iPhone Recorded Video Problems

“Someone I know” recorded some video on the iPhone of a special family moment. They held the iPhone up and down as you would usually hold it (except when watching a movie or YouTube, etc.).

I moved the video off the phone, in order to share it with family and friends. I discovered not only was the aspect ratio of the video backwards, but the video played sideways (correcting the aspect issue) in most standard video-playing software (besides iTunes and Quicktime).

So I thought “Handbrake” of course, because I was planning to make the file size smaller for uploading anyhow. Long story short I was frustrated and denied that day. I ended up settling for WMVs from Windows Live Movie Maker, and they came out awful.

Fast forward a couple of months (sometimes it helps to let a problem stew for awhile). Some more Google searches, and I came across a free, open source tool called “avidemux” (http://avidemux.sourceforge.net). It flipped the video (back to being taller than wider) and then even allowed me to crop (the top and bottom of) the video so as to fix the aspect ratio. Genius!

So if you happened to take video with the iPhone up and down, and want to share it but either the non-standard aspect ratio is a problem, or the video appears flipped on it’s side, try avidemux.

Domestic Customer Support

Just called VZW (Verizon Wireless), and spoke to a domestic support rep, very knowledgeable, very polite, very efficient! What an amazing experience that makes me want to keep my business with them.

What a difference from other support calls to various big companies the last couple of years. The backlash against against “commodity” service is finally having an effect, as companies realize that customer service is not just a cost to be cut as close as possible to the bone, but a major component of their brand reputation.

It has always seemed crazy to me, to take a customer, who is already mad at you, and send them into a maze of button-pushing forwarding circular phone menus to eventually speak to unhelpful, untrained, un-empowered, un-friendly, unable–to-speak-English support personnel. Not only does the customer’s problem not get solved, but they now have another complaint. That is company suicide.

These people whose money you have or want, and who know the rest of the people whose money you have or want, they are the very ones who’s frowns you need to strive to turn upside down.

I’ve heard recently that good support is a “differentiator”. In other words companies who buck the trend to provide it really set themselves apart and make themselves attractive. Don’t be fooled. Your brand value is exposed to negative or positive opinion long after the sale. It is hanging out there, for anyone and everyone to ruin or build up, every day. Good support is one of your few defenses and offenses. I’d suggest in terms of your brand it’s more important than the sale, and up there with product quality.

Just to be clear, I’m not putting down offshoring support per se. But unless and until the quality of that support is a compliment to the brand, it’s not good enough.

Man I hope this is a trend.