Newsletter ArchiveSUBJECTs:Broadband Users - Service Ever Too Much of a Cost The Internet 800 Directory - http://www.inter800.com The Internet 800 Directory Newsletter This issue is for Friday, August 09, 2002 Table of Contents 01. Broadband Users 02. ICANN Responses 03. Is Customer Service Ever Too Much of a Cost? 04. Tip Of The Week *01 Broadband Users Things change in the online culture faster and with greater impact than almost any other field. This makes it important not only to keep up with current trends, but also to predict them. We all know that broadband usage is increasing with home users. In my estimation it won’t be long before broadband is the norm. How will a full time high-speed connection in people’s homes effect their usage of the Internet? Instead of speculating in the dark, the Pew Internet Project (http://www.pewinternet.org) has produced a report called “How online Americans' behavior changes with high-speed Internet connections at home”. This thirty-six-page report can provide you insight on what the future might hold for marketing on the Internet. You will find the report at: http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_Report.pdf If you have any thought or ideas you would like to share, please send them to Chuck Arning at chuck@inter800.com *02 ICANN Responses Many thanks to all of you that sent me a carbon copy of your comments sent to Ms. Victory regarding ICANN. Here are some quotes from a couple of the e-mails. Their logo is "if you don't like an elected board member's action in performing their duties, RESTRICT THEM. If that fails, REMOVE THEM!" - - Dolly - - I implore you to not only insist that ICAAN immediately comply with Mr. Karl Auerbach's very proper and responsible request, but that they also restore the directorships elected by internet users. - - Jonathan - - In light of the corporate scandals that have rocked the country and the economy lately, it is more important than ever that public trust be restored. ICANN has fought to try to conceal it's books from it's own publicly elected directors and has now voted to eliminate the public directors completely from it's board. I smell a rat. I favor non-renewal of ICANN's contract. - - Ron - - Judith Oppenheimer sent me a link to an article about ICAAN that’s worth reading. This is an issue that we need to stay informed about. http://www.cpsr.org/internetdemocracy/cyber-fed/Number_14.html Chuck Arning chuck@inter800.com We’re Talkin’ Serious” Bone Suckin’ Sauce ! Winner: “Battle Of The Sauces.” Created in true western North Carolina style. Tomato based all-natural, sweetened with honey and molasses. Order your Box of six today for $39.99 +s/h. Toll-Free 1-800-446-0947 or online http://www.BoneSuckin.com *03 Is Customer Service Ever Too Much of a Cost? This month has been a lot of back patting for us. It started with an article in the New Mexico Business Weekly. (http://albuquerque.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2002/07/01/small b1.html) It was followed up by several phone calls that I received from customers thanking us for things that we had done, which I always thought were in the natural course of business and, therefore, I was kind of taken aback. Then it culminated in the following response from Karen Bock at Brushes by Karen. "Thank you! It is nice to be appreciated! I thought that I would quid pro quo by telling you how much I enjoy doing business with your firm. From day one you guys have been upfront, honest, helpful and just all around great guys. You have gone over and above with walking me through "how to" tasks with patience and caring. I get tons of offers (some begging) to host my site. "Out of the question" I am completely and 100% satisfied with your services and all the extras (advice and friendship) that I have received from your firm." She also added, "Please give my best to George Paul and wish him well. He will be missed!" (We agree.) Wow! What was that worth? Well that is why this article is entitled the way it is. I don't really know how to put a price on customer service, but I know, inherently, that it should be obvious that it makes a return. As a very small example, I buy the Entertainment Guide, which is sold in most cities nationwide, and I generally do it for whatever charities are selling it. However, my wife gladly uses the dry-cleaning coupons and I use the car washes. Yesterday, I filled up at my local Phillips 66 and tried to use a free wash coupon that was another gas company. After apologizing for my mistake and starting to drive off, the attendant comes running out of the store with a free wash. Don't you think that I will go back there again? It is almost as simple as common sense and common courtesy to provide good customer service. What does it cost? What is a customer worth to you? Steve Jackson saj@inter800.com Vegas Vacation has the best rates on Las Vegas Hotel Rooms. Don't make a reservation without calling us first! Call 800-637-6442 or visit our ad in the Internet 800 Directory: http://inter800.com/02281174.htm Tip of the Week This tip comes from Diana Jackson, who is my wife and the administrative officer for the Attorney General in New Mexico, and who is also on our Board of Directors, which essentially means that I can't get away with anything, 24/7. If you work out of Office 2000 or Word 9.0 like we do, then you will be typing along, mistype something and all of a sudden the program switches from "Typing Replaces Selection" to an "Overtype" mode, whereby everything you type keeps getting replaced. I guess there are some people out there that use that function, but for us, I wish it didn't exist. So how do you stop it? I don't know, but I'll tell you how to correct it until the next time it happens. (By the way, I've sent this problem to Microsoft and they evidently don't think that it is a problem. Having flown over Bill Gates' house in Seattle, I can see why.) Now the tip: When the Overtype mode kicks in, click on the "Tools" tab at the top of Word, then click on "Options", then click on "Edit", then UNCLICK "Overtype mode" which Word has so conveniently checked on your behalf. Make sure that "Typing replaces selection" is checked. If you have any tips or shortcuts that you think the readers of this Newsletter will find useful, send them to sjackson@inter800.com Banners? Pay-per-click? Why not target your market with links or information placed in relevant content? The Internet 800 Directory Newsletter offers direct access to business people who are interested buyers. Advertising: Information on how to sponsor this publication: Call 800-299-1879 Thanks for taking the time to review our newsletter for this week. If you know of anyone that might benefit from receiving this newsletter, send them to (http://www.inter800.com/news800/ ) where they can subscribe. All Contents Copyright ©1995-2002 The Internet 800 Directory Subscribe To The Newsletter: |