August 2010

Great customer service makes or breaks businesses

Bongo Billy's excellent service makes for coffee love.From time to time I write about experiences with customer service. Recently three customer service experiences stood out and a brief examination provides some great take-aways.

The customer is never right service

The first of these experiences is that of interacting with a company, not even worthy of being named here, that provides medical and dependent-care reimbursements for Acquia's pre-tax plan. I signed up with the company some time back and had received a debit card and welcome email. The welcome email describes different ways of having claims handled from using the debit card, to faxing them or emailing them.

Boise is getting an Apple Store

dsc05678.jpg Two years ago I wrote about Boise needing an Apple Store. Since then plans for the store, even the whole shopping center, where the Apple Store was expected to go went off the rails. The land, the Whole Foods that never got built, and the whole shopping center remains an irrigated field on at the corner of Eagle and Fairview.

The good news for the Boise Mac User's group all all others who would love to see an Apple store is that soon one will be open. The location has changed but the iconic white apple on a black background can be seen at the Town Square Mall.

If the rumors are correct Saturday, September 11th, 2010 will be the opening day for the store. On Saturday several members of the Boise Mac User's group gathered for a photo outside the shop. Unable to resist a peak in the open door it appears things are moving along nicely as the store already looks very much like an Apple store on the inside.

Getting there

us_airways_767-200.jpg Arriving at Boise Airport this morning I checked the board for my flight. While it wasn't listed yet something surprising was. US Airways has a flight listed on the board from Boise to Boston. How could I have missed this?

Immediately thoughts of being able to get from Boise to Boston in a matter of four or five hours sprang to mind. Gone are the stopovers and hours in the airport lounge. All with a simple change of airlines. And since both United, my frequent carrier, and US Airways are in the Star Alliance the benefits of accrued mileage and accruing more miles will all be transferrable. What good fortune.