Of Bad Business & Poor Service!

What do the words "customer service" mean to you? There once was a day when those words meant there was a person available to help me. They were there to help me if I was lost, or if I had a question, concern or complaint. This was, and still is, a place where a business leaves an indelible mark on its customer. There are still businesses today that represent such a view of customer service and serve it on a gold platter. I've had personal experience with such companies. But that's not what this post is about. Nah! I feel a need to vent today!

To my utter frustration, there are an increasing number of businesses today who view "customer service" like a game of chess. Well, that's not right because I, personally enjoy a good game of chess. No... it's like.... ah!... It's like cleaning out the kitty-litter pan! Yes! That's it! That's exactly what it's like. Only, we're the "morsels" being cleaned out of the pan.

Isn't this the coolest hammock swing?

While looking for fish and beach items for our 9 year old daughter's new bedroom, I came upon these neat-o hammock swings. The perfect addition to her room! We added it to her wish list months ago before the room was even completed. Of course, in true fashion (at least for our household), her sisters also thought these swings were just dreamy and wanted it on their wish lists as well.

So Christmas approaches and with a tight budget (we finished those rooms, ya know!), we decided to just get one or two things that the girls really want & will fit in the budget. The swings fit the budget & would definitely leave the best daughters in the whole-wide-world smiling on Christmas morning. So we ordered 3 swings. Each one a little different from the other (color, with or without fringe). All were in stock and slated for delivery 5 days before Christmas. Perfect!

Ha! That little girl in the swing was in there for the first time tonight because the hammock I ordered for her never left the warehouse. Two swings arrived as scheduled- her sisters (that equals 2 happy girls, 1 slightly sad but understanding girl). The third- well, I couldn't find a trace of it so I called the "Customer Service" number for hammocks dot com (RUN I say! RUN far away from this business! There are others out there! Use them!). The first person who fielded my call (several days before Christmas even) couldn't tell me a thing but assured me that he would send off an note and someone would call me back. Ha! When I called them again the next day, after never being called back, it was the weekend. Guess what! They will gladly TAKE your order on the weekend but "customer service" doesn't work on the weekend. "So sorry!"

So come Monday, Christmas Eve mind you, I was on the phone right away with said "customer service". Now obviously, everyone's hands are tied as far as this getting here to be under the tree. (Three children- two big boxes with wished for hammocks! You put it together!) So "customer service" tells me he'll make a replacement order and they will get it to me as quick as possible. No problem, I think. There will be some disappointment initially but we can wrap a picture and explain to our peaceful child that hers will be here in just a day or two. Ha!

I spent at least 20 minutes on the phone with "customer service" on Thursday, 2 days after Christmas. No one knew where the missing hammock was. Oh wait! "Our computer says it's in stock but the warehouse says it's out of stock". Every effort was made to try to scoop me out of their pan but to no avail. I refused to be emailed or called back and insisted on having my questions answered. I have no problem patiently waiting while you go check & find the answers I need. Heck! I'll even tell you what viable options I see for this company to rectify this situation in a manner that is acceptable business practice. So given those options, "customer service" chooses choice B with one variation- they can't overnight the product because it's already past noon. But they can send it via 2nd day air and it will be delivered on Monday. O-K! I've got an answer- a viable solution- a "cooperating" representative and a confirmation number. Ha!

They sure got my number! Joke's on me! I got scooped! Said package didn't come on Monday. On this call to "customer service" I'm now told that Fed-ex doesn't work on Sunday or Monday and since Tuesday was the New Year's holiday, well... there would be no delivery on Tuesday. "But your package is in KY." Needless to say, we've been run around, shoved around and even lied too. (The order was NOT sent via 2nd day air- it's marked otherwise on the package. Do I look stupid?) We've been the poop in the litter pan to this business. Ha! Wanna know what the kicker is? They had our money- IN FULL- withdrawn from our account just a few hours from the time I placed my order! RUN I tell you! RUN far away from hammocks dot com. There are other sources for this most comfy seat! (it's a great place to curl up with a blanket & a book! It really feels dreamy!)

I'm writing a letter Mom! Got a pen? Want to join me? OH! But I'm not done venting! Sorry folks! It's a long winded vent, I know... but seriously! Shouldn't we speak up! It's injustice I tell ya- INJUSTICE!

Today it is butt-awful COLD--- no, not cold----FREEZING- hurts *your*country*hiney FREEZING outside! We're talking single digits with a stiff wind that turns your nose inside-out! I walked past the thermostat around 11am and noticed the temp in the house was reading 60 degrees. It's set at 66 degrees during the day! YIKES! I've been here before!!! In February- during just such a frigid wave, we woke up to 49 degrees! I literally blew a puff of air out to see if I could see my breath. So before the temperature plummets to that butt-awful temp in my house again, my good-man Charlie Brown tells me to go ahead and call for service.

Now I have to tell you. I've had bad experiences with service men in my home. I don't like them coming in my home without my good-man Charlie Brown or any other adult male presence in my home. My experience with the furnace guys is that they see a woman and flip the "pour on the manure" switch. Yes! They really do this! I've seen the switch turn off when Charlie Brown has come home in the middle of such service calls. It's amazing to watch. So the hard- fast rule for me is you must come when Charlie Brown is home.

But in the interest of my precious young chilluns and my own hiney--- that is getting quite COLD NOW--- I decided that today I could deal with it. After all, my 12 year old is pretty grown up now and she's almost bigger than me now. She's STRONG too! (hehehe) Nah! Really, we have had good experiences lately with a different business. The tech in February was super. Charlie Brown was most impressed by his thorough work and attention to detail.

Ha! I forgot one important detail--- Charlie Brown was home.

In comes furnace tech. Oh! Just a woman & 3 daughters? There went the switch! Unbelievable! I kid you not! Do I look stupid? I know I can be a little slow to catch on about some stuff. I know I LOOK like I'm a kid (Fellow Sonlight moms: "where is the mom in that family picture?" LOL). But trust me people-- heck! Don't trust me! Ask my father! He'll tell you!-- I'm pretty good with mechanical stuff. Better than you might think! (I installed my own electric break controller with some over the phone instruction from Dad) Of course I don't know heating & furnaces, but I'm not a complete idiot about the mechanics of this enormous apparatus. I understand the basics. In fact, I understand the basics enough to know when grumpy furnace tech has flipped his pour-on-the-manure switch to the ON position.

My choice- walk away. Leave him in the basement to work alone. He won't need to ask me anymore questions (with obvious answers! Come on!) nor waste my time while he makes-up-stuff! I'm going back to my job as mom and teacher. After all, we have math problems to solve, and grammar to learn. We need to read more adventures from the island of Capri or from Moccasin Trail. When he comes up, I'll be ready with paper & pen. I'll write down everything he tells me, let him know that I'll pass the info on to Charlie Brown and we'll get back to him. I'll even make sure to ask clarifying questions. Of course, those were answered with the standard wheelbarrow full of manure! Really, man! You really don't see how obvious your manure is? (Forgive me! We have horses. We clean stalls. We scoop a lot of manure. We've come to be experts on identifying the stuff!) It's unmistakable only horses' smell better! Ha!

For all of his manure, his time alone in my basement served a purpose. Our furnace is working fine again in spite of the load of manure furnace tech tried to dump on my household budget. Ha! Who is laughing now?

I'm writing a letter Mom! Got a pen? Want to join me? Right after I clean stalls, ok?

-I'm Laughing Woman today.