Netflix Needs to Learn Customer Service 2.0

March 30, 2009 by admin · View Comments 

Netflix is definitely cutting edge when it comes to technology, but they are unfortunately no better than other corporate behemoths when it comes to soliciting feedback from their customers.

Netflix informed its Blu Ray customers today of their new boneheaded surcharge for the high definition discs.  Netflix is dinging their best customers,like Mahalo.com founder Jason Calacanis, with higher fees while those on lesser plans will only see a marginal increase.  Before the charge was $1 per month on all service plans, now it will vary based on the plan level.

What really struck me about this announcement was just how disinterested Netflix is in hearing from their customers.  Take a look at the email I got today:

If you wish to continue unlimited Blu-ray access for $2 a month, you don’t need to do anything. If not, you can remove Blu-ray access anytime by visiting Your Account.

If you have questions about this change or need any assistance, please call us anytime at 1-888-923-0898.

What’s wrong with this picture?  Well the obvious of course is that their response to anyone unhappy with the price increase is to pound sand and cancel their account.

But take a look further.  One would think a company that transacts business with its customers completely online would encourage those customers to communicate back to the mothership using those same fancy Web 2.0 tools.  Nope.

No email return address, no twitter, not even a web form.  Pick up the phone and call us.  How 1998..

In fact, Netflix only recently put its customer service reps on Twitter, posting their first message on February 20th of this year.  It’s in sharp contrast to Comcast (the company everybody loves to hate) who has been aggresively handling customer complaints via web technologies for well over a year now.

Netflix is definitely ahead of the curve technologically, but they have yet to learn that the new standard for serving customers in the Web 2.0 world is to actually interact with them.

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2009-03-29 Weekly Twitter Update

March 29, 2009 by admin · View Comments 

  • Getting ready for Monday. Another week is here. #
  • What?!? 34 degrees tomorrow? Aren’t we in Spring or something? #
  • RT @GMVolt: Volt Mule Winter Testing Has Been Successful http://tinyurl.com/cwa6cu #
  • Heading to teach POL 311 at UofH. Today’s topic: McCain-Feingold #
  • Cold fusion is back, almost twenty years to the day: http://bit.ly/2YNbtr #
  • Oy #
  • Wondering what will be for dinner at Rotary tonight #
  • Now that my car works again I am no longer in a car buying mood. Still waiting for the Chevy Volt. #
  • iPhone scrabble now links to Facebook scrabble. Very cool. #
  • Got my iPhone swapped out today at the Apple Store. Old phone developed dust under screen, was no longer perfect. Apple made it right. #
  • My philosophy on religion: If you want to know how, look to science. If you want to know why, ask G-d. #
  • Presenting the Essex Elementary Board of Education budget to the Board of Finance tonight. #
  • What do YOU have planned for the weekend? #
  • Poking around with iPhone development this weekend. #
  • Remembering a time when the local Dunkin Donuts actually made donuts.. #
  • Making a latte! http://twitpic.com/2jlud #
  • I can literally buy an HD movie on the xbox or appletv and have it play faster than my blu ray player. Are the new ones any faster? #
  • Still just trying to watch this darn movie. Blu ray feels like it is still in beta!! #
  • Giving up on the xfiles blu ray, disc must be bad. Now trying the new Incredible Hulk flick. #

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Review of the Netgear WN802Tv2 Wireless-N Access Point

March 27, 2009 by admin · View Comments 

I am a member of the Amazon Vine Voices program. Every month Amazon sends me a few products that are new or coming soon to market to review on their site.  This month they sent me a Netgear Wireless-N WN802Tv2 Access Point to review.

So here’s the deal: if all you do is surf the web on your laptop, or you’re looking for a ‘plug and play’ wireless-N routing solution this is NOT the product for you. If you are a medium to advanced computer user and are looking to add Wireless-N speeds to your existing network, this Netgear product is worthy of consideration.

CONFIGURATION
Network neophytes should stay away. This device is not plug and play and will require your PC or Mac to be on a 192.168.0.xxx network to connect to its web based control panel. More than likely that means you will need to manually change your computer’s networking configuration in order to set the access point’s IP address for your network. It will not receive an IP address automatically.

Security is off by default so you’ll want to set that up during the initial configuration. IMPORTANT NOTE: Using WPA will force the unit to operate in the slower Wireless G mode (at least with a Macbook Pro). You’ll want to use WPA2 encryption in order to get Wireless-N speeds. This was not spelled out in the documentation nor was it explained on the unit’s control panel.

After it is configured installation is relatively painless. Just connect it to an available ethernet port and wireless clients will have access to your network.

PERFORMANCE
Having used a Wireless-G router/access point for the last four years, the difference in speed for file sharing, video work, printing, etc. on this wireless-N device is substantial and immediately noticeable.

To test throughput I transmitted a 310 megabyte file from my desktop to my Macbook Pro using both this Netgear product and my older Linksys Wireless-G access point/router. The Macbook was in the kitchen directly underneath the room containing the access points.

The Linksys wireless router delivered the file in 3 minutes, 48 seconds. The Netgear Wireless N access point delivered the same file in 41.1 seconds. A sizable performance increase.

CONCLUSION
Netgear Wireless-N WN802Tv2 feels very ‘spartan’ and could use better documentation both in the box and also through its web based control panel. Hopefully Netgear will improve the control panel in future versions of its firmware, including adding an option to only allow the unit to operate in N mode (mixing G and N clients impacts performance).

I have not experienced the connectivity issues others have talked about in their reviews, but I will update this review if I come across them.

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2009-03-22 Weekly Twitter Update

March 22, 2009 by admin · View Comments 

  • Space shuttle to launch at 7:45 p.m. http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ #
  • Mission control says a bat is perched at the top of the shuttle external fuel tank. He will be in for quite a wake up call in 30 mins! #
  • Shuttle go for launch. Watch live at http://bit.ly/CkYmb #
  • The new Comcast commercials are creepy and weird. #
  • Good to see the White House acknowledging NASA’s work: http://bit.ly/XC4U3 #
  • It’s warm for two days and I’m already pulling ticks off my dog :( #
  • Gotta keep Woz in the game!! #
  • I canceled my AIG life insurance after their last bout of shenanigans. Glad I’m no longer a customer now. What a disgusting abuse of tax $$! #
  • Wow even the base level Camaro has a 304 HP V6 engine. Good mileage too. #
  • New Camaro looks great, good mileage, inexpensive. Might be GM’s resurgence? Need a new car, very tempted. http://bit.ly/93Pc2 #
  • Hey Amazon, how about a smaller box eh? http://twitpic.com/278c6 #
  • #oldestgmail my thread count is 69,687, utilizing 6.6 gigs. Wish gmail allowed a search by attachment size! #
  • Looking forward to a quiet evening. #
  • Dropped Blockbuster’s mail service today to switch back to Netflix. $9.99 a month (1 bluray) + streaming service is simply a better deal. #
  • Planning to do some casual but slightly serious car shopping this weekend. Anybody in? #
  • Note to GOP, this is not how you rebuild your brand: http://bit.ly/etAC4 #
  • Heading to Rep. Spallone’s budget forum at the Deep River town hall. #
  • Senator Dodd sets the record straight: http://bit.ly/3kqtkd #
  • Frak! Tonight’s the last episode of Battlestar Galactica. #bsg #
  • Hey Hartford Courant: I know times are tough but do we need a blabbing pitchman popping up on screen trying to sell me a car at courant.com? #
  • Ok if we’re going to geek out on #bsg tonight we should at least do it right with a chatroom on my blog! Join us (or me): http://bit.ly/ffM7 #
  • Could have done without the Adama puking #bsg #
  • Interesting – Sci-Fi premiering #bsg spinoff on DVD and paid download. Beginning of the end of cable networks? #
  • Watching #bsg off the air and realized I haven’t watched commercials in a very long time. #
  • I am an auto repair ninja. Battery, flat tires, you name it. #
  • Sunday = catch up day. #
  • Watching “Man on a Wire.” Documentary about the guy that walked a tight rope across the World Trade Center. Interesting story. #
  • Interview with Battlestar Galactica creators on the final episode. Must read for #bsg fans (spoiler alert) http://bit.ly/qLhXp #

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Some Gear.. Video Podcasting in a Box!

March 16, 2009 by admin · View Comments 


Canon VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom


Transcend 16 GB SDHC SD Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]


Sennheiser Wireless EW 100ENG G2 Microphone System

Shure SM58LC Shure SM58 Vocal Microphone


Velbon VideoMate-607/F Heavy-Duty Tripod with Case

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2009-03-15 Weekly Twitter Update

March 15, 2009 by admin · View Comments 

  • Sometimes a canceled flight has a silver lining: being able to spend more time with the family here in Chicago. #
  • At o’hare – flight delayed… Again.. United seems determined to keep me here. At least the lights are pretty #
  • Used offline Gmail on my flight home, really really cool. http://bit.ly/FDrQr #
  • GM Bets the Farm on the Volt: http://bit.ly/1y4mCS – My wallet’s ready, just tell me when GM! #
  • Might have to retire my Dell Mini-9 Hackintosh a little early. Looks like Apple might have a little gift for us geeks: http://bit.ly/kXDGh #
  • Government and religion should stay out of each other’s business. #
  • the inside of my car looks like a time capsule for the last 5 elections #
  • Time to catch up on Jack Bauer’s latest activities. #
  • Just installed tweetie on my iPhone. Excellent twitter client. #
  • Steele in trouble again, this time regarding abortion: http://bit.ly/lRsOs #
  • The daily show has the best op research team in America. #
  • Web is 20 years old today. I am so geeky that I have been on it for 15 of those 20. Http://bit.ly/VrafW (via @majornelson) #
  • Nearly taken out by two different subaru station wagons. Going to lock myself in my office for the rest of the day. #
  • packing up gear for Worcester! Looking forward to seeing my NE YDA friends. #
  • Just entered mass. #
  • Had a great time presenting on new media at the YDA regional meeting in Worcester today. #

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Delta Airlines’ Production Values Make Safety Interesting

March 12, 2009 by admin · View Comments 

Delta Airlines is soaring to new heights with their pre-flight safety video – adding a fun spin to content that seasoned travelers have been ignoring for decades.

Delta has somehow managed to rack up nearly 1.2 million YouTube views in less than a month. Yes, people are actually watching this voluntarily. I was surprised to see many of my fellow passengers on a recent Delta flight watching it too.

This goes to show that well produced content can make any boring topic interesting.

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2009-03-08 Weekly Twitter Update

March 8, 2009 by admin · View Comments 

  • Must read op-ed from Congressman Courtney on the economy: http://bit.ly/5twLE Share with your friends! #
  • A follow-up to my Tweet regarding Delta’s new checked baggage policy being thievery. Turns out they really are!! http://bit.ly/12211t #
  • Steele cowers after Rush’s temper tantrum, Rush still in charge – http://bit.ly/nn411 #
  • Looking forward to the NE region YDA mtg in Worcester next weekend! I’ll be giving a presentation on the effective use of new media. #
  • Melissa is cooking me dinner tonight and tomorrow I will cook for her! #
  • Breaking – Robin Williams has been hospitalized: http://bit.ly/13XMTY #
  • Working through the night.. #
  • My wish: That the “clean coal” guys stop using President Obama’s likeness in their advertising. http://bit.ly/mtp1 #
  • Republican status quo may oust Steele, party at its lowest popularity in 24 years: http://bit.ly/Uf74O #
  • I have never seen a better synopsis of the mess we are in. Daily Show does it again! http://bit.ly/tp4HR #
  • Don’t know why the airlines invested in the ‘change your seat’ thing on their websites. I’ve never been able to change my seat. #
  • Me thinks that JJ Abrams just saved Star Trek: http://bit.ly/4EzH6 #

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Thank a Plow Driver

March 2, 2009 by admin · View Comments 

Today in Connecticut we received a healthy serving of the white stuff, approximately a foot in some places and a little bit less here at my place.

Many of us here in Connecticut often take for granted just how well our state and municipal road crews clear the roadways no matter what the size of the storm. These hard working men and women often work through the night in nasty weather conditions to keep our roads safe and operating smoothly.

One only needs to look at how poorly some other states deal with the snow and ice to appreciate just how great a job crews in Connecticut do.

So the next time you see a tired snow plow driver, thank them for their work.  I’m sure they don’t hear that often enough.

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2009-03-01 Weekly Twitter Update

March 1, 2009 by admin · View Comments 

  • Can somebody can tell me the difference between Orbitz and Expedia? Booked through Orbitz, Expedia is listed on the hotel bill. #
  • At LAX.. Lousy red eye flight home – screaming babies and in the aisle seat next to the bathroom. Vacation is definitely over. #
  • Switching from HST to EST is going to take a few days. #
  • About time the Vatican actually did something concrete on this issue: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE51Q2J720090227 #
  • Waking up early tomorrow for the University of Hartford alumni council meeting. #
  • Woke up to see an entire flock of robins in my back yard this morning. Spring can’t be far now! #
  • Just finished touring Univ of Hartford’s new performing arts facility. World class. #
  • Thanks Antonio for the great Chevy Volt Video! http://tinyurl.com/akpc8n @gmvolt #
  • Jindal is downright pathological! Must read. http://bit.ly/109xFr #

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