There's a bit of chatter floating around the blogsphere that started from a post of Tom Raftery's the other day.
I personally don't like to see dirty linen aired in public (unless it's Twink's - that voicemail was hilarious!), but Tom seems to think otherwise. The problem with these kind of issues is that readers are left feeling that they only have half the story as each side is putting forward their own case.
As you know, I'm off to BarCamp tomorrow, so instead of driving down from Dublin in the morning, we decided to break the journey with a night at my future-in-laws in Laois. So I've been spending the day camped in Blacknight's offices after Michele kindly invited me to.
I'm sitting in their conference room right now and the customer support staff are just outside the door and I've been half-listening in to their calls this morning (not on purpose now!). I have to say that it's a long time since I've heard such polite and well-informed support staff, going out of their way to help people. They even spent 30 mins this morning working with me trying to get my laptop onto their network as my VPN wasn't too keen to talk to theirs!
Maybe I'm biased in my opinions though, as most of the support calls I've placed recently have been to NTL! But the whole office seems like a lovely environment to work and they all have a great rapport. I haven't been listening in to the sales team, but I'm sure my hubbie is whipping them into even better shape as I type...
(Disclosure: I'm marrying Blacknight's Sales Manager later this year)
I personally don't like to see dirty linen aired in public (unless it's Twink's - that voicemail was hilarious!), but Tom seems to think otherwise. The problem with these kind of issues is that readers are left feeling that they only have half the story as each side is putting forward their own case.
As you know, I'm off to BarCamp tomorrow, so instead of driving down from Dublin in the morning, we decided to break the journey with a night at my future-in-laws in Laois. So I've been spending the day camped in Blacknight's offices after Michele kindly invited me to.
I'm sitting in their conference room right now and the customer support staff are just outside the door and I've been half-listening in to their calls this morning (not on purpose now!). I have to say that it's a long time since I've heard such polite and well-informed support staff, going out of their way to help people. They even spent 30 mins this morning working with me trying to get my laptop onto their network as my VPN wasn't too keen to talk to theirs!
Maybe I'm biased in my opinions though, as most of the support calls I've placed recently have been to NTL! But the whole office seems like a lovely environment to work and they all have a great rapport. I haven't been listening in to the sales team, but I'm sure my hubbie is whipping them into even better shape as I type...
(Disclosure: I'm marrying Blacknight's Sales Manager later this year)
posted by ellybabes at 1/19/2007 03:42:00 pm
8 Comments:
What a tiny, tiny, discreet disclaimer! Nearly missed it. It's size doesn't match it's significance.
Eoghan,
If you spent less time playing on people's blogs you could do something with that awful looking thing you call a website!
I'm not sure if you're a design company or a bad Daz commercial.
Chill... my comment was very much tongue-in-cheek!
And I am a "Daz commercial". You got me there...
Maybe more blog posts with titles like that will counter the negative posts about your future husband's employer.
Give that you are reating Blacknight's support, are you a blacknight customer?
Have you dealt with them as a customer looking for support?
Have you talked to them at other times that were not just a day after a massive public bust-up about their support?
I've only recently started using blacknight for some basic .ie registrations and I have found their support to be prompt, polite and accurate. Particularly considering the dumbass questions I was asking.
I've sent a few bloggers their way over the past year on the basis of other's good reports and I got at least one mail back thanking me for the recommendation as they had worked out really well.
As Damien commented - Have you posted about BKs great customer service when there wasnt some hype going on at the time? OR when you werent affiliated with them?
Excellent post Damien. Your posting is totally bias but kudos for including your "disclaimer". Granted everyone makes mistakes but when they do they shouldn't be so damn defensive like the company in question are presently.
Im quite sure the company in question has many strong & professional links with customers and has a good customer service record etc but it can also suffer from blips which they should deal with in an equally professional manner. From my outside the loop reading of this blog and others it appears they have not done this.
I dunno, I think Blacknight are handling it well. Trouble is I think those trying to defend them are making things worse but then they are only doing it because they care.
Sorry guys, didn't get to do any posting over the weekend, was too busy running around and 'schmoozing' at BarCamp (more about that in another post later...)
@ Damien, I'm not currently a Blacknight customer - but I will be from later this week when i move my hosting over to them. You may be fair enough in saying that someone with a longer relationship with them would be better qualified to comment, but I felt that I wanted to say something.
Everything last week was being both described and dealt with between Blacknight and Michele and indeed I'm pretty sure that Tom only dealt with Michele and other members of management throughout the whole incident (I may be wrong here, but to the best of my knowledge...).
People seem to forget that there's 7 other staff members sitting in those offices answering the phones and keeping the company working and it's hard on them to see all their hard work rubbished in the blogosphere by one loud voice. I simply wanted to stand up for them and say that if you spend a day in their presence you have no choice but to walk away thinking how patient, knowledgeable and professional they are...
@ anonymous - If you're going to come onto my blog and slag off other commenters, then at least have the decency and bollocks to sign your name to your comments! ;-)
@ Eoghan - I love the 'Daz' picture!
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