I expect what I pay for...my husband not so much. One of the differences in our personalities is how we value. I pay for high speed internet access and expect when I click on a link I connect. My husband, not so much.
My husband introduced our family to computers in 1983. He brought home a Tandy from Radio Shack and placed it on the kitchen table ... Christmas gift. I saw no value in that purchase. Our four year old daughter instantly found value. It was years later I came to value computers. My value was work related.
As my husband places so much value in the computer that he spends all (and I mean every waking breathing minute that his is not on a construction site) on his computer. The Tandy is no longer in operation but can be found in my husband's industrial strength e-waste pile that includes two Commodores, a few Dell's and an assortment of other useless PCs, floppy disks, joy sticks, boxes and boxes of e-stuff and e-crap. He place value on his e-waste. Me, not so much.
I place value on being able to do my job using technology. I go online I connect. When I click to link, I connect. I click on an attachment, it opens. I pick up a phone, I have a dial tone. I TiVo a program, it records. I pay $ for these services and expect them to operate when accessed. This is value to me. My husband, not so much.
Since November I work, almost exclusively, at home. Internet performance and my work related productivity depends on technology. I place a high value on excellent internet access and subscribe and pay for premier services. My husband does not pay that bill, generally does not look at bills and has no dollar awareness related to services. Neither does he use the internet for work or to generate revenue so he places no value on time or productivity. He uses the internet as a hobby, a curiosity, a playground. You may think that regardless of who pays the bills users would all expect service. My husband, not so much.
He seems to have no expectations of how internet performance should be, least of all high speed. For weeks now I have been trying to resolve what I find to be low performance from our high speed internet provider. So far we have replaced modems, replaced the line to our house, the cable trouble call line is on speed dial (used when the phone is operating) and I really have to hold my frustration down when I am asked to reset the modem, yet again.
Typical day. I ask husband, "Are you on-line?" "Well I was but it doesn't seem to be working so I am restarting my computer but I did down load an Vista update so I don't know if that is why I have no access." Now imagine that answer with a really thick Ricky Ricardo accent. Me, "What are you talking about?"
The cable guy comes when I am at a community meeting on pandemic flu so my husband handles the service call. After two hours, by my husband's suggestion, the problem is with him. The applications he uses, his firewalls, virus scans, settings etc. Problem solved.
Placing no value on my computer uses, my experiences are not considered into the problem or solution. Yet I am the one who called for the service call because I was not getting the value of reliable high speed internet access.
On the day the cable company replaced the line to the house, I was at home. I communicated to the cable guy the various service interruptions on high speed, phone and cable TV. He found that our TV feed was on analog. Yeah! one down! Two to go!
I keep a log of the intermittent service interruptions. Last entry two days ago, yesterday I was at the beach. 7 AM no phone no internet re-set modem 2x. 12:30 PM no internet re-set modem 3:18PM no internet re-set modem. I stopped calling the cable co because they tell me to re-set modem. For me having to reset my modem 3x in a day says I am not getting the value of what I am paying. For my husband, he didn't notice.
Now my cable internet phone provider is offering a "TURBO" speed connection, for an additional $9.99 a month. Now I know my high speed sucks so I decide to find out about this "TURBO." Sounds fast so maybe it's not my connection but the speed that's the problem. So I call the provider and leave my number for a call back in 16 to 24 min...I do that now rather than wait "to speak with a representative."
When Kelly calls she is polite and professional, a customer service I DO value and has consistantily been delivered from the provider customer care line. Can you imagine my insanity if on top of my consistent intermittent service interruption I also got a service rep w/ attitude!
I tell Kelly I am "TUBO" curious... will this require a different modem? How does the increased speed get to my laptop? No new modem just a flip of a switch. WOW! I start to think I will feel like my laptop is a Porsche as I speed from one link to another and send attachments at the speed of light almost forgetting I have a pre-condition tech problem. Kelly tests our modem (this is the third modem since July) and finds a problem. She is "not seeing the levels of conductivity" she should be seeing. Kelly schedules a Wednesday service call and since our regular service is not up to par my turbo dreams are on hold.
Well the value of my time on Wednesday will be waiting for the cable guy,while my husband places a great deal of value on his twitter time. Time will tell if my service provider places enough value on a customer to resolve the issues and give me what I pay for...high speed internet, digital phone services and HD cable operate when accessed so I can pay them more to "TURBO" my access!
