customer service, part 2

Maybe it's because I've worked in the "customer service" industry all of my working life...  Maybe it's because I pride myself on providing a good customer service experience, that I have grown to expect it back in return... Here's a story...

A number of weeks ago, Chris received a tag from the post office in the mail re: a parcel for me that required a signature for delivery.  As the tag indicated, he went to the post office before the office closed to pick it up.  It was a Friday afternoon, approximately 10 minutes to 5.  The office closed at 5:00.  He waited his turn in line behind another customer who had a number of parcels to send in the mail.  Spying the tag for the parcel in Chris' hand, the post office clerk advised if he was only there to get a parcel, she could pop back to get it for him.  She checked with her current customer to see if it was ok if she left her for a moment to do so, and the customer agreed without hesistation.  So far, pretty good customer service, no?

The postal clerk goes back to where the parcels are stored, and soon returns, the parcel in her hand, and a grimace on her face, "I'm sorry, I can't give this to you now.  It requires a signature, and we close at 5pm. You'll have to come back for it".

Chris: "But the parcel is right in your hand".

Clerk: "I'm sorry, sir; I'm in the middle of helping this customer, and we close at 5".

Chris: "But I entered this location before 5; you have my parcel in your hand".

Clerk: "I'm sorry" (with very little apology in her tone).

Meanwhile, the other customer who was being assisted looks extremely uncomfortable.  Chris, still in shock that the clerk couldn't interrupt the job she was doing to take the thirty seconds it would take to enter the code on the box and have him scribble his John Hancock.  I mean, really....she could easily have said the parcel wasn't in his name, and she'd only release it to the addressee, that would have been swallowable.... She obviously had a hot date and needed to skat out of there at 5:00hrs 01 secs.  UNREAL.  I dunno where she learned her service ettiquette, but when I was being taught the ways of the customer service world, I was taught to clear the queue, or clear the store before the shift ended.  NOT push the customer out the door as your shift ended on the time clock and you didn't have 'time' to help his/her concern.

"weight" just a minute!

Remember how avid a watcher of American Idol I've been?  Well.  This season, scheduling conflicts have interfered with my routine, and I've only caught bits and pieces so far.  Today, I have quit the show.  Why? you ask? Well, I shall tell you.  See the photo to the right*?  I've borrowed it from Mix FM's website.

This pretty, young girl won a radio contest to participate in the AI audience.

She was banned from the front row....

...........

...because she was....

 "too big". 

I'm purely, utterly, and absolutely appalled, and disgusted. 

Sadly, society as a whole has made it so that one's size dictates their 'worth' or their 'well-being'; or, what 'we want to look at', or 'what we want to be'.  And it's wrong.  So very wrong.  Growing up a little fluffier than the average gal, I know the heartache, humiliation, and torture society can place on a person for being overweight.  And it's about damn time we break the silence and say collectively that this IS NOT RIGHT. C'mon, ya'll, get on up here on my soapbox and join me, would you!??

*http://www.mymixfm.com/blogs/post/savery/2011/apr/12/american-idol-says-girl-was-too-fat-sit-front/

P.S.A.*

WHY do people figure they can get everything they want for free?  WHY do amateurs undercut the professionals? I love what this guy has to say, and I wholeheartedly agree!  Don't you?

*language warning, you know, if you're browsing my blog at work or something ;).

A rant

I might be slightly biased, but I think Chris does great work.  He's come a long way at pursuing his passion for photography, and I think his work speaks for itself.  The profession itself is a tough market.  A very tough market.  In an age where technology has made a small pocket-sized digital camera inexpensive, and capable, taking decent pictures can be a fairly easy task once you get a quick tutorial on how all the buttons and settings work (especially if you leave it on "auto" and let the camera 'do it for you', right? ;)).  Everywhere you look there are ads, or facebook groups for new "photography" sites, and new "professional photographers".  What? So you bought yourself a new DSLR camera?  And you just took it out of the plastic?  Well, of course that now makes you a professional!  Go on out there and register yourself a domain and then, *poof*, you now can offer professional services for your 'craft'!  After all, for every good camera, a good picture makes, right? {insert eye roll here}

I do not claim to know the ins and outs of proper methods of exposure, or ISO settings, or white balance, or aperture.  I can, after a few helpful hints from Chris over the years, view a photo with a bit more critical eye.  I can appreciate the rule of thirds.  I know it's important to make your subject stand out in the photo and to ensure that you don't have your subject stand in front of distracting objects (ie, don't stand right in front of a tree...otherwise, you look like you have branches growing out of your noggin).  I also know that if I was to inherit a hand-me-down DSLR camera from Chris one day, that I would in no way shape or form be willing to market myself as a pro.  I'd love to study more, and maybe someday assist Chris - who knows, maybe someday a family business, perhaps?  But I digress...

Without calling out any names, because I don't feel that's professional (pardon the pun), after all, this is a very public forum. However, I do have a story (and I apologize in advance for the lengthy, wordy post).  An acquaintance of an acquaintance bought him/herself a decent camera.  He/she took photos as a hobby, and over time learned a little bit about photography.  Truth be told, this person learned a lot from a photography forum...the evidence of which apparent in the photos that would later be posted after specific 'how do you...' questions that he'd/she'd pose on the forum. It was a forum that Chris belonged to, and he replied to these 'how do you...' questions.  Chris is very encouraging when it comes to people curious about photography, and loves nothing more than lending out a helping hand (making him the perfect candidate to teach some photography basics at the Photo Bootcamps he puts on).

Anyway, so this 'acquaintance' then decided he/she wanted to try his/her hand at 'profesional' photography...Lo and behold, behind Chris' back, this individual ended up stealing a work contract that Chris had worked himself the past 5-6 years.  The sad part? This 'acquaintance' considers him/herself a "friend" of Chris'.  To add insult to injury?  This 'acquaintance' landed a spot in one of his photography bootcamps, even!  Why would a "professional" photographer need a photography bootcamp - geared toward the amateur who wants to learn more about his/her camera?  Shouldn't this person already know the basics?  I mean, he or she has already labelled him/herself AS a photographer...even going so far as to say he/she'd been at the craft for a NUMBER OF YEARS on his/her professional photography website!  It just makes me crazy. 

This person gets on the defensive when offered constructive criticism by knowledgeable professionals and continues to spew out crap pictures that he/she's attempting to place out into the marketplace as "art".  He/she undercuts the other professionals out there...making it even harder for the real professionals to maintain the niche market that they may be used to.  The frustrating part?  Even those paying for the services don't realize the difference, it seems, between a good photo, and a mediocre or crap photo.  They see the price.  They go for what's cheaper...or, they think that quantity is better than quality.  Oh, so you give me 500 crap photos, with maybe 5 okay shots and this other gentleman over here offers me 30-40? (even though his all look really good)?  Well, dang, of course I'll go with the one that gives me the most for my money.  {Insert HUGE eye roll here}.

(*sigh*  Obviously I have a bit of passion for this topic...and perhaps I'm too close to the immediate subject to be even professing to have a valid opinion for it...but...I HAD to express myself before I literally imploded).

Need a good photographer that offers decent, competitive, wages and high quality product?  Please, send me a message.  I can recommend someone.

Bah!

I HATE MONDAYS!

That is all.

"I don't have pet peeves, I have whole kennels of irritation”*

In junior high I sat close to this guy named Rodney. He sniffed incessantly. It was like he had a perma-booger that was lodged in-between the inside of his nostril and the outside world. That, or perhaps he had super stuffed up sinuses. Regardless, it bugged me. A LOT. To the point that I had a hard time concentrating in class. Did I ask the teacher to move me though? Of course not. But, really...is that an acceptable reason to move your desk? Because of someone sniffing? Did I coyly pass him a tissue and beg of him to, 'blow!'? Well, no. Wouldn't that have been rude? Inside my young brain I guess I felt that eventually he'd realize it himself and he'd go retrieve his own tissue.

You see, I'm terrribly affected by repetitive, inane noises... a tap dripping...someone drumming their hands on a desk...clinking one's ring on a table...someone snoring...an answering machine or cell phone beeping over and over and over with an unheard message...nose whistles...snapping of gum, or better yet, chewing of gum with one's mouth open that makes that distinct 'chewing noise'...nose whistles (oh, did I already list that?)...

Repetitive noises such as these make me ragey. I really would be the perfect candidate for some sort of torture method whereby the victim is tightly bound and made listen to one of those noises on repeat. I wonder how long I would last before I decided to try to swallow my own tongue in an effort to make the noise stop? I can't be the only person out there like this, am I? Anyone else wanna fess up to being equally susceptible as I am? What do you do to cope? Do you make a physical effort to make the annoyance stop - like getting up and moving away from the noise, or telling someone to stop their damn chewing in your ear, or suck back the G.D. snot already? Or do you try to pretend it doesn't exist - imagine yourself on a faraway beach of white sands and turquoise waters, sipping on a frosty, umbrella drink? Maybe I need therapy.

*Quote by Whoopi Goldburg

Serenity??

Day 1 back to work after staycation
+ a full moon
+ issues with a Christmas gift delay requiring the purchase of a whole different gift entirely
+ having to listen to Celine Dion Christmas carols
= a less than "happy place" for yours truly.

*whimper*

"Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example"*

I woke up 45 minutes late today. When I woke up the house was a cool 13 degrees Celcius. Having to hop into the shower when it's THAT cold in the house is near torture. Sooo, since I started my day off being annoyed, I figured it fitting to continue my list of annoyances for your reading pleasure. See also this, this, and even this, if you're so inclined. I really am a nice person despite the bitchiness that is a little apparent in the postings. Hey, it's good to get it out, wha? And without further ado, the list goes on...

-videos buffering. It's.like.I.lose.extra.years.off.of.my.life.while.I.wait.for.the.g.d.thing.to.load.
-large lettuce leaves in my caesar salad (and why is it only caesar? Perhaps it's something I just don't know about. Is that particular form of rabbit food intended to be consumed with a knife and fork and not just a fork?)
-incessant nose whistles! I hate, hate, hate, hate that. I mean, seriously, can't you HEAR yourself? I instantly start sucking back imaginary snot myself trying to WILL the person to suck their own back to squelch the whistle. It never works, either.

-candid photos. I know, I know, they're "fun". Why always be 'posed'? Well, when you have more than one chin and a baker's dozen (rolls, that is) down your front it's very important to be strategically posed to try to cut down on the obvious. Standing in behind a large tree also helps.

-when people say, "for all intensive purposes". It's FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, people! You try to sound intelligent, but you just end up failing. Miserably.
-Since I'm on the topic of the English language, some major annoyances -- when people don't get the difference between your and you're, than and then or even they're/there/their. I've taken the liberty to link a few handy reference guides if you find yourself amongst them. I won't judge. Well, maybe I will. If you're a FB friend and you're (see what I just did there?) amongst those who are perpetually guilty of said offenses, I may have hidden you from view.

I could probably ramble on ad nauseam, but the morning comes early and since I already overslept today, and I've consumed a cup of Sleepytime Tea, methinks it's time I call it a night. This has been fun though. Feel free to add to the list in the comments ;). I just know I can't be the only one thinking these thoughts...

**EDIT: Because it's too important to not include and at the risk of sounding pompous and rude: 'IRREGARDLESS' IS NOT A WORD, PEOPLE! (Thanks Trudy ;) -- I totally meant to include that one).

*Mark Twain.

Money in, money out

It's payday. You know, the day that comes 'round on a bi-weekly basis where you feel super flush first thing in the morning, and then feel like a beggar by the afternoon?

Least that's payday for me.

Jeesh.

I may not eat for the next two weeks, but all the bills are paid.

That bites.

Probably one of my least happy places on earth is standing outside my cold car, in the cold, grasping the cold scraper in my bare hands, scraping my cold frosty windows for the first time of a new season.

BRRR.

Stay warm! xo

Pet Peeves -Numero Trois

Just when you thought the b!tchin was over......here's some more to provoke more thoughts:

- fake/phoniness - to the point of ad nauseam. I realize that by times, we all need to fake a little bit...it might be to satisfy the requirements of our job...it might be that we have to try to fake it so we believe it...but when every single word out of your mouth or motion to me is oozing in fake, it really makes me want to vomit. I'd rather you be rude than everything dripping in phoney.
- ME people. Yeah, I've added it to the first list, but it bothers me so, it needs to be reiterated again. I guess this also falls into the category of self-centeredness - both equally peeving. If I'm upset about my dog dying I don't really care that you cried at the ending of "Old Yeller". If I have a problem with a disc in my lower back I don't want to talk about the time you fell off your bike and sprained your ankle. If you want to empathize with me, fine, do it...don't put yourself into the middle of the conversation when you weren't there to begin with. ARRGH.
- people who interrupt me when I'm in the middle of saying something. I *hate* that. Years ago I did tech support for a piece of software. A lot of our customer-base was from the U.S., and one area was New York. They were the worst for that. WHY do you call a support line for assistance and NOT listen when the assistance is being attempted to be provided??
- traffic creepers - I see you. I failed to stop to let you out because I see you. Why must you keep pushing your nose through? If you hadn't done that I likely would have let you out. I'd have let you out to be considerate, seeing you sitting there, patiently. But, because you chose to stick out and keep pushing out slowly I will do my utmost to go past you and not let you out in front of me.
- radio stations who play "day" songs on the wrong day. WHY, why why play "Manic Monday" on a Wednesday - or any other day but Monday for that matter? That truly bugs me.

Too bad everyone in life can't be as perfect as me. Muahhhaaaahah.

Pet Peeves part deux

I have a few more pet peeves:
- people who don't know how to merge...you know the type...they STOP at the merge line and totally mess up the entire flow of traffic. I do try to avoid letting these people in front of me, but today I had no choice since the merge lane was so short.
- people who say the sentence, "is it hot enough for ya?". That totally irritates me. The other side, in the winter months, "is it cold enough for ya?", I find is just as irritating. Can you think of nothing better to say? If so, just keep your trap shut.
- people who chew with their mouth open. That's just gross.
- businesses who don't take care of their 'dead weight'. I don't care that this person worked at said establishment for 20 odd years or since the place opened; if he or she doesn't know his or her job then WHY should he or she still be on the payroll? It just boggles my mind.
- people who think that they can be rude, unreasonable and mean just to get their way, and the society that pushed it to that point by allowing it to happen.

So hi. Happy Tuesday! I'm here...and I'll use that loosely. Still recovering, maybe from my shenanigans on the weekend?? I dunno...I don't feel right, and that's all I can think of...headachey and just downright icky. It could possibly be the humidity, too - I usually suffer some pretty nasty headaches this time of year. No doctor was ever really able to figure it out. It's my week to work nights so that always means for a pretty dull week. I have a day shift tomorrow, though, on account of Melissa graciously trading with me so I could make my hair appointment! Yep, it's that time already...buh-bye greys once more. I cannot wait to lose some of this mess! Other than that, there's not much more excitement to report. Hard to believe, I know.

Grindin' my gears!

Happy Tuesday on a Wednesday (oooh how I love the short work week). I'm not going to comment on the day so far, as I don't wish to jinx it and end up with a day like yesterday.

I just felt compelled to post - I'll warn you, it's a 'complain-y' post. Herein I will list a few of my pet peeves, in no particular order:
- people who use the word 'wunt'. What the heck is that? Where did it come from, and why is it in the English language?
-"me people"; you know the type... you say something and the 'me people' have to follow everything up with something to make the conversation about them, even though it had absolutely nothing to do with them in the first place. Had I been prioritizing this list, this would have to be very close to the top.
- Tim Hortons' frequent changing up of their available food items. I hate this. Why not stick with something? I mean, I don't recall there ever NOT being a honey-dipped donut available. Why do you mess with me and take away the chocolate danish, and now, more recently (today! grrr), the banana nut muffin? I could see the strawberry tart thing, because there is a time and a season for strawberries. But I never see a banana shortage being announced. Nor a chocolate one for that matter. And further to that, the carrot muffin that replaced my banana nut one today sucked.
- failure to be given napkins in your drive-thru bag. Uh...HELLO...usually if someone goes thru the drive-thru that means they're in a hurry. It potentially means they're eating in the car en route to somewhere. It usually means they've ordered something messy, something greasy, that requires finger cleaning. Why leave us with nothing but our own devices? Or better yet...those that don't forget the nappie...but only give you ONE.
-lane makers; those impatient drivers who insist there is a right-turning lane when there really ISN'T. I have been very adept at ensuring that I'm over just enough that they can't get past me. I watch in the rearview mirror with glee at their frustration. I assume this gets me added to someone else's pet peeve list but at least I'm law-abiding. I've heard of too many accidents or near accidents where this has been the culprit.
- infrequent blog posters :) - maybe I'm alone in this, but those blogs that I have bookmarked I visit frequently....(ie, daily) checking for new posts to no avail. Please post more often. Sometimes I need an escape! (and as this remains a 'peeve' I am sooo trying to stay on top of my own blog!)
- people who chew food/gum on the phone - it's very easy to have a piece of gum in your mouth and not be obvious about it. Dental hygenists actually recommend it when you can't brush your teeth after a meal. However, if it's blantantly obvious that you're chewing it's just gross.
- bad customer service - maybe it's because I work in the customer service industry but I really dislike it when I'm not treated with mutual respect where I'm the customer. There's no need to be unpleasant - if you don't like your job, find a new one.

I could likely go on and on, but for now I'll close this to post, as my reading public needs a new post. We'll leave it an open-ended post that can be added to, or referred back to, at any given time.

Lates!