I was very impressed with the professionalism of our support reps, and even got into the act by helping resolve a few problems for customers. Some of the issues, embarrassingly, had to do with the products I work on, but the support reps were pleased and a little surprised when I pulled out my cell phone and got the problems fixed immediately. They said I should hang out with them every week. It's not a bad idea. I had occasion to call an EarthLink member directly to help him with a complex problem a few weeks ago.
People appreciate responsiveness.
I was able to put this gentleman at ease as we figured out why he was experiencing certain behaviors on his computer. As more and more people get on the Internet, the lowest common denominator of computer experience will continue to get lower. Service and support will become the differentiating factors between companies. Those who make things easier, more convenient for their customers will do well. In my web development group, it's true that sometimes we are forced to make technical decisions based on the timeframes we have, but in every instance, we do take a moment to consider the impact on the customer.