Dave Siciliano
Final Approach
So I call Jeppesen today to get a one time update for a Northstar M-3 GPS. See, plane’s been in the shop, it’s going back in for a panel upgrade and the M-3 is slated to go away, but the shop can’t take if for a few weeks; so, I’d like to update the data base so I can fly with it ‘til the panel work is done. Don’t want a one-year deal.
Anyway, I try to get the update on Skybound—no can do. Try Jeppesen’s web site—no can do. So, I call Jeppesen and have this wonderful conversation.
Thank you for calling Jeppsen, this is Diana (fictitious to protect the innocent), how may we help you?
Me: I’d like to get a one time update for the data base on my M-3 GPS. I tried doing it on your web site and don’t see it there.
Her: No sir, you can only do that by calling in. Please give me your Jeppesen customer number.
Me: I don’t know my customer number;….. I have a name.
Her: Sorry sir, we can’t go by that, it’s much easier for us to put in a customer number.
Me: We’ll I can’t remember all these random numbers everyone sends me to make it easier for them. My name is David Siciliano.
Her: Well, this will take awhile; I’ll have to look you up.
Me: Do you have an employee number.
Her: I think I do.
Me: Please give me that number so I can put down who I spoke with.
Her: We don’t give those out sir.
Me: Why not? It would be much easier for me to right down than a name!
Her: Oh, here’s your account sir: is your address this..phone that..zip code this.
Me: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yessssssss!
Her: Well sir, your account number is xxxxxx; you’d better write down in case you need something else from us!
Me: How in the world do you expect me to keep track of your number for me when I have 200 other accounts people have given me numbers for? I do remember my name and address.
Her: Well sir, it’s easy to misspell a name or to enter it wrong; some names sound alike or there are several similar ones; much easier if you remember your customer number.
Me: Can I please get a data base update?
Her: Do you still have Skywatch?
Me: Yes.
Her: O.K., I’ll make the file available to you there.
Skip a couple steps.
Her: O.K., I can sent this to you now; your confirmation number is xxxxx; one time update is $176.
Me: What did you say! Did you say $176?
Her: Yes sir. A full year is $375.
Me: Well, forget the whole thing; I thought it might be $30 or $40 dollars.
Her: Sorry sir.
Me: So I have two Garmin regular subscriptions and two Garmin handhelds I update regularly and you want to charge me half a year for an update on the M-3 until I put more Garmins in another plane.
Her: Sorry sir.
Is this crazy or what? So don’t call and try to get anything done without their proprietary number for you.
So they lose a sale where all they had to do was move data to be downloaded! Marginal business just went in the tank. Thank you Jeppesen.
Best,
Dave (Jeppesen account number xxxxxxx!)
Anyway, I try to get the update on Skybound—no can do. Try Jeppesen’s web site—no can do. So, I call Jeppesen and have this wonderful conversation.
Thank you for calling Jeppsen, this is Diana (fictitious to protect the innocent), how may we help you?
Me: I’d like to get a one time update for the data base on my M-3 GPS. I tried doing it on your web site and don’t see it there.
Her: No sir, you can only do that by calling in. Please give me your Jeppesen customer number.
Me: I don’t know my customer number;….. I have a name.
Her: Sorry sir, we can’t go by that, it’s much easier for us to put in a customer number.
Me: We’ll I can’t remember all these random numbers everyone sends me to make it easier for them. My name is David Siciliano.
Her: Well, this will take awhile; I’ll have to look you up.
Me: Do you have an employee number.
Her: I think I do.
Me: Please give me that number so I can put down who I spoke with.
Her: We don’t give those out sir.
Me: Why not? It would be much easier for me to right down than a name!
Her: Oh, here’s your account sir: is your address this..phone that..zip code this.
Me: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yessssssss!
Her: Well sir, your account number is xxxxxx; you’d better write down in case you need something else from us!
Me: How in the world do you expect me to keep track of your number for me when I have 200 other accounts people have given me numbers for? I do remember my name and address.
Her: Well sir, it’s easy to misspell a name or to enter it wrong; some names sound alike or there are several similar ones; much easier if you remember your customer number.
Me: Can I please get a data base update?
Her: Do you still have Skywatch?
Me: Yes.
Her: O.K., I’ll make the file available to you there.
Skip a couple steps.
Her: O.K., I can sent this to you now; your confirmation number is xxxxx; one time update is $176.
Me: What did you say! Did you say $176?
Her: Yes sir. A full year is $375.
Me: Well, forget the whole thing; I thought it might be $30 or $40 dollars.
Her: Sorry sir.
Me: So I have two Garmin regular subscriptions and two Garmin handhelds I update regularly and you want to charge me half a year for an update on the M-3 until I put more Garmins in another plane.
Her: Sorry sir.
Is this crazy or what? So don’t call and try to get anything done without their proprietary number for you.
So they lose a sale where all they had to do was move data to be downloaded! Marginal business just went in the tank. Thank you Jeppesen.
Best,
Dave (Jeppesen account number xxxxxxx!)