Issue #121: Tip of the Day
May 4, 2007
THRIVE! Talkin'!Don't just read the newsletter, live it!Jump into the THRIVE! forum and get set for success!  Tip of the DayMatthew Poepsel, LeftBrain/Co-FounderHave you ever had a day when it seemed as if nothing was going to go right? Last Thursday, I was traveling out West when my phone died. Now before I continue, you have to realize that my phone is my lifeline. I've got one of those "smartphones" with all of my contacts, tasks, calendar, email, text messages, and more. I love my phone. I need my phone. Sometimes when no one is looking, I hug my phone. At the moment, my kick butt smartphone was acting like a stupidphone. So there I was in my hotel room with a broken phone. I stared at it, trying to will it to return to life. Nope. I still needed to get back to Boston. I've grown so used to having a mobile phone that I was a bit uncomfortable thinking about trying to travel without it. What if something happened? Would I be able to find a payphone? Do they still make those? Why? I had to do something. So I stared at my phone some more. Nope. Still broken. I left the hotel, and I found the nearest Cingular store. Surely, the hundreds of dollars I spend each month would mean something to my carrier. (And yes, I know that's a ridiculous amount of money, but hey - I've got a lot to say.) I walked in and pleaded for help. The clerk replied, "Sorry, but we're a franchise. I can't even look up your account. You need a corporate store." Okay. That seemed plausible enough, and the "corporate" store was only 10 minutes away. I walked into the corporate store and repeated my sob story. (Sob.) The exchange was baffling: "I think the battery is the problem." "Oh great. That sounds easy to fix." "Oh it is, but unfortunately your phone is very popular. I don't have a battery, so you'll have to go to another store that's 30 minutes from here." (Sob.) "Sir, are you alright?" So off I went to my third Cingular store. At this point, I was fairly miffed. (Sorry, kids.) I walked into the third store hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. Guess which one I got? "Well, it isn't the battery. You've bricked it." Time out. I love my phone. (Remember?) I certainly wouldn't "brick" it. The clerk informed me that they would be sending me a replacement immediately. Finally, some respect. I mentioned that I would be heading back to Boston, and inquired if I could have a loaner phone to get me home. "Sure." "Great. "But you'll have to pay full retail. And the cheapest phone we have is $160." Excuse me? I already paid an obscene amount of money for my TREO. Every month I pay an obscene amount of money for my airtime. Now the company wanted me to pay up yet again. Don't get me wrong - I've wasted a lot of money in my day. (A rare autographed photo of Simon LeBon and Nick Taylor comes to mind.) But, I was not about to overpay for a phone I need for a mere 24 hours. At this point, I was beyond frustrated. Still, rules are rules. I slowly sulked to the front of the store thinking about my phoneless flight. (I mean seriously, how did people do it a few years ago?) Just when I was about to leave, an associate stopped me. He had overhead my sad, sad tale of woe. He said, "Look, you didn't hear it from me, but you can go to Best Buy and grab a Cingular 'Go Phone' for $20. Pop in your SIM card, and you're good to go." Bwaah? Could it be that easy? I thanked him kindly and bolted out the door. I used to be up on technology. (I was the king of the Commodore 64.) Still, I haven't stayed up on my wireless technology. (Maybe that explains why I bricked my smartphone.) This was just the tip I needed! Sure enough, a quick trip to Best Buy and a $20 temporary phone put me back in business. What a great tip! If you're a Cingular executive, you may be upset at the associate. If so, Frankie Says Relax. You weren't going to get my $160 and your associate's tip saved the longer term relationship. That associate was a problem solver. He saw a man clearly in need of a Duran Duran ringtone, and he sprung into action. His tip came at just the right time, and I was very pleased with the result. So - was this ordeal just an example of dumb luck? Was I the beneficiary of some stranger's random act of kindness? Or did I put myself into a position to get lucky (hey now) by demonstrating tremendous persistence in pursuit of my goal? I did enter a third store seeking help, after all. I ask because I believe any of us can find ourselves on the receiving end of a helpful tip. To do so, we have to persist and be clear about our needs, and then we have to keep our ears open. If you can do those things, don't be surprised if the right piece of information comes to you at just the right time. Just like my phone. cul8r :) |
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Coaching Quickie: Tip of the DayWhen you've been in need, how often has a useful tip come your way?Follow the link above to vote for your response. While you're there lend us your feedback, or share some goals with fellow readers. Check back next week for results! Last Week's ResultsCoaching Quickie: Second Guess or Success? |
