Relentless, But in a Good Way

Just recently, I bought a gizmo. This is the third or fourth gizmo I've bought from the same company, but it's been a few years since I purchased the last one. I like the new gizmo even more than I liked the old gizmo: it does what it is supposed to do, it's dependable, and it's cute. As for the company that makes the gizmo, I have no real opinion. Same for the company that sold it to me. Nonetheless, the two companies, thanks to this simple financial transaction, are now driving me nuts trying to be my new best friend.

Since I handed them the money to pay for the gizmo, I have had three phone calls, four emails, three snailmails, and three quizzes from these folks. The gizmo and I have taken to hiding in the house with the blinds drawn because I've started imagining the gizmo's parent company sending out a crack paramilitary troupe just to make sure everything is okay with my customer satisfaction, since I waited 24 hours to respond to their last survey request.

On reflection, I know that this is just the current mode of post-sales marketing. Someone somewhere at the gizmo's factory wants to find out why I bought the gizmo. So does someone at the place where I bought it. Luckily, I know why I bought the gizmo: I want to use it.

All this persistence is good, though, because it reminds me of the most essential tool in seeking out an education at whatever academic level. Relentless persistence will keep the non-trad student going back to class for every meeting, writing copious notes, and then following the professor to his/her office to learn even more during the posted office hours. While traditional young students will worry that they shouldn't be bothering the professor, or that their questions are too dumb, or that the professor doesn't like answering questions, the non-trad has been around long enough to know that the office hours are part of the academic package that comes in exchange for that insanely large tuition-and-fees check. That persistence that you learned on the job, that got the daily, weekly, and quarterly projects and reports done, is what will mark you out as a student who gives a damn, and gets the As.

Now, if only I could convince the gizmo's parent company that they have been sufficiently persistent. Maybe I should send them an A, and a shiny gold star as a bonus.