It never hurts to ask! Superior Customer Service!

Okay-here's a great customer service story that came out of a bad experience with a new case for my laptop. I am a terrible clutz and very careless with my personal effects so when I bought a new laptop I wanted to make sure I bought a case that would protect it when I banged it around during the normal course of travel/work etc. I bought a rather expensive case called laptop armor. It was billed as an extremely well constructed durable piece of hardware that would protect my laptop from the catostrophic effect of a fall. It did just that..but to my dismay the feet on the thing broke. Distressed, I wrote the following letter to the manufacturer:

Subject: Shoddy construction of laptop armor feet
From: Travis Lee Coffman
Date:Thu, 28 Jul 2005 11:17:17 +1000
To:support@matias.ca


Gentlemen,

I regret to inform you that I am very dissatisfied with the structural integrity of your product. While you advertise your laptop producet as an extremely well constructed, durable piece of hardware-you should also advise potential customers that if the case should happen to fall on its feet they will surely break rendering the case virtually useless. I dropped the case onto a tile floor on my way out of the office. Thankfully, it did save my laptop. Not so impressive though was the fact that two of the four feet broke off in the process (see the attached picture).

I am informing you of my disappointment in order to give the opportunity to make things right. I would very much appreciate a replacement case as I am otherwise happy with the product (it did save my laptop)

Thank you
-Travis L. Coffman


Here was the company response:


On Jul 28, 2005, at 11:14 PM, Steve McGowan wrote:

Dear Mr. Coffman,

I am sorry to hear of your dissatisfaction with the structural integrity of our product. Our Laptop Armor case, while very durable and well constructed, is not indestructible. In fact, one of the design features of the product is that our Laptop Armor case will take the damage instead of your laptop. Especially when falling onto very hard surfaces like a tile floor, it is desirable for the Laptop Armor case to absorb the energy from the fall. In this way, your laptop has maximum protection. Our goal is that your laptop survives the fall no matter what happens to the case.

I hope this explains how the Laptop Armor works. As a goodwill gesture, we can replace your Laptop Armor case this time with a free replacement. You can discard the old case (no need to return it to us), and we will send the new one to you immediately. Please send your address information to Barb Perriman (barb@matias.ca), our Support Services Manager, and she will make the necessary arrangements.

Regards,

Steve McGowan
Vice President
Matias Corporation
steve@matias.ca
905-265-8844 (voice)
905-265-8744 (fax)

And finally my response to Mr. McGowan

Dear Mr. McGowan,

Sir, you have just made a customer for life-I am in fact writing you on the laptop that was saved by your case. So in this regard, you product more than earned its reputation. I suppose I was most disappointed that because the case itself was damaged in such a way that it could no longer serve it's intended purpose. I am delighted though, by your response and your generous offer of replacement. I will share this information not only with my friends and business associates, but with my entire listener base so that they may have the opportunity to protect their important investments with your fine products and superior customer service.

I am a news talk radio host on the island of Guam, and our listening audience contains many professionals whom I'm sure would be happy to learn of a your fine products and your commitment to excellence.


Please send the new case to:

Travis Coffman
Sorensen Pacific Broadcasting
Suite 800
Chalan Santo Papa
Hagatna, Guam 96930

BTW-if you use the U.S. Postal Service you will find that the rates to Guam are exactly the same as if you were sending it anywhere in the mainland United States.

Thanks again,

-Travis

The Original Big Show Cast

Like Destiny's Child featuring Beyonce-The Big Show has evolved over the years. The original Big Show cast featured Producer Brian "the Cureman" Curit (Now the Morning DJ on The Rock!), Mana (Mary Ann) Silva in the News Center and Leonard Ramirez On the Go. Why would you care? MMMIDUNNO but I just found one our original logo and I wanted to post it on the Blog for your consideration.

The Big Show Makes the PDN!

Rindraty Celes Limtiaco Pika staff; rlimtiaco@guampdn.com

Travis Coffman, the afternoon talk show host on K57 Radio, could be described as the talk show host with a bite. He is willing to tackle any topic -- nothing is sacred and holding back is not an option.



Okay, I have to confess that I am a dyed in the wool glory hound when it comes to publicity. So you can imagine my unbridled glee to be written up the the PDN Pika section earlier this month. Just incase you missed it, here's the rest of the article written by friend and colleague, Rindraty Celes Limtiaco of the PDN

Family Beach Vs. Urunao (Worst v. Best)

Okay, can you guess which beach is Family Beach and which beach is the one where former Governor Carl Gutierrez has a ranch? Not to difficult eh? The one with the power plants in the background is family beach-the one with awesome waves, great sand and beautiful clouds in the background is Urunao. To be fair the Urunao picture was taken down the beach from the former governor's place but it does sort of drive home the idea of a day at the beach for the haves vs the have nots ;-)

New Big Show Ad! Groovy Yes?

Check it out! Our Super Talented Ad Designer Tez Cuenco put together a new print ad to get the word out to the unwashed masses! Huzzah!

Find Dr. Dirk's History Bits on the Web!

Guess what? University of Guam Professor Dr. Dirk Ballendorf who created the Island Insights segment on the Big Show is branching out to the Web! Yep! Check out his historical tidbits now available on the Lt. Governor's Website

Buddhism on the Big Show!

Love all Serve All! That's the Big Show Motto! Okay we stole it from the Hard Rock Cafe, but it's the thought that counts no? Here's me hanging out with some folks with the Fo Guan Shan Guam Temple on a recent visit to the Big Show. Abbess Venerable Jue Ping is the woman with the excellent cut & the robes. Just last week she showed me around the temple (way cool) and explained how the lotus fits in the the philosphy.

Spray on Abs!

Do you know someone obsessed with fitness? Always looking for rock hard abdominal muscles? All of us would like strong stomach muscles, but most of us quite frankly don't have the time or the dedication to get the desired results. Same deal with Mariah Carey-Check out her belly at this year's NYC July 4th celebration. People magazine say her abs are faked-tanned or painted to look like she had a rock hart tummy! Insanity no?

2005 Marianas Vintage Guitar Show

What: The largest gathering of vintage stringed instruments in the Western Pacific

Where: Sunday July 10th 7pm at the Fishbowl

Here's John Hoffman's visit to the Bigshow

Hello and Welcome to the Big Blog!

Hafa Adai and welcome to the Big Show Blog! I feel like I should post a hello every once in a while. I'm Travis and this is my Web Log or Blog as they say. A sort of web journal. In any event the first posts are all the way at the bottom and the most recent are at the top.

Big Show Kids

This is one of my favorite pictures of my kids. Joni (left) and Taylor (right) were visiting me the day that we did a live show from the Guam International Airport. Taylor is jamming to the groovy music of the Big Show while Joni watches her brother goofing around. It was a fun day. They both actually got in trouble shortly after this for running around and nearly knocking over a Japanese visitor. They were just having a little rambunctious fun so I honestly wasn't that angry. Besides look how much fun they are having here ;-)

The Big Show 4Runner

Wouldn't it be cool if you could have your face on the side of a Toyota 4 Runner? I have to tell you that in practice it was cool. One of the first sponsors of the Big Show was AK Toyota and they wanted to help me get the word out about their great new 4 Runner and my great new show...so I drove around a 2004 Toyota 4Runner for about a year and a half with my goofy mug splashed on the side of it. My son Cain pictured here thought it was great! I have to tell you though it did get old after a while and I was always worried that somebody that didn't like the show would black out of my teeth when I was parked at the mall!

Wyland Visits the Island!

Have you ever seen that giant underwater mural at the Guam International Airport? It was painted by Wyland! Super cool famous artist. I got to do a live show at the airport the day he was putting the finishing touches on the thing. He's a pretty nice guy by the way with a great sense of humor. Plus the women love him...I know..the day he was at the airport they were like flies to honey. Don't worry though there was no monkey business. He's married to his art...at least that's what he told me ;-)

The Guam Food Guy!

Hey Don't Miss Ken Stewart Guam's Food Guy Each week on the Big Show! That's Ken on the left showing off his reviews in Directions Magazine ;-) What a Ham! Also see his website!

Happy 4th of July from Jessica

Jessica Simpson as featured in GQ!
Wishing the troops a happy July 4th!

Trav's Illinois Home

Why do I live on Guam? It's a lot warmer for one than Illinois farm country in the winter. Here's a photo on the farm where I grew up.

That Giant Catfish! Delicious!

This week I told you about a giant catfish caught in Thailand. Awesome yes? Two Thai fisherman caught a 646-pound catfish in the river. . . setting the world record for the largest freshwater fish ever found.