Surprised and Delighted!

In college, I took a marketing class from Professor Geurts.  The very first day he showed up with homemade cookies for the entire class.  It was a very pleasant surprise and a nice start!  He brought the cookies as a sort of object lesson that great marketing efforts are focused on "surprising and delighting" the consumer.  I will forever think about making customers "surprised and delighted" when I think about how companies ought to market their products and services.

So often, companies spend gazillions of dollars to make ads designed to get the customer in the door, but then spend little effort or attention on making sure that the customer is happy once they arrive.  I have grown to appreciate great customer service (and posted about it on this blog).  This week, I've had three examples of interactions with companies that left me surprised and delighted!

The Ink Spot - Orem, Utah

This is a great Utah company

A few years ago, my sister got me a Christmas present that I loved.  It was a BYU basketball practice jersey similar (but better) to the one above.  I think it looks really cool and I've been using it for this weekly basketball league that I've been playing in.

Unfortunately, some of the numbers and lettering have started peeling off.  I mailed it to The Ink Spot earlier this week to see if they could salvage it.  When I called today, they told me that they had fixed it and that they weren't going to charge me anything!  They said it should be better than new.  (Apparently, the numbers hadn't been heat pressed properly in the first place).  They are mailing it back to me today!  I can't wait to wear it!

I have literally bought dozens of jerseys from the Ink Spot through the years for church basketball teams, city league basketball teams, and office basketball teams.  You can be sure that with this type of customer service they will continue to get my business.  And I'll refer them any chance I get!

Southwest Airlines

About a month ago, I had to buy airline tix for a little race in Florida.  I had planned to fly out and back with my brother.  By the time I went to buy my tix though, the flight back (after the race) that my brother was taking was $500 one way!  Yikes!

I settled by buying a ticket the very next day for only $200.  I would have to miss an extra day of work and wouldn't be able to hang with my brother, but I figured it the best I could do.

Earlier this week, my brother called to let me know that Southwest had dropped prices.  I was able to go online and change my reservation to take advantage of price cuts on both the outgoing and homebound flights!  It only took about 5 minutes on the internet and Southwest didn't charge me a dime to do it!  Yay for convenience!  Panama City, here we come!

Apple

Last month, on our trip to the family reunion, my kids informed me that our Ipad was broken.  I took it to the Genius Bar only to find out that because it had been "mishandled" (i.e., thrown to the ground by Baby M.), our extended warranty didn't fully apply and we would need to pay a $49 deductible.

I didn't have the iPad replaced right then and there only because the iPad had been a gift from Santa to the kids and I wanted to keep the inscription on the back.

I mailed my iPad back and waited and waited and waited.  After two weeks (and my kids asking every day when it would be fixed), the iPad showed up!  Yay!

I eagerly opened it up to discover that...it hadn't been fixed!  What the heck???  I got on the horn to Apple's Customer Care.  When the CSR asked how I was doing, I pounced!  I let her know how unhappy I was that I had wasted two weeks and been sent back my non-working unit.  I asked her what Apple would be doing to rectify the situation.  She initially told me that I hadn't bought the "right" warranty and so my "accidental" damage was not covered.  The cost to replace my iPad was not going to be $49--it was going to be $249!

Our Family iPad

I told her that that was not going to work for me and asked to speak to her supervisor.  After about an hour of hold time and a good discussion with the supervisor, I got my answer.  Apple would be sending me a replacement unit free of charge.  No $249 replacement fee.  No $49 deductible.  Free.  Yay!

I was so impressed that I'm giving some serious thought into getting an iPad mini.  I'll justify that decision by telling myself I'll use it to Facetime with my kids when we're apart.  (Now if somebody could just tell me what exactly Facetime is and teach me how to use it!)

Taylor Swift - Superman

I Declare Bankruptcy!

It's interesting the thoughts that run through your head at 3:00 a.m. in the morning.  Tonight, I have been thinking about this clip from "The Office:"

Michael Scott officially "declares" bankruptcy.  Little does he know that he can't just say the word "bankruptcy" and expect things to happen.

Michael responds that he didn't just "say" it--he "declared" it.  Legally speaking, however, his declaration is meaningless and has no effect.  But that doesn't mean it's not funny.  Hope you enjoyed the clip whether you've seen it before or it's brand new to you....

The Batch: Reality Bites Edition

Desiree didn't take the news well...

Is anyone out there still watching the Batch?  I didn't think so.  So last night, Des' fairy tale got interrupted when one of her suitors--Brooks from Salt Lake City--dropped the bomb on her.  So, as it turns out, Brooks just isn't that into her.

Des was devastated and it was probably one of the most real moments that I've ever seen on any "reality" tv show--The Batch or otherwise.  She cried.  Brooks cried.  I took no pleasure in it.  In fact, my heart went out to Des because I thought that her reaction was so genuine and so sincere.

I also really liked the way that Des handled it with class--a quality that is growing increasingly rare in our society.  She told him that she didn't care what he said, that she still loved him, and that she wasn't afraid to say it, even as Brooks was casting her aside.

And then Des told Brooks something that I think every guy (and certainly every contestant on The Batch) dreams of hearing someday:

• Des: "You want to know why I was conflicted throughout this whole thing?  Cause I didn't want to share my heart, I wanted to give it to you.  That's why I was conflicted.  And when I was going on dates, I wanted to go on dates with you.  And that was why, this entire thing, I have been conflicted."

• Brooks' incredibly articulate response (I guess to himself???): "Sorry, I'll shut up.  It's not helping."

I know that it's hard to believe that a young (presumably) Mormon dude might have commitment issues (even with a beautiful, articulate, classy girl).  I mean Brooks, has been around the world to exotic locations and one-of-a-kind dates with an incredibly beautiful, vibrant, famous,  and possibly wealthy(?) young woman who is totally into him...what more could he possibly want?  Of course, for all Brooks knows, there might be someone incredibly better around the corner for him, so the smart move was definitely to let Des go.  :-/

Brooks attempts to comfort Des

Yes, Brooks is a dufus.  But I guess I respect him for at least telling Des now rather than going through the farce of having her pick him only to break up 3 months down the road.  Of course, no Batch contestant would ever fake a relationship just for the show...

...well you know, other than Jef (with one F) and Emily; Jason Mesnick and whats-her-face; Jake Pavelka and Vienna (Snausages); Kasey ("Guard and Protect Your Heart") Kahl....  Oh nevermind!

My guess is that Des shuts it down.  There will be no hometown for the guys to meet Des' family (thank heavens for small favors that we don't have to see her brother again) and there will be no proposal.  It could well be the most dramatic Bachelor finale ever.  And this time they might actually be right.

Insta-what?

So I finally caved yesterday and signed up for Instagram. I had been staging a silent boycott of the application for personal reasons for a while now.  

I think there are a lot of good reasons for me not to be on Instagram, including the fact that the last thing I really need in my life right now is another "time suck" to waste my time. 

But I had a lot of down time yesterday as I drove through the desert to Arizona for a quick visit and the whole "time suck" argument didn't seem so persuasive at that moment. 

I also worried that I would probably end up signing up for Instagram one day anyway and I worried that all the good names that I would want to use would be taken. (As it was, my top two choices had already been taken. My Insta-name is a compromise.  I may yet decide to change it--assuming that's even possible.)

I also figured that signing up for Insta would make it easier to see pics that J. takes of the kids--especially because they've been in Arizona. 

In a moment of weakness, I capitulated and joined the Insta-phenomenon. I may yet regret it...

Still, belonging to Instagram may not be all that bad. I can practice composing clever (and annoying) hashtag phrases that may or may not actually mean something (and may or may not be legible). #brevityisthesoulofwit #yesiknowthatfacebookhasnowmadehashtagssearchable

Also, I can't wait to take and post my first  selfie on Instagram. Then I can add hashtags like #nofilter and #nomakeup. Of course, pretty much all of my pics could be labeled #nomakeup so I'm not sure that I'd really be imparting any useful information. :-/

Also, now that I'm on Insta, I can apparently stop blogging. I keep hearing that Instagram has killed off blogging, so it must be true. #blogicide #ripblogosphere

Anyway, I'll probably see you on Instagram or maybe not. Just because I have an account, doesn't mean I have to use it.  (Sorry @royalandnicole...) 

But as you can see from my very first Insta-post above, I've made my first foray into the Insta-craze, err #fad... #heavenhelpusall!

Best.HouseHunters.Episode.Ever!

My sister T. and her husband T. (Whom I like to think of affectionately as "TNT" because they are dynamite!  Yes, I just said that... :-) are going to be featured tonight on HGTV's newest edition of "House Hunters."  I already know the outcome, of course, because I have been blessed to visit (and stay at) their beautiful home on several occasions, but I will be watching tonight for sure!  I can't wait to see what happens.

Here's the official summary:

I also want to publicly thank TNT for graciously allowing me to do multiple loads of dirty laundry for myself and my kids following our weeklong family reunion at Bear Lake.  I don't think that I could have made it home without getting all of that smelly dirty stuff taken care of!

Tune in tonight at 10 p.m. EST for TNT's episode of House Hunters...I can't wait!

TNT...I love you guys!  :-)

No Brother Left Behind: Camp Pendleton's World Famous Mud Run

Team Dyer Brothers

Last month, my four brothers and I got together for the last session (June 15th) of this year's Camp Pendleton World Famous Mud Run.  This was the first time that all five of us have run together in a race and it was a lot of fun. We started off the race fast and I did my best to keep up.

Look closely and you can see Team Dyer Brothers just off to the right in our blue sleeveless shirts

I bought matching shirts (moisture wicking, of course) so that we looked like a team.  It turned out to be a good call.  The light blue color that I picked really stood out in the crowd.  My parents were watching the live feed in Colombia and they were able to pick out all of us on the live feed (and by "all of us," I mean everyone but me!  Apparently, I didn't get any love from the cameras!).

This year's race had a lot more obstacles than last year and it was a lot of fun--except for the low-slung cargo nets.  They were set at about 2.5 feet off the ground and were pure torture for me.  I was just too tall!  I also narrowly averted disaster when the watch strap on my million dollar Garmin watch broke going over the "Wall" obstacle.  Luckily, I noticed that it was loose and grabbed it before it was lost forever in the Camp Pendleton mud.  That was the good news...the bad news was that I had to carry it the rest of the way and that meant I didn't have full use of my hands for the remaining obstacles.

One of the first obstacles: The Steeplechase - My brother N. successfully completes this!

The first few obstacles went smoothly...N. is my youngest brother and is just a year removed from his mission (to Argentina).  This was his first race, so I kind of stuck with him and within sight distance of L. and Big S.  Click here for a cool pic of L. with N. and me in the background going over the Steeplechase.  SLD was gone as soon as the gun went off.  Only later would I learn how amazing his race was.

SLD tackles the high "Wall"...Notice how there don't seem to be any other runners in sight.

The high "Wall" was a difficult obstacle.  I was so tired by the time that I got to it, that it seemed like it was 8 feet tall.  I managed to get over it somehow, but landed in the mud as my watch dangled from my wrist.  Luckily, I snared it and kept going.

Here's some video of me going through the final obstacle...the Mud Pit:

One thing that occurs to me when re-watching this is how utterly exhausted I am at this point.  You can see it as I enter the Mud Pit and then you can see it as I stagger out to finish the race.  Even though I was tired, my motto is to just keep moving forward.  Hopefully you can see my determination to keep going.

Here are the links to the videos of the rest of us going through the Mud Pit:

• SLD
• L.
• Big S. and N.

Thanks Nicole for taping these for us!

Here are some of the notable achievements.  Indulge me for a second while I brag on my brothers:

• SLD - 51:59 (for a course that billed itself as a "10k" but was actually about 6.6 miles long!).  SLD got 14th overall and 2nd in his age group!!  There were about 3,000 runners in the race.  SLD is a frickin' amazing runner!
• L. - 1:02:34 - 13th in his age group (118th overall)
• Big S. - 1:06:05 - 19th in his age group (#168 overall)
• N. - 1:06:53 - 8th in his age group (#186 overall).  This was an awesome result for his first race ever!
• Me - 1:09:44 - 28th in my age group (#246 overall).  As the oldest brother, I took responsibility for making sure that no brother was left behind.  Someone had to do it....  :-/

After the race, we hit the showers:

And took some more pics:

N. and SLD with his medal

Superman photobombs the post-race brothers pic..

My miracle, super-nephew!

If you're family and not already bored out of your gourd, you can check out Nicole's photo album on Google Plus here.

Love this cute fam pic!

Riding the shuttle to the parking lot...

I love my nephew's cute smile

This run has become somewhat of a tradition now in our family:

2011

2012

2013

I'm sure we'll be back next year!