Disqus - Friends of robgranholm

Re: Cap-and-Trade Global Warming Solutions

Cody McKibben — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 01:02:00 -0000

I agree with you. I think that the solution is to seek sustainable business practices. I hope that this will slowly transform other states' and other countries' policies too, because I believe it does actually require all entities who do business with California--be they headquartered in Arizona or China--to abide by the same cap rules.

It surely will be transformative.

Re: 10 Reasons NOT to Do Business With Cingular

Cody McKibben — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 16:34:00 -0000

I am all for business and a market economy, but I believe the individual should come first. Once we reach the point where huge corporations are bullying and taking advantage of people, we've reached a problem (those big corps. they'rejust like the government! Those jerks hehe).

Re: 10 Reasons NOT to Do Business With Cingular

Cody McKibben — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 11:28:00 -0000

I agree there are problems with most massive service carriers these days. It's almost part of the definition!

But, I believe the true test of a service is not when it works. When something works as it should, of course life is great! The true test of a company's ability to provide great service is when things stop working as they should. So far, Verizon has had an account rep out here to help me with any problems I've had, so I am glad for that! Beats sitting on hold, talking to a computer, and then getting screwed out of more money! :)

Re: 10 Reasons NOT to Do Business With Cingular

Cody McKibben — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 11:30:00 -0000

By the way, if any government employees out there are thinking of switching to Verizon, I can connect you with a rep that will get you a 15% discount off of the regular plan rates and a free phone. (Sorry everyone else, maybe next time.) ;)

Re: 10 Reasons NOT to Do Business With Cingular

Cody McKibben — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 14:19:00 -0000

So true Alex. I with you, and Russell, that sounds a lot like my experience with Cingular. So far I've only went into a store, called customer service, and writen the CEO. I wonder if anything will change if I report it to the BBB. Ah heck...maybe just for fun!

It's true though, the business is so bloated. That is why I truly do hope that the FCC breaks down some of those telecoms again. As far as customer service goes, I really think smaller=better.

I wish you the best though Alex. Anyone who sticks with Cingular, more power to you. Just take control though, and don't let those CSRs bully you around. You tell THEM what they have to do to keep you as a customer.

Re: 10 Reasons NOT to Do Business With Cingular

Cody McKibben — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 03:20:00 -0000

Ah, we have a Cingular employee in our midst! Actually, to the guy thinking he can refute all of my 10 points, 2 out of 3 independent research companies have found Cingular wanting. But, Cingular chose to label the ONE that said something nice about them the LEADING research company, and then they DISTORTED the findings.

I do not have a TDMA phone.

If the sunday emergency phone line is to make sure your phone works, then they should be equipped to ensure my phone works.

Just because something affects a small portion of your customers does not make it a non-issue.

Also, just because a business practice makes you money does not mean it is ethical.

Not sure who you're referring to, but neither Wikipedia nor the Wireless Consumers Alliance are magazines. Wikipedia is usually backed up with references, the WCA is just that--a consumers' alliance--fairly reputable. If you mean the Boston Globe though, they actually TALKED to Telephia, the research company in question, who said Cingular should not have used their research in the way they did to support their Least Dropped Calls ad campaign. Obviously, you have a problem reading.

To all those who are happy with your Cingular service, that is great and I hope it continues. I am just fine with that, just putting the warning out there for people like me who expect a certain level of service and follow-up when things do go wrong. I will repeat: the true test of a service is not when it works, it is when it stops working!

P.S. Sorry, I appreciate everyone's comments. You're entitled to your own opinion, but please don't come on my site and try to tell me my post is irrelevant.

And thanks for the tip about the pay-as-you-go. :)

Re: 10 Reasons NOT to Do Business With Cingular

Cody McKibben — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 21:55:00 -0000

Man some of these people I don't know whether to take them serious or not! :D

If you get a phone when you need to email, then do you buy a camera when you need to make calls and a laptop when you need to take pictures?? LOL

Re: An Interview With Ramit of IWillTeachYouToBeRich

Cody McKibben — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 02:48:42 -0000

Hey JLP! Thanks for your support. I'm glad you found the interview interesting, and I hope your readers do too! Ramit had some fantastic insights in the hour and a half I spent with him recently, on finance, entrepreneurship, college admissions, bargaining, and more!

Thank you guys for reading! :)

-Cody

Re: How To Make The Most Of Being Sick

Cody McKibben — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 16:38:00 -0000

It is extremely difficult to do anything when you can't breathe! I know the feeling. But, just set yourself realistic goals you know you can accomplish, that's the key. If sleeping and letting your body mend itself are all you can accomplish--that's still an accomplishment. And like Patricia posted in her article, at least you can do some thinking about things while you rest...

Re: Carnival of Entrepreneurs Round 2

Cody McKibben — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:57:01 -0000

Hey Ben,

thanks so much for hosting this again! Great round-up

Re: Let’s Prevent Life in a Post-Apocalyptic World

Cody McKibben — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 17:15:00 -0000

GREAT (!) comment. :) Stop cursing the darkness, switch on an LED bulb! LoL

Thank you for the comment. ;)

Re: 2007 According to Hank Green: Small Groups Changing the World

Cody McKibben — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:56:31 -0000

Wow, thank you Hank! That is a fantastic quote, and a refreshing viewpoint. I am glad you are so optimistic about activists and businesspeople having similar interests these days! That is what I am so excited about--once we can show the benefits of green technology for business, I think it will become much more widespread! And I'm excited to help stir this grassroots movement with my blog Thrilling Heroics.

Thank you!

Re: 2007 According to Dave Chiu: (Project) RED & Beyond

Cody McKibben — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:01:46 -0000

Hi Dave! I love your passion about Product Red. I am very interested and inspired by Product Red as well, and other similar campaigns where both social/environmental causes AND business are allowed to thrive. I think this is the future--to show that business and the environment are NOT mutually exclusive. So, thank you for your writing on this Win-Win situation! Keep encouraging people, and stay positive! Thanks!

Also, pay me a visit at my site Thrilling Heroics if you're interested--it's about business and environment. Take care

Re: Interview: Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich and PBwiki

Cody McKibben — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 17:13:00 -0000

Ranjan, Nabil, Kirpal, I appreciate the comments! Glad you enjoyed the interview. I have really enjoyed growing to know Ramit as well.

-Thanks!

Re: Interview: Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich

Cody McKibben — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 22:13:00 -0000

Ranjan, Nabil, Kirpal, I appreciate the comments! Glad you enjoyed the interview. I have really enjoyed growing to know Ramit as well.

-Thanks!

Re: Top 10 Ways You Know You’re An Entrepreneur

Cody McKibben — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 06:06:00 -0000

Oh my Lord, Ben. This list is excellent! I think I actually fit all ten of your criteria here. I might borrow this for the entrepreneurship/personal branding support group I'm starting up...

Thanks for an awesome post!
-Cody

Re: Connecting With Entrepreneurs In Your Own Backyard

Cody McKibben — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 23:22:04 -0000

Hey Ben,

I like your message. It is SO true how easy it is to connect with peers all over the world these days (just look at how often I speak with YOU! :-) but I am recently learning how important it is to have a local network of peers and mentors who can help you learn.

It's a good question, I'd be interested to hear what recommendations people have for improving on this...regional forums? Toastmasters groups? Where do you look for groups?

I am planning to start up a Cubicle Slaves Anonymous group (group of guys interested in getting out of their office jobs and into entrepreneurship) with a few friends here in town. Any advice?

Re: Connecting With Entrepreneurs In Your Own Backyard

Cody McKibben — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 04:12:15 -0000

Ben, thanks for the encouragement. And GP in Montanta, thank you for the recommendation.

I have a good friend who's spent a year in France and is right now studying in Brazil through Rotary, and I;ve been interested in them for the travel related stuff. Are they a good group to get involved in for business/professional networking as well? I don't know very much about Rotary, so any insight from you or anyone else is highly appreciated!

Thanks

Re: 10 Reasons NOT to Do Business With Cingular

Cody McKibben — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 11:41:00 -0000

HAHAHAHAHA. To the last guy who didn't have the guts to put his name next to his post: I appreciate your inflamatory and overly-offensive comment. Thanks.

First of all, realize that blogs such as the one above are written to be just a little controversial in the first place. So I'm glad it gets people impassioned.

Secondly, I AM in fact writing about what I know. I have written each of the above examples from the viewpoint of someone who HAS had these experiences. I've had AT&T;, Cingular, T-Mobile, and Verizon, so believe me I write what I know. But these things all happened to me under Cingular! I've actually WRITTEN the CEO's office, and they then had a case worker assigned to me. I've actually been TOLD by customer service to switch off my phone while they "reprogram" it over the air. Etcetera.

You don't really warrant my waste of time, but all I will say is this: 1) If you don't believe Wikipedia, then LOOK UP Telephia (the research company Cingular quotes in it's "least dropped calls" ad campaign). 2) If the GSM phone is unlockable, then Cingular reps should be willing to help you do it so un-technical people don't have to go scour the net for those instructions. 3) You pretty much explain away all these short-comings by saying that EVERY cell phone company is like that (to quote my friend Ramit, you've got lots of good hand-wavy excuses). On a side note, they are all (except for T-Mobile) offspring of the Bell system! And they are buying each other back up again! But just because all of your competitors are offering a shit service, that's not an excuse to offer ANOTHER shit service. The phone companies have long been this way, and my frustration is with the whole corrupt, unethical industry, but again I write from my experience.

The future is called Client Service. It's called Offer Your Customers Something Fucking Awesome and THEN, only then will you EARN their loyalty and maybe they WILL come back over and over to buy more shit from you. Don't charge them to fix the shitty product you sold them. Don't weasel out of contracts. Forget planned obsolescence. EXPLAIN something to your client if he doesn't understand it. Make EVERY interaction with the customer UNFORGETTABLE in a good way! THAT's good business.

Now go back and enjoy your "research" about how all the cell phone companies offer the same crappy product and that's how it is.

Re: 10 Reasons NOT to Do Business With Cingular

Cody McKibben — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 11:41:00 -0000

Re: Your FeedBurner Email Subscriptions May Be Unreadable

Cody McKibben — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 12:21:01 -0000

Hey Ben, Awesome tips!

You know my email subies had MUCH smaller font by default as well. But now that's no longer a problem! :)

Thanks
-Cody

Re: Your FeedBurner Email Subscriptions May Be Unreadable

Cody McKibben — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:35:29 -0000

Robyn I think if you throw this code in the META section of your header in the template:

Re: Your FeedBurner Email Subscriptions May Be Unreadable

Cody McKibben — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:36:31 -0000

eh, sorry don't know how to get the code to show up, I will try to email you. :)

Re: Climate Progress

Cody McKibben — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:33:04 -0000

Neither of those links to previous info about Joe Romm are working :(

Thanks for the heads up on this new blog!

Re: Networking for people who hate it

Cody McKibben — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:20:25 -0000

Another great article, Penelope. Thank you for sharing these great tips. I especially like your thoughts about starting a blog--it definitely has helped me build a few great relationships I would not otherwise have had!

Also, great job on your website redesign--it looks good.

-Cody