I'm an espresso extremist. A fanatic. I want my espresso to be hot, thick, and aromatic. A tiny bowl of chocolate ambrosia topped with a deep, rich layer of golden crema. Nothing ticks me off faster then being served up a pitiful little cup of lukewarm, oily sludge without even a hint of crema on top. But all too often that's just what I get -- even at most of the so-called gourmet coffee emporiums.

You don't need to be a genius to understand why 90 percent of my espresso purchases result in a cup of slop. Just take a look behind the counter. Most of time the barista is an untrained, non-espresso drinking teenager. Half the time they don't even drink coffee. And I find that absolutely unforgivable. Pulling a shot of espresso is an art. And you have to enjoy the finished product to be good at producing it. Let's face it: if you don't drink espresso you're not going to care about the end result. Kind of reminds you of information technology, doesn't it?

Put in a call to a vendor's support line nowadays and you're about as likely to get a knowledgeable, courteous technician as I am to get a perfect double shot at the local java joint. Most calls you'll spend an incredible amount of time on hold, and when you do get to speak to a warm body it's unlikely they'll be able to help without passing you on to another technician. Do I sound cynical? You bet. Have I spent hours on hold lately trying to beg support from companies I've paid thousands of dollars in maintenance costs to? Darn skippy. Is there any hope? Absolutely.

Notwithstanding the proliferation of untrained, discourteous support staff, there are some companies that truly understand what good customer service is all about. Two in particular stand out.

When I want a good, reliable cup of espresso, I go to my local Starbucks. Say what you will about Starbucks, but they understand customer service. All of the staff are trained in the art of coffee and espresso brewing. They know how to grind, tamp and pull a shot. They smile even when they're getting slammed. And they remember my name and brew of choice when I walk in. And that keeps me coming back. Again and again and again.

When one of my engineers puts in a call to Cisco's technical assistance center they're handled by a trained support technician that understands routing, switching and network protocols. The tech is likely studying to be a Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert. They enjoy information technology. And it shows. And that keeps me buying their equipment.

I don't remember my staff ever complaining about the support they've received from Cisco -- if they do comment it's usually along the lines of "Dude -- that engineer knew exactly what was up with our Catalyst 6509. I had the configuration changed and the problem solved in 5 minutes. They really know their stuff."

As IT professionals, we need to take our cue from Starbucks and Cisco. Don't serve your customers a lukewarm cup of oily sludge.

Have you had a bad cup of coffee lately? Been brutalized by a vendor's support staff? Had a great support experience? Espresso yourself in ITworld.com's Enterprise Networking Forum.

» posted by abennett

ITworld.com

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