Thank You For Calling!

PODCAST · technology

Thank You For Calling!

A look at the world of Customer Service: how to solve (or avoid) horror stories and make life better for everyone involved.

  1. 27

    Matt Alexander: Really Intensely Personal

    Just over three years ago, Matt Alexander founded Need, a publication that releases exclusive, curated clothing and products for "the modern gentleman". They later addedForemost, a line of affordable, American-made clothing for men and women. This month, Need became Imprint and launched an iOS app. This is the origin of Need's customer service model, and how it helped them grow and evolve from a sensation (Need) into a tangible, formidable Imprint in the world of fashion. Matt Alexander will return. (cue "James Bond Theme")

  2. 26

    Juan in a Million

    One of Austin's most iconic taco joints turns 35 years old in July. Juan in a Million is known as much for their triple-sized signature "Don Juan" breakfast tacos as they are for owner Juan Meza's legendary handshake. Get the "Don Juan" with chorizo. You won't be sorry.

  3. 25

    Taqueria Chihuahua

    On the highway from one major city in Texas to another, there's always at least one really good, locally-owned place to eat. A little over 40 miles outside of Austin on the way to Houston is Taqueria Chihuahua, a place full of good food and good people who have been serving customers for over 20 years. Be ready for a taco that it takes two hands to eat.

  4. 24

    Sweat Equity

    What happens when (once a week at minimum) the same 40 customers are willing to wait over twelve hours to watch one movie for free?

  5. 23

    Annie Did Elvis' Nails

    Annie used to do Elvis' nails, doesn't care about famous people, and is the best designated driver on the planet. We need more "Annies" in the world.

  6. 22

    What Makes Good Sex Happen

    Emily Nagoski talks about her work as a sex educator and the misconceptions she's faced with when people stop her in the grocery store to ask her about their sex lives.

  7. 21

    Average Call Time

    Liz Furl left waiting tables behind to work in a call center. Little did she realize how much more difficult it would be to tell Medicare applicants that "there's no update on your status". Listen to learn the art of the Polite Hang-Up, and whether you're dying fast enough.

  8. 20

    Shop Forever

    Venturing out during Black Friday weekend can be fascinating when you go not to shop, but to assess how American shopping culture has become its own form of zombie pandemic.

  9. 19

    Kickstarter and The 99% Barrier

    Drew Westphal and Anna Bartenstein run the customer service machine behind musician Jonathan Coulton. They cover everything, from emails about orders or general questions to the still-being-fulfilled, massively successful Code Monkey Save World Kickstarter from 2013. They talk about their professional histories and why they love doing what they're doing for musicians like They Might Be Giants and "JoCo". Special Guest Stars: Jonathan Coulton and Greg Pak!

  10. 18

    Mail Me Some Rivets

    Dan Provost of Studio Neat talks about clean & simple solutions that his clean & simple two-man company has used for support over the last four years. Whether things were sailing smoothly or descended into momentary "fiasco," their customers have stuck with them & grown in number for very good reasons.

  11. 17

    AT&T Gigapower: Gesture of Goodwill

    Our previous episode inspired a reaction from AT&T Gigapower completely unlike everything that came before. Listen to what happened next, why Moisés thinks it went this way, and whether he'll consider switching to Time Warner or Google down the road.

  12. 16

    AT&T Gigapower: Escalation Points

    A case study of the cable/broadband industry's customer service tactics, from the recent spate of Comcast recorded calls to our host's first-hand experience with new kid on the block: AT&T GigaPower.

  13. 15

    Tiffany Arment: Don't Call Me

    Tiffany Arment joins Moisés to talk about wedding photography. Whether suffering the basement of a church or guests determined to make it look like prom in 1982, make sure at all times to ignore Uncle Morty.

  14. 14

    Indie Apple Techs: Knowledge is Dangerous

    An all-star panel of Apple techs (Peter Cohen, Stephen Hackett, Joe Saponare, Sam Valencia) discuss dealing with customers who have broken iThings.

  15. 13

    The Key Holder (Part 2 of 2)

    Christina Warren and Casey Liss return to discuss video game retail and all it entailed: sexual harassment, death threats, Pokémon cards, babysitting kids, "quick change", and the loss of camaraderie and caring over the last 15 years. Part 2 of 2

  16. 12

    The Summer of '99 (Part 1 of 2)

    Christina Warren and Casey Liss join Moisés to relive their mutual past in video game retail. Back in the days of VMUs, GD-ROMs, Product Protection Plans, and pre-internet consoles, it was the Wild West. Part 1 of 2

  17. 11

    Reputation is Everything (Part 2 of 2)

    Aaron Meyers from Comics Therapy discusses productive, positive lessons to learn from the Comics For Kids controversy about how (and how not to) run a non-profit. Part 2 of 2

  18. 10

    Best of Intentions (Part 1 of 2)

    Following an online firestorm (see Bleeding Cool and The Outhousers) surrounding Mississippi-based Non-Profit Organization Comics 4 Kids, Moisés speaks with founder Michael Whitehead about its origins, his choices, and digging oneself into a deeper hole. Part 1 of 2

  19. 9

    Buying a House: Always Be Faxing

    Moisés found out a month ago that he needed to buy a house because his lease wasn't being renewed. His Realtor, Eric Johnston, talks about his career in real state over the last 12 years in markets that went from boom to bust and back again. What makes the biggest difference in real estate and sales

  20. 8

    Backblaze

    Our MacWorld Expo Special delves into the origins of an online backup service's customer service & support infrastructure, from passing around a GMail account to helping people feel less powerless and/or vulnerable. Excuse the echo. Press rooms are great but often awful for acoustics.

  21. 7

    ComiXology

    A candid, behind-the-scenes look at ComiXology's customer support story, from the early days to being the top-grossing non-game app on iOS.

  22. 6

    Airlines: Willing to Negotiate (Part 2 of 2)

    Airlines: we've heard the horror stories, now we dig deeper into how to get the results we want at the gate, on the phone, and in the air. (Part 2 of 2)

  23. 5

    Airlines: Hostile Professionalism (Part 1 of 2)

    Airlines: we hate them, and it feels like they hate us. Is our only choice to "ride in the fucking toilet"? A former airline employee joins us to help peel back the curtain at Gate 21. (Part 1 of 2)

  24. 4

    VIP Gold Star

    Brent Simmons talks about his unexpected $1850 bill from Network Solutions, the process of divorcing his domains from a longtime home, and supporting customers as an indie developer.

  25. 3

    About "Thank You For Calling!"

    A short preview of things to come in this brand-new show about customer service.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

A look at the world of Customer Service: how to solve (or avoid) horror stories and make life better for everyone involved.

HOSTED BY

ESN.fm

Produced by Moises Chiullan

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