Verizon Comes Through!
It's the end of "Tuesday" as I write this. I was supposed to get a call today from Verizon to let me know that I'd been credited for the returned KRZR. It's 7:30 in the evening here, but no call.
I decided to call Verizon customer service as I started to write this and, lo and behold!, the fellow who answered --"Billy", sounds like South Carolina -- decided to fix the problem! I'm on hold right now while he takes the case to his manager.
I asked how it was that he could fix it when none of the other folks I'd talked to at Verizon could get it done but Billy politely avoided a direct answer.
In any case, Billy quickly saw all in the file and went right to work to try to fix it. Surprisingly, he dug around in the records and saw that the phone had, finally, been checked in at the New Breed warehouse, but still no credit had been issued back to us. Is there no foot that New Breed won't drag?
Billy came back from his manager and had it all fixed up. We settled the order so that my new phone order is already in process. (I'm going back to LG with a VX8700. yay!) Amazing. This is the way it should have happened in the first place but it's done now and I'm delighted with Billy (thanks) and with the other nice folks at Verizon that I've spoken too -- all have been kind and polite even if not as empowered as Billy.
Now about that New Breed bunch. If youi'll straighten them out, one way or another, so that other customers don't have to go through this stuff just to get credit for a returned phone, then I'll happily give you all your survey points back and be back recommending Verizon Wireless all over the place!
Verizon Steps Up but New Breed Still Down
Updating the saga of New Breed / Verizon and the uncredited cell phone; Verizon Customer Service called yesterday to follow up on my comments in the satisfaction survey. (Lucky for me that this survey happened.)
A very pleasant person who immediately identified herself with full name and location (in South Carolina, not off shore) and then apologized for the delay in getting my phone credited. She kindly listened while I explained my concerns and frustrations. She assured me that they wanted me to be comfortable in being able to recommend Verizon again. Cool.
Then she explained that she'd send a notice through the system right away to get my phone credited ASAP but that the New Breed folks had 48 hours to get back to her with a solution. So; by two days from her call I would have credit for the phoen. I think I must have paused or hmmph'ed or sighed or something to indicate my surprise at this because he filled with something like "it's to be sure it has time to go through channels."
This seems like the New Breed tail is wagging the Verizon puppy. Really; doesn't it? Who's got the power here? And here we are back at the initial question and problem -- should it take 48 hours to get the phone checked back in. Nope. And should it be allowed 48 hours for the service provider to get back to either Verizon, their direct customer, or to me, Verizon's customer for whom New Breed is acting as agent? This compounds the intial goofy wrongness by at least 100%.
Now back to the kind and pleasant lady that called from Verizon: she seemed to be picking up on the irony that was brewing here so she also assured me that my "verbatim" -- the message that I had recorded for the survey -- and her notes about this would be going to the executives in charge of these services at Verizon and that they would "hear [my] concerns directly". Wonderful.
I took this opportunity -- hoping that the call was recorded -- to explain my view that Netflix presented a better model for handling the "reverse logistics" matter better than New Breed. I hope that will get to the Verizon execs for consideration too. New Breed needs to be kicked into gear or replaced.
OK. If she's not just pacifying me at this point, but if the message is going to get to the Verizon execs to fix the problem (by replacing or fixing New Breed) then, yes; for sure I'll be happy enough with Verizon to be able to recommend them again.
Posted December 17, 2007 Permalink
New Breed Falls Down - Part Two
OK; time for an update on the misery of returning a phone to Verizon via it's logistics agent, New Breed.
As of this writing, New Breed has been holding my phone for 9 and a half days! No word whatsoever from New Breed about when they will release it. That's nuts.
Verizon had the bad luck to call me today and ask if I'd recommend then to a friend or family. Scale of 1 to 10 -- I gave them 5. They asked for explanation of the low mark, I gave them New Breed.
Continue reading "New Breed Falls Down - Part Two"
Posted December 14, 2007 Permalink
"New Breed" Falls Down on Little Stuff
OK; I gave up on the KRZR phone (reviewed in my last post) and sent it back to Verizon. That was over a week ago and it still hasn't been credited to my account so that I can get a new phone to replace it. Weird.
The phone left here in the capable hands of FedEx on Monday afternoon and they delivered it to "New Breed" -- Verizon's "logistics solutions provider" -- iin Texas on Wednesday at precisely 5:16 AM. FedEx hits the "two-day" mark with hours to spare. Thanks FedEx.
Verizon uses logistics specialist firm New Breed to facilitate and expedite processing of wireless phone orders, including phone returns like mine.
Verizon customer service told me that once my returned phone is in New Breed's hands they will "check it in" to Verizon's inventory and then my account will be credited for the returned phone along with my "new in two" and new contract discounts. At that point I may then place an order for a new, replacement telephone.
But; Verizon customer service also warned me that, once my phone had arrived "at the warehouse" -- meaning, at New Breed -- it would take "at least a week, maybe two" for my phone to be checked back into the inventory and for me to get credit.
I don't know why, but I assumed that this was just a disclaimer. You know; along the lines of those prize redemption warnings to "allow 6 to 12 weeks for delivery" where you actually get it in 2 to 4 weeks. This is the 21st Century after all and New Breed says right on their website that they are all about "engineered logistics" to "simplify and automate" "reverse logistics" (that is, product return) processes" to "achieve more efficient results."
All good; right?
Nah. Depends on what you mean by "efficient", I guess.
I'll tell you that, to me, "efficient" does not mean that Verizon/New Breed can hang on to my phone for a week and not issue my needed credit. Or, for that matter, to even have the courtesy to confirm that you have received it. (Thank goodness and FedEx for their "signature on file".)
It seems to me that, in this case, "efficient" would be to check in my phone as it arrived. Or maybe take a few hours; OK. Or maybe you could stretch it out to 24 hours. But, how is it even possible for it to regularly take more than that? More than 48 hours? More than 72 hours? More than 120 hours? This is not efficient. It is not.
My phone could have been delivered to India in less than 24 hours! Maybe "New Breed" should bring that thought into focus a time or two.
They've had my phone for over 5 days. That's nuts.
Here's something to take note of; this company sells its "logistics expertise" to the airline industry to deliver parts for planes. It's probably only coincidence that all these massive airline delays have been in the news lately. Nothing in those stories about planes grounded waiting for parts ... is there?
Heads up Verizon; New Breed sure is taking the shine off of your customer service. It's not so "new" after all -- just ordinary old poor, slow service.
Posted December 10, 2007 Permalink
Motorola KRZR K1m -- Send it back.
I've been using the Motorola KRZR K1m that I got from Verizon for 3+ weeks now. I got it as my "new every two" phone. Thank goodness for Verizon's 30 day satisfaction guaranty. I am not satisfied. Actually; I'm seriously let down.
I had assumed -- I know, I know -- that since Motorola was one of the pioneers of small cell phone technology and is clearly one of the leaders -- maybe the leader -- in designing stylish and pretty wireless phones that they would also be a leader in user interface and general usability. Sorry to say it but with this phone, the KRZR, they miss many more usability targets than they hit.
Since getting this phone and trying to use it and then comparing notes with other users and with sellers of mobile phones I've been quite surprised to find that it isn't just this phone that Motorola falls down on. The issues that I have with the KRZR seem to extend to the entire line of Motorola phones!
Continue reading "Motorola KRZR K1m -- Send it back."
Posted December 3, 2007 Permalink
How-to Make a QCP Ringtone
HOW TO MAKE A QCP REALTONE RINGER FOR YOUR PHONE:
It's a bit of a process to make a genuine QCP file for your phone. Thank goodness it's not so much a requirement for newer phones. Most phones with software updates later than mid-2005 (and that are capable of playing "realtones" at all) will support using .MP3 files as ringtones. But if your realtone-capable phone is older than mid-2005 then it probably requires realtone ringers to be actual .QCP formatted files.
Here's how you do it; basic steps first, details below.
Basic steps:
- Choose your audio clip source (sound, sound effect, recorded message) and get it onto your computer.
- Edit your audio clip down to just the part you want. It should be short and sweet. 1 second to 20 seconds.
- Save your clip as a .WAV file.
- Convert your clip to a .QCP ringer file.
- Load your realtone ringer onto your phone!
It's actually pretty easy, and very satisfying to know that it's your own, very personal, hand-made ringer that is irritating everyone else in the room.
Software tools needed:
- An program to record, rip or otherwise squire your base audio track. I use Winamp Pro for ripping, but you can use whatever you like to rip or record your audio data onto your computer harddrive.
- Qualcomm Pure Voice Converter -- you can download this in a few places but the fountainhead source is Qualcomm itself. http://www.qualcomm.com. Look for the "Purevoice SDK" to get the converter.
- While you're at Quallcomm.com, also download the "Pure Voice Player" and install it so that you can test your creation in its final form. (This is optional of course, but only takes a few seconds to download and install.)
- A audio editing program. Again, you can use whatever you like or are familiar with. I use "Audacity" because it is super, easy, beautifully made and free! (Not sure if there's a Mac version... sorry.) You need this program to do four things:
- Crop down (aka, "trim") your audio clip to somewhere between 0.5 and 20 seconds or so.
- Adjust, compress or boost the volume levels of your cropped clip to loud-as-possible without clipping.
- If your clip is stereo then this program needs to be able to blend it down to mono.
- Save your trimmed, compressed and blended clip as a .WAV file.
- Crop down (aka, "trim") your audio clip to somewhere between 0.5 and 20 seconds or so.
(Note: you are, of course, free to use any other programs that you know and love. The objective, before conversion to .QCP is to have a short, clean, loud .WAV file.)
The details:
- Rip or record your base audio file. Get it into an .MP3 or other format that is importable to your audio editor of choice.
- Open your audio editor ("Audacity" for me.) and "import" your base audio file into it.
- Find the section of your base audio file that you want to use for a ringer then crop it down to just that part.
- In Audacity, highlight the part that you want, from beginning of it to the end of it, then use the "Trim to Selection" tool on the "Edit" menu.
- Keep it short! Remember, your phone will automatically repeat your ringer until you pickup the call. So short-ish is OK. Think of the sound of one bell "ring" -- that's all you need at the minimum.
- Some phones will support longer clips for ringers, but don't count on it, especially with an older phone or older firmware.
- In Audacity, highlight the part that you want, from beginning of it to the end of it, then use the "Trim to Selection" tool on the "Edit" menu.
- After you have your ringer clip trimmed down to just the part that you want, tweak the sound to boost the volume levels.
- Again, in Audacity a way to do it is to select the entire ringer clip and then select "Amplify" from the "Effects" menu. You can also select little subsections and just boost those. You need to get it as loud as possible without clipping.
- Now "export" your trimmed and boosted ringer clip as a .WAV file.
- In Audacity, you'll use "Export as WAV" on the "File" menu, but other programs might use "Save As" or something else. The point is, save it as a .WAV file.
- It's probably easiest, since this is just a temporary file needed for one short task, to just save it to your computer desktop. You can delete it from there in a minute.
- In Audacity, you'll use "Export as WAV" on the "File" menu, but other programs might use "Save As" or something else. The point is, save it as a .WAV file.
- Now drag your newly created .WAV file and drop it onto the icon for the Qualcomm QCP converter (called "pvConverter.eve").
- This is not a Windows program. It will just briefly pop open a black "DOS box" window and then quickly close it. But after that is done you will find a new file on the desktop (or in the folder) with your .WAV file. It will have the same filename, but the file extension -- the part after the 'dot' -- will be .QCP. Tah - dah!
- This is not a Windows program. It will just briefly pop open a black "DOS box" window and then quickly close it. But after that is done you will find a new file on the desktop (or in the folder) with your .WAV file. It will have the same filename, but the file extension -- the part after the 'dot' -- will be .QCP. Tah - dah!
At this point, you're all done! At least with making the .QCP file. Now you need to get it over to your phone.
If you have a USB cable and you know how to use it, you're all set. Just make sure that you get the file into the correct folder for ringtones on your phone -- find the instructions for your particular phone someplace on the web (Howardsforums.com is an excellent place to start.)
If you don't have a USB cable then try going to www.3gupload.com. You can sign up there to upload your ringtone and then send it down to your phone. (It depends on your phone and it's "relationship" with the outside world, so I'll let you figure it out from here.)
Congratulations though... you've made your own realtone ringtone!
Posted November 14, 2005 Permalink
