As you know, about three weeks ago, I took the Nokia N95 plunge and was as excited as my colleague, Amy Gahran, was. I feel in love with it - but the honeymoon is over ...
Amy Gahran, had a bad experience updating the firmware for her n95 purchased from Amazon. So, I took her advice to update the firmware. Well, Nokia's user support isn't the most intuitive. I felt like I was back in 1995. Amy was great and helped me by pointing me to the right resources. That was two weeks ago. My firmware was up to date, life was good.
Not so fast. I found another way to get the firmware version - and oh no, holy firmware versions batman, I had the same older version as Amy. Oh no, did that mean if I updated the firmware like Amy did that my beloved Nokia N95 would turn into an expensive, unresponsive brick?
I was tempted to simply pack up the phone and send it right back to Amazon. Instead, I registered the phone warranty and found the support phone numbers. I took a deep breath, dialed, and braced myself for an unpleasant technical and customer support experience. I actually called three times - the third time I decided to live broadcast it.
Bottom line - they claim that it won't brick if install the US version of the firmware and that phone is covered under warranty. I'm still afraid to update the firmware and wasn't going to - but now I'm getting some really strange performance issues that might well force me to update.
Amy Gahran wrote about my experience here, listened to the video, and offered some great advice if you are thinking about a N95 so you don't get screwed. Charlie Shick, from Nokia, left a constructive comment in that post.
Amy points to what Mobile Jones wrote about Charlie Shick and described him a “social media expert.” He runs the company’s blogger outreach program. Another blogger, N95 user, and commenter on Amy's posts - Jenifer Hanen referred to him in her comments.
Nokia has recently launched a new blog, Nokia Conversations. Amy points out that Mobile Jones reported that this blog will “highlight the developments inside the world’s largest device manufacturer, and new entrant into mobile content and services that the 60,000 employee company represents. Some of those 60K employees are also introduced along with their accomplishments and new products. Comments are welcomed.”
So, Amy was pretty pleased that maybe, maybe, Nokia was listening. She goes on to offer Nokia some excellent advice about how to improve their customer service and technical support. She left a comment on their blog letting them know about the conversation (hmm . don't they have a listening system in place?). No comments yet. I will look forward to watching this conversation develop - maybe I'll get some answers about my own technical issues with my N95.
Great to see you and Amy helping a large organization understand what the new reality is: every valued customer is critic. The two of you are Nokia's best bet at actually LISTENING to customer feedback and adjusting/improving their product - woo-hoo. Welcome to the revolution Nokia. Fascintated (although do not own what looks like a very cool Nokia phone) to watch this unfold. [Btw, Seth Godin would LOVE the two of you!]
Posted by: Anne | April 22, 2008 at 09:30 PM
Hi, Beth
As I mentioned on your N95 blog, this morning I heard from Mark Squires, Nokia's Director of Corporate Communications, via a comment he left on Contentious.com. I continued the conversation (constructively) here:
http://snurl.com/25h1e
Bottom line: No substantive response from Nokia yet -- but engagement from Charlie and Mark is a start
And Anne -- I agree that every valued customer is a critic. So far, I'm not convinced that Nokia values me as a customer. But I'm giving them a chance to prove it. And I hope Nokia realizes that people like Beth and I are trying to help them succeed.
I also hope Nokia improves its US service for their high-end products -- because there are a lot of journalists and mobloggers here who need exactly those kinds of products *right now.* They could make a lot of headway in this market if they'd get their service and pricing act together.
Hey... Maybe we should let Seth Godin know about this nascent conversation with Nokia? Hmmmm....
- Amy Gahran
Posted by: Amy Gahran | April 23, 2008 at 01:44 PM
Thanks Amy. Let's see if how they listen.
I documented another emerging performance issues on my n95 and I did get a possible fix via email.
http://beth.typepad.com/n95/2008/04/fixing-the-perf.html
Posted by: Beth Kanter | April 23, 2008 at 02:06 PM
How odd. I have a N95 and I love it. Updated firmware three or four times now, without a glitch or an issue. Might it be because I got the original, unlocked European model and not the "updated" (and I think lesser) US model?
For once it pays to be the early adopter.
Oh and the N95 rocks!
Posted by: Wayan | April 23, 2008 at 05:26 PM
Beth you are a trip -- you sound like me! You would think by now ONE just ONE company would have figured this out -- provide solid real customer service and solutions and a smile -- it really isn't that hard and if you did you would have so much good WOM that you'd literally have to hire someone to beat away the crowds -- oh I forgot APPLE!
And a plug for the PINNACLE in customer service bar none - I have actually told friends to order corrugated boxes or ziploc bags from Uline JUST for the experience - it's like going to a spa!
Call Uline at 800-295-5510 and if a pleasant live person does not pick up probably on the first ring I will send you a free hope button! Try it you will be amazed!
Posted by: Michael Gibbons | April 23, 2008 at 08:26 PM
Wayan's comment about the original european version is especially interesting since Nokia support told Beth that the bricking problem is caused by trying to updated non-US N95s from the US.
Something is seriously awry here....
- Amy Gahran
Posted by: Amy Gahran | April 23, 2008 at 09:35 PM
@beth Hello. I left some more comments on Amy's excellent article. I think the key for me is not to engage Mark and I in the conversation, but for all of us to get whomever can do something about this into the discussion and DO something about it. Indeed, I haven't checked my email in a while (I was practically offline until now), but know there's some discussion about this in there. So I'll be back.
@amy Not that I know, but I wonder if what support told Beth is really the cause. I think it just happens. You'd expect the SW to know what SW to put. How does the blooming updater know she's in the US. It should see the phone and just give the right software. Indeed, something in seriously wrong.
Heh. One more thing. Thanks for getting us started with a bang. I've waited a long time to get the company involved in discussions like this. And, Seth? I drank from that well, and also from Kawasaki. But, oy vey, you know what it's like to get the BEHEMOTH to adapt to this? Getting there, but it's going to an interesting ride. And, it's great to have prods like you to help. :-)
Posted by: charlie | April 24, 2008 at 05:04 AM
@charlie yes, it would be great to engage in discussion and find the solutions to the specific issues - and for you at Nokia to use the discussion to look at improvements overall.
Meanwhile, I'm keeping my fingers crossed my emerging performance issues can be fixed without bricking my phone
http://tinyurl.com/6lyput
Posted by: Beth Kanter | April 24, 2008 at 08:42 AM