Steven Hodson of WinExtra posted a screenshot of his personal Wordpress stats for the last three years last night. I then posted my stats for a similar period of time, and Steven shot back with some question about traffic, and the ebbs and flows of readers.

Being the stats nut that I am, I went and pulled the data from my own tracking data, and came up with this.

I made a conscious choice to analyze what year the posts being read were posted in. I wanted to understand when people read my content, which content kept people coming back over and over again. The chart above speaks for itself: through most of the last year it’s clear that the most popular posts were made in 2005.

What is also interesting is the decreasing interest in 2007 posts as 2008 progressed. Posts from 2006 remained steady, as there are a number of posts in that year that amount to my self-help guides to Web compression, mod_gzip, mod_deflate, and Web caching for Web administrators.

This data is no surprise to me, as I posted my rants against Gutter Helmet and their installation process in 2005. Those posts are still near the top of the Google search response for term “Gutter Helmet”. And improving the performance of a Web site is of great interest to many Apache server admins and Web site designers.

What is also clear is that self-hosting my blog and the posting renaissance it has provoked has driven traffic back to my site.

So, what lessons did I learn from this data?

1. Always remember the long tail. Every blogger wants to be relevant, on the edge, and showing that they understand current trends. The people who follow those trends are a small minority of the people who read blogs. Google and other search engines will expose them to your writings in the time of their choosing, and you may find that the three year-old post gets as much traffic as the one posted three hours ago
2. Write often. I was in a blogging funk when my blog was at Wordpress.com. As a geek, I believe that the lack of direct control over the look and feel of my content was the cause of this. In a self-hosted environment, I feel thta I am truly the one in charge, and I can make this blog what I want.
3. Be cautious of your fame. If your posts are front-loaded, i.e. if all your readers read posts from the month and year they are posted in, are you holding people’s long-term attention? What have you contributed to the ongoing needs of those who are outside the technical elite? What will drive them to keep coming to your site in the long run?

So, I post a challenge to other bloggers out there. My numbers are miniscule compared to the blogging elite, but I am curious to get a rough sense of how the long tail is treating you.

Tags: apache, blog stats, caching, fame, Google, Gutter Helmet, long tail, posts, search engines, search response, statistics, Steven Hodson, top posts, Web administrators, Web caching, Web compression, Web site designers

So, in my second rant of the day, I am falling back to my favourite target of tension: Gutter Helmet. This long-running saga in one that I wish I had never been involved in, and in 20/20 hindsight, I wish that I had just chosen to go with standard gutters, rather than some gadgety gimmick that is installed by a company that seems to value customer service about 14th on their Top Ten list.

The latest installment has come about because one, if not more, of our downspouts is now blocked with … something. The thing is that these top-of-the-line gadgets should never become clogged. And if they do, we have a lifetime maintenance guarantee.

Well, they guarantee that maintenance will occur sometime in my lifetime.

It will be nearly 8 weeks since I called before the service person can come out and clean out a downspout. They said that it would happen this week (week of August 17th), but then changed their minds and moved the date out to the week of (maybe the day of?) September 3rd.

It’s not a hard fix. It shouldn’t take that long. And I know that the weather hasn’t been that great. But 8 weeks is a little long, especially for someone whose installation experience is already so far past acceptable.

So, below, I have created a little poll to get a feeling for how other folks with Gutter Helmet installs feel about their decision. Let us know!

Tags: customer service, Gutter Helmet, installation, maintenance

Nearly three years ago, I launched into a tirade on my experience with the installation of the Gutter Helmet system (no link; no link is deserved).

The initial post in this thread is still the single most visited post I have ever written. Years of Web performance, social commentary, political debate, and personal debacles in my blog, and Gutter Helmet is what calls to the broadest spectrum of people searching on the Web.

The fact that so many people continue to visit the post also tells me that people continue to be interested in this system and my experience with it. So here is the latest update.

In the next 10 days, a Gutter Helmet technician will come out and clean out the downspouts that are full of debris that has accumulated from the gutters over the past three years. Hopefully, they will not claim some technicality and try to charge the $150 maintenance fee that I was warned about.

I am also hopeful that the person who comes out and does the work is more friendly than the last one.

On a scale of 1-10, Gutter Helmet rates:

Installation 3
Installation Fixing 3
Ongoing Operation 6

Consider all your options before going with Gutter Helmet.

Tags: customer experience, Gutter Helmet, pr

Ok, finally got some action from the people at the Customer Service Centre for Gutter Helmet towards helping us fix the final drip between the house and the gutter. This drip is, of course, right over the back door and targets anyone leaving the house when its raining.

The Customer Service Centre was having some trouble reaching their technician. Lucky for them, the technician was across the street, working on our neighbour’s house. Maybe we should have told them…?

So, I call Samantha, and Samantha goes across the street to ask the gentleman to call in and speak to the rep handling our case.

Samantha called me after she did this and said that the technician did everything short of growl and bare his teeth at her.

Look, Gutter Helmet: your on-the-ground “technicians” are the face of your company (except for the fast-talking sales dudes). This is the third — yes, THIRD — technician we have encountered who has had the customer service skills of a molotov cocktail.

We don’t ask for much; a little civility is all that is required.

“Yes ma’am. The Customer Service Rep got a hold of me and I will come over as soon as I’m done here. Thank you.”

That’s all it takes.

<SIGH>

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UPDATE (to the update): When Tracy from the Customer Service Centre called me back to follow-up, I told her that the technician had been and this had been confirmed by Samantha.

I then told her about the technician’s attitude. In fact, it was the same technician who had come out previously, and given us some attitude. And the bad news was, he had also given Tracy some attitude.

Maybe this will be the final post on this topic.

Tags: cro, customer service, Gutter Helmet, IP, it, Om, One, pr, update

Hey everybody! Looks like someone else had a bad experience with a Gutter Helmet installer. [here]

Berry was dismayed to discover that his $3,500 gutter-protection system appeared to be inviting one of the very maintenance nightmares it was supposed to protect against: roof rot. Two leaks sprang up after the pricey helmets had been installed, he claimed, which caused rainwater to build up underneath the custom-fitted panels and drip down behind the gutter “for days” after a rainfall.

Hmmm…I sure hope that my local rep manages to find some time in his busy schedule to call me back. Soon.

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Technorati: Gutter Helmet, gutters, contractors, customer service

IceRocket: Gutter Helmet, gutters, contractors, customer service

Tags: app, blog, customer service, EAD, Gutter Helmet, gutters, HTML, HTTP, IE, IM, installation, IP, it, maintenance, Om, One, pr, Technorati

The update on my Gutter Helmet posts (1 and 2) is that there is no update.

We received a phone call from a local Gutter Helmet rep about 2 weeks ago. He spoke to Samantha who, outlined some of our concerns and issues. I then called and left him a message last week, re-iterating these same concerns, and noting that there was still a leak between the new roof and the new gutters which needed to be fixed by flashing.

Nothing. No response. Silence.

I know it’s Gutter Helmet’s busy season. I know this because the number of hits to my previous posts are increasing.

Maybe some customers are experiencing better installations; I hope so. All I can do is continue to recount my experience to you.

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Technorati: Gutter Helmet, gutters, contractors, customer service

IceRocket: Gutter Helmet, gutters, contractors, customer service

Tags: blog, customer service, customers, Gutter Helmet, gutters, hits, HTTP, IE, IM, installation, Issues, it, Om, One, PHP, posts, pr, Technorati, update

When I look at my logs, I am always astounded by the items visitors come to read.

The one posting that I am most proud of is this one, where I do not sing the praises of Gutter Helmet.

b2evolution only maintains local hit logs for 30 days. In that time, there is a serious pattern appearing.

URL					NUM
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Home Page				116
Why I Will Not Recommend Gutter Helmet	105
This is your host on South Park		30

I have been watching this for a while, so on Monday, I wrote a letter to some of the executives at Gibraltar Industries [here], the holding company that now owns Gutter Helmet.

Dear Gibraltar Industries:

I saw that your company has just purchased Gutter Helmet. Congratulations.

I thought you and your team would like to know that my blog post detailing my experience with a Gutter Helmet installation is near the top of Google Search for the phrase “gutter helmet”.

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22gutter+helmet%22 –> it’s the link from the IceRocket blogsearch engine

I get between 5 and 10 visits a day where people are reading what my experience with the Gutter Helmet installation team was like.

Gutter Helmet is a great product. The team that installed it failed miserably in making us happy.

Good luck, and remember: the conversation you don’t hear will be the one that hurts you the most.

stephen

On Monday, there was a huge flurry of hits from Gutter Helmet IPs and others, including what looked like Gibraltar’s very high-priced law firm.

And you know what?

They didn’t bother to respond.

So, I will continue to de-evangalize Gutter Helmet, as they are stuck in a negative customer experience death-spiral. If they can’t get over the big company, “One complaining customer is nothing” attitude, they will continue experience the force of a customer scorned. And when new prospects research the Gutter Helmet product, they will continue to encounter my negative experience high on the search engines’ lists.

Gibraltar Industries: I am now defining the conversation around the Gutter Helmet product, and you have no control over that. If you don’t believe this has an impact, follow the thread and conversation around Jeff Jarvis’ experience with Dell [here].

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Technorati: Gutter Helmet, gutters, contractors, customer service

IceRocket: Gutter Helmet, gutters, contractors, customer service

Tags: Acquisition, Dear Gibraltar Industries, Dell, Gibraltar, Google, Gutter Helmet, high-priced law, Jeff Jarvis, One, search engines, South Park

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Follow the entire saga - The Gutter Helmet Category!

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Yet Another UPDATE: Another unpleasant encounter with the “technicians” detailed here.

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UPDATE (October 19, 2005): New update on my experience here.

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UPDATE (October 6, 2005): More on this topic here.

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The Canadian Consulate here in Marlborough, MA needed some new gutters. We decided that since the gutters are at least 30 feet off the ground, we would Install some that needed far less maintenance.

The Gutter Helmet system seemed to suit our needs. So we arranged to meet with the sales guy.

After that meeting, I should have gone with my gut feeling. Think high-pressure car salesman, and you will get the picture. We assume he was an aberration, and about a month ago we set the date for the installation.

We were having the Gutter Helmet team install both new gutters and the helmet system. Second mistake. According to what Samantha described, this team was definitely on the F-List (found out today that this installation team is “no longer with the company”). And they were far from professional in the way that they removed the old gutters and installed the new ones. I am still finding sharp metal pieces, screw, and old gutter hangers around the yard, including 7 or 8 gutter hangers conveniently disposed of in what is very obviously our leaf compost.

As well, we discovered that not all of the straps were installed correctly, the downspouts were not attached to the higher gutter sections. We called, and out came the inspector. This gentleman told Samantha that they have had issues with this installation team…and set up a ticket for them to come and repair their mistakes.

Next problem is that we have an in-ground drainage system to carry water away from the downspouts on the north side of the house and out to somewhere where it will not fill the swimming pool in the basement. It took a third trip for the installation team to put the downspouts into the special end caps we purchase to prevent other crap from getting in the system.

And then, yesterday, during a thunderstorm cloudburst, we notice that there is water dripping down between the gutter and the house. This is definitely sub-optimal. Another call in to the customer service centre, where Samantha is curtly told by the woman on the other end of the line (who, I learned in a later call, is actually the call centre manager!) that some house require flashing and that they don’t install it in order to try and reduce the cost of the project.

This cost us over $3,000. Flashing is $2/foot. Put the flashing on; damn the cost.

Oh, and since I mention the cost, did I mention that we received no rebate or credit for this. Likely Gutter Helmet’s response would be that they repaired their work at no charge to us. My response is that I know a lot of houses in my neighbourhood that need gutters

I know a great roofing company, a great electrician, an amazing mason, and a lousy gutter company.

These companies always give a rebate if you advertise their service with a lawn sign. Maybe I should put an anti-endorsement sign on my lawn. No slander…just clearly stating that I would share my experience with Gutter Helmet with anyone who is considering their service.

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Technorati: Gutter Helmet, gutters, contractors, customer service

IceRocket: Gutter Helmet, gutters, contractors, customer service

Tags: Canadian Consulate, Gutter Helmet, gutters, Marlborough, sharp metal pieces, USD