Not all customer service is good…

So I was at the printer yesterday to have a few signs for the fireworks stands made. (Yes, I do a bit of everything… this year we have 3 stands) I went into the local print shop that can do large format printing, and walked up to the counter. Now the normal person I work with I have a great raport with, and I have no problems. Well there was someone who obviously didn't work with people that often who was working the counter. I walked up and started talking about what I needed. Normally I'll write down the file names, and what I needed done, but I had to work and was running late and didn't do so, so I was trying to describe it as best I could. 

Needless to say, she made me feel like I had no idea what I was doing and that I had never walked into a place like that before. On the contrary. I do layout and design for a living. I've worked with bigger companies than them – I worked in a print shop in high school. I live for the smell

I ended up thanking her for her time, and told her I would take my business elsewhere, took my CD and left. I have a friend with a plotter who could do the work for me, but I don't like asking those kinda favors (though it should be ok, since I host him for almost nothing).

Well, I forgot that I had sent a file earlier that day via their website, and got a call from my regular person asking about the job, and I proceeded to tell her what happened, and that while I'm sure that I'll continue to use them in the future, they had lost today's business for sure.  

While I was at work at my other job, I had gotten a voicemail from the company. Turned out it was the person at the counter at the time – and they apologized.  Totally out of left field. It was actually kinda nice. Granted, they still won't get this job, but hey, at least I won't be totally against using them in the future.

RMAs and Customer Service

So sometime yesterday morning we had a short loss of power. Nomally everything is fine, but not this time around. Our 80-hour TiVo was a casualty. Which is odd, because it is the newer of the two units we have…barely over a year old. So I called TiVo, which referred me to Humax's Customer Relations department. Now I know they are a global company, and unfortunately, I automatically assumed I'd get someone holed up in an Indian call center, wasting their education away trying to help some backwood yocal try and get their Recordin' box to play some wraslin'…

I had NO hold time, and got straight through to Youlanda. I explained what was going on, that I had already unplugged the unit, let it sit for a few minutes and plugged it back in and that it was 'locked up'. She said "well, that was what I would have told you to do, so lets just go ahead and get a replacement unit out to you" and explained our options to me. I decided just to send the unit in first, rather than an advance replacement (since it would take the same amount of time to get this done by the time I got a call tag). Youlanda was very polite, understanding, and  suprisingly empathetic. She didn't talk down to me, she talked to me. She even gave me her extension and when she worked, so that if I needed anything she would be able to help. She took ownership of my problem, and wanted to take care of it through all of the steps.

 Now, I've been working for a company as a Customer Relations Associate. Meaning I've had to handle customer service issues – sometimes people wouldn't note accounts or things were just SO messed up it wasn't funny… but those things happen, and I was honestly suprised to hear another company who made sure everything was taken care of when something went wrong. So Kudos to you, Humax…I'll definately be getting my future TiVos from you. Now just to fix TiVo and their retarded pricing structure.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

So today is my 29th birthday. I've been miserable the last few weeks. Not really anyone's fault in particular, but man, I just can't seem to get out of this funk.

Now don't get me wrong, I have plenty to be thankful for. Good friends, both online (like Eric and Justin), real life (Candi, Aly, Ken, and my cohorts at the Bookstore), and a combination of the two (Erica and Sam). I was also offered a fantastic full time job from my current part-time employer (who shall remain nameless to protect said offer). It does require a commute, but IMHO, it is worth the drive and getting up at a "decent hour" will do me some good. (Note: This is not the same promotion that I was referring to in this post. I got that promotion and raise, and a great comment from a co-worker at the end of training… "Jim, I wouldn't have made it through this without you". So this means I have been given 2 promotions in the 8 months I've worked there.)

But I haven't said yes to the job yet. I've been used to being my own boss for 5 years now. I'm sure I probably will say yes, because it will be good for everyone around me. I'm tired of worrying about making sure things are covered and taken care of.

So I have my small handful of friends, what could be considered a good start on a career but I'm still not happy. I honestly have no idea what to do.

What about family, you might ask? Well, last I heard, my sisters and their kids got gifts from my parents, my grandmother got a fantastic bouquet of flowers for mothers day, and what did I get? Nothing. No phone call, no card, nothing. As a matter of fact, my parents decided it was ok to open a DirecTV account in my name and not pay the bill. The only way I can get the mar off my credit report is to turn my parents in for Theft of Services and identity theft.

So a few of my friends are going to take me out, and hopefully I can forget my woes and enjoy myself, just for one night.

Happy friggin birthday.

Weekend in O-Town

So I got to spend some time in Omaha with Sam, Erica and Nate. There was tasty steak, and we went to this swank little place called Mics – a 100% pure Karaoke bar!

Songs were sang, drinks consumed. All was well. I (heart) my Omaha friends. Sam said something particularly funny – "Its nice seeing you when its not November". Its very true, the only time I got to Omaha was when I would go down for Barbershopping. I think I'll have to make more of an effort to get down there. Especially now that I have a new engine in the vehicle.  

You know you are popular at work…

I have a part time job as a call center employee – its inbound, so I'm not one of those people who call out and annoy you at dinner time…

 Well, needless to say, I got a call from the Call Center's manager today, asking why I had not applied for a promotion, and I had replied that I was waiting for a response to another position, and I was told I should really apply for this job too.

I think its pretty slick that they like me there enough to tell me that I REALLY need to apply for a job. 

Yet another reason to get a TiVo.

I got an email today offering me  Dual Tuner TiVo, and a year of service for $254. Man oh man! That would soooooo rock! Too bad my car has decided to go ka-BOOM. I'm about this close to putting myself out on the street corner. Lower end of the estimates was about $1700, and the high end was $2700. Could my week get any worse? Yes. A good friend of mine passed away last week. 

Today’s Nifty Little freebie

So as a web designer, I have to be able to do things like, oh, add audio to websites for clients, and the such. And it can be a bit of a pain trying to find utilities that are reasonably priced, but one that I did find was a Great little program called Sonic Memo. Basically, you drop your sound file into it, set up where you want it FTP’d, and BAM! Its up and online with its own little player. I paid for it, but the author, Jay Jennings, is now offering the Lite Version for the amazingly low price of free. Here is the Link to get your own copy. I almost forgot. You have to subscribe to his mailing list, but you can always unsubscribe, and its a cool little program.

I may already be a winner!

FROM THE E-MAIL PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
MICROSOFT WORD CORPORATION, SPAIN

You mean that there is a whole corporation that just sells one Microsoft product? I didn’t know that!

Calle San Maria 12,
Madrid 28840
Spain.
ENTRY NO: MSW-L/200-26937
APPROVAL NO: 2005MJL-01
ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD INFORMATION
ATTENTION:PRIZE WINNER.
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today of the winners of the MICROSOFT WORD E-MAIL MEGAJACKPOT PROGRAMS held on 18th of March 2006.Your Company or your personal e-mail address attached to Primo number 20-01-2005-02MSW, with Catch number S/N-00168 drew the Quick numbers 887-13-865-37-10-83, and consequently won in the first category.

of course. I always win in the first category. Cuz, I’ve got the mad luck, yo.

You have therefore been approved for a Bonded pay out of FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE THOUSAND EUROS(EURO455,000.00)in cash credited to file NO: MSW-L/200-26937. This is from total prize money of Ten Million Euros shared among international winners in this category.

Wow, Bonded. Thats kinda kinky.

All participants were selected through our Microsoft computer ballot system drawn form 21,000 names, 3,000 names from each continent, as part of International “E-MAIL” Promotions Program, which is conducted once in every four years for our prominent MS WORD users all over the world,and for the continued use of E-mail.

Once every 4 years? Let me think. I started using email back in 1995. On a VAX/VMS. I missed out on winning two other times? I must not be as lucky as I thought. Thank god I didn’t play russian roulette with that dude a few minutes ago.

We are sorry to let you know that our site is still under construction, as we are updating our site and our windows 2005.

Now that doesn’t suprise me. At all. I mean hey, its the Microsoft Word Corporation. And where can I get a copy of Windows2005?

Your fund has been deposited in an escrow account with our affiliate Bank here in Spain, and insured with your File NO: MSW-L/200-26937 and your E-mail address. Please note that, you are to contact us via email as we are promoting the use of E-mail, You have the right to call the bank, as we will provide you with the necessary details on how to claim your Prize.

Whew. I thought I’d have to take your word for it.
You are to keep your Entry number and Approval number from the public, until you have been processed and your money remitted to your designated account.We hope with your prize, you will be happy to promote the use of E-mail and the use of MS WORD.
Of course! I’ll send that email out to everyone using my copy of Windows2005 as soon as I find the send button. I bet that bastard paperclip hid my send button.
But CRAP! I just gave everyone my information on the interwebs! WhatamIgonnado?!?!!1!one!

To claim your winning prize, you must first contact your claims agent,Frontline Security Company by email for processing and remittance of your prize money to you.Below is their Contact:
Contact Person:James Paco
EMAIL: frontlinesecom@netscape.net

Frontline Security Company? Don’t they make that anti-flea stuff I see on the TV? Would that work on my Guinea Pigs? Though they don’t have fleas, I’m SURE they could use the preventative maintainence.

He is to help you in claiming your due prize. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than the 20th of April, 2006.
All funds not claimed on or before the fixed date will be penalized accordingly.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your Entry and Approvalnumbers in all correspondences with your claims officer.Any winner below the age of 18years is automatically disqualified.
Faithfully,
Mrs. Teresa Lopez.
For MS WORD CORPORATION
SPAIN.

Dear Teresa, thanks but no thanks. Asshat.

I’m getting old? Aww crap.

So the last few weeks I’ve established this really odd sleep pattern. Pretty much no matter what time I get to bed (be it 2230 or 0300) I’m always up around 0800-0830. It never seems to fail. So rather than do what I usually do which is veg in front of the net, I’m actually going to do something productive. And that is…

Get some beer.

Thats right, you read it correctly. I need beer. But not for drinking (sorry, no need for hair of the dog) – for cooking. I’m making Corned Beef and cabbage today. I’ve only made it once before, so its still in experimental mode. C started it last night, but I need to add the cabbage this morning and a can or bottle of beer. Wait, I think I might have a beer in the fridge…one moment.

*insert your favorite elevator music here*

And I’m back! Well, there was no beer in the house. Which is fine, because I’m a spiced rum kinda guy. But upon opening the crockpot to move the corned beef to add the cabbage (C was like ‘I thought you would have done that last night…’) It started falling apart already and was mighty tasty! So no beer, but the cabbage has been added and there shall be lots of tasty goodness come this evening. I had a bit more cabbage than I probably needed so I did some hot CUTCO action, and now I need to search for a good coleslaw recipe. But that can wait. I was just going to lament about my age and the whole ‘getting up early sucks I hate being a grownup because there are bills to pay and blah blah blah’. Oh well. Such is life.

So I’m gonna be pushing 30 this year (read: not quite, but I might as well a.k.a 29) and while that really doesn’t bother me I still sometimes look at myself and wonder how I actually made it this far, and will I make it another 30 years. Ooh, I’m getting all philosopical on ‘yall. I’d better cut that out.

I always joke about how if I really want to feel old all I need to do is go to Hastings to the club that has college night and realize that I’m the creepy guy drooling over the hotties.

But hey, I’m not worried about it. Life has been an adventure. So there is a lot more exploring to do. I’m all for it.

Just because I wear glasses, I can’t be William F’ing Shatner

Your results:
You are Geordi LaForge

Geordi LaForge 65% James T. Kirk (Captain) 65% Will Riker 60% Jean-Luc Picard 55% Uhura 50% An Expendable Character (Redshirt) 50% Chekov 45% Deanna Troi 45% Data 27% Beverly Crusher 25% Mr. Scott 25% Spock 17% Worf 15% Leonard McCoy (Bones) 10% Mr. Sulu 0%

You work well with others and often fix problems quickly. Your romantic relationships are often bungled.

Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Quiz