Customer service isn't dead

I value good customer service, and I believe in using local businesses, so when I find a local business with excellent customer service I think it's worth shouting from the rooftops.

This past week, I found three.

1. Bill's Garage.  Bill has been working on cars in this area for about as long as I've been alive, and there's a reason he doesn't advertise - people really, really like him and his crew.  They're professional, they're competent, and they're nice.  I have had a frustrating, intermittent battery drain in my car for over a year, and last week I found my battery dead when I needed to be in Kingston for an important appointment.  I was panicked, but no need.  Billy, one of Bill's mechanics, offered to drive to my house with the mondo insta-charge machine.  He showed up fifteen minutes later and I was on my way a few minutes after that.  They since pinpointed the problem, my air conditioner relay, and swapped it out for a replacement in a couple of minutes.  They didn't charge me for either service.
   
   I had a similar "why bother charging you" experience a couple of years ago.  I went to gas up at Stewart's on 32, and my gas door didn't open.  That's a problem!  Luckily I was near Bill's and they were open.  Jody, another excellent mechanic there, determined that the cable had slipped off the hook.  He went in through the trunk, reattached it, and sent me on my way.  Again, this was a service, and one I gladly would have paid for, but they felt no need because the time they spent was inconsequential.
   
   My wife and I bring all of our auto work to Bill's, and they always let me know if they can't do the job.  For example, there are systems in my hybrid car that they are not trained to work on.  Instead of farming it out and marking it up, Bill always tells me when I'm better off bringing it to the dealer for service.
   
   
2. New Paltz Eye Care.  Formerly located on Plattekill Avenue, this practice was purchased a few months ago by one its doctors, Dr. Elinor Descovich, and moved to a Main Street location last October.  They recently joined our health plan, and I am thrilled.
   
   I've had my eyes checked in a lot of shopping-mall eye care chains over the years, and the service has ranged from marginal to terrible.  The first doctor to fit me for contact lenses comes to mind:  he wrenched my eye open with both hands while sternly ordering me to relax.  I've never been entirely confident that my prescription was accurate, and always left feeling at least mildly dissatisfied with the service and competency.
   
   What a difference a local business can make.
   
   First of all, I have never had such a thorough eye exam in my life.  Dr. Descovich performed the usual tests for tracking, glaucoma, and the like, but she also did a careful analysis to look for things like tearing and separation of the retina and other eye problems.  Throughout the procedures she took the time to answer all of my questions, both about the tests and about her qualifications and experience.  There are many different kinds of eye care professionals, and it's important to know who is trained to do what.  As it happens, her twin sister is the shop's optician, and takes care of the actual eyeglasses.
   
   I always feel like the refraction tests (which determine your prescription) are a bit subjective.  Which one is more in focus, this or that?  They fly by quickly and it's so hard to tell.  Dr. Descovich made sure I was comfortable with my opinions, and explained why, for the reading glasses tests, she couldn't actually slow down.  (For that particular test, the speed of focusing is a key factor.  No one ever told me that before.)
   
   One series of tests I had to opt in for, because they involve those dilating drops.  In the past, I've had them tossed in my eyes, and then I was sent on my way barely able to see.  Since I agreed to have my eyes dilated, I was told that I could relax in their waiting room as long as I needed to.  Not only that, but they gave me a sunglasses insert to slip behind my glasses so I wouldn't be blinded when I stepped out into the sun.
   
   This place is a class act.
   
   
3. Wireless Zone.  After months of considering it, I made the switch to a smart phone yesterday.  I opted to try Wireless Zone, the Verizon reseller near Village Pizza, in part because Verizon has an attractive data plan, and in part because I know the owner, Brian Hons, although I've never been a customer.
   
   I am a pain in the ass when it comes to technology.  I believe these tools we use should make our lives easier, and that means that I don't want a huge learning curve.  If I have to spend a lot of time learning how to use an application, then the developer has missed the point.
   
   Denise answered all of my questions.  She clearly had experience using the Blackberry, the Android, and the iPhone.  Although she was very clear that it was personal preference, she had enough knowledge to help me make an informed decision.
   
   Another area that concerns me with phones is what will it really cost me?  Cell phone companies love to give you the advertised price, but a lot happens between that number and the amount on the monthly bill.  Denise was able to tell me how much my bill would be, and also gave me a good idea of the first month's charges, which tend to be larger and are often a nasty surprise.
   
   I had a moment of panic when I was told that I couldn't transfer my prepaid number to a contract phone with another provider.  Instead of telling me there was nothing she could do, Denise double-checked, and found out that a recent change had made it possible after all.  I've seen plenty of sales help dig in their heels, fold their arms, and shake their heads; the turning point for me was when Denise chose to ask questions instead.
   
   When I was home with my new phone, I quickly discovered that I couldn't hear incoming calls, but there wasn't any problem with the outgoing.  Problem!  Was this phone defective?
   
   Back to Wireless Zone I went.  I regret not getting the name of the employee on duty yesterday afternoon, but he smiled and told me that the screen-protecting plastic that I had left on was the problem - it covers the microphone.  Remove it, and all will be well.  That didn't make sense to me at all, but I have an audio engineer in my home, and I asked him about it.  He confirmed and explained:  it only causes a problem with incoming calls because the plastic impacts the noise reduction.
   
   I loathe dealing with call centers for large companies, and I love the fact that Wireless Zone is a buffer.  They deal with the crap, and I get taken care of like a human being should be.

Three cheers for three excellent New Paltz businesses.

Stop, and Shop Local

Stop & Shop received its own share of grumbling when it came to town. Some people would have preferred a department store to help fill out New Paltz' retail needs, although enough others were looking for lower grocery prices in town that it wasn't going to be widely opposed. Sure enough, the prices in Shoprite are much lower now. I had my own problems back in 2006 which I wrote to the New Paltz Times about. To save space I would gladly provide you with a link to my letter, but as readers of this blog know Ulster Publishing doesn't keep articles and letters available on its web site indefinitely, and the publisher hasn't responded to my email to at least tell me how long he waits before purging, so before I get to my main point I'll reprint it here:

I recently became aware of the fact that the new Stop & Shop here in New Paltz doesn't regularly employ grocery baggers. Occasionally someone will bag things here and there to help move things along, especially in the self-service checkout lanes, but it's not policy to have them regularly available. This is quite shortsighted, and perhaps this letter will spur the management to consider a change, for several reasons:

1. The other grocery stores in the area use baggers, and we rather enjoy the service. Supermarkets cannot compete on sheer amount of inventory alone; we consumers like service. Shop Rite is just across the street and helpfully bags its customers' groceries.

2. There are many reasons checking out can take more time than we'd like. Problems with technology, missing prices, and questions from other customers all add to the time we're waiting. If the cashier is also responsible for bagging, this wait can become unbearable. On more than one occasion I've seen my stressed-out neighbors snap at a cashier because of this. Overall I've noticed that the cashiers at Stop & Shop aren't quite as friendly as I would like, and that level of personal abuse undoubtedly takes a toll. We live in a friendly community, and baggers will help keep it that way.

3. It is very difficult for teenagers to find work, because there are less and less things they can do for money, especially for those under the age of sixteen. Gone are the paper routes, the snow shoveling and the lawn mowing, and very nearly so has baby sitting vanished as well. Our kids need legal jobs that will allow them to learn the responsibilities of showing up on time, following instructions, and managing their own money. A drive down Main Street in the summer, or through the Plaza parking lot on a Friday night, shows just how many kids have nothing better to do than hang around, either because they can't earn money for other activities or because they have far too many idle hours. If Stop & Shop had grocery baggers on its staff, it could make a positive impact on our community by providing jobs for many of these kids.

4. Perhaps most importantly, New Paltz is a community that has a small-town atmosphere, and by depersonalizing the grocery shopping experience by taking away that helpful bagger, you're undermining, however inadvertently, an important part of our community's character.

I'm going to steer clear of Stop & Shop for awhile and allow them some time to hire grocery baggers. If you are a patron there, I hope you will bring this letter to their attention, and voice your support for the baggers.

I've ended that mini-boycott, but I'm still bothered a bit by that store . . . well, by supermarkets in general. Would it be so difficult for them to offer a few more local products? I'm not talking about a complete retooling of the inventory, but jeez, why can't I get local apple cider from the Hudson Valley in these stores?

New Paltz New Year

Maybe if I make a list of hopes and dreams for New Paltz in 2009 early enough it won't get lost in the thousands of New Year's posts that will hit the blogosphere next week. This past year I moved back into the village and became part of its non-renting minority, and I'm excited about what the next twelve months will bring to our village and town. Here's an impromptu to-do list for 2009:

1. Shop local more. This could be broadened to do more business locally. We should have told our house painter where to get his paint - he didn't travel far, but even if we had paid just a few more bucks to keep that purchase in town we should have insisted. Two high school kids did an awesome job shoveling out our cars and walk yesterday, and I know that cash will be spent nearby. My brilliant wife suggested tipping the mailman with Chamber of Commerce CertifiChecks.
2. Recycle more. Businesses aren't required to recycle and there's no good reason why not. I applaud Craig Shankles at PDQ Printing for having a strong environmental commitment, but recycling is one of those things that needs a governmental nudge before it makes economic sense.
   
1. Did the EnCC get the Post Office fully on board yet?
2. I want to visit Laura Petit at the recycling center and talk to her about what can and can't be recycled. I bring my stuff there myself, and it's stunning when you compare the list of appropriate items to the stuff that shows up in those dumpsters. Does separating at home work? I'm watching Springfield's pilot recycling program closely.
3. Talk more about unification or whatever you want to call it. Consolidating governments may save money and may make government more efficient and may put the independence and character of the village at risk (which the Town Planning Board can do in all the ways that count under the present system). No one has any really good evidence on either side of the debate because people are stubborn and unwilling to let grant money be spent on finding out. Is Terry Dungan thumbing his nose at us to protect his fiefdom, or is Toni Hokanson rubbing her hands together gleefully at the idea of gaining more land for hers? Can we please find out?
4. Overthrow partisan politics. The idea of even considering a person's political party in a local election is just absurd. Does it really affect how streets are plowed or parking regulated? Far too many people in New Paltz make voting decisions with political party forefront in their mind; both educated and uninformed voters do it. There shouldn't be a fully Democratic town council, and it also should matter that there is! And it's not just the Democrats doing it, either - I've taken several Greens to task for their tunnel-vision mission to avoid voting for a Democrat.
5. Improve this blog. I may not be interested in politics but others are, so I'd like to include at least a Republican or a Libertarian in the gadfly mix. No elected official has asked yet, but if they do, should they be allowed to post? I'd also like to make a cool new banner, but first I need to find a nice picture of the ridge to use. Please comment if you own one that you're willing to donate.
   

Five small goals for me in my community. But hey, I have all year.