Service First
22 December 2008 I’d like to step back from the normal domain of this column, and take a moment to relate a story that has little to do with the crop protection and production industries (directly, anyway).
It began with a simple task: I wanted to change the ringtone of my cellular phone.
The journey began in the most logical place: the web site of my cellular service provider. The site was gorgeous in design, and loaded with features. I combed through it for 10 or 15 minutes (which, in web time, is an eternity) before discovering that my model of phone, which was first manufactured in the fourth quarter of 2005, was discontinued. The only option given to me was to set up an online account to find out if I was eligible for an upgrade. After filling out numerous forms and accessing my e-mail to retrieve an activation code, I learned I was not eligible. I had hit a dead end; my phone was no longer supported, and no alternative service was offered. I left unsatisfied and frustrated. Next stop: the phone manufacturer’s web site.
On the site of the phone manufacturer, I located my phone model. Again, the site was sleek and loaded with fancy content. I was able to find my phone’s profile, and there was a link that stated “Get Ringtones” — finally, I was in the right place. Or so I thought.
Upon clicking the link, I found that I needed to create an account here as well, which again involved multiple forms and logging into my e-mail to retrieve another activation code. After doing so, I received a message saying my model was discontinued; the site advised that I check with my cellular service provider. Strike two.
By this point, I had enough of traveling the main road. If I know anything about the spirit of the Internet, it’s that it is the ultimate forum for collaboration, cooperation, and volunteerism. The abundance of projects from the robust Wikipedia to the thousands of open source applications online all point to the fact that when internet users are unsatisfied, they take matters into their own hands, and help each other out.
I used a search engine to look for my phone make and model, and the word “ringtones.” And there it was: a results page listing 20 people who had asked the exact same question, and the help they had received from anonymous internet “neighbors.” One result directed me to www.mobile17.com.
What I found was a simple site, with a very clear purpose. I selected my phone model from a list, and the site gave me several options to find ringtones, as well as the ability to turn a music file I already own into a ringtone, all for free, with privacy guarantees protecting me from spam. It gave me two options: a free service which would be fulfilled within a couple hours, or an express service
which would take under a minute, if I were to make a voluntary donation. I chose the free route (I wanted to see if it worked before donating), and this morning, my ringtone was waiting, along with a message thanking me for using the site, and welcoming me to return.
And I know I will. And next time, I will happily make a donation. I also know that I will not again use the other two sites.
The experience made me re-think what service means online. It was clear that the major corporate sites were built to fulfill the corporations’ needs, while mobile17’s was obviously crafted with customer satisfaction as the primary goal. This is a lesson that can be applied to all industries: nothing can take the place of customer service. The first two sites drove me away unsatisfied; the third made me want to come back, and it asked nothing in return unless I was happy enough with their service to want to contribute.
It’s a simple truth: If your first values are not making customers happy, those customers will look elsewhere. And on the web, there is always an elsewhere.
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