I recently posted about the efforts my company is putting into improving customer support queries. It’s ironic that right after I posted that, I had to place support calls with 2 of my vendors. Those calls had significantly different outcomes.

Issue #1 - We’ve got a laptop (purchased 11 months ago) that needs a battery replacement. I contacted Dell to get it replaced. I got a little bit of a runaround from them before they told me that the 12-month warranty on batteries begins at the manufacture date, not at the date of purchase, so I’d have to buy a new battery. I pressed the issue, had it escalated, and they’re sending me a new battery. The problem was solved, and the customer is happy.

Issue #2 - We changed our company name last year, and the name that goes out on the caller ID when we make calls is wrong. I contacted CBeyond, our SIP provider, to get control of the caller ID name field. They said they had it resolved, and they closed my ticket. It wasn’t resolved, so I opened another ticket. They said they resolved it and closed my ticket. I called them this morning (rather frustrated) and had the opportunity to speak with a very rude customer service representative. Bottom line here is that my issue is still unresolved, and I’m pretty dissatisfied with CBeyond.

So what do we learn from this?

Do unto others… I’m glad we’ve got a customer service team who is focusing on high quality of support. Customer service is a critical area of business, and if you expect your vendors to treat you with a higher level of support, you should offer that high level of support to your customers.

Every employee is a marketing employee. The lady I spoke with at CBeyond wasn’t there to sell me anything, but if I had to choose a telephone company based solely on my experience with CBeyond this week, I would keep looking. Every interaction with a customer is an opportunity to build goodwill. CBeyond is failing miserably in this area.

Use common sense. I shouldn’t have had to escalate the issue with Dell, but at least the manager used common sense - a 12-month warranty should start at the date of purchase. With my CBeyond issues, most of my frustration stems from the fact that they keep closing my support tickets before I verify that the work was completed successfully. They are so focused on clearing out their open ticket queue that they are missing the mark when it comes to servicing their customer.

What opportunities for improvement have you found when dealing with customer service departments?

We were sitting at lunch yesterday, and an interesting idea came up: a call center podcast.

We have a product that’s fairly young in its life cycle. It will likely be one of our corporate focus points in 2008, which is great because I really believe there’s a tremendous potential for the product.

As we move forward with this product, we need to know things like:

• How is our support staff is handling the calls on the product?
• How can we train support to be better?
• What is the topic of support calls?
• What is the (pre-sales) caller looking for in the product?
• And other marketing issues that this geek doesn’t really understand.

We record phone calls already, and they’re reviewed for things like training employees and improving our call center staff. For that we use Asterisk to record the calls to a .gsm file. (I can’t say enough about the awesomeness of Asterisk.)

I parse Asterisk’s queue log and store the records in a MySQL database. This allows me to look up information about calls and calculate things like average hold time, number of calls taken, average talk time per customer service representative. It lets us be proactive about customer service (which is always a good thing).

To do a podcast, I’d need to convert those .gsm files to .mp3 files. For that, I used SoX and LAME, whose command line awesomeness allows me to script the conversion of the files. So I do a SQL query to get the calls that came into that product’s queue, grab the .gsm file for each call, convert it to mp3 (if it hasn’t been converted already), and generate the XML for iTunes.

Now the appropriate management can just subscribe to that podcast (hosted internally on our network here) and be able to easily listen to those support calls. It’s quite cool.

Oh, and for anybody out there who’s looking for a way to use SoX and LAME to convert files from gsm to mp3, here’s the command I came up with:

sox -q filename.gsm -t wav -s -w - | lame –silent –resample 44.1 -h - filename.mp3

There are finally enough people who read this blog that actually have interest in my annual pilgrimage to Florida for Spring Training baseball so that I don’t feel bad when I post about the trip and bore the rest of you.

The itinerary has been finalized; the tickets have been purchased; the motels have been reserved. Here’s where we’ll be:

March 13 (Thursday)
7:05 p.m. - Phillies @ Reds (Sarasota)

March 14 (Friday)
1:05 p.m. - Braves @ Phillies (Clearwater)
7:05 p.m. - Nationals @ Indians (Winter Haven)

March 15 (Saturday)
1:05 p.m. - Yankees @ Tigers (Lakeland)

March 16 (Sunday)
1:15 p.m. - Indians @ Yankees (Tampa)
6:00 p.m. - Legends Game (Clearwater)

March 17 (Monday)
10:05 a.m. - Astros @ Dodgers (Vero Beach)

March 18 (Tuesday)
1:05 p.m - Nationals @ Detroit (Lakeland)

We’ll drive back to S.C. on the 18th. I’ll get a few hours of sleep and then head back to Georgia the morning of the 19th. Then we’ll probably wait a week before we start to plan for 2009.

I’ve expanded my blog subscription base recently, and so I thought I’d post a list of a few that I enjoy, in case the topics interest you.

• CCIE Candidate - My friend Ethan’s blog on all things Cisco.
  Ronzilla trivia note: Ethan is the person who coined the “Ronzilla” nickname, and he is also the guy who got me interested in network administration.
• I Can Has Cheezburger - funny pictures of cats. It sounds gay, I know, but it really is pretty funny.
• Team Redd - My friends Gaines and Allison. I thought I was already subscribed and that they just weren’t posting, but that wasn’t the case. I am now subscribed to their feed, so I won’t miss any more wisdom from Team Redd.
• xkcd.com - a comic strip enjoyed by my inner geek.

I stay out of politics on the blog (for the most part). This is for 2 main reasons. First, most of the people that read this blog are smarter than me, and I’ll look stupid if I try to argue with them. Second, I typically don’t pay much attention to political nonsense. I used to care, but Bill Clinton pretty much ruined my interest in politics. (Oh, and 3rd…talking politics too much is a great way to lose friends.)

Back in the fall, with an election year barely around the corner, I took a brief look at my options…

• McCain…Honestly, I think he’s a little crazy.
• Romney…might not be so bad if he actually said something when he talks. To me, he seems to be the typical New England politician.
• Rudy…he’s a Yankee fan, and that’s a big plus, but I don’t think he could run a nation.
• Huckabee…he’s got the crazy political right on his side, but he’s a Baptist preacher, and I’m not sure America needs a Baptist preacher in Washington. (*gasp* yes, yes, I know…)
• Ron Paul…never really heard about him, so he must be unelectable.
• Alan Keyes…bahahaha
• Fred Thompson…wasn’t he in Die Hard? (It was Die Hard 2, but still…)

After a good 10-minute consideration, I figured I’d go in and vote Huckabee with the rest of the religious nuts out there. He’s pro-life; I’m pro-life. He goes to church; I go to church. Seems like a good fit.

Then I heard a lot of people talking about Ron Paul. I figured they were just crazy (and, for some of them, I’m still not sure that isn’t the case), but I started hearing it from people whose opinion I actually trust. I’m not one to jump on a political bandwagon, but I heard enough about Ron Paul to make me look to see what his stance on the big issues are.

I spent the better part of a weekend looking at Ron Paul. I read speeches, watched YouTube videos, read his web site cover-to-cover, and I really started to like the guy. And I’ve got a thousand thoughts about the political process swirling in my brain, and maybe if I don’t lose too many friends over my political agenda here on the blog, I’ll post them. Ron Paul’s approach on certain key issues (and his willingness to stand firm on them) really impressed me.

So here they are - in no particular order - the reasons that I will be voting for Ron Paul in the Presidential Primary election.

• Taxes. I believe that a tax based on earnings is unfair to Americans. Raising those taxes is even more horrible. Ron Paul has never voted for a tax increase, and he supports putting a consumption-based tax plan in the place of the current income-based tax system. Amen and amen.
• Health and Freedom. I got that subheading from Ron Paul’s site. Basically, the government should never be able to require immunizations or vaccines. That’s a choice for an individual (or, in the case of a minor, a parent) to make.
• Pro-Life. I believe that abortion is nothing less than murder. Yes, it’s different than shooting somebody with a shotgun, but it still ends life. Ron Paul is pro-life and supports overturning Roe v Wade.
• Inflation. “Hey, we need more money. Let’s go print some.” This is not the way to solve financial problems for our country, and Ron Paul agrees. We need to control spending and put the US Dollar back on the upswing.
• Health Care. Ron Paul opposes a government-sponsored health care program. “Government-sponsored” equals socialized, as in socialist and socialism. No thanks. It it not my government’s job to provide anything for my family.
• Education. I believe that the states should fund and control their schools. I also believe that Americans who choose to home school or to send their children to private school should receive a tax credit (per child). I’ll handle my family’s education, and I’d rather not pay for the government to educate yours.
• Network Neutrality. Quoting from the FAQ at SaveTheInternet.com: “Net Neutrality prevents Internet providers from speeding up or slowing down Web content based on its source, ownership or destination.” I believe that network neutrality is vital in this information age. Ron Paul agrees.

I know this is a long post, and, if you’re still reading, I appreciate you hanging in there. I hope you’ll vote in your state’s Presidential Primary election. I really hope you’ll vote for Ron Paul, but I’ll be happy if you give all of the possibilities a good, serious investigation and vote according to what you find.

Disclaimer: I am not, nor will I ever be Ron Paul. I am, however, human, and if I have mistyped or misrepresented Ron Paul in any way, that error is completely my fault. Neither my opinion nor my web site are endorsed or paid for by Ron Paul or by any organization supporting Ron Paul.

Also, if I called your favorite candidate crazy, Baptist, crazy Baptist, incompetent, or laughable (or if I insulted him in any other way), please don’t take it personally.

I’m Ron Davis, and I approve this message.

It’s that time of year again. Dad and I are gearing up for our annual pilgrimage to Florida for spring training baseball. March is a good month.

For those of you who don’t know, Dad and I go down to Florida every year. We started in 1993 with a group organized by Winning With Encouragement. In 1994, the baseball strike kept us away. In 1995, we returned with another group organized by WWE. Then 1996-1999 I was in college (in Florida, ironically) and unable to get away to see Spring Training games.

We decided to go without WWE (since they don’t do the father/son Spring Training trip any more) in 2000 and in 2001. In 2002, I moved to Atlanta in March, so we didn’t go that year. Since then, we’ve not missed a year. So 2008 will be our 10th trip down there.

So here’s the itinerary for the trip, in case you’re wondering:

3/12 - After work, drive to SC.
3/13 - Drive to Sarasota and see Phillies vs. Reds at 7pm.
3/14 - Braves vs. Phillies in Clearwater at 1pm, then Senators vs. Indians in Winter Haven at 7pm.
3/15 - Yankees vs. Tigers in Lakeland at 1pm. Supper will be at Capogna’s Dugout in Clearwater.
3/16 - Indians vs. Yankees in Tampa at 1pm. Legends Game (retired players, some HOFers, and celebrities play for charity) in Clearwater at 6pm.
3/17 - still planning. Red Sox vs. Yankees in Tampa was sold out, so we’re looking at options.
3/18 - if necessary. Depends on choice for Monday.

Play Ball!

Wednesday is a good day at the office. Usually we have 5 or more guys go to Buckhead Burrito Grill for lunch. Wednesday lunch at BBG has been a tradition for longer than most of us have been employed here. The only thing (we thought) that could make it better would be if it was a company sponsored outing.

Today our lives changed.

What’s that new item on the menu? “Snickerito” - what’s that?

The Snickerito starts with, as you might suspect, a Snickers bar. They wrap it in a tortilla and deep fry it. Amen. Then they top it with whipped cream. Wow!

It is my speculation that everything is better fried. Chicken, okra, potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, cheesecake, turkey, ice cream, burritos (chimichangas), cheese (on a stick…like from the Corn Dog place). They’re all better fried than they are when served another way. Add Snickers bars to the list.

Buckhead Burrito Grill is located at 3940 Cherokee Street in Kennesaw (next to Johnny’s Pizza, but seriously, why would you ever eat there?). They recently moved from another location on Cherokee Street, so don’t get lost.  And if you’re going, let me know so I can meet you there.

What unusual fried goodness have you had?

A couple of months ago, I got invited to go along on a mountain bike ride.  I barely made it through the 4-mile loop, but I had a blast.  So I went back again, and again.  Soon I was hooked.  (And I have no trouble with the 4-mile loops any more.)

I have been riding an old bike that I borrowed from a friend.  It’s WAY too small for me, but I rode it anyway.  I started saving up some cash for a new bike, and with the help of some family at Christmas, I was able to complete my bike fund.

On Monday I went to Outspokin’ Bikes in Woodstock.  They had exactly what I needed, and in a size for a genetic misfit like myself.  I bought a 2008 Specialized Rockhopper and went home very excited.

Then on Tuesday, I went with Aaron and his wife riding.  We had a great time accidentally trespassing on some land up in Canton.  (long story)  And though we had a good time, but I had a problem with the bike.  The hole where the right pedal screws into the crank was completely stripped.  I had to ride about 2 miles back to the car with only 1 pedal (a task much harder than it sounds).

On Wednesday I took the bike back up to Outspokin’ to be fixed.  Obviously, it was a warranty issue.  They didn’t have the exact part I needed, so they ordered it.  I picked it up last night, and we’re going riding in about an hour.

The guys at Outspokin’ really know what they’re doing.  They’re not a bunch of sales people selling bikes, but rather a bunch of biking enthusiasts who know what they’re talking about.  If you need a bike, I highly recommend the guys up at Outspokin’ Bikes.  Tell them the genetic misfit sent you.

Today is Brandy’s birthday. Brandy is one of my internet friends that has become one of my real life friends. And I’m glad…she’s a pretty cool friend. We’ve met twice now. Twice. So, yeah, we go way back.

Anyway, here are a few things about Brandy you may not know:

• She read 77 books last year, which is more than I have read in many, many years combined. Or ever, maybe.
• She inspired my “Dear…” posts where I write letters to idiots and post them on my blog.
• She sometimes wears “hooker boots” to work. (No, that’s not her profession…)
• She works for a noble group of people who help meet needs and change lives all around the world.

Happy birthday, Brandy! I hope it’s a great one.

The Presidential Primary elections here in Georgia are on February 5.  That’s soon, in case you didn’t notice.  The deadline for registering to vote and being able to vote in the Primary election is Monday, January 7.  That’s really soon.

If you’re not registered to vote, you need to get that taken care of.  You can register at your county’s Board of Registrar’s Office.  You can find the address for your county here.

Related Links:
Karen Handel Reminds Citizens to Register to Vote
Presidential Primary Election
Ron Paul - Hope for America