Tame Your Technology - Computer Repair Zone

Amazon recently sold it’s online DVD rental business to UK market leader LoveFilm.com and as an Amazon customer (and long-term fan of how they do business) I was somewhat apprehensive about the switchover to a new provider I knew nothing about.

As it turns out, my concerns were wellfounded.

Firstly I found that I was unable to log into my new LoveFilm account and had to email their customer support to get the situation sorted out, only to find that for a second time it wouldn’t work.

Finally this got resolved but left a very bad taste in my mouth. The passion for customer service that I experience at Amazon just wasn’t there. The staff just seemed to be doing their job, not aiming to impress.

But here’s the killer.

With Amazon I was grandfathered on an old deal - £9.99 a month for 6 DVDs which generally suited me fine. The great thing about Amazon is that their fulfillment is almost perfect. I was never stuck without a DVD. You’d put one in the post, it would arrive at their warehouse the next day and they’d dispatch my next disc which usually arrived the following day. A 3 day turnaround on average.

However with LoveFilm they seem to take so long to dispatch my discs that I am forever without any at all. I finished watching 2 out of my 3 on Tusday of this week and sent them back on Wednesday. With Amazon I would have had new discs by Friday. According to LoveFilm my current DVDs are still “dispatching shortly”. Unfortunately, not shortly enough for my liking.

I suppose thats the problem with buying customers from Amazon. Amazon are so good at customer service that it really shows LoveFilm up. If I’d started with them I would have different expectations. But I don’t.

So I’ve made the decision that if my DVDs don’t arrive tomorrow morning - that’ll be it for LoveFilm - another lost customer thanks to their slow service. Definately one to avoid if possible.

Any suggestions of other online DVD rental firms worth trying?

Popularity: 16% [?]

Summer is here and with it the vacation season. Millions of us will be jetting off abroad for some summer sun and so the question of how to receive our voicemail arises.

In short, how do I listen to my messages when on holiday?

While the answer will differ slightly depending on what provider you are with the process should be pretty similar.

Essentially your voicemail has it’s own telephone number. You don’t normally need to know this because it is accessed from your own phone by just keying in a short code but you can also access this mailbox number form any other phone line if you know the number and the pin code to access it.

Typically you choose the pin initially and can then just dial your voicemail number followed by your pin code from anywhere in the world to listen to any messages. Contact your network to find out your specific mailbox number.

Lastly, be aware that when abroad it will typically be cheaper to call this number from a landline that to try and access your voicemail on your mobile phone. The reason for this is that your mailbox is actually based in your home country so accessing it on your mobile is like making a call back home from a mobile phone so can get very expensive.

Popularity: 15% [?]

I think the Nintendo Wii is the nicest game system to have been launched in a long time and have promised myself one by Christmas.

Luckily I just found a competition where you can actually *win* one, which could save me a whole lot of cash and I thought I’d let you all know about it too so good luck.

There are numerous ways to enter the DatMoney competition in association with iBlogToBlog.

A simple subscription to their RSS feed will get you an entry into the competition so you’d have to mad not to get involved

Popularity: 22% [?]

Ok you’re going to need to jump on this one fast as I only just found out about it myself and the competition closes in literally the next few days but it’s a great competitiojn with an even better prize so I wanted to let you know about it all the same.

You have a chance to win an Asus EEE laptop and it won’t cost you a penney to enter thanks to Enkay blog and MarketLeverage.

Other rpizes up for grabs in the competition include $50 prepaid Amex card and some smooth little USB memory stick pens. Run over there now and get yourself involved

Popularity: 17% [?]