I have been ragging on Microsoft's lack of quality customer service, so I thought I'd share a couple of examples of GOOD customer service:

<strong>Example company 1:</strong> Verizon Wireless

This past weekend while washing my car, I happened to break my phone. Oh, no! Let's not get into the why's and how's of it. Just suffice to say, it was broken. I take it to the Verizon store and the customer service/technical representative provided me with what I call "Good customer service." Even though I have insurance on the phone, he decides that he doesn't want to get the insurance company involved in this (who would?) and just replaces my phone. Even runs the backup program to make sure all of my contacts and text messages are all in tact Excellent. Almost like I had never broken my phone. Bravo, Verizon Wireless.

<strong>Example company 2:</strong> Apple, Inc (Apple Store, Northpoint Mall)

I'll share 3 instances of excellent customer service with the Apple Store..

1.) Back a few years ago, I had bought a 3rd generation iPod. I bought it as a refurb unit when the 4th gen was introduced. I figured I could get a deal on the older gen since the new was out... and I did. The iPod worked great until one day I hear a clicking sound... uh, oh.... yeah, the HDD inside the iPod had issues. I took it into the Apple Store to the genius bar and after looking at it and determining that it was an HDD failure, it was replaced with a brand new iPod... YEAH...

2.) Last year, I purchased my black MacBook just before going on vacation to Seattle. Well, 3 days into the trip... it quit working. I think something on the inside broke and shorted the power supply... probably my fault, but oh well... I took it to an Apple Store in Southcenter Mall. Unfortunately, they could not help me because I didn't have the box or a receipt (I understand..), so I brought it home to the Northpoint Mall location, where I purchased it. Even though, it was beyond the 14-day return period, the genius replaced my MacBook and and swapped the hard drives so that everything was as it was before the original one failed.

3.) Last night, I took my MacBook in for a battery issue (wonder if it was made by Sony!). The laptop started shutting down without warning at 15% on the battery meter... and when placing on AC power, it would still say 15%. Well, the genius checks the battery against specs and it appears to be okay (in fact exceeded normal specs), but in the end, replaced the battery anyway. Even though, he could not reproduce the issue as the battery was fully charged.

So, in the end.... 2 companies that I deal with do give good customer service. That is one way to keep me coming back for future business and to promote these companies.

"Gee, ...Not Sure..., you sure do have lots of problems with your Apple products." I am sure the Apple haters will say. So, I have had a few but Apple has come through with satisfying me. I sure can't say that for Microsoft's in regard to my Xbox360. I realize they don't have a store, but they could have delivered me a box to return my defective Xbox360 in a timely manner. That would have satisfied me... but they didn't and I am not happy.