working from home today and I'm pleased to report that Virgin Media have been - the telly is working, broadband is up and running (with a small hitch) and phone has been swapped over from BT without a glitch. I am absolutey elated - well out of proportion to what has been achieved. I think it might be that NTL's reputation is so bad that I was fearing the worst but I have been nothing but impressed so far. The courtesy call the other day, the installation took an hour and was very good, they explained how to use stuff and broadband was easy to install. At one point I had to phone their technical support (at 25p a minute for a 20 minute call) but at the end of it he said "I'm not charging you for this call as it wasn't your fault". Very impressed all round so far.
One small thing that saddens me only a little is that my email address is @ntlworld.com rather than @virginmedia.com - I know this is slightly ridiculous but goes to show the power of brands. I would probably never had done this if they were still called NTL. And where does this liking for the Virgin brand come from? Virgin Atlantic.
Friday, 9 November 2007
Thursday, 8 November 2007
we don't have to take our clothes off, to have a good time. oh no.
Somebody at the station this morning got a call while waiting on the platform and this was his ringtone. I've rarely seen somebody reach for their phone so quickly. I strongly suspect he may not have been entirely sober when he chose to download it. Also Lindsay mentioned this week that she was going to see Meatloaf at Wembley having bought the tickets when "a bit drunk". It's got me thinking about brands or products that rely in part or entirely on people being under the influence for their success. I can think of a few - ringtones, ken's kebabs on the Albert road, pay per view porn channels probably, hula hoops (is it just me?) but it's interesting that e commerce has thrown up so many more opportunities to buy or do something that seemed like a good idea at the time (ebay I suspect does well out of this) but more rational purchase decisions such as concert tickets or even holidays can now be made pissed - just so long as you can function enough to type in your card number. Any other examples?
a courtesy call from virgin media!
Very promising ahead of Friday's grand installation! A call on the train home last night from Virgin to confirm they were coming and to remind me that Virgin Media installers always carry id and I should ask to see it.
A nice touch. A small thing but the small things count. And I've seen press reports this morning that Virgin attracted more new customers last month. Which combine to make me think I made the right decision.
A nice touch. A small thing but the small things count. And I've seen press reports this morning that Virgin attracted more new customers last month. Which combine to make me think I made the right decision.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Flight of the Conchords
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY8jaGs7xJ0
I absolutely love this.
2 things are quite interesting about this in my opinion,
First of all how I got to hear about this content, purely word of mouth (thanks to Anthony who had been to LA). Within 5 minutes I'd viewed several clips, knew when it was on in the UK (9.30 pm on BBC4)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/conchords/
and was wondering about when they might be touring.
Secondly this is the sort of content for which youtube was invented - short, sharp, funny, shareable and something you want to watch again and again. Just perfect. No conincidence it has over 1.6m views surely (and there are shedloads more clips out there).
Well done to New Zealand's 4th biggest folk band.
Shame I can't get the imbeded video to work but link is well worth clicking on
I absolutely love this.
2 things are quite interesting about this in my opinion,
First of all how I got to hear about this content, purely word of mouth (thanks to Anthony who had been to LA). Within 5 minutes I'd viewed several clips, knew when it was on in the UK (9.30 pm on BBC4)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/conchords/
and was wondering about when they might be touring.
Secondly this is the sort of content for which youtube was invented - short, sharp, funny, shareable and something you want to watch again and again. Just perfect. No conincidence it has over 1.6m views surely (and there are shedloads more clips out there).
Well done to New Zealand's 4th biggest folk band.
Shame I can't get the imbeded video to work but link is well worth clicking on
Monday, 5 November 2007
Nana
I just wanted to very briefly mark the passing on my nana on Friday. She was 92 and had been poorly for a few weeks.
A happy release as they say. And off to be reunited with her husband of 68 years.
I will remember a phenomenal woman, her spirit, her sense of humour, her amazing togetherness right until the end, her affection for Trevor Brooking, hundreds of games of newmarket played with her and Grandad when we were kids and her ability to serve deep dried chips for tea at 4 o'clock.
And is this is very loosely a marketing blog I should also note that the Daily Express have lost a loyal reader and Emmerdale's audience will decline by 1.
An amazing woman - bye Nana and god bless x
A happy release as they say. And off to be reunited with her husband of 68 years.
I will remember a phenomenal woman, her spirit, her sense of humour, her amazing togetherness right until the end, her affection for Trevor Brooking, hundreds of games of newmarket played with her and Grandad when we were kids and her ability to serve deep dried chips for tea at 4 o'clock.
And is this is very loosely a marketing blog I should also note that the Daily Express have lost a loyal reader and Emmerdale's audience will decline by 1.
An amazing woman - bye Nana and god bless x
in praise of the AA
Let it be said that the AA is a brilliant breakdown service.
18.15 Last night on the way back from visiting Mags and Rob in Farnham.kids in car in their pyjamas, off we go, should be home by just after 7 and transfer the kids straight to bed, brilliant. But as I'm driving along thinking it's a bit dark I realise my headlights aren't working. Pull over, into Birdworld randomly, phone the AA, they say they'll aim to have someone out by 7. 5 mins later I get a text (brilliant) saying they will be with me by 18.40. And then at 18.35 van turns up. Sorts out problem (needed to change 2 lightbulbs), £16 for parts, a brief cameo from Lydia who wanted to get out of the car and see the "enormous torch" and away we go back on the road 20 mins later.
The AA are absolutely brilliant at breakdown service in my humble opinion.
It could be said and it has been argued in the past that this is the service I want them to deliver. Not home insurance or pet insurance. Stick to what you're good at.
But this isn't the time or the place for such a rant.
Well done AA. You're just like the 4th emergency service.
18.15 Last night on the way back from visiting Mags and Rob in Farnham.kids in car in their pyjamas, off we go, should be home by just after 7 and transfer the kids straight to bed, brilliant. But as I'm driving along thinking it's a bit dark I realise my headlights aren't working. Pull over, into Birdworld randomly, phone the AA, they say they'll aim to have someone out by 7. 5 mins later I get a text (brilliant) saying they will be with me by 18.40. And then at 18.35 van turns up. Sorts out problem (needed to change 2 lightbulbs), £16 for parts, a brief cameo from Lydia who wanted to get out of the car and see the "enormous torch" and away we go back on the road 20 mins later.
The AA are absolutely brilliant at breakdown service in my humble opinion.
It could be said and it has been argued in the past that this is the service I want them to deliver. Not home insurance or pet insurance. Stick to what you're good at.
But this isn't the time or the place for such a rant.
Well done AA. You're just like the 4th emergency service.
Thursday, 1 November 2007
who said the people of haslemere were posh?
Greying distinguished looking chap in blue shirt, yellow tie, very loud pin striped suit to his mate opposite him
"would you be interested in going to the Barbarians game against South Africa"
His mate, dressed similarly, looking the same as him
"when is it?"
Original chap "December 1st"
His mate "well if it doesn't clash with shooting"
"would you be interested in going to the Barbarians game against South Africa"
His mate, dressed similarly, looking the same as him
"when is it?"
Original chap "December 1st"
His mate "well if it doesn't clash with shooting"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
