Thank You to Mandy and Andy at Great Plains Communications

BLAIR, NEBRASKA (2024 November 27, Wednesday)
Don Harrold, Writer / Editor
blairtoday@mail.com – Facebook

In my years living in Blair, I’ve never posted a negative word about any local business. This will be my first time, and I hope it’s my last. But I’m sharing this story not to be negative – rather, to highlight something good about our community and the local businesses that truly care about their customers.

When my wife and I moved into our new house in late September, we thought we had everything arranged. A month earlier, I had scheduled internet installation with a regional internet provider who have an office in Blair, critical since both our incomes depend on reliable internet access. Then began a cascade of disappointments.

First came the installation delay. Then we both got COVID, forcing another reschedule. When this regional internet provider finally installed what we thought was their fastest fiber service in mid-October, we believed our troubles were behind us.

Then came the plumbing issue. A tree root had pierced our sewer line, requiring major repairs. During the work, our internet line was accidentally cut. What followed was three weeks of frustration that felt like living in the movie “Groundhog Day” – dozens of calls to the regional internet provider, explaining the situation over and over to different representatives, all without results. We even discovered we’d never received the fiber service we’d ordered, but copper wire instead.

The breaking point came after multiple failed repair attempts. One representative, Brandon, promised next-day service, only to backtrack. Another, Caleb, “promised” to call back by 4:30 PM with a solution. He never did. Brandon’s supervisor, Jeff, was supposedly going to contact me. He never did either.

But here’s where the story turns positive, and why I’m sharing it. While dealing with the regional internet provider’s empty promises, I contacted Great Plains Communications. Their representative, Mandy, didn’t just make promises – she delivered. She rearranged schedules to get us connected, and more importantly, maintained clear communication throughout the process.

And, when it looked like there might be a delay due to the holiday, Mandy even offered a discount – which I declined.

(We got a call from someone I’ll refer to as “Jim” from the regional internet provider on the same day of the Great Plains scheduled installation. He was friendly and professional. And, he told me they had outsourced their installers and my situation was not unique. Make of that what you will.)

I’m writing this article using my new Great Plains connection. After this experience, I’ll recommend Great Plains to anyone in Blair who asks. It’s refreshing to work with a company that not only provides the service you pay for but also values clear communication and keeps their word.

Blair has good folks who care about their customers. This experience reminded me how important that is, and why supporting businesses that demonstrate this care matters to our community.

My wife and I thank Mandy (customer support) and Andy (installer) at Great Plains, specifically, and wholeheartedly for the way they went beyond what we expected. And, I also thank “Jim” at the regional internet provider – the only one who called us back. (Albeit, a little too late.)