Joe Escobar, Editorial Director, D.O.M. magazine

My wife's Dell computer is sick. Actually, it is committing suicide thanks to a nasty trojan horse. The trojan horse made it through our anti-virus software, and all attempts to remove it have been unsuccessful. It appears we now need to re-format the computer's hard drive and re-install Windows.

Since we bought the computer last July, I called Dell's customer support number yesterday to see if this would be covered under the manufacturer's one-year warranty. I thought it probably would not, but I figured I'd give it a shot.

I was on hold for a few minutes before an agent with a noticeably strong Indian accent came on the line. He took some information from me (name, computer serial number, etc...) and told me he was going to transfer me to the "hardware" department.

I was on hold once again. While on hold, several messages played in a loop -- tips if you will. One caught my attention. It said (I'm paraphrasing from memory), "Tired of waiting on hold? For an extra annual fee you can talk to a Dell representative in the United States in under two minutes each time you call. Press '1' for more information."

After about 20 minutes on hold, another Dell representative with an Indian accent came on the line. He asked similar questions as the first one and told me he was going to transfer me to the "software" department.

I was on hold for another 15 minutes, and heard the same loop of messages including the one where I could pay extra money if I wanted "better service."

A representative from software finally came on and after about five minutes told me this would not be covered.

I'm not upset that fixing the computer isn't covered under Dell's warranty. After all, it isn't their fault we have a trojan horse. 

However, I am amazed at the mediocre level of Dell's customer support and the audacity of the company to offer "better service for more money."

Can you imagine if aircraft manufacturers had the same attitude?

I can see it now -- an aircraft manufacturer tells its new customer, "We apologize for the problems you are having with the aircraft you purchased from us. We will schedule your aircraft for work sometime in the next 30 days. We are going to assign a contract customer service representative to take care of your scheduling and questions. If you would like to schedule your aircraft in a timelier manner, we can get your aircraft in work within two days and assign our in-house customer service professional to take care of all your needs -- but it will cost you extra."

Excellent customer service is an integral part of any successful maintenance operation. Successful repair shops stress customer service at all levels -- from the maintenance professionals on the shop floor to the receptionist answering the phone. Anything less than excellence in customer service is unacceptable.

For the March/April issue of D.O.M. magazine, I interviewed a director of maintenance for an FBO/repair station in Florida. He shared some ways his employees go the extra step to ensure the company's customers receive nothing but the best in terms of top-notch maintenance and customer service. It is this attitude that has helped them continue to grow their business even in the midst of the current downturn in the economy.

What are some of the things you do to promote customer service excellence? What do you expect from your employees and co-workers in terms of attitude and customer service?

Thanks for reading!

Joe Escobar