Writing Matters

BlueHost: Great Customer Service Starts on the Home Page

Mention customer service to almost anyone, and you’ll get a litany of complaints that include interminable wait times for phone support as well as incorrect or unsatisfactory responses to phone and e-mail queries. That’s why I’m singing the praises of BlueHost, the company I chose to host a new blog. (More on that to come.)

I considered a number of highly recommended hosting companies. But BlueHost’s website clinched the deal. It was well written, logically organized, and had a clean user-friendly design. What’s more, the website provided a wealth of help options:

• Customer support numbers featured on every page: “QUESTIONS? BlueHost specializes in customer satisfaction. Call us with your questions Toll Free 24/7."
• Live Chat button prominently displayed on the home page.
• Help Center that offered a wealth of support options: A searchable knowledge base, getting started wizard, video tutorials, user forums, and an e-mail option.
• Contact Us page with phone numbers for each department (Sales, Technical Support, Billing) as well as a mailing address.

The day I signed up, I called them five times. My first call was to Sales to clarify rates and the process of signing up. I also wanted to test out their customer support before signing on. (They passed the test.)

Four calls were to Technical Support after I signed up. Those calls dealt with installing blog software—WordPress and the Thesis theme. Each time my call was answered promptly, and knowledgeable technical support people quickly solved my problems. The person I talked with the fifth time was as pleasant and helpful as the person who fielded my first call, though I’m sure by that time I was flagged in their database as pain in the butt. 

A few days later, I tried out BlueHost’s e-mail support. My question about moving an existing blog to BlueHost was answered within a few hours. It was well-written and provided links to “how-to's.”  A follow-up question was answered within an hour. 

I know the dangers of falling in love at first sight.  But based on the first date, BlueHost looks like the model for great customer service. I’m optimistic about a meaningful long-term relationship.  

(Note: I am not a BlueHost affiliate. My only relationship with the company is as a satisfied customer.)

--Marilynne Rudick

Winner of the Revise the "Office Plants" E-mail Contest

Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry in our Revise the "Office Plants" E-Mail Contest. You bold people took one of the most tortured samples of workplace e-mail and reworked it into a direct, practical piece.  You fixed the oblique subject line Individual Office Plants and even smoothed out lumpy sentences such as During a recent Office of Environmental Safety courtesy walk through, plants located in several individual offices are apparently not being well cared for or properly maintained. I am impressed!

But, a contest can only have one winner or, in this case, two. So, without further ado, I hereby announce the winners of our Revise the "Office Plants" E-Mail Contest.

• First Place goes to David Kay for his excellent rewrite. David made the e-mail shorter, used lots of personal pronouns, and linked to an About.com list of acceptable plants. He wrote in a friendly, plain language style, but his e-mail didn't abandon the task of enforcing the rules. Great writing, David.

• Second Place goes to Margaret Elwood for her rewrite. About her limerick, she says "I just had to get it out of my system."

Please heed these official rants:

Take better care of your plants!

        You shouldn't ought 'ter

        Over water,

And we're sick of those bugs, pests and ants.

Each winner will receive a copy of our Clear, Correct, Concise E-Mail workbook.

Many thanks to all who entered. If you read each contest entry, as I did, you'll get a handy tutorial on how to do e-mail right:

• Brinda Moody wrote no-nonsense instructions but kept the writing friendly.
• Missy Curry engaged in a bit of word play and wrote clear instructions on plant care.
• Colleen Blessing used bullets to keep her e-mail short and sweet but was still able to work in the word ambience.
• Genie Smith demonstrated that she's no pushover when she wrote: "If you do not or cannot move your sick, infested, or dead plants, we will."
• Claudia Cooper revised sentences deeply, looking for plain language substitutes for confusing or bureaucratic language.
• Connie Raab cut every bit of fat. Her version = 74 words. The original e-mail = 267 words.
• EInspiration gave it to plant owners straight: keep those plants healthy or they're outta here.
• Bonnie Wahiba used a direct tone and exactly three exclamation points to drive the point home.
• Anonymous trimmed wordiness, cut verbiage, and trimmed some more.
• Naomi Allen streamlined the original and made the message much clearer.

-- Leslie O'Flahavan

Writing Contest: Revise the "Office Plants" E-Mail and Win Our Workbook

No, the "Individual Office Plants" e-mail (below) isn't a joke, we didn't make it up, and it's not going to be featured in an upcoming Dilbert cartoon. In fact, "Individual Office Plants" is an authentic e-mail forwarded to me by a Writing Matters reader who shall remain nameless. Like many of you, the person who sent me this specimen has a fondness for language, even language foibles. And, like many of you, the person who sent me this e-mail is an excellent writer.

That's why I'm sponsoring this e-mail contest. I know those of you who read this blog can really turn a phrase, so I'm challenging you to revise (repair??!) the "Individual Office Plants" e-mail and send me your revision before March 2, 2010. The person who sends in the most improved and most readable version will win bragging rights and a copy of our Clear, Correct, Concise E-Mail workbook. Here's the e-mail:

To: All Staff
From: Office of Environmental Safety
Subject: Individual Office Plants

Plants add tremendously to our environment and office atmosphere.  They are a blessing and a gift!  However, over the past several months our Office of Environmental Safety has received multiple reports and complaints of plant born infestations.  During a recent Office of Environmental Safety courtesy walk through, plants located in several individual offices are apparently not being well cared for or properly maintained.  In some cases this lack of attentiveness has caused contaminated, resulting in an infestation.  This is a safety violation!  Staff members who maintain plants to their offices are solely responsible for their care and maintenance. 

• PLEASE minimize the number of plants in your office space. Generally, it is recommended that an individual have a maximum of two plants in their office.
• Remove or dispose those plants that require higher-maintenance to reduce the worry about watering and care.
• Do not over water your plants!  Plants grown in offices usually have a diminished need for watering since light levels, low humidity and cool, comfortable temperatures are constant. 
• Plants are not created equally…especially with regards to their adaptability to a particular office environment, tolerances, or neglect…please constantly check your plants.

The Office of Environmental Safety and the Office of Building Management are committed to ensure a safe and healthy work environment to all staff members.  Those who continually neglect caring for their office plants will be subject to citation and a removal of all their plants from their offices.  Please care for your plants. If you need any assistance in removing your plant, please contact the Office of Environmental Safety via the Intranet.

Contest Rules:

1. Revise the e-mail as deeply as you'd like, but don't change the overall meaning or intent.
2. Post your revision as a comment or e-mail it to me, so I can post it as a comment. 
3. Send your entries by March 2, 2010.

-- Leslie O'Flahavan