I could take em both. [#]
11:21pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@conej Cool to hear! #wcdfw09 [#]
9:42am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
RT @GuyKawasaki How the Internet has changed advertising: http://om.ly/?htW [#]
9:48am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Nothing more infuriating than disingenuous machinations that the machinator thinks you don’t see right through. [#]
10:00am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Brilliant? Suicidal? Just flailing? Dallas Morning News gets into the brokerage biz: http://is.gd/1i7Qo [#]
10:01am via Twitter
googlereader (feed #8)
10:02am via Google Reader
twitter (feed #10)
@dangillmor Won’t be "a" social network. Disparate melange of interconnected tools and one user won’t know or care which one(s) other uses. [#]
10:49am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Cool iPhone app feX adds images to your contacts by pulling from Facebook: http://is.gd/1idMx [#]
12:25pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
RT @bsaren RT @mattmcgee:I love it when Dilbert covers online reviews. http://bit.ly/VyBmD Heheheheee… [#]
12:39pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
First thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers. Suit over "million $ challenge.": http://is.gd/1ies2 [#]
12:42pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
iTunes DJ giving me lots of Avett Bros. today. And that’s a good thing. #fb [#]
12:43pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Old Saratoga Books rocks. Ordered OOP sailing book on Friday; arrived by Monday. < $11. http://www.oldsaratogabooks.com/ [#]
12:54pm via Twitter
generic (feed #7)
12:56pm via Generic
twitter (feed #10)
@TerryHeaton Heh. I used to keep a BB-to-phone translation key at my desk. [#]
1:36pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@adamcoomes Are you involved in Tweetflip? I tried. Nice aesthetics. Otherwise disappointing. [#]
1:45pm via Twitter
lastfm (feed #4)
Listened to 36 songs.
3:27pm via Last.fm
twitter (feed #10)
RT @bretthoerner Google Voice is seriously amazing. [#]
3:30pm via Twitter
generic (feed #5)
3:41pm via Generic

Stream o' consciousness for June 28th

blog (feed #1)
5:09pm via orrenmedia.com
twitter (feed #10)
RT @jeffjarvis: Time has a commemorative Jackson cover. What’s your bet that the Economist does? Which is growing? [#]
10:07pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Turned on cold water at 8:30. 10 PM pool is 96 degrees. #northernborderofhell #fb [#]
10:10pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@Twitter please fix user block. kthanxbai [#]
10:44pm via Twitter
generic (feed #7)
11:03am via Generic

Stream o' consciousness for June 27th

twitter (feed #10)
RT @davidgerzof #AT&T PR Crisis on Twitter:MythBuster Adam Savage @donttrythis charged $11k for few hrs of web in Canada (My AT&T screed TK) [#]
4:31pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@jfritsche Be sure to bckup any Boxee content from drive. You lose it all in update. Still, 2.4 and iPhone remote =sweet [#]
4:55pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@bsaren I think you have to get one Apps acct for each domain. If you find otherwise, lemme know. [#]
4:56pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
RT @mikebullock Hey DFW here is this weeks garage sale listings, enjoy! http://tinyurl.com/9fofxy [#]
4:56pm via Twitter
blog (feed #1)
5:12pm via orrenmedia.com
lastfm (feed #4)
Listened to 31 songs.
5:17pm via Last.fm
twitter (feed #10)
@jfritsche Has anyone figured out how to attach an external HD to AppleTV? [#]
5:20pm via Twitter
blog (feed #1)
5:39pm via orrenmedia.com
twitter (feed #10)
@GuyKawasaki Alltop broken in iPhone Tweetdeck. Can’t scroll. Doesn’t happen with native sites. [#]
8:21pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Tx heat woulda made @benkweller unbearable if not for stellar perf. "Fight" encore w/ opener was high point. Best country song o 21st c. [#]
11:10pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
"Some days are aces. Some days are faces. Some days are twos and threes." @benkweller #fb [#]
11:12pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@njslaughter nice. [#]
11:12pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@JoostTX Much better way of saying "hope is not a strategy." [#]
10:20am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
recommended Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show – Episode 10 – Part 2 on Boxee. check it out at http://bit.ly/RU3nS [#]
2:23pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
likes Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show – Episode 10 – Part 2 on Boxee. check it out at http://bit.ly/RU3nS [#]
2:23pm via Twitter

Stream o' consciousness for June 26th

twitter (feed #10)
Worried for Cronkite. These things happen in threes. #fb [#]
4:48pm via Twitter
lastfm (feed #4)
Listened to 22 songs.
5:02pm via Last.fm
blog (feed #1)
5:09pm via orrenmedia.com
twitter (feed #10)
@everyonewhocorrectedme I forgot about Ed. [#]
5:15pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@sjcobrien This kid’s sisters cousins boyfriend talked to a dude who said Ferris blew chunks at 31 flavors. I guess it’s pretty serious. [#]
5:57pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@gapingvoid Lemme know when you do Dallas (metaphorically). [#]
5:59pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
RT @Lileks: Occasional desperate tweets re Iran between flood of Jacko news, like cries of a kid down in sewer while parade passes by above [#]
6:11pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@SarahKSilverman Too soon! (Now is the time to pour a little Jesus juice for our dead homie.) [#]
6:14pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Just me, or is CNN hedline/euphemism awkward: "Fans gather outside hospital where Jackson was taken." Was he abducted? [#]
6:16pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
http://twitpic.com/8f12s – Now that’s a news day. (Sorry Jason Mraz — you were so close!) [#]
6:19pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Could a TMZ hater provide an example of them having the facts wrong on a major story? (Any skeeviness aside.) [#]
6:32pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Lest you find my string of MJ tweets insensitive, know that I, like @dallasprogress had a pseudo-Thriller jacket. Also had a Farrah poster. [#]
6:39pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@iJuli But that’s my point: Have they been wrong (factually)? [#]
6:54pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
You’d think with million$ in IAC backing, The Daily Beast could manage consistent body type styling from graf to graf in emails. [#]
7:43am via Twitter
youtube (feed #11)
8:07am via My video
twitter (feed #10)
@TreyGarrison I’m relatively certain that in Japan there are already plates on the street with MJ and Farrah dancing together. [#]
9:30am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@jdunck @bretthoerner Best exam of celebrity and perils: Old movie "A Face in The Crowd." Also great skewering of TV media b4 it existed. [#]
9:33am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Just realized I just joined a twitter convo with two people sitting on other side of room. </turnsoffcomputer> [#]
9:34am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Chicago Times, get real: http://is.gd/1epah (love that comments are off) (via everybody) [#]
9:35am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Email breaking news alerts: "Hi, just to remind you: We’re clueless and slow!" http://is.gd/1epDS (Looking at you, CNN.) #fb [#]
9:43am via Twitter
generic (feed #6)
9:55am via Generic
googlereader (feed #8)
12:11pm via Google Reader
twitter (feed #10)
RT @pegasusnews Local musicians make a song for Neda: Square Pegs http://tinyurl.com/kudkwj [#]
12:11pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@allantowns Once worked for a publisher who cut word "give" out of his OED & directed salespeeps trying to give added value to clients to it [#]
12:14pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@allantowns Actually, yeah. Did work [#]
12:59pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Looking forward to @benkweller gig tonight @ Granada #fb [#]
1:45pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
RT @mailchimp …we’ve decided that @dgouldin had the best answer to yesterday’s Q. (Go David!) [#]
1:52pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
RT @benkweller Bout to do an interview with "the last great DJ" @brettdillon on 95.3, the Range. I’m lookin’ forward to it brett! [#]
1:56pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@dgouldin @mailchimp Thanks for ruining one of my fave VU tunes: http://is.gd/1eIiE [#]
2:07pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
RT @granadatheater #FF Follow Friday @benkweller. Plus meet him @granadatheater at 6pm in the parking lot. TWEETUP! [#]
2:24pm via Twitter
lastfm (feed #4)
Listened to 15 songs.
3:31pm via Last.fm

Stream o' consciousness for June 25th

blog (feed #1)
5:09pm via orrenmedia.com
lastfm (feed #4)
Listened to 62 songs.
5:23pm via Last.fm
twitter (feed #10)
RT @bretthoerner Wednesday @ Pearl @ Commerce is mandatory. Owner plays great Blues, $2 ritas, oh and the best company in town… DO IT. [#]
6:10pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@worklawyer Sanford emails already up at The State. [#]
6:14pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Friday night dilemma. @benkweller at Granada vs. Scott Miller at Allgood. #fb [#]
6:42pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@mikebullock wind forecast for Friday is weak. [#]
7:17pm via Twitter
generic (feed #6)
12:58pm via Generic
googlereader (feed #8)
1:12pm via Google Reader
googlereader (feed #8)
1:44pm via Google Reader
blog (feed #1)
3:18pm via orrenmedia.com
lastfm (feed #4)
Listened to 8 songs.
3:38pm via Last.fm

Stream o' consciousness for June 24th

blog (feed #1)
3:00am via orrenmedia.com
googlereader (feed #8)
6:22am via Google Reader
googlereader (feed #8)
7:08am via Google Reader
twitter (feed #10)
I’m an Apple fanboy and all, but even I have to admit tht iPhone voice control is laughably bad. #fb [#]
8:42am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Went from an iPhone 3G and a 2G (both 8GB) to a 32GB and a 16GB 3G S. Net profit: $299. [#]
10:24am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@old97s What happened to the covers EP? If not in store today, probably next Tues? [#]
11:23am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@sblaskovich WTF? Why wouldn’t AT&T upgrade you? [#]
11:40am via Twitter
googlereader (feed #8)
1:24pm via Google Reader
twitter (feed #10)
@bsaren Text with stick is doable at stoplights and once in gear. At least I hear it is. [#]
3:55pm via Twitter
lastfm (feed #4)
Listened to 55 songs.
5:23pm via Last.fm
twitter (feed #10)
@cmsour As a Lake RH sailor, I am THRILLED about Flying Saucer. [#]
5:33pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@Bill_Romanos FriendMePlease looks more likely to ruin my Twitter experience w/ follower #-obsessed and uninteresting tweeps. [#]
5:46pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@westseattleblog Someone’s trolling your follow list. I just got followed by Keller Williams West Seattle. [#]
5:47pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
5:48pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@JoostTX Hates the hausfraus! How were 97s? [#]
9:18pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@wmhartnett @ryansholin Not newsPaper, but making money on sq mile geotargeted ads on iPhone App alongside garage sales, drink spec etc. [#]
9:24pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@sblaskovich "safesearch" is your friend. [#]
9:30pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
RT @scottkarp: Duet obsessed: Winwood + Clapton, Cale + Clapton, Emmylou Harris + Knopfler, …Robert Plant + Alison Krauss (unbelievable) [#]
10:22pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Call me Maurice. [#]
11:31pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@gapingvoid "That’s right, you’re not from Texas. Texas wants you anyway." -Lyle Lovett [#]
7:35am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Good analysis on local news site econ from @markjosephson: http://is.gd/1c2Qw (Hosting/serving costs seem high; where are commissions?) [#]
10:52am via Twitter
googlereader (feed #8)
10:52am via Google Reader
twitter (feed #10)
@howardowens Dispels some popular myths about the old school newspapers: http://is.gd/1c3Tz [#]
11:07am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@thomaslennon Stumbled on ancient Cops ep: Watch any from Hillsborough Cty FL when prepping Reno? One deputy sounds *exactly* like Dangle. [#]
1:48pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Didn’t see this one coming from 1,000 miles away CNN: Sanford … says he has been unfaithful to his wife. [#]
1:52pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@therefore Sweet to have faster speeds, but not really 18mbs. It’s "up to." I average 14 on uverse. Depends on your distance from switchbox. [#]
3:19pm via Twitter
lastfm (feed #4)
Listened to 44 songs.
3:39pm via Last.fm

Stream o' consciousness for June 23rd

blog (feed #1)
3:00am via orrenmedia.com
twitter (feed #10)
Repeat from the weekend: Customer service at scale, part I: Why I’m an Apple customer for life: http://is.gd/19imR (Part II later today) [#]
10:07am via Twitter
googlereader (feed #8)
10:19am via Google Reader
twitter (feed #10)
@cmsour re: Nick & Sam’s Grill http://is.gd/19jgW [#]
10:27am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@mikebullock They’re doing it in support of Iran protests. Even though they probably don’t even vote in US [#]
12:28pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
1:31pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
I know I’m a goofball, but it makes me smile every time I see the Ben Folds ad on @pegasusnews . [#]
1:36pm via Twitter
generic (feed #7)
1:38pm via Generic
twitter (feed #10)
@scottkarp Omnifocus, Weather Channel, Sailmaster Tweetdeck [#]
3:13pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@scottkarp I used to use/love Tweetie. Prefer Tweetdeck, but only because I have multiple accts. If single acct, Tweetie FTW. [#]
3:23pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
In honor of the death of Kodachrome: http://is.gd/19xsc #fb [#]
3:25pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@ryansholin I think joke is whistling in the dark for innovative people in orgs that aren’t. [#]
4:40pm via Twitter
lastfm (feed #4)
Listened to 46 songs.
5:54pm via Last.fm
twitter (feed #10)
The more animation tech advances, the creepier the Snuggle bear gets. #fb [#]
7:27pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@scottkarp Beejive IM. [#]
8:35pm via Twitter
googlereader (feed #8)
9:18pm via Google Reader
xboxlive (feed #9)
10:47pm via Xbox Live

Stream o' consciousness for June 22nd

blog (feed #1)
3:00am via orrenmedia.com
twitter (feed #10)
11:48am via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@markjosephson That *sounds* as wrong as my favorite sandwich place, Texadelphia. Hope ’tis as good! [#]
5:01pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@PhilipHotchkiss @ajkeen or why Tweetdeck on iphone is 100x better than Adobe Air version? [#]
5:03pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
RT @repeatnone: Girl Dies by Electrocution While Twitting in Bathtub, Apocalypse Draws Nearer http://tr.im/pg3A [#]
5:04pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@JoostTX Sweet! Is it the format I thought with Murry and Rhett as openers? [#]
5:05pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
@JoostTX New @old97s cover ep hitting iTunes soon. I imagine Tuesday. Includes Stones, REM, Bowie. [#]
5:06pm via Twitter
twitter (feed #10)
Last night’s sail: http://bit.ly/tnwjb
#fb [#]
5:19pm via Twitter
generic (feed #7)
5:21pm via Generic
blog (feed #1)
5:39pm via orrenmedia.com
generic (feed #5)
11:03pm via Generic
twitter (feed #10)
RT @adamcoomes: Haha I love this pic. The Evolution of Online "Journalism" http://imgur.com/gQouk.jpg [#]
12:07am via Twitter
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