Thursday, April 22, 2010

Stepping Away

There comes a point where it is best to step back and not fight. I know of this idea but have not really voluntarily felt like doing it before. Maybe I'm losing my Type A personality status?

My computer is still noisy. The problem wasn't solved. A part that we ruled out initially with help from support was replaced -- a waste.

My first response was anger. A couple of phone calls later and more time wasted with each person needing to get up to speed with the situation did not offer any next steps other than please send it back for them to delve into it deeper.

To add oil to the fire, they were not able to just send me another box and return slip even though they had all my information already. I had to go through the process again. Do I have another 15 min?

No I didn't. My time is my most precise commodity and my internal timer for such nonsense had just dinged. Am I happy with the idea that should I send it back, they will have had my computer longer than I've owned it? No, I'm not.

Then something inside me just let go -- Just blew away, it felt. I don't need to do this. I don't need to feel this anger/discouragement/powerlessness anymore. It was my choice. I believe I had a Zen moment.

It wasn't a feeling of defeat that accompanied my realization (which would have angered me further) but freedom. Freedom of choice, to step away from this unhealthy mental/emotional energetic mess. It felt good and powerful.

I will continue to enjoy my somewhat noisy laptop until it no longer wishes to work and take full responsibility for not choosing to engage with their support crew any further -- since it felt like it was shortening my life.

My relationship with HP has ended with this experience. Too bad as this is the 3rd laptop I've owned from them. I like what they make but what came with it this time undid my previous good memories with interest.

I started filling out their support feedback survey and stopped shortly after as I had mentally already moved on and didn't care to re-live my experience anymore.

Ending on a happier note, D and I just got word our local area's drive in theatre is opening up for the season again. We've never been around here, just to the one near the cottage. So that is on tap for Friday night!

I can already taste the popcorn, fries and onion rings... :) Just 2 movies this time. We have to wait for a long weekend to take in 4... can't wait for that either!

3 comments:

  1. I like that! It’s not about giving up; rather, it’s a breakthrough. Sorry about your bad experience and the annoying sound you now have to constantly deal with though.

    I’ve never been to a drive-in theater; have only seen it on TV. I’m sure you’ll have loads of fun! What kind of movies do they show? New ones or oldies?

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  2. Have you ever worked in customer service for a large company before? The problem is usually the process more than the individual people. What HPneeds to do is offer a single point of contact until the problem is resolved, instead of making you start over with a new person each time you work with them. This is what the most successful companies do. It costs more, but the results speak for themselves.

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  3. Hi Sandra!

    Thanks! It is the noisiest when I'm in a quiet room, otherwise if there is ambient noise, it can be drowned out.

    I can't speak for all drive ins but the ones around here show new movies.

    If the movies I want to see are full of special effects, I won't go to the drive in as I prefer a better surround sound experience.

    So for us, the cheezier the movies, the better at a drive in.

    Hi The Executioner;

    No, I've never worked for a large company before. I'm not sure I'd like it if I knew I cannot really help someone in the way I that makes sense.

    So I would add power too with a single point of contact -- power to make decisions without having to push through several layers of supervisors.

    When I bought my first Lexmark laser printer and it had a glitch, they sent me one overnight to use until mine got fixed.

    Because I've not needed service for anything like that since, I remember having such a great experience and thought it would be as easy and similar and maybe even better.

    Times have changed. Now I'm making myself sound old... :)

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