Customer Service is a Zombieland

I haven't blogged in a LONG time. I've been considering embedding a Blogger account in the site, and also redoing the look and feel but haven't had time.

Things that have happened since the last time I blogged. Well, I'm married. Thanks to eHarmony I met a great girl. We honeymooned in the Western Caribbean, awesome time on a Carnival Cruise on Carnival Valor. We were supposed to go on a Mexican Riviera cruise, but the swine flu put a damper on that when they rerouted Carnival Splendor to Canada (we wanted Sun and Fun!). Carnival did a great job switching us over and their customer service was awesome.

Since then though I've had some customer service experiences which have been nightmares. Things which just won't go away. It's like Zombieland in customer service at some places it seems.

Number 1. American Airlines

They promised me vouchers for the flights to LA we couldn't use due to the changes to our honeymoon related to the swine flu. Well, been six months, I've called back over and over and they haven't helped. I spoke to someone at corporate who seemed competent, and promised to email them to me but they never arrived, and weren't blocked by any Spam filters. Further inquiries, no response, no help. In short, American Airlines doesn't care about their customers, or at least me as a customer.

Number 2. Verizon Wireless

For six months I've been dealing with the fallout from a rep in May telling me they wouldn't charge me an ETF (early termination fee) if I left early. In July when I decided to leave, they told me the rep had misled me, but they would make it right and waive the fee. For three months now they have billed it to me, I call, they correct it, then they re bill me. Each rep is different, some are helpful, some are neutral, but the issue never gets resolved. I get angry, go through stress and anxiety, and they just don't seem to care. Every time they tell me not to worry, it's taken care of and I won't be billed again, I get billed again. There seems to be no way to resolve the issue in a manner which is satisfactory, it's like nobody there cares as well. It's like they don't want there to even be the possibility I might want to be their customer again in the future.

I'm not sure what is happening to customer service in this country. It used to be that the customer was always right, but these days the customer is always wrong. The customer isn't appreciated, the customer is reviled almost. To me, as a customer, it is very sad to see things grow so dim and dire. With the economy in such sad shape, you'd think companies would be working hard to impress and make their customers happy. But it seems every store I go into is short staffed, not anyone to help, or there are only two registers open (Wal-mart) and 8 carts in each line, or equipment is broken (Valero gas pumps anyone?), or something, or something.

Zombieland

There are two places I've been that haven't been that way. One is O'Reilly's Auto parts can you say service? Fast? for an oil filter and oil so I could service one of our vehicles. The other, Regal Cinemas Breckenridge, great customer service and staff, and the funniest movie I've seen in years. Zombieland. That movie has me thinking that Zombie movies appeal to everyone so much because there are no bills to pay, no customer service to deal with. Yeah, you gotta survive the zombies, but it's a self-service world, the customer is always right, and even if the zombies catch you they don't ever charge you an ETF.

Don't be a grouch

You ever encounter people who are in such a bad mood that they try to run you off the road in the morning? They just want everyone out of their way? They're the coffee drinkers who don't want to face their coworkers their boss, or their employees in the morning until they've had at least two cups of coffee. They expect others to live life by the rules, but don't think they necessarily apply in their case. You can't ask them a question without getting back some sort of response which is snarky, has some tinge of negativity, or something to bring you down.

They're grumps, grouches, road ragers, angry at life, angry at their families, angry at the people around them at work, in the line at the store, waiting in line for the redbox, for their combo meal at McDonald's, just angry and unhappy.

I have had some good mentors in life who have told me that you cannot be happy at work unless you're happy at home, and you can't be happy at home unless you're happy at work. I believe in the golden rule, treat others like you want to be treated. I treat others generously, I laugh a lot, I smile a lot, I try to be positive, to be happy, and to share that with others. I think it's wrong for someone in a funk, having a bad day at work, home, on the road, etc... to try and drag others down, be it intentionally... or letting their funk, their bad mood rub off on others or in how they treat others.

When someone cuts in front of me dangerously I might signal with a flash of my lights, or honking my horn to let them know they are behaving dangerously. If they then behave aggressively, rather than realizing they are putting themselves and others in danger of having a bad day at the least and at the least hurting themselves and others. The same goes with being in a bad mood, why lower the morale of your friends, family, coworkers just because your mood is down? Do you want to make them unhappy too, to ruin their day, drag down their mood, lower their productivity?

What if it turns into a chain reaction, and your mood affects how they interact with someone else. Their kids, their parents, their fiancee, their wife, their coworkers their boss, their employees? It can snowball and drag down more than just others. So if you're in a bad mood, having issues... talk to someone about it, get it off your chest, work through it, but don't take it out on others.

Don't be a grump, a grouch, or in a funk. Life is too short to go through it with a chip on your shoulder and trying to drag others down. Count your blessings, and be happy!

Also, don't be a killjoy. If someone is happy, loves life, and it drives you nuts, or you can't stand it... Go see a therapist, because there is something wrong with someone who can't stand to see others happy!

Online Personals

I'm in the process of deleting my online personal ads. I've decided that I need some time to think, to contemplate the events of this week. I'm disabling my OkCupid.com account, it took me a while to set up and I went through the process of fixing it so it won't send me any matches anymore. My plentyoffish.com account, I'm deleting that tomorrow. I have only met a few good people on there, made a couple of friends in the past and had one slip away that I really wish I'd not.

My dad and I are going to dinner with my sister, and her family. Tomorrow I'm gonna mow the yard again, and plant the plants from eBurgess.com and do some work in my flowerbeds that needs to be done. My church is having it's opening celebration with our new building. I'm gonna try to make that. I've been doing laundry all day, and using my iRock to push music to the stereo in the living room from my office.

Books

I bought a small sketchbook with perforated pages, Watership Down (never read it), Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (My friend Ann recommended I read this), and The Field Guide to Cocktails. I won't be shopping at Amazon.com as much.

Music

I decided to add some music I've been listening to recently... Been listening to a lot of ELO, the playlist site I use doesn't have any RENCH dagnabit! :-) Music is VERY important to me, it tends to suit my mood, and reflect how I feel. Lyrics mean a lot to me, certain songs are a good sign of how I'm feeling at times.

Slow Friday night...

Been a rough week, and it's been a slow Friday night for a change.

This has been an oddball week. Seems like a few weeks back, but more like maybe a couple of months ago, I found an artist on Podsafe Audio named Rench, he's a country/folk singer. I added a song of his to my MySpace profile tonight. I go through stages where I lock my profile, and then open it up. Anyway, it's called Just Crazy. If you've never heard of this guy, and you like country, or at least rockabilly I'd recommend you check him out. The song sort of fits with the last few weeks, and how I am feeling. Ever have something stuck in your mind, and you can't shake it? Well, that's how I am right now.

I appreciate everyone's prayers... They mean a lot to me.

Update: Check out http://www.renchaudio.com, you can download a bunch of his tracks for free and his latest album for free. Awesome music, if you like it, buy it when you can!

Home

I got home today. So here's a status update.

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• My dad's health is declining rapidly. His doctor put him on some new medication, and warned him if it didn't work they were going to have to hospitalize him soon. I'm afraid things are really going south with my dad. He told me the other day he has paid for his funeral plot, and paid for his tombstone already. He is going to the funeral home to make arrangements for his casket, vault, etc... He's paying for it, and everything associated with his funeral now so we won't have to worry about it. He seems in good spirits, which worries me. He usually is very grim when his health is a matter. I think he is hiding how serious things are and doesn't want to worry me or my sister. I am really afraid my father isn't long for this world.
  
  
• Confetti, it's been in my mind all this week. Monday I did a special thing with Confetti for a project at work. Then I stopped at Popeyes Chicken and picked up lunch on the way back from getting my hair cut today. I swear they added extra gray for no charge. The chicken came with Confetti sauce. Then I got back to work and had to call Confetti's Party Rentals to order their prize drum.
  
  
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Prayer

This is gonna be a quick entry! I have so many chores do to around the house, but if some of them don't get done today I'll do them tomorrow or the next. :-)

I've had a prayer answered, I injured my back almost two months ago it seems. I still feel a little tightness in my lower back, it's healing slowly. I'd been sleeping on the futon for two months until this weekend. My memory foam mattress topper (4" on Overstock.com for only $149.99 with two memory foam pillows) had come in, my dear friend Fred recommended it. He said his hip pain disappeared after he and his wife Charlie got one. Well, I decided to sleep on it since 24 hours had passed. I slept sooooo long, so sound... and the dreams, oh my lord, this is like sleeping on a cloud! My back loves it!

I've got to take the Vulcan in to a Kawasaki Dealer this week for servicing and having the rear drive shaft worked on for that seal which is leaking, but I've got faith, it might be expensive, but God will provide.

God bless!

Stephen

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