I enjoy stories and fables that teach us life lessons. Remember, the story about the boy who cried “Wolf”? Just for fun, let’s turn this story on its head and see what it can teach us in our not-so-make believe telecom land. Instead of an imaginary foe, however, this story centers on an imaginary hero called Better Customer Service.

Here goes.

Once upon a time, there was an over-eager communications provider (OCP) promising to deliver anything anywhere at any time to its customers. The OCP had mastered DSL, but teased about the coming of IPTV. It had upgraded its mobile broadband network to 3G and told tantalizing tales about the coming of 4G. And much like the main character in the original fable, this well-meaning OCP continued to promise the fairy tale ending that everyone wished for: Better Customer Service.

At first, many of its constituents listened and watched for signs of improvement. They wanted to believe in the fairy tale ending even though they saw little of the elusive Better Customer Service.

Days grew into months. And after too much time and too many cries of “Better Customer Service!”, the customers grew weary of the OCP’s promises and non-deliverables. The IPTV they waited for was always delivered to a neighborhood where they didn’t live. The 3G mobile speeds they hoped for seemed more sparse and spotty than spiffy. And every time customers called the 800 number to ask when the OCP would deliver on its promises, they were tossed into the great big black hole of outsourced call centers that thought Better Customer Service meant an apology with no action.

Then, suddenly, one particularly frustrated OCP customer decided that this Better Customer Service from the OCP was not real. He took matters into his own hands and called the archenemy of the OCP: the Cable Company. And much to the customer’s surprise, the Cable Company offered a version of IPTV and a less-expensive landline service. In fact, the Cable Company’s field technicians even showed up to the customer’s home in blue booties so the customer’s floor would be protected while his service was installed.

Like wild fire, word spread that the OCP was not telling the truth. Even when other OCP customers wanted to hear the message from their OCP, they could not. The imaginary Better Customer Service from the OCP was just that: imaginary.

Not a pretty ending. (But it doesn’t have to be that way. Why not write your ending today?)

What’s your take on this subject? Leave a comment and get the conversation going.