The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


Humanity From A Calculator Company …

So how was your first week?

I don’t mean being back at work, I mean reading this blog.

Depressing wasn’t it.

Well I want to leave you with a little bit of positivity.

As many of you know, my Mum helped develop the calculator that is pictured above.

It’s one of the reasons why I’ve continued to use the one she gave me for the past 35+ years.

That – and the fact I’m crap at maths – so ended up using it more to type 55378008 than work out any trigonometry challenge.

Or basic addition.

Anyway, to my mates, it’s as identifiable towards me as my Birkenstocks – even though when I was at school, they took the piss claiming it was as big as one of the BBC Micro Computers we used in class.

Sadly, when we were moving to London from LA, the stupid movers broke it.

Not just interns of it not working, but in terms of cracking the actual case.

I was very sad, because – like the Braun Bedside Clock – it was something that was a real connection to my parents, so I wrote to Texas Instruments on the off-chance they could fix it.

Unfortunately they said any attempt to repair it could cause more damage so instead they’re sending me a mint condition, new-old one as a tribute to my Mum.

I cannot tell you how happy and thankful I was to hear this news.

I cannot tell you how much I love the people at Texas Instruments.

A company that makes office tech showing more heart than companies that claim to be in the people business.

They didn’t have to do that.

They could have just ignored my email altogether.

But they didn’t, they listened and they tried to help.

We could all learn from this. Especially companies who claim to be in the people business.


14 Comments so far
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That’s lovely. Well done TI.

Comment by Rob (Other one)

That’s the nicest story I’ve heard about a company in a long time.

Comment by Pete

That’s very cool.

Comment by Bazza

My MacBook is beyond repair, please send me a brand new one.

Comment by John

who the fuck do you think you are, campbell?

Comment by andy@cynic

Thanks folks. I’m so chuffed with it all.

Comment by Rob

That’s great and now I feel like pie.

Comment by Leon

This made me cry.

Jemma xox

Comment by Jemma King

Wonderful story. Here’s to another 35+ years.

Comment by Chikashi

i remember the day you fucked me over by telling me that calculators history right after id called you a wanker for having it. prick.

almost makes me think texas is ok till i remember that if you were black they would have told you to fuck off.

Comment by andy@cynic

Political comment. This blog is going highbrow.

Comment by DH

This is brilliant.
No doubt you’re on to Birkenstock to start making trainers now you’ve dented their global share price by covering up your toes
(hello folks)

Comment by Northern

OK, this is cool.
Even the calculator is pretty cool now.

Comment by DH

Made to last
Means to be known and trusted for quality
A story you can’t buy
Worth more than a stack of KPIs

Comment by Paul Macfarlane




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