Re: Understanding Fios

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Feb 13, 2:40=A0pm, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> RHC: Yeah, I share your worry about losing a cell phone. I just moved
> up to a Galaxy Nexus worth about $600.

Holy Crap .....

My criteria for a cell phone is ..... Is it LOUD when it rings and
will it break when I lay on it.

>If I lose it, it's like losing
> a laptop !!! So I bought a hard core "holster" with it and now I feel
> like I have my .45 1911 strapped to my belt. But it's truly amazing
> what sorts of things it will do. It's like having your whole office
> with you when you're on the road...literally. But it's also one of
> those things you have to decide whether it's worth the increase in
> monthly billing, and also whether or not you want to be that
> accessible to people.

I can't do that. When I first got a Cell phone so many years ago, I
gave the number to everybody. Gradually I found myself conducting
business that could well be put off to "office days" and I was not
completing work on schedule because I was spending too much time on
the phone. That's certainly the reason I so limit my cell phone useage
now.


>It does keep my son and I in instant
> communication via SMS messaging though and overall, using Google
> calendar (accessible from both our smart phones) we now know exactly
> what each is doing and what appointments we have scheduled.

Something funny happended regarding this a while ago. When cell phones
came out with two way direct communications, everybody was using them
to talk to their installers and office. One of the owners of another
company was really estatic about the convenience of it and was trying
really hard to convince me go go out and get a two way phone excitedly
telling me all the benifits and features. That is until I asked
him  ..... Who would I talk to?   (I, being a sole proprietor) He
stopped for a moment ..... thought about it and we all broke up
laughing.

>
> I decided years ago to be completely and totally accessible to my
> clients at virtually all hours unless I am asleep.

I'm available but my experience is that people just take advantage of
it. Not intentionally but they begin to call you for the least little
thing and I just can't afford to be explaining to a caller, which key
on the keypad sets the chime mode when I've
promised the present client that I'd be finished with their
installation today.

> It has it's ups and
> downs for sure, but overall, I think more "ups" than "downs". Most
> customers today are totally used to being able to get instant answers
> to just about anything via quick access to the internet and search
> engines such as Google. This has conditioned them to hope for the same
> sort of response from their suppliers of many different things, but
> rarely do they get it. So when their security company responds almost
> instantly to their emails or calls, they are somewhat surprised and
> definately impressed. One more thing that helps for referrals. It's
> also at the opposite and positive end of the service scale with the
> Borg companies. (When travelling in the US, I now call forward my
> smart phone to my Canadian Majicjack number which is then call
> forwarded to my US Tracphone pay as you go. So clients can get hold of
> my even when I'm Stateside by dialing a local number. Sweet..!!! )

I've been as far away as the Caribbean on a 60 foot private charter
yacht and hiking the Canadian Rockies, talking a customer through a
problem. These are trouble calls that my central station has contacted
me about. I leave a message on my answering machine to contact CS with
emergency situations while I'm away. I'll usually make it a point of
telling them where I am just so they know what kind of service I'm
willing to give them. Occasionally I've received a note in with the
monthly check, thanking me for calling them while I'm on vacation.
Also I check my messages every day while I'm away ...... just in case
I sense something in a message that I should contact a customer
about.

We all do that little extra that the Borg would never do and the
obvious reason we're successful at what we do. I know lots of
installers who just put their accounts on line and never EVER want to
know what their clients troubles are. Some have been around for a long
time .... too. I guess, after they lose those clients that expect
more .... they're left with those who don't. .... That's just
something I couldn't do.

>
> The biggest downside is that customers now don't bother to look in
> their user manual for even the simplest instructions, expecting we
> will have the answers immediately available for them. In most cases we
> do, but it's a major pain in the ass sometimes with some customers who
> can't tell you even the make of panel they have...!!!!!???? =A0But these
> lazy customers generally turn out to be the same ones that are a PIA
> anyway over most other things.....
>
> RTFM...."read the f "ing manual" is a saying my son and I have....,:))
> I just wish most customers would do it....-

I use 99 percent Napco panels. I got them to send me extra user
manuals through the years. Whenever I get one of "those questions"
that could be answered by looking at the manual, I'll ask them if they
still have the booklet and they'll usually say they don't know where
it is. I promptly say I'll be happy to send them another so the next
time they wont have to wait "so long" for me to get back to them to
answer their questions. I think most of them get the hint.