It's been a full year since I've felt the need to rant, but this one needs to be aired.
I'm not a (totally) unreasonable person. I generally do a little homework and exhaust all online options and get really frustrated before I'll bother to open a Live Chat window with a company. I canceled cable a few years ago since I only watched the Food Network, and once they also started hosting reality shows, I stopped watching TV all together. Lately I've heard about several shows that might interest me, so I looked into the current price of cable.
I used to pay $60+/mo for cable without any premium channels. That $60 got me local plus the general "cable" stations like Food Network, History Channel, etc. I was looking for something low-end this time just to see if I'd even watch it enough to keep it.
I saw an online-purchase-only plan for $39.95/mo for 12 months, followed by $60/mo for the next 12 months, with a 2-year contract. Huh? I have to sign a contract to get TV? So I opened a chat window to ask. BIG MISTAKE. It went something like this:
"Chris": Welcome to Comcast. How may I help you?
Me: I have a question about a low-end plan for Cable.
Chris: Please wait while we establish a secure connection.
[Huh? Then why did he ask how he could help me?]
Me: When did you start a 2-year contract?
Chris: May I have your address so I can see if you are in our service area?
Me: I am, I've had cable before, I just want to start it up again.
Chris: May I have your address?
Me: Can you answer the contract question without my address?
Chris: May I please have your address?
Me: {address}
Chris: {opens a Move Window button in the chat window}
Me: NOW can you answer my question about the contract?
Chris: Please move the chat window so you can see our site.
Me: I can see your site. Could you please answer my question about the contract?
Chris: Please move the chat window so you can see our site.
Me: I CAN SEE YOUR FREAKIN SITE! Now, could you please answer my question about the contract?
Chris: Please move the chat window so you can see our site.
Me: Maybe I don't need cable after all. May I please speak with your supervisor?
Chris: Please move the chat window so you can see our site.
Me: Okay, then. You have now lost a customer forever. Thanks for nothing.
So, I guess I won't be getting cable any time soon. WHY is it so freaking difficult to answer a simple question? My money is on India and a script. But geeeeeez, why do I need to move a stinkin' chat window to see the web page when I've already read the web page and that's what generated my question in the first place? Why can't the guy (or was it a girl - who really knows?) just answer my question without having to use the site to do it?
Okay, yes, my fuse was a little short, but I didn't get the feeling he was even reading my questions. He was in auto-pilot, checking my address to see if I was in the coverage area, looking to see which services were available, etc. I already told him I was in their coverage area, having had cable in the past. Oh, but he wasn't reading that part. Sorry, I forgot. Ya know, he didn't even respond to my request to speak with a supervisor.
One of these days these companies are going to figure out that outsourcing their customer disservice departments was a BAD idea. Fortunately for me, I haven't watched TV in so long, I won't miss it if I never get it back. For other people, though, they are stuck with bad service and no options. When some other option comes along, I'll look into it. For now, Comcast is dead to me.
Showing posts with label Customer Service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Customer Service. Show all posts
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Open Letter to Montgomery County, MD
Dear Montgomery County, Md:
Your Helpless Desk is nothing but a source of endless frustration to the tax-paying populous. Here is my story, and I beg you to tell me where I went wrong.
I am anal-retentive. I pay my taxes on time. In December, I usually go to the online site and pay via e-check, but this time I was running early (EARLY), but didn't want to actually mail the check yet. I scheduled the payment from my bank to be paid by Dec 30th. They automatically mail the payment early enough to arrive by my Pay By date. I pay all my bills this way and have for years. Never had a problem.
Fast forward to this week, when I received a notice I was past due on my Property taxes by $10 + interest. WHAT?
I checked my statement, and the amount paid = the amount billed.
I checked with my bank, and the check was sent on December 24th. PLENTY of time to get there by the 30th, even with the Christmas holiday.
If I was out to defraud the County, or pay late on purpose, would I have picked the 30th to pay by, or do you think that would have been the 31st?
Today I went to the Web site to see what day you received my check, but that option is not available that I can see, so I decided to call the phone number on my letter. I was on hold for almost 30 minutes, and the person who finally answered only transferred me to the Finance department. The phone in the Finance department rang at least 25 times with no answer and no transfer back to the person who'd transferred me. #FAIL
I went to the Web site again, looking for a Contact Us link, and found it. I got an automated response saying I would only receive an answer if I'd checked the box that I wanted a reply. Excuse me, but if I am filling out a form to ask a question, when WOULDN'T I want a reply? #FAIL
So I went back to the form again, filled it out again, this time checking the box. What a PITA.
Then I tried calling again on the off-chance the transfer was handled incorrectly. After 15 more minutes on hold, I got someone who wanted to transfer me, but I yelled WAIT A MINUTE! and explained what had happened the last time. He gently explained he was just part of a call center, and this was all he could do. I had him give me the address for the Finance office in case I need to go in person on my day off next week. Got it.
Then he transferred me. The phone rang about 30 times before I hung up. #FAIL
I have a job. That job enables me to pay my property taxes. I need to actually WORK while I am at my job, and I cannot afford to sit on hold for an hour at a time on the off-chance someone will actually pick up the phone.
Now I get to spend all or part of my day off next week in line at the County offices to challenge this late fee. Is it worth the $10+ ??? In my mind it is, if only on principle. Grrrrr
I'll be sure to report back to my readers on how that experience goes next week. In the mean time, get your freakin' phone system fixed! If you cannot pick up the phone on a timely basis, have it go to a hold queue to be answered as the calls come in. Experiencing a high call volume? Fine, TELL ME, then give me alternate times to call, or the physical location to where I can go in person. You did neither of these today.
I hope I never need to call your Customer Disservice line again, because it sure is worthless.
Your Helpless Desk is nothing but a source of endless frustration to the tax-paying populous. Here is my story, and I beg you to tell me where I went wrong.
I am anal-retentive. I pay my taxes on time. In December, I usually go to the online site and pay via e-check, but this time I was running early (EARLY), but didn't want to actually mail the check yet. I scheduled the payment from my bank to be paid by Dec 30th. They automatically mail the payment early enough to arrive by my Pay By date. I pay all my bills this way and have for years. Never had a problem.
Fast forward to this week, when I received a notice I was past due on my Property taxes by $10 + interest. WHAT?
I checked my statement, and the amount paid = the amount billed.
I checked with my bank, and the check was sent on December 24th. PLENTY of time to get there by the 30th, even with the Christmas holiday.
If I was out to defraud the County, or pay late on purpose, would I have picked the 30th to pay by, or do you think that would have been the 31st?
Today I went to the Web site to see what day you received my check, but that option is not available that I can see, so I decided to call the phone number on my letter. I was on hold for almost 30 minutes, and the person who finally answered only transferred me to the Finance department. The phone in the Finance department rang at least 25 times with no answer and no transfer back to the person who'd transferred me. #FAIL
I went to the Web site again, looking for a Contact Us link, and found it. I got an automated response saying I would only receive an answer if I'd checked the box that I wanted a reply. Excuse me, but if I am filling out a form to ask a question, when WOULDN'T I want a reply? #FAIL
So I went back to the form again, filled it out again, this time checking the box. What a PITA.
Then I tried calling again on the off-chance the transfer was handled incorrectly. After 15 more minutes on hold, I got someone who wanted to transfer me, but I yelled WAIT A MINUTE! and explained what had happened the last time. He gently explained he was just part of a call center, and this was all he could do. I had him give me the address for the Finance office in case I need to go in person on my day off next week. Got it.
Then he transferred me. The phone rang about 30 times before I hung up. #FAIL
I have a job. That job enables me to pay my property taxes. I need to actually WORK while I am at my job, and I cannot afford to sit on hold for an hour at a time on the off-chance someone will actually pick up the phone.
Now I get to spend all or part of my day off next week in line at the County offices to challenge this late fee. Is it worth the $10+ ??? In my mind it is, if only on principle. Grrrrr
I'll be sure to report back to my readers on how that experience goes next week. In the mean time, get your freakin' phone system fixed! If you cannot pick up the phone on a timely basis, have it go to a hold queue to be answered as the calls come in. Experiencing a high call volume? Fine, TELL ME, then give me alternate times to call, or the physical location to where I can go in person. You did neither of these today.
I hope I never need to call your Customer Disservice line again, because it sure is worthless.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Annoyances Du Jour
My, goodness, but I've had my share of annoyances today! I had to drop my car at the mechanic (that part was fine!), and when I do that, he drops me at the Metro (train, subway, whatever you call it in your area), and I take the train to work and back again and have him pick me up. Generally, there is an unspoken (HAHAHA!) 'quiet' protocol on the train. You do not do anything to annoy those around you. It is just how normal adults would behave. People who whip out cell phones get the evil eye, from a LOT of people.
So let me tell you about my day.
On the way IN to work:
(1) Guy had a newspaper spread out in his lap and was CLIPPING HIS FINGER NAILS. I stared at the back of his head, but he could not feel the evil thoughts I was flinging his way. People around me turned around and looked around to see where the annoying sound was emanating from. They wrinkled their noses and/or rolled their eyes. One asked me (I was standing), "IS SOMEONE CUTTING THEIR NAILS?!?!?!?!?" and someone else added, "Ew, that's GROSS." Guy kept going - he must have had 34 nails to trim, too... took him forEVER. Amazing.
(2) Public speaker. Woman with no clue what an "inside voice" is. She stood near one end of the car, talking VERY LOUDLY to a friend standing next to her, and she annoyed about 60 people for about 20 minutes straight. EVERYone kept turning and staring at her, but she was smiling and clueless. Just before my stop, I notice the woman next to me was having a fit of some sort - like an asthma attack. I asked her if she was okay, and her response was (through clenched teeth), "If that WOMAN does not SHUT UP ... " and went on to mutter something about personal space and sense of entitlement and "the world revolves around me" attitudes. What a great way for all of us to begin our mornings.
I wonder if you can claim medical disability because you were driven insane by a nail-clipper or a self-centered loudmouth.
On the ride back to pick up my car:
(3) By noon the train cars are mostly empty, so I thought I was safe. Nope. Woman across from me was cracking a massive wad of gum, and seemed pretty happy about it, too. What is it with people who chew with their mouths open and then crack their gum? Why do they think this is okay? She thankfully got off the train two stops later.
(4) I started hearing a tap-tap-tap sound. I turned around and a guy was tap-tap tap-tapitty-tap-tap tap-tapping his ring on the metal rail tap-tap-tap on the back of his tap-tap seat. tap-tap tappity-tap tap-tap-tap AAAAUGH!
After all that tap-tap-tappity-tapping, I get back to work and have the opportunity to call a Helpless Desk for a water delivery company. I had a problem with my settings on their site. I used to have two cards listed that could be used to pay my balance, and now there was only one. I tried to add the second one back in and got an error, so I HAD TO CALL THEM. At least they were not in India, though I think she was reading the same script. She had what I later diagnosed as a "listening problem".
Me: I have a question about my payment methods.
She: Okay, how can I help you?
Me: I am on the Make a Payment page, but my second credit card seems to have dropped off. Can you tell me why?
She: Can you go to the Make A Payment page and tell me what you see?
Me: (pause) I am already on the Make A Payment page, and I see only one of my two credit cards listed.
She: Can you edit it?
Me: Edit what? It is not there!
She: Ma'am, I am only trying to help you, and you are getting irritated with me.
Me: Okay, can you tell me where the edit button is?
She: Are you on the Make A Payment Page?
Me: .... (breathe, just breath ...) Yes, I am on the Make A Payment Page.
She: Once you get there, tell me what you see. Do you see an Edit button?
Are you dizzy yet? I was seething, and she could tell. Bottom line: after about 10 minutes of this, I gave up before she could say "thank you for calling ..." and I deleted/re-added my own information. Then I sent an email that I hope gets to their programming staff that their Make A Payment Page has an opportunity for improvement.
Thank goodness it is Friday.
So let me tell you about my day.
On the way IN to work:
(1) Guy had a newspaper spread out in his lap and was CLIPPING HIS FINGER NAILS. I stared at the back of his head, but he could not feel the evil thoughts I was flinging his way. People around me turned around and looked around to see where the annoying sound was emanating from. They wrinkled their noses and/or rolled their eyes. One asked me (I was standing), "IS SOMEONE CUTTING THEIR NAILS?!?!?!?!?" and someone else added, "Ew, that's GROSS." Guy kept going - he must have had 34 nails to trim, too... took him forEVER. Amazing.
(2) Public speaker. Woman with no clue what an "inside voice" is. She stood near one end of the car, talking VERY LOUDLY to a friend standing next to her, and she annoyed about 60 people for about 20 minutes straight. EVERYone kept turning and staring at her, but she was smiling and clueless. Just before my stop, I notice the woman next to me was having a fit of some sort - like an asthma attack. I asked her if she was okay, and her response was (through clenched teeth), "If that WOMAN does not SHUT UP ... " and went on to mutter something about personal space and sense of entitlement and "the world revolves around me" attitudes. What a great way for all of us to begin our mornings.
I wonder if you can claim medical disability because you were driven insane by a nail-clipper or a self-centered loudmouth.
On the ride back to pick up my car:
(3) By noon the train cars are mostly empty, so I thought I was safe. Nope. Woman across from me was cracking a massive wad of gum, and seemed pretty happy about it, too. What is it with people who chew with their mouths open and then crack their gum? Why do they think this is okay? She thankfully got off the train two stops later.
(4) I started hearing a tap-tap-tap sound. I turned around and a guy was tap-tap tap-tapitty-tap-tap tap-tapping his ring on the metal rail tap-tap-tap on the back of his tap-tap seat. tap-tap tappity-tap tap-tap-tap AAAAUGH!
After all that tap-tap-tappity-tapping, I get back to work and have the opportunity to call a Helpless Desk for a water delivery company. I had a problem with my settings on their site. I used to have two cards listed that could be used to pay my balance, and now there was only one. I tried to add the second one back in and got an error, so I HAD TO CALL THEM. At least they were not in India, though I think she was reading the same script. She had what I later diagnosed as a "listening problem".
Me: I have a question about my payment methods.
She: Okay, how can I help you?
Me: I am on the Make a Payment page, but my second credit card seems to have dropped off. Can you tell me why?
She: Can you go to the Make A Payment page and tell me what you see?
Me: (pause) I am already on the Make A Payment page, and I see only one of my two credit cards listed.
She: Can you edit it?
Me: Edit what? It is not there!
She: Ma'am, I am only trying to help you, and you are getting irritated with me.
Me: Okay, can you tell me where the edit button is?
She: Are you on the Make A Payment Page?
Me: .... (breathe, just breath ...) Yes, I am on the Make A Payment Page.
She: Once you get there, tell me what you see. Do you see an Edit button?
Are you dizzy yet? I was seething, and she could tell. Bottom line: after about 10 minutes of this, I gave up before she could say "thank you for calling ..." and I deleted/re-added my own information. Then I sent an email that I hope gets to their programming staff that their Make A Payment Page has an opportunity for improvement.
Thank goodness it is Friday.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Helpless Desk
Had a lovely chat with a Helpless Desk in India today. Told the guy my email was being sent twice, and I asked why.... Oh, wait, I have the transcript, so I'll just share! I will scatter my commentary where appropriate. I left in all my typos for the heck of it. I was a little miffed, and typing way too fast.
'Jason N' says: Thank you for contacting EarthLink LiveChat, how may I help you today? [Jason N? This screams 'India']
lhanna@mindspring.com: I am using web access mail, and every email I send gets sent twice. I tested and it is also received twice.
Jason N: I will be glad to assist you . [Notice the space before every period. Yes, I notice this stuff.]
Jason N: Please click on the below mentioned link:
Jason N: https://webmail.earthlink.net
Jason N: Then enter your complete email address and password .
Jason N: And click on sign in .
Jason N: Please let me know whether you are able to sign in or not .
[What part of "I am sending mail" made him ask if I could sign in? Do you think he was maybe following a script?!]
lhanna@mindspring.com: i am signed in and sending mail.
lhanna@mindspring.com: it is being sent twice.
Jason N: Please click on Preferences . [That's it - no more. After a few minutes I asked:]
lhanna@mindspring.com: and ..... what?
lhanna@mindspring.com: i have not changed anything, andit was working last night.
Jason N: Under General tab, you will find Session Security as the last option .
Jason N: Please turn it ON .
Jason N: Then click on Save .
Jason N: Sign out of WebMail .
lhanna@mindspring.com: why do I need to do this? it makes no sense.
lhanna@mindspring.com: plus, wouldn't I need to be on a secure server? will this change my connection settings?
Jason N: You need to try this .
lhanna@mindspring.com: No, I need to know why first.
Jason N: No .[In response to being on a secure server, I suppose.]
lhanna@mindspring.com: I do nto change security settings without know why first. What has changed in the last 18 hours to make this stop working?
Jason N: It will not change any settings.It will be in a secured server .[uh-huh]
Jason N: Is there anything else apart from this that I can help you with ? [Note the space before the '?'. And does it sound like he's helped me yet?]
lhanna@mindspring.com: Yes, you can tell me why I suddenly need to change a security setting to send email correctly.
lhanna@mindspring.com: What has changed in the last 18 hours that necessitates this change?
Jason N: There are currently problems with our WebMail Server.
Jason N: It is under maintenance . [?!?!?!?!?!?!?!]
lhanna@mindspring.com: You could have told me that first. I will just wait until later then.
Jason N: I am extremely sorry for that .
lhanna@mindspring.com: Me, too. This was a total waste of my time.
lhanna@mindspring.com: I am glad I did not make the security change.
Jason N: Okay .
lhanna@mindspring.com: Is tehre an ETA for themail server, and are there plans to communicate this outage to your customers?
Jason N: We did not receive any estimated time for this issue .
lhanna@mindspring.com: You should still tell customers that there is a known problem. That is much easier to accept than being uninformed.
lhanna@mindspring.com: Is there a status link we can access to check back on the progress of the outage?
Jason N: Okay .
Jason N: You can click on the below link to check :
Jason N: http://my.earthlink.net
lhanna@mindspring.com: thank you
After a few more lines, Jason N and I parted ways. He thought he'd helped me, and I needed a drink.
FYI - that link he gave me tells me NOTHING. It is the personalized home page for Earthlink, like iGoogle. Totally worthless.
Luckily, I got a survey right after the chat ended, and I told them what I thought about my service experience. And as of now - hours later, things are still sending twice. And yes, I can sign in just fine.
Just between you and me? I am converting all my stuff over to gmail.
'Jason N' says: Thank you for contacting EarthLink LiveChat, how may I help you today? [Jason N? This screams 'India']
lhanna@mindspring.com: I am using web access mail, and every email I send gets sent twice. I tested and it is also received twice.
Jason N: I will be glad to assist you . [Notice the space before every period. Yes, I notice this stuff.]
Jason N: Please click on the below mentioned link:
Jason N: https://webmail.earthlink.net
Jason N: Then enter your complete email address and password .
Jason N: And click on sign in .
Jason N: Please let me know whether you are able to sign in or not .
[What part of "I am sending mail" made him ask if I could sign in? Do you think he was maybe following a script?!]
lhanna@mindspring.com: i am signed in and sending mail.
lhanna@mindspring.com: it is being sent twice.
Jason N: Please click on Preferences . [That's it - no more. After a few minutes I asked:]
lhanna@mindspring.com: and ..... what?
lhanna@mindspring.com: i have not changed anything, andit was working last night.
Jason N: Under General tab, you will find Session Security as the last option .
Jason N: Please turn it ON .
Jason N: Then click on Save .
Jason N: Sign out of WebMail .
lhanna@mindspring.com: why do I need to do this? it makes no sense.
lhanna@mindspring.com: plus, wouldn't I need to be on a secure server? will this change my connection settings?
Jason N: You need to try this .
lhanna@mindspring.com: No, I need to know why first.
Jason N: No .[In response to being on a secure server, I suppose.]
lhanna@mindspring.com: I do nto change security settings without know why first. What has changed in the last 18 hours to make this stop working?
Jason N: It will not change any settings.It will be in a secured server .[uh-huh]
Jason N: Is there anything else apart from this that I can help you with ? [Note the space before the '?'. And does it sound like he's helped me yet?]
lhanna@mindspring.com: Yes, you can tell me why I suddenly need to change a security setting to send email correctly.
lhanna@mindspring.com: What has changed in the last 18 hours that necessitates this change?
Jason N: There are currently problems with our WebMail Server.
Jason N: It is under maintenance . [?!?!?!?!?!?!?!]
lhanna@mindspring.com: You could have told me that first. I will just wait until later then.
Jason N: I am extremely sorry for that .
lhanna@mindspring.com: Me, too. This was a total waste of my time.
lhanna@mindspring.com: I am glad I did not make the security change.
Jason N: Okay .
lhanna@mindspring.com: Is tehre an ETA for themail server, and are there plans to communicate this outage to your customers?
Jason N: We did not receive any estimated time for this issue .
lhanna@mindspring.com: You should still tell customers that there is a known problem. That is much easier to accept than being uninformed.
lhanna@mindspring.com: Is there a status link we can access to check back on the progress of the outage?
Jason N: Okay .
Jason N: You can click on the below link to check :
Jason N: http://my.earthlink.net
lhanna@mindspring.com: thank you
After a few more lines, Jason N and I parted ways. He thought he'd helped me, and I needed a drink.
FYI - that link he gave me tells me NOTHING. It is the personalized home page for Earthlink, like iGoogle. Totally worthless.
Luckily, I got a survey right after the chat ended, and I told them what I thought about my service experience. And as of now - hours later, things are still sending twice. And yes, I can sign in just fine.
Just between you and me? I am converting all my stuff over to gmail.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Frustrating Day In Muddville
Is Muddville spelled with one or two 'd's? Sigh.
I tell ya, when I leave the office, my day is supposed to get better, not worse. But when I am surrounded by stoopid people driving objects of destruction and not paying attention, can you tell it irritates me just a little bit??!?!
First up: Lady in large View-blocker (SUV), holding cell phone in her right hand and gesturing with her left. Holding the steering wheel with ... what? Not her teeth, because her mouth never stopped moving. For miles. I even took various back roads to try and shake her, but she hugged my bumper, for miles. Amazing she did not hit me.
Next up: Woman in front of me driving 10 mph below the speed limit in the left lane. Would.not.speed.up. I could not get into the right lane to pass her because all the people behind me were doing that and cutting me off. Idiots. I finally got around her after a few miles. Grrrrrrr....
Then I went to the grocery store - had to pick up an Rx. Leaving the store, there was a car stopped in the driving lane. Well, actually, both lanes, since she was in the middle of the two lanes, just stopped. I stepped into the cross walk and looked at her to make sure she did not plan to start moving. Nope - she was too busy texting on her cell to even notice I was there. Then once I was about 2/3 of the way across, she started moving (surprise!) and turned into the lane in which I was walking. She drove reeeeal slooooowly, like she was following me to my spot, then she sped up and I looked over - still texting. She went past a few open spaces, then stopped. As a guy started to back out of his spot, she threw her vehicle into reverse and almost nailed him. WT!?! She finally took her car out of reverse and pulled into one of the empty spots - still texting. I got into my car and left, and she was ... still texting. WHO THE HELL ARE THESE PEOPLE TALKING TO!?!?!?!
Ahem.
I get to the fabric store to pick up my sharpened scissors. As the line grew longer, one of the registers closed. CLOSED. When she finally got to me, she had no clue where to find the scissors, so she abandoned her post (line still growing). She was in slow motion the whole check-out time, then she informed me that even though the ticket says $42, she knows scissor sharpening is $3, and so she did not want me to be surprised. Note: This was a huge, heavy bag, obviously containing more than one pair of scissors. I looked at her and told her that there were multiple pairs of scissors in the bag, 14 to be exact, and 14 times 3 is 42, so that is the correct amount. She just did not want me to "wonder". I know she was just trying to help, but I wonder how she gets dressed in the morning. Oh, did I mention her hair was green with blue tints?
Then I get home. I had a message from my Rx company to call. It was a very...slow...speaking...voice...on...a...recording. Did I want to hear about a program about blah, blah, blah? Speak Yes or No after the tone. No. Okay, let us tell you about this blah, blah, blah program that is included at no extra cost with your plan. (What part of No was not clear, here?) blah, blah, blah ... Would you like to reconsider your answer. NO. Well, if you ever DO wish to reconsider ... aaaaaaaaagh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And just now, as I am typing this rant, I get a phone call from another machine - this time from my Dr's office. They have this automated system that calls you - over and over and over until you respond - to confirm your appt. To continue in English, please press 1. I LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PRESS 1 FOR ENGLISH!
Stop the world, I want to get off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, I think I need a distraction. Hey, look, in just one short hour it will be my bed-time. I hope I am unwound by then .... at least typing all of this made me feel a little better. Sigh ...
I tell ya, when I leave the office, my day is supposed to get better, not worse. But when I am surrounded by stoopid people driving objects of destruction and not paying attention, can you tell it irritates me just a little bit??!?!
First up: Lady in large View-blocker (SUV), holding cell phone in her right hand and gesturing with her left. Holding the steering wheel with ... what? Not her teeth, because her mouth never stopped moving. For miles. I even took various back roads to try and shake her, but she hugged my bumper, for miles. Amazing she did not hit me.
Next up: Woman in front of me driving 10 mph below the speed limit in the left lane. Would.not.speed.up. I could not get into the right lane to pass her because all the people behind me were doing that and cutting me off. Idiots. I finally got around her after a few miles. Grrrrrrr....
Then I went to the grocery store - had to pick up an Rx. Leaving the store, there was a car stopped in the driving lane. Well, actually, both lanes, since she was in the middle of the two lanes, just stopped. I stepped into the cross walk and looked at her to make sure she did not plan to start moving. Nope - she was too busy texting on her cell to even notice I was there. Then once I was about 2/3 of the way across, she started moving (surprise!) and turned into the lane in which I was walking. She drove reeeeal slooooowly, like she was following me to my spot, then she sped up and I looked over - still texting. She went past a few open spaces, then stopped. As a guy started to back out of his spot, she threw her vehicle into reverse and almost nailed him. WT!?! She finally took her car out of reverse and pulled into one of the empty spots - still texting. I got into my car and left, and she was ... still texting. WHO THE HELL ARE THESE PEOPLE TALKING TO!?!?!?!
Ahem.
I get to the fabric store to pick up my sharpened scissors. As the line grew longer, one of the registers closed. CLOSED. When she finally got to me, she had no clue where to find the scissors, so she abandoned her post (line still growing). She was in slow motion the whole check-out time, then she informed me that even though the ticket says $42, she knows scissor sharpening is $3, and so she did not want me to be surprised. Note: This was a huge, heavy bag, obviously containing more than one pair of scissors. I looked at her and told her that there were multiple pairs of scissors in the bag, 14 to be exact, and 14 times 3 is 42, so that is the correct amount. She just did not want me to "wonder". I know she was just trying to help, but I wonder how she gets dressed in the morning. Oh, did I mention her hair was green with blue tints?
Then I get home. I had a message from my Rx company to call. It was a very...slow...speaking...voice...on...a...recording. Did I want to hear about a program about blah, blah, blah? Speak Yes or No after the tone. No. Okay, let us tell you about this blah, blah, blah program that is included at no extra cost with your plan. (What part of No was not clear, here?) blah, blah, blah ... Would you like to reconsider your answer. NO. Well, if you ever DO wish to reconsider ... aaaaaaaaagh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And just now, as I am typing this rant, I get a phone call from another machine - this time from my Dr's office. They have this automated system that calls you - over and over and over until you respond - to confirm your appt. To continue in English, please press 1. I LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PRESS 1 FOR ENGLISH!
Stop the world, I want to get off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, I think I need a distraction. Hey, look, in just one short hour it will be my bed-time. I hope I am unwound by then .... at least typing all of this made me feel a little better. Sigh ...
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Customer (DIS)Service
If I talk to one more Customer Service desk in INDIA I think I might scream! They read from scripts, they do not listen to your original question, they ask you what you just told them, then they send you a follow-up email repeating what they just told you when you told them it did not address your question.
Amazon.com just lost me as a customer. And based on how much money I have spent at Amazon over these many years, that will be a big loss to them, though unfortunately they will not feel it at all. Too bad, too.
I honestly wish there were some way for us to make a statement any more. At least in my own mind, I am making a point, and I will spend my money elsewhere.
Amazon.com just lost me as a customer. And based on how much money I have spent at Amazon over these many years, that will be a big loss to them, though unfortunately they will not feel it at all. Too bad, too.
I honestly wish there were some way for us to make a statement any more. At least in my own mind, I am making a point, and I will spend my money elsewhere.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
They Cannot Be Bothered (aka: Customer Service, Where Art Thou?)
I was having a really great day; well, except for the fact that most of it was spent at the Day Job, but other than that, things were just going my way, and I was into the Happy Dance phase of the evening...just feelin' good about life, ya know?
The last happy moment I had was when I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things, and I spied a FedEx store in the same plaza. I had a FedEx box to return (stored in the car, just in case...), so I did my final "yippee" and headed across the parking lot with my box under my arm, and went in. At that point things started to go terribly, horribly, downhill.
First, I stood at the counter for at least 5 minutes, with no employee in sight. Finally a young woman came out of the rest room in the back and sauntered up to the counter. All right, I'll give her that - the only one on staff, and ya gotta make a potty stop...it happens! Okay. But then, without so much as a "sorry to keep you waiting", she looked past me with that look like she was doing me a favor by helping me and asked if she could help me. Not even looking at me, mind you, but past me.
I explained that I needed to send the box back to the sender using the sender's FedEx number, and asked her if I could do that here. The address I had scribbled from the mailing label was in the following format:
Company Name
PO Box xxx
123 Street Name
City, State 12345
and I pointed out that I had copied it directly from the mailing label (and I pointed to the label), which I had not taken off the box or covered up yet, as I was not familiar with their process for labels.
She proceeded to tell me she cannot send to a PO Box. Well, that really did not answer my question, so I asked if I could send the box to the street address, which was also listed, using the recipient's FedEx account number. She then decided to look at me, though it was in total frustration, complete with rolling eyes, and she told me I did not let her finish. Finish what?
She asked if this was the correct address, as it had both a PO Box and a street address. Uh, yes, and I pointed to the original shipping label again. She then tossed me a form to fill in, turned her back on me and went to help someone else.
I filled in the form, looked up, and lo and behold - I saw employee #2! Hmmm ... unattended front counter for at least 5 minutes with no one checking on the new customer. Duly noted. (Heck - McDonald's employees promise to serve you within 90 seconds, don't they?)
So employee #2 offerred to help me with the package. But she was in slow motion, and also gave me the sense that she was doing me a favor, complete with heavy sighing, cracking gum, the whole works. What's up with that, anyway? Is it the new rage? There is a woman at our Credit Union with the same, exact attitude and gum, and I just stay way from there. Great way to lose customers....
So anyway, after about another 5 minutes, during which time she did a lot of looking at the form and a little keying into the register/machine thingy, I asked her if the form I had filled in contained a label, because if it did not, then I'd be glad to fill one in while I waited (hint, hint). Nope, it had a mailing label...good! Glad I asked.
Then she went to put the label on the box, taking great pains to not cover up the original label. I had to stop her and point out the original label, and maybe she wanted to cover it up with the new one? She sighed heavily and did just that.
Gracious! What a total pain in the behind! I decided then and there what my problem is: I cannot go out in public any more. Nope, can't do it. My expectations of common courtesy are apparently way too high for today's society, and I figure the best way for me to not blow a gasket is to just avoid these people altogether. There is almost nothing I cannot do over the Internet, and for everything else, I'll do it in the early mornings when these helpless, lazy people are undoubtedly still in bed.
It's funny, though. I actually blame the Internet for most of today's social ills. We have several generations of people who have cyber-friends, who text their pals or call them on cell phones 24/7, and never actually deal with anyone face-to-face. They are totally into themselves and what they want, and I am just an old b1tch they can point to and laugh.
So I'll continue to do my grocery shopping in the early mornings. I'll shop for office supplies and ink cartridge replacements online. I already shop for most of my clothing online, if I shop for it at all. I get most of my crafting stuff online, except for trips to the LSS, where they know my name and trip over each other to help their customers. If you have a question about a product, they will do their best to help you. If they do not have something, they will order it for you, and call you when it comes in. Gee, I guess I am spoiled, huh?
I am just sick to death of giving my business to companies who hire people that cannot be bothered with helping me, their customer. Too bad, too; that FedEx store could have been convenient for me...
The last happy moment I had was when I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things, and I spied a FedEx store in the same plaza. I had a FedEx box to return (stored in the car, just in case...), so I did my final "yippee" and headed across the parking lot with my box under my arm, and went in. At that point things started to go terribly, horribly, downhill.
First, I stood at the counter for at least 5 minutes, with no employee in sight. Finally a young woman came out of the rest room in the back and sauntered up to the counter. All right, I'll give her that - the only one on staff, and ya gotta make a potty stop...it happens! Okay. But then, without so much as a "sorry to keep you waiting", she looked past me with that look like she was doing me a favor by helping me and asked if she could help me. Not even looking at me, mind you, but past me.
I explained that I needed to send the box back to the sender using the sender's FedEx number, and asked her if I could do that here. The address I had scribbled from the mailing label was in the following format:
Company Name
PO Box xxx
123 Street Name
City, State 12345
and I pointed out that I had copied it directly from the mailing label (and I pointed to the label), which I had not taken off the box or covered up yet, as I was not familiar with their process for labels.
She proceeded to tell me she cannot send to a PO Box. Well, that really did not answer my question, so I asked if I could send the box to the street address, which was also listed, using the recipient's FedEx account number. She then decided to look at me, though it was in total frustration, complete with rolling eyes, and she told me I did not let her finish. Finish what?
She asked if this was the correct address, as it had both a PO Box and a street address. Uh, yes, and I pointed to the original shipping label again. She then tossed me a form to fill in, turned her back on me and went to help someone else.
I filled in the form, looked up, and lo and behold - I saw employee #2! Hmmm ... unattended front counter for at least 5 minutes with no one checking on the new customer. Duly noted. (Heck - McDonald's employees promise to serve you within 90 seconds, don't they?)
So employee #2 offerred to help me with the package. But she was in slow motion, and also gave me the sense that she was doing me a favor, complete with heavy sighing, cracking gum, the whole works. What's up with that, anyway? Is it the new rage? There is a woman at our Credit Union with the same, exact attitude and gum, and I just stay way from there. Great way to lose customers....
So anyway, after about another 5 minutes, during which time she did a lot of looking at the form and a little keying into the register/machine thingy, I asked her if the form I had filled in contained a label, because if it did not, then I'd be glad to fill one in while I waited (hint, hint). Nope, it had a mailing label...good! Glad I asked.
Then she went to put the label on the box, taking great pains to not cover up the original label. I had to stop her and point out the original label, and maybe she wanted to cover it up with the new one? She sighed heavily and did just that.
Gracious! What a total pain in the behind! I decided then and there what my problem is: I cannot go out in public any more. Nope, can't do it. My expectations of common courtesy are apparently way too high for today's society, and I figure the best way for me to not blow a gasket is to just avoid these people altogether. There is almost nothing I cannot do over the Internet, and for everything else, I'll do it in the early mornings when these helpless, lazy people are undoubtedly still in bed.
It's funny, though. I actually blame the Internet for most of today's social ills. We have several generations of people who have cyber-friends, who text their pals or call them on cell phones 24/7, and never actually deal with anyone face-to-face. They are totally into themselves and what they want, and I am just an old b1tch they can point to and laugh.
So I'll continue to do my grocery shopping in the early mornings. I'll shop for office supplies and ink cartridge replacements online. I already shop for most of my clothing online, if I shop for it at all. I get most of my crafting stuff online, except for trips to the LSS, where they know my name and trip over each other to help their customers. If you have a question about a product, they will do their best to help you. If they do not have something, they will order it for you, and call you when it comes in. Gee, I guess I am spoiled, huh?
I am just sick to death of giving my business to companies who hire people that cannot be bothered with helping me, their customer. Too bad, too; that FedEx store could have been convenient for me...
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Hollerin' For Your Food
As a customer, I refuse to holler for my food. I do not like standing far back in a line and having someone wave at me from across the room and ask me what I want on my sandwich. Okay, maybe I exaggerate a bit, but not that much, really.
Chipotle. The drill is: You stand in line until you get to the front and Employee #1 asks you what you want. Employee #1 also does Step 1 of the prep for your order, either slapping a tortilla onto a piece of foil or grabbing the Bol, then putting rice or whatever in the vessel, and sliding it aside to Employee #2. Then Employee #1 asks the next person what they want, etc.
You step to the left, and Employee #2 asks what kind of meat you want, then slides your item to Employee #3. Employee #3 asks you what toppings you want, then slides your item to Employee #4, who wraps it up or otherwise prepares it for delivery to you, then slides it into a line for the people at the register(s) to take care of payment.
This sounds like a decent plan, a well-oiled machine, and in a perfect world, or at least not during the lunch or dinner rush, it just might work. But during the lunch or dinner rush, this is a bottleneck waiting to happen. You see, #1 takes your order and slides it to #2, etc. But since they are little non-thinking machines, they crank through those babies faster than the poor guys on the register can ring them up, so a back-log is created. Understandably so. This is not a problem.
What is a problem is #2, 3 & 4 do not stop their automation. They insist on taking care of you, even when they are so far away from you (due to the slew of people waiting to pay) that they yell over to you, waving their arms to get your attention, and try to finish your item so it can get in line with the rest of them and wait for payment.
Unfortunately, this is not a customer-friendly arrangement. Why, just last week, someone got out of line (3 or 4 people behind me) to answer the waving-arm person about her toppings, and then she felt that since her order was complete, it was her right to butt in at the front of the line and pay immediately, ahead of the rest of us who were waiting our turns. She caused much disgruntlement, and happily (for me) she had to wait until her sandwich made it to the front before she could pay (oh, do I sound bitter?)
My point is, no matter how many of these orders they stack up, the line cannot move any faster than the guy can take the money from people. So why, why, why, do they insist on hollering at me to shout out what I want for my toppings? I actually have begun to refuse to do so. I wait until I get in front of them, then tell them what I'd like. And you know what? No one is held up, since there are still enough people in front of me who have not paid that no one is going anywhere, anyway. I find this plan so much more civilized.
Okay, that's Chipotle. Today I went to Subway. Same thing. The woman in front of me was hollerin' to person #3 what she wanted on her sandwich, then #3 looked to me to ask what I wanted, but I refused to yell past 4 other people, so I held up my forefinger in a "just a minute" motion, and she got pissed off, so #3 slid my sandwich aside and yelled at the guy behind me to ask what he wanted on his sandwich. Fortunately, he was with me, so he refused to holler, too. ;-) Compound this adventure with the knowledge that none of the #s 1-3 speak English, and it gets even more exciting. Try asking for "any cheese besides American" and you'll get a blank stare. Ask for "just a little" of something and they look to each other for translation. If I have to deal with non-English-speaking workers, I refuse to do it while yelling past 3 or 4 other people. Even after I'd had my sandwich built and packed for me, I still had to wait for the cashier to take care of several people in front of me before he got to mine.
So what's the deal here? Are these people just super-efficient, and they get points for not being the reason for the backlog? Is Customer Service not an issue in whatever country they left? Or is this a training issue with the various fast-food establishments that they feel "fast" is better than making the customer feel like they are important. Or am I still deluding myself into thinking anyone still cares about good customer service any more?
I mean, it's bad enough that I am eating fast food, but I actually get better service at a place like McDonald's or Burger King, or really anywhere that the people actually talk to you first. Yeah, sure, you are still a number to them as far as order fulfillment, but at least you do not feel like they are throwing your food at you. And they do not yell at you, or make you holler for your food, either.
Maybe that's why I eat in the cafeteria so much these days. True, the food can be unappealing at times, or totally boring (how many salads can one eat in a week?), but if I am in a food line, the server asks me, to my face, what I'd like, and actually treats me like a person, not a number. There's something to be said for that.
Chipotle. The drill is: You stand in line until you get to the front and Employee #1 asks you what you want. Employee #1 also does Step 1 of the prep for your order, either slapping a tortilla onto a piece of foil or grabbing the Bol, then putting rice or whatever in the vessel, and sliding it aside to Employee #2. Then Employee #1 asks the next person what they want, etc.
You step to the left, and Employee #2 asks what kind of meat you want, then slides your item to Employee #3. Employee #3 asks you what toppings you want, then slides your item to Employee #4, who wraps it up or otherwise prepares it for delivery to you, then slides it into a line for the people at the register(s) to take care of payment.
This sounds like a decent plan, a well-oiled machine, and in a perfect world, or at least not during the lunch or dinner rush, it just might work. But during the lunch or dinner rush, this is a bottleneck waiting to happen. You see, #1 takes your order and slides it to #2, etc. But since they are little non-thinking machines, they crank through those babies faster than the poor guys on the register can ring them up, so a back-log is created. Understandably so. This is not a problem.
What is a problem is #2, 3 & 4 do not stop their automation. They insist on taking care of you, even when they are so far away from you (due to the slew of people waiting to pay) that they yell over to you, waving their arms to get your attention, and try to finish your item so it can get in line with the rest of them and wait for payment.
Unfortunately, this is not a customer-friendly arrangement. Why, just last week, someone got out of line (3 or 4 people behind me) to answer the waving-arm person about her toppings, and then she felt that since her order was complete, it was her right to butt in at the front of the line and pay immediately, ahead of the rest of us who were waiting our turns. She caused much disgruntlement, and happily (for me) she had to wait until her sandwich made it to the front before she could pay (oh, do I sound bitter?)
My point is, no matter how many of these orders they stack up, the line cannot move any faster than the guy can take the money from people. So why, why, why, do they insist on hollering at me to shout out what I want for my toppings? I actually have begun to refuse to do so. I wait until I get in front of them, then tell them what I'd like. And you know what? No one is held up, since there are still enough people in front of me who have not paid that no one is going anywhere, anyway. I find this plan so much more civilized.
Okay, that's Chipotle. Today I went to Subway. Same thing. The woman in front of me was hollerin' to person #3 what she wanted on her sandwich, then #3 looked to me to ask what I wanted, but I refused to yell past 4 other people, so I held up my forefinger in a "just a minute" motion, and she got pissed off, so #3 slid my sandwich aside and yelled at the guy behind me to ask what he wanted on his sandwich. Fortunately, he was with me, so he refused to holler, too. ;-) Compound this adventure with the knowledge that none of the #s 1-3 speak English, and it gets even more exciting. Try asking for "any cheese besides American" and you'll get a blank stare. Ask for "just a little" of something and they look to each other for translation. If I have to deal with non-English-speaking workers, I refuse to do it while yelling past 3 or 4 other people. Even after I'd had my sandwich built and packed for me, I still had to wait for the cashier to take care of several people in front of me before he got to mine.
So what's the deal here? Are these people just super-efficient, and they get points for not being the reason for the backlog? Is Customer Service not an issue in whatever country they left? Or is this a training issue with the various fast-food establishments that they feel "fast" is better than making the customer feel like they are important. Or am I still deluding myself into thinking anyone still cares about good customer service any more?
I mean, it's bad enough that I am eating fast food, but I actually get better service at a place like McDonald's or Burger King, or really anywhere that the people actually talk to you first. Yeah, sure, you are still a number to them as far as order fulfillment, but at least you do not feel like they are throwing your food at you. And they do not yell at you, or make you holler for your food, either.
Maybe that's why I eat in the cafeteria so much these days. True, the food can be unappealing at times, or totally boring (how many salads can one eat in a week?), but if I am in a food line, the server asks me, to my face, what I'd like, and actually treats me like a person, not a number. There's something to be said for that.
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