Employee empowerment

I am a Comcast high-speed Internet subscriber. I am also a Comcast cable TV subscriber. We recently upgraded our subscription to digital cable and HDTV. Comcast has finally come out with a digital video recorder (DVR) service that allows users to record programs directly onto a hard disk rather than to video tape. Our VCR has begin giving us problems, so we thought it was time to take the plunge into digital recording. I was really interested in getting TiVo, but was told by someone at Abt that TiVo and Comcast really don't play together very well. TiVo has a really great service, but there are rumors of TiVo's imminent demise and I did not want to get stuck with a box I could not use. So the decision was made to get a Comcast DVR.

I called Comcast and made an appointment to have the DVR installed. The service is an additional $10 per month and, oh, there's a $32 installation charge. I questioned the charge, but was told that's what they charged to install the box.

Now the DVR is really a combination cable tuner and digital recorder. I already have the box so the installer will come over unhook my old box, hook up the new one, turn on the TV to make sure it works and leaves. Where is the "value" in the $32 charge? Anyway, I reluctantly said OK and the appointment was set.

That evening, my wife mentioned that a work colleague also had a DVR installed, but was able to get the installation charge halved to $16. I figured if he could do it, so could I.

I called Comcast this morning and they were shocked -- shocked! -- that I would request a waiver. The customer service rep put me on hold a couple of times and each time she came back and said that the $32 fee is correct and that's what I would be charged.

I cancelled the installation.

As a loyal customer with a number of services, I'm offended that (a) they would even consider charging a ridiculous fee in the first place and (b) this employee was apparently not empowered to waive a fee or at least waive 50% of it (which I would have settled for). I know this isn't just a Comcast issue, but an issue with all companies. What if I would have talked to a different employee? Would I have gotten satisfaction? Why should there be a difference?

Employee empowerment is not only right, it's good business.

Update 9:47 AM CST: Maybe this is all for the best as Comcast and TiVo have just announced a partnership agreement where TiVo will make boxes for Comcast. Unfortunately, it won't go into effect until 2006.

This should be interesting!

Former baseball player Jose Canseco's tell-all book continues to cause problems for Major League Baseball. In his book, he admits to steroid use and says he injected former teammate Mark McGwire with steroids when they played together on the Oakland Athletics. He also calls out several other players regarding their own steroid use.

I don't know if he's telling the truth or not, but it's obvious that baseball players have gotten much bigger the past few years.

A number of players mentioned in the book, including Rafael Palmiero, have threatened legal action. What's interesting is that they've threatened, but have not actually sued. This tells me that there's fire under the smoke and legal action will bring out things that players don't want brought out.

These threats may become irrelevant as the House Reform Committee wants to hold hearings on steroid use and has "invited" (subpoenaed?) Canseco and several other ballplayers to testify. The other players include McGwire, Palmiero, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa and Jason Giambi. For some reason, Barry Bonds has not been included. The testimony is voluntary and the players cannot be forced to testify. Canseco so far is the only one willing to testify under oath.

Too bad these players can't be compelled to testify. Wouldn't it be great theater to watch them testify? Can't you just see Sosa squirm under the bright lights when explaining how the source of his power is the Flintstone's vitamins he says he takes? Just seeing Canseco in the same room with these other players would be fun to watch. C-SPAN could make it a pay-per-view event.

Update (6:29 PM CST): There is now some disagreement whether or not the "invitations" are really subpoenas and thus the appearance is mandatory rather than voluntary. It was earlier reported that the players could testify on their own volition. (Canseco being the only one agreeing to testify; Schilling is considering it.) Now there is a question if it's Contempt of Congress should they fail to appear.

This is getting "interestinger and interestinger." Stay tuned!

Update (March 9, 2005 12:29 PM CST): Of the players invited to the hearing, only Jose Canseco and Frank Thomas have agreed to voluntarily appear. It appears now that the Committee will subpoena the other players and baseball officials (including Commissioner Bud Selig) to appear at the hearing on March 17.

I just don't get it

Cell phones and public restrooms, I mean. Are we that busy that we need to multitask by carrying on a phone conversation while, uh, attending to other matters?

When I worked in the city, I took a daily commuter train to and from work. One day before I boarded the train home, I went into the men's room at the Union Station to wash my hands. In this busy restroom were two guys talking on their cell phones...and, of course, they had to talk loud enough so everyone could hear they were talking business. Now a busy terminal men's room is not the ideal place to hold a business telephone conversation. Can you imagine what the person on the other end of the conversation must think! Is it our need to feel important -- or to make other people think we're important -- that requires us to carry on conversations in this most public of places?

As a male, my point of reference is limited to the guys' sanctuary. Is this just a "guy thing" or do women do this too?

Tommy Dorsey story

On my family weblog, I just posted a story about how my mother sat in with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra one night when they played at the army air base where she worked.

Gmail invitations

I use Gmail (Google mail) and like it a lot. I have 50 free Gmail invitations that are available to anyone who wants one. Don't be shy, just ask.