A Writing Routine?

Happy Anniversary to us! On Wednesday, September 1 we will have been on the ‘Net for 2 years. To celebrate, we’ll be hosting a follower’s contest beginning Friday. Shonna will explain the rules in her Friday post. We will also have a guest blogger every week this month. So make sure you come to visit us often this month. You don’t want to miss a thing.

          My post today might seem a bit odd for a writing blog. I want to sing the praises of Logitech, makers of computer peripherals (mouse, keyboards, etc). Why in the world would I do that here? What could Logitech possibly be doing that is helping me write more (the theme of our blog)?

          Well stick around and I will tell you!

          I hate mouses. (Yes, that is correct terminology. Back a couple of decades ago computer geeks had an argument about it. The determination was that they’d named the mouse and it was not a rodent, so they could declare the correct word for the plural. Hence, mouses. Or at least that’s what many computer geeks claim.) Whatever they are called, I don’t like using them. They make my wrist and arm hurt. Years ago I saw a trackball and fell in love. I have had one ever since. (As far as I know, Logitech is the only company that makes trackballs.) For Christmas 2008, my family bought me a wireless trackball. (I use it at my desk and take the corded one with my laptop “on the road.”)

          About two weeks ago the right button on my wireless trackball stopped working. I messed with it and tried to get it to work. (My corded one does something similar, but if I make sure I press it a certain way, it works.) No matter what I did, though, that button would not work. So I looked for my warranty card. I didn’t find anything so I went online. On Logitech’s site, I discovered my model of trackball had a five-year warranty. I contacted customer support via email late on the evening of 8/18/10. (Remember that date. )

          The next day I heard from a support technician. He asked me to test my mouse by plugging it into a different USB port and a different computer. I did so. It actually did improve the mouse. The button began working every 4th or 5th time I pressed it. I reported that back to the technician. He asked for a bunch of numbers (model, serial, pid) and a copy of the receipt. I couldn’t find my receipt. Over a few more back and forth emails, I told him when it had been purchased, who most likely had paid for it and that I was fairly certain I’d registered it. (THAT is one routine I’m pretty good at maintaining.)

          His reply? “It appears your device is defective. I have submitted a replacement request. You will be contacted when it is shipped” After several days, I began to think I should follow up and ask him about the status of the replacement request. Until I went to check our mailbox. Along with the junk mail I always get was a box from Logitech! That was on 8/26/10! A week. It took a week to get my defective trackball replaced. A week and no hassle. Just legitimate questions to ascertain I actually had the trackball and it was defective.

          Now THAT is what I call customer service!

So how does this relate to writing routines and productivity?

1. Register those products with warranties you’ll actually use if needed. It could save you a lot of hassle if, like me, you have trouble hanging onto receipts. That means you won’t have to use writing time and emotional energy to argue with customer support. You can spend it wrestling with your characters instead.
2. Buy from companies that honor their warranties. (Logitech has my business for life!) When you do, you are assured of useful, working tools that help you accomplish your goals. Your characters will thank you.
3. Tell others about your experiences, both good and bad, but most especially the good. That will ensure those good companies stay in business and you’ll have access to all those useful tools you need to move your characters from imagination to well-drafted plot.

          Anyone else have an experience that made them want to tell everyone, “Buy anything and everything from this company!”?