Last Pick of the Year

I couldn't close out the year without one more plug. I know I haven't waxed nostaligic this year either, but that's because this year has gone too fast and it won't sink in that this year much less this decade is already gone.

So I leave 2009 with Anti Duck Face. You probably already know what duckface is. It usually involves orange girls around the NJ Turnpike, but it's spreading like a bad rash.

As we go into a new year, I can only ask us all this one favor. Stop making that stupid, stupid, STUPID face. Happy New Years everyone!

Worst Customer Service 2009 - Richmond, VA

I have done some quick best of posts, now for a worst of post. This relates to my customer service posts recently as well.


Here's a short list of local establishments that have rude customer service:

• Ukrops - Across from Va Center Commons. One of their managers finds no problem of wrongly accusing someone of writing bad checks. Is it any wonder Ukrops will be no more? They did themselves in. I would consider shopping there again when the management at that store offers an apology for falsely accusing someone dear to me of wrongdoing. It would just be more the same at Giant or whatever they will become.
  
• Sears Outlet - Despite every attempt of regional managers trying to make things right with me, I will never do business there again. The manager at the store would not even give me his name when I needed to address a serious problem with my lawnmower. Until he apologizes to me personally, I recommend no one shop at that store. Other Sears stores are fine, but I've been wronged by that outlet and their manager needs to be reminded daily what a rude sorry excuse for a man he really is.
  
• Applebee's - I'm yet to have a decent experience at any store in Richmond. I don't even want an apology. I feel stupid enough for eating at their establishments in the first place. Their reputation of sorry service will continue to proceed them. It's a shame too.
  
• Kroger - Brook Road. Today. Cashier declared loudly that she was working the 15 item aisle. I purchased 16 items, and it even states that on the receipt. I've already filed three high level complaints with the regional manager of that store and await to see if they own up to their rude and bigoted cashier.
  

So the biggest losers this year goes to most anyone working customer service in Richmond, Virginia. I don't even have any reservations of saying most people either. This has become a rude town. I honestly have always dealt with people here who act as if they would rather stab out their own eyes than provide me a service they get paid to preform. It's rare and almost a cause for celebration anytime we do get decent service around here. I can't even count the times on one hand I've received decent service, and as a life long customer service rep, I notice!

So, to the lady that works 3rd shift at the WalMart on Brook Road. Thank you. You are a rare phenomenon in this town indeed. Again, I say thank you.

It's not all bad, but come on, Richmond, try to be nice. And be aware because now I'm going to make the life of any rude customer service rep in town a walking hell. I'm going to talk to managers, then their managers and then their managers. I'm going to use the leverage I have in social media. I will blog, I will mention names, I'll even take their pictures.

I'm going to encourage others in town to use their leverage as well. If you don't want to work and deal with people, fine, the sanitation industry is for you. If you don't have a choice, don't make that my problem, just ring me up and shut the hell up.

Richmond, you lose. I'm not asking that you even pretend to be happy to see me, but check your sorry attitude at the door.

Happy Jolly Merry

I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Despite the stress and extra travel, it's good to take hold of some good and simple traditions. I always enjoy simple things like catching The Christmas Story, or tearing into one of those tins of popcorn. You know, the tin that serves up some buttered, cheese, and caramel popcorn. I know Janine and I will start new traditions, but without that routine, I've found it's very hard to get enjoyment out of the season.

I'll be spending next week trying to find out what happened over the last ten years. That was a fast decade! I'm hoping the solution can be found in fruitcake. Or fudge.

Customer Service Vay Ner Style

You can watch Gary's talk here.

(language warning, my readers can handle it though) I was very inspired by Gary's talk at Le Web in Paris recently. He focuses on customer service, word of mouth, touch, and dedication to customers. I agree that this is a wake up call to companies to focus and sweat to maintain a relationship with their customers. Most of his talk encourages all of us too to put some elbow grease into the things that we're passionate about and in the end get more enjoyment out of life.

Best of 2009 - Pics

I went through my Flickr uploads for this year. This one stands out among the others. This year marks the time when Mike finally got it right.

One Ring

Best of 2009 - Commercials

Several posts are going to be dedicated to random highlights of this past year. They will be short sweet and worth the time, I promise.

I start with my pick for commercial of the year. Heineken's walk in closet ad.

Phone Menu Angst

I wanted to touch on another topic in my customer service series. Time time I'm directing my attention to companies.

Recently a company and major partner changed their phone menus to a complete voice activated system. Many of you have experienced these new phone prompts that do not involve pushing a button for an option, but forces you to speak your option. Those spoken options teach the phone menu the direction for your call and on paper are supposed to get you to the right place.

I understand the need for this process. Especially in companies that have a department for everything, nothing can be more frustrating than sitting on hold for a long time just to end up in the wrong department. It's just not so easy to hit a button and be in the right place, I understand the need to specify departments, just so that's known.

Companies are convinced this is something that will benefit customers and it's something that customers want. I don't know where they're getting this information. I've been vocal (pardon the pun) about these voice systems. I can't stand them. I even will polish off the word hate, and I really try not to hate anything, to voice (again with the puns) my poor opinion on these systems.

I went out to Twitter to poll my friends asking if they liked or disliked phone systems. I got a universal and expected response. My surprise came at the strong dislike for voice prompts that came back from this informal and non scientific survey:

• What I hate is the voice operated menus that make you give them info only to have an operator ask again for the same info later..
• I hate them with the heat of a thousand, fiery suns. 
• Like menus when: 1. < 3 questions, 2. < 30 secs, 3. reduces the transfer-to-other-dept to 0.
• i hesitate to admit this since i used to design them, but i do dislike voice operated phone menus.
• I hate it but I see the need for such a thing.
• I'd rather push buttons and be understood the first time than have to repeat myself.
• I really really really don't like them. They don't understand me half the time and the confirmation prompts are annoying.
• dislike! They're a nusance and yet another way this world has turned away from great customer service. 
• Real people please! I'd pay more for a service if they promised to employee people who actually answered the phone when I called.
• I usually just hit 0 until I get a customer service rep
• I see you've failed to list "absolutely hate" on the list. I don't speak garbled(ly?), but they never understand me.

So there's an understanding from some about the need for phone menus, but a very strong dislike for having to deal with them on a needed basis. So what are my thoughts? I have a few and companies need to hear these thoughts because I am very obviously echoed by many.

I do not like to use voice prompts at all. I much prefer to be able to push buttons not because I'm used to such a system, but because it does not involve talking to an inanimate object. I'm not talking verbally to a person, I'm speaking to a recording. I feel very much uncomfortable speaking out loud basically to myself.

So not only do I feel uneasy about speaking to the air, but I'm quickly annoyed by repeating myself. It happens on every call and my patience for repeating myself is already very low. It's almost intolerable to repeat myself to a dumb recording. I, like many begin to curse and speak gibberish on purpose just to finally hear the recording pass me on to a live person.

So let this be my plea and let it be heard by companies that use this stupid menu system or companies that are thinking about implementing one. Stop. Now.

I will go elsewhere. I promise. I have a feeling I'm not alone too.

Winter Blah Blah Land

Probably not the best weekend to get buried in global warming glitter, but it's still pretty.

Festive too!

Desired Sponsor

It was unanimous, we found a product we can support here at The Lewis Show. Hold on to your...hats.

Christmas Spirit

No one's really feeling that spirit this year. Then again, I can't remember the last time anyone really felt anything exciting about this time of year. There's no pressure to be festive, but it takes such little effort not to be a total scrooge and wet blanket. Super little. Who knows, getting over yourselves for a couple weeks might become contagious and you might get five minutes of Christmas spirit this year.

So while we're getting over ourselves, enjoy a video. Do Muppets have more holiday cheer than we do? Obviously!

New Again?

As we all know last week at this time I was in the hospital. Since my release, I seem to have re-discovered some of the simpler joys in life. Here's some I've run into recently or hope to re encounter again soon:

• Turning up the radio and singing that crappy Lit or Blink 182 song that's always playing.
  
• Smiling at people for no particular reason.
• Laughing at memories.
• Planning on making new memories.
• Learning and telling jokes.
• Long distance sock sliding.
• Jazz hands.
  
• Headbanging to classic Testament.
• Reconnecting with KoRn.
  
•  Belching. Really belching.
• Admitting fault.
• Cheering for the Packers!
• Cooking.
• Driving below the speed limit. Below. Yes, below.
  
• Crayons.
• Sleeping in.
• Laughing hysterically at the news.
• Air drums.
• Doing the "WHAAAAAAT'S UUUUUP?" thing with my brother on the phone.
• Trying to out geek my Dad (which has become darn near impossible).
• Extra long hugs with my girl (love you, Janine). 
  

Remember the simple stuff, kids. Life is so wonderful, but so short. I know I say it a million times. Part of me recommends almost near to a near death experience so people can reconnect too. It really shouldn't have to come to that though. Maybe a gentle nudge from someone who did fearlessly stare into the eyes of death and scoffed.

If you find that person, let me know.

It Only Hurts When I Laugh

Needless to say, this made me hurt quite a bit.




Classic hat tip to Ben and Kristopher at Facebook for posting this.

What I Learned This Weekend

In random format:

• Hospital food still tastes terrible.
• The gallbladder is a small non vital organ that stores bile.
• Removing said non vital organ is a pain.
• Removing said non vital organ suddenly without warning is more painful.
• Vicodin helps with the pain.
• Janine is a godsend.
• I'm fortunate to have such a loving family and good friends.
• I am mortal.
• I will make better use of the time I have.

So Saturday morning I woke up with what I thought was some crazy gas pain. I tried to treat that with the usual measures, but that only made me nauseous. As the pain continued to get worse, I finally let Janine take me to Patient First to get checked out. After all, I was just anticipating some kind of shot for gas or something...

Once I got to the doctor, and after a quick poke of my stomach, he immediately knew I needed to get checked into a hospital right away and get my gall bladder scanned. So I checked into the hospital and sure enough after a cat scan, I had an enlarged gall bladder that needed to go right away.

The rest is kind of hazy, I just mostly remember going to bed that night, prepping for surgery, and waking up with a really sore throat. I can remember being in pretty rough shape and having Janine there the whole time. I kept thinking this whole time that it's not fair to her if I don't start taking care of myself. I owe her many years as I can give her.

And I will pay up.

I got home this afternoon. Now to recover from my first surgery since my appendix was removed some 25 years ago. Hopefully that fulfills my surgery quota for one lifetime.