Netflix Goes Where No Customer Service Has Gone Before In a lesson to all businesses about how to provide great customer service, a Netflix service rep role-played 'Star Trek' while trying to fix a problem.

By Brian Patrick Eha

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A Netflix user who experienced a glitch while watching a popular sitcom found help and humor recently in the form of a customer-service representative who adopted the persona of a Star Fleet captain from Star Trek.

The user, Norm, contacted customer service after an episode of Parks and Recreation became caught in a "temporal loop," replaying three seconds of footage over and over. At first he simply told the rep that he had a problem to report, but when the rep introduced himself as "[Captain] Mike of the good ship Netflix," Norm decided to play along. He identified himself as a lieutenant, and said, "Engineering has a problem to report."

The two continued to roleplay while going through the details of the glitch, including whether or not other episodes or TV shows were affected. Norm also expressed existential concerns. "Worst of all, Captain... the dialogue... It looped over Councilwoman Knope saying, "This is real life... This is real life... This is real life..." WHAT DOES IT MEAN???" he wrote.

"That is a horrible place to get stuck," the rep said.

Mike's offbeat approach resulted in the "best customer service experience I think I have ever had," said Norm. Other companies could take a lesson from Netflix. Ditching the pre-written script can make customers happier than robotic customer-service protocols ever will.

VentureBeat has the full chat log.

Related: Angry Customer Used Promoted Tweets to Chastise British Airways

Brian Patrick Eha is a freelance journalist and former assistant editor at Entrepreneur.com. He is writing a book about the global phenomenon of Bitcoin for Portfolio, an imprint of Penguin Random House. It will be published in 2015.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

This Couple Started a Side Hustle to Improve a 'Terribly Made' Bathroom Essential. Now the Business Earns More Than $3 Million a Year.

Michael Fine and Lisa Schulner-Fine launched lifestyle brand Quiet Town in 2016 and have been growing it ever since.

Business News

What's Open on Easter Sunday? Costco and Target Will Close, But One Major Retailer Will Be Open. Here's What To Know.

The stock market was closed for Good Friday on April 18. Here's what's closed for Easter Sunday, April 20.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Marketing

The One Mistake Is Putting Your Brand Reputation at Risk — and Most Startups Still Make It

Many businesses pour resources into branding and marketing but overlook PR — yet it's PR that builds the trust, credibility, and reputation that turn attention into lasting revenue in a crowded market.

Leadership

Here's What It Takes to Evolve From Hands-On Founder to Strategic CEO

Making the leap from founder to CEO requires more than just growth — it demands a shift in mindset.

Marketing

If You're Using ChatGPT This Way as a Marketer, You're Missing Out on Its Full Potential. Here's How to Maximize Your Results.

The real value of AI isn't in what you ask — it's in how you shape the conversation. Mastering prompt interactions means better content, sharper thinking and fewer generic outputs.