My girlfriend wanted to give me an awesome geek toy for Christmas this year.  She ordered a USB Webcam Missile Launcher from x-tremegeek.com for me, which I have to say is a pretty darned awesome geek toy.  Even now, I can imagine using it to drive invaders from my cubicle, guaranteeing the sovereignty of my personal space . . .

Alas, it is not to be.

When the toy arrived at her home, she opened it up and found not the USB Webcam Missile Launcher, but rather the USB Missile Launcher.  No webcam.  Which is still a cool toy, but it lacks the major feature of the webcam version, which is that it can be remotely controlled.

But the folks at x-tremegeek.com explained to her that the webcam version was on sale for the same price as the normal retail price of the non-webcam version, so this was an “appropriate substitution”.  When she pointed out that they are, in fact, very different products, x-tremegeek.com said that she could return the thing that she did not order for a refund – minus a restocking fee.  After several phone calls, she got them to waive the restocking fee.  Since, you know, she was returning something that she didn’t order in the first place.

x-tremegeek.com has many things going for it as a company.  It’s got an apt name, a great catalog of toys, and a decent web site.  Unfortunately, their customer service is bollocks.  When the zombies finally overrun my meager cubicle defenses, I will die cursing their name.

Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still

Some may know that my nickname is “Robot Terror” but not realize how this nickname came to be mine. Well, I earned it!

Back in 1989 I worked for now defunct Businessland as an inside sales representative between semesters in college. In 1989 the retail computer business was thriving but declining against the direct sales approach innovated by up-and-coming giants like Dell Computer. Still, the margins were high enough that a large number of former used car salesmen flocked to retail computer sales to escape the declining margins in that business. It was in this environment that I found myself selling PCs — branded and not — and Macs on the north side of Austin, TX.

One day as I was finishing paperwork in the back of the showroom I noticed that a young gentleman was trying to get the attention of my xenophobic co-workers. Seeing that he was not being helped I left my paperwork and asked if there was anything I could do for him. He told me he was wanting to buy the biggest Macintosh available as soon as possible — and pay cash. I forget the specific model, but believe it was the Mac IIci.

This young man turned out to be an IBM employee visiting IBM’s Austin offices from IBM Japan. He worked on the AIX development team and needed a computer that had full Kanji support, which he identified as the Macintosh. Oh, yes, he was a native of Japan and this likely had much to do with his lack of attention from my former-used-carsalesmen co-workers. Off this one sale I made my monthly quota (margins for the win!).

On delivery day I was in the back putting in an over-sized hard drive (the licensed technicians were not allowed to substitute unrated devices so I put the whopping 80MB hard drive in myself). While I was putting his system together he came into the store eager to pickup his new machine. After a bit of a wait, again, someone finally approached him to find out what he might need. This customer told him he wished to speak to me, Robert Taylor.

The salesman who helped the elite IBM AIX developer tried to redirect him to Radio Shack. The former used car salesman told the customer that Businessland didn’t carry the toy or game he requested but Radio Shack just might have what he wanted. The customer, puzzled, explained again he wanted to speak with me. Again, the salesman said he could not help him. Then the customer explained he was there to get his new Mac from Robert Taylor. Finally, the salesman understood the intended request and went to the intercomm.

Now, from the salesman’s perspective he heard the young foreigner ask for some kind of game or toy called “Robot Terror.” Only after several back and forth exchanges did he realize he wanted to speak with me. Once he realized his mistaken comprehension of the elite IBM AIX developer’s request he picked up the intercomm and announced, over the store-wide speakers, “Robot Terror you have a customer upfront. Robot Terror.”

Immediately, even though unaware of this entire exchange, I realized, to my horror, what had happened. This valued customer was being mocked on the public address system. I hurriedly gathered the new Mac IIci and rushed to the front. When I saw the customer I must have had a look of embarrassment because he reassured me he wasn’t offended. In fact, I should keep the malapropism as it was funny. Total class, this customer!

Ever since then I’ve treasured this mispronunciation of my family and given names as a reminder that xenophobia doesn’t pay! I love telling people I’m “Robot Terror” and each time recall the grace and class of this elite but under-appreciated customer I had the honor of serving.

I am Robot Terror!

Recently I needed to buy a portable HD video camera. Based on the recommendation of some trusted friends and the realities of a recession-limited personal budget I opted to try a Kodak Zi6. I used it to record video from a special San Antonio Mayoral debate held at my company. The recording seemed straight forward but I could not get the content transferred to my MacBook.

Before I go on, let me say this post could very well be about my experience with Kodak, its subpar online chat support and my decision to switch to the more expensive Flip MinoHD. Except for one problem this blog post could be a story of my frustration with a product and that product’s manufacturer. Except for one obstacle this post would not include any information about Best Buy, the retailer, other than a passing comment on their willingness to accept the return graciously.

When the Kodak Zi6 failed to transfer the video to my MacBook I contact Kodak chat support. Eventually (and I mean e_v_e_n_t_u_a_l_l_y) we mutually agreed the USB on the Kodak was not working; I was to return the unit. I drove to the Best Buy from which I bought the unit 3 days prior and Best Buy verified the unit was not working and let me choose another. Since the Kodak Zi6 uses memory cards I thought to try another and move on. This transaction was quickly approved and I left the store, driving back the few miles to my waiting family. An inconvenience? Sure, but these things happen.

However, the second unit also would not connect to my MacBook. Same symptom – it was not recognized by the Mac at all. Bum USB again! I made the first post on Twitter about this experience at this time:

rjamestaylor: I bought a Kodak Zi6 to record the #sa4mayor forum @Rackspace. USB failed – can’t upload. Returned it; 2nd one also has bad USB. Not happy.
2:42 PM May 2nd from Tweetie

A few minutes later I posted some exchanges about my experience with the Kodak Zi6 amongst friends I was chatting with on-line and off:

rjamestaylor: @kr8tr asked me (off-line) “why you are buying a camera from a film company?” Won’t make that mistake, again
2:46 PM May 2nd from Tweetie

johndstrunk: @rjamestaylor You should just get a Flip MinoHD or Flip UlraHD, best evah!
2:46 PM May 2nd from Twitterrific in reply to rjamestaylor

rjamestaylor: @johndstrunk I really liked the Flip MinoHD that I borrowed from @kr8tr. Got the Kodak due to friend’s rec. Love the friend, not the Kodak
2:50 PM May 2nd from Tweetie in reply to johndstrunk

Karoli: @rjamestaylor I’m loving the flip mino too. lots of fun.
3:00 PM May 2nd from TwitKit

rjamestaylor: @Karoli the Crapdak was recommended by a friend I trust. Love the friend, not the Kodak.
3:07 PM May 2nd from Tweetie in reply to Karol

This spontaneous hate-fest (on my part) and love-fest for Flip MinoHD continued on for a while as I got out my frustrations on-line. I left to return the second failed Kodak Zi6 and made it to the Best Buy 30 minutes later (traffic in my part of San Antonio, known as Stone Oak, is abysmal all the time). Had I been able to simply return the Kodak Zi6 and move on with my life this blog post would have been done.

But we’re just getting started. Once at Best Buy I explained the predicament and stated I didn’t want yet another Kodak Zi6 nor did I want to upgrade to a Flip MinoHD; I wanted to get my money back and just forget the ordeal. The counter agent passed the Kodak Zi6 to another person who came back and said, “It worked in one of our machines.” The counter agent meant that I would not be able to return the unit without paying a 15% restocking fee.

I explained that I really didn’t care if the unit worked in one of their machines at this time. It didn’t work in mine just as the other one hadn’t. Counter agent said that the first one also did not work in any of their test machines which is why she could accept the return. To have the restocking fee, she told me, I would have to provide the MacBook and prove it didn’t work. Thus my first Best Buy tweet ever:

rjamestaylor: BestBuy requiring me to get my MacBook to prove the replacement Kodak doesn’t work. Really? #fail
3:42 PM May 2nd from UberTwitter

At this point I was tired. I had made three trips to the Best Buy regarding the Kodak Zi6 and my family was home waiting for me to spend the day with them. I smiled and said, “Please get me your manager.” I understood that she was not empowered to help customers outside of narrowly defined policies — don’t agree with that business decision, but I understand it. Surely the manager will be able to make this right. Thus my second Best Buy tweet:

rjamestaylor: Now getting a BestBuy manager. He’ll help me understand why after three trips to BestBuy I need to prove that my MacBook can’t see Kodak Zi6
3:45 PM May 2nd from UberTwitter

He wasn’t. Instead of realizing that I had understandably lost confidence in the Kodak Zi6 and that I had made two too many trips to get a working video camera and then waiving the restocking fee (meant to discourage “free rent” use of such equipment), he said I needed to provide my MacBook and prove it didn’t work. Yes. He repeated the same by-the-book policy requirement. Thus my third and fourth Best Buy tweets, ever:

rjamestaylor: BestBuy requiring the %15 restocking fee to get money back.
3:48 PM May 2nd from UberTwitter

rjamestaylor: BestBuy stood by policy and required re-stocking fee on a product that did not work for me. “Maybe MacBook driver need updating” #fail
4:00 PM May 2nd from UberTwitter

I told the manager that I understood policies and why they are helpful guides but that also there are times that circumstances warrant favoring the customer over the policy. He did not agree and demanded I pay or provide the MacBook. I was not going to make yet a fourth trip to accommodate this insult, so I paid the fee to rid myself of not only the Kodak Zi6 but Best Buy.

Needless to say my friends on Twitter responded. Even people I didn’t know who were watching the public Twitter feed picked up on this and began a lengthy, impassioned trashing of the Best Buy brand based on my customer service (hah!) experience and their own. Here are two other posts I made on Twitter summing this experience up from my perspective:

rjamestaylor: I may buy a Flip minoHD to replace two defective Kodak Zi6′s, but it won’t be via Best Buy.
4:18 PM May 2nd from UberTwitter

rjamestaylor: If the Manager would have considered my 3 trips and waived the fee I’d be a promoter of Best Buy – unempowered workers breed detractors
4:28 PM May 2nd from UberTwitter

(To be continued…)

My background is a bit diverse, I guess. I have a degree in Information Systems (Bachelor of Science, 1994) from University of Texas at Arlington. I have worked as a business application developer on mainframes, minis, UNIX systems and Windows. I developed several web applications that are still in use today — not web sites, but web applications. I developed an international radio broadcast (and knew when to hand it off to people more skilled than I!) and even ran a 50Kw AM radio station.

As an aside to all these professional pursuits I have always maintained a verbose on-line connection via Fido-net, BitNet, IRC, CompuServ and eventually on the web with Slashdot (I’m a karma whore: rjamestaylor), Groklaw.net, etc. I used to get in trouble at work for sending and replying to emails on a list called “fun” — guess I was having too much of it — but during my off-hours. Problem was I worked overnights so my posts were during most people’s work hours, thus the confusion. Connecting, collaborating, helping, and seeking help on-line has been a part of my life since I first found a BBS in the early 1980’s.

Quite a varied background, but what’s the tie-in?

These diverse passions and experiences began to converge when I finally realized I was a burned out web application developer. That’s when I turned from developing web applications to administering Linux servers for others. I began working as a Level 2 Linux Admin overnights (third shift) for a certain large web hosting company. Within a couple years I progressed to a Level 3 admin and then to a Senior Systems Engineer (SSE). During this time I was directly tied to customers and co-workers passionate about helping people. As SSE, my role was to be a point of escalation for customers and a resource to my team for technical guidance and development. Also I was called on to be a subject matter expert within the company to ensure we had the tools and resources and empowerment needed to provide world-class support to our customers.

As I moved up in the support hierarchy I found that my touch with customers was less. Eventually I realized that moving up the company organization would reduce that touch with customers even more. At the same time due to criticism that I was “on the fun email list” too much (though during my off hours, remember!) I began to pick up a tool that I had first used back in Nov 2006 but found little use for – Twitter. So, in the summer of 2008 I began to use Twitter (@rjamestaylor) as my creative outlet. Dumb jokes, silly thoughts, serious ponderings…went to Twitter. As I learned about following people and searching the public Twitter stream I started getting more involved. Then one day I found one of my customers unhappy with my company – so I reached out to help.

Convergence achieved.

Without meaning to, without strategy sessions from PR experts and without checking with legal, first, I had come full circle. I was now using my skills (communications, technical ability) with my passions (connecting with customers, helping people) together. It was like a dream come true.

And now, instead of being criticized for “having fun” on the internal “fun” mailing list I was receiving praise for my “twittering.” Really? *pinch* Really?

Now I am beginning to use this converged skill, ability and passion set to further my company’s efforts to help people. I’m not a Social Media expert. I’m a Customer Advocate. I’m a public-facing SSE – Senior Systems Engineer. Who do I work for? The customer. What’s my purpose? To help customers. What’s my goal? “To profitably enable our customers to succeed by providing them an extraordinary hosting experience distinguished by robust and reliable products and fanatical customer service.”

I am very happy at this convergence in my professional life and personal passions.