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If you're like me, and the reason you're calling Customer Service isn't one of the menu options, you press the one most likely to lead to a human and cross your fingers. While we're on hold don't discuss anything too personal (I have it on good authority that if you hear "This call may be recorded for quality assurance" prior to being put on hold, everything you say while on hold is in fact recorded) and follow me below the orange muzak cloud after a word from our sponsor...
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We all dread calling Customer Service... umm... we do, right? Voice menu hell followed (hopefully) by someone attempting to help us with our query. It seems like such a simple thing, and yet it often is anything but straightforward. I bring tonight two of my recent calls to Customer Service, and invite you to share your own experiences in the comments! And if there are any Customer Service Representatives out there, we'd love to hear your side of the call!
The First Tale:
K2 took cello lessons through his elementary school last year, and because it was easy we rented his instrument via the company the school brought in at the Fall Rental Night. We signed a "Trial Agreement" that let us keep the instrument until the end of the school year. We knew from prior experience with K1's viola that if you didn't return it by July 1 or sign another agreement, you transferred to a Rent-to-Own contract and were billed monthly.
Fast forward to June 11th, when we get email from the Music Director attaching a letter from Rental Company stating the last pickup at school would be June 26th and if your child wasn't going to rent next year, to call for return instructions. I call and am told to take it to the local branch of the store. Which I do on June 22nd, only to be told that there's a $47 'balance' because I was Five Days Late returning the instrument and now it was a monthly Rent-to-Own contract. Branch manager is highly sympathetic, being the guy who replaced said cello when K2 kicked it accidentally and destroyed the bridge, but in his words "we're musicians, but the billing folks in MD are accountants and bureaucrats." He tells me he'll contact the local guy who does the pick up at school returns and I should expect a call soon to fix the late return charge.
June 29th I get a robocall voicemail from Rental Company saying it is Very Important I call immediately. I do, and after the initial pulling up of my account, the conversation with the Customer Service Rep (CSR) went something like this:
CSR (who sounds like Archetypal Grandma from central casting): OK, I've got your account. What seems to be the issue?
Me: I got a call from you this morning, about the mistake you guys made about a late return charge?
CSR: I didn't call you.
Me: I didn't mean YOU personally, but I got a call from Rental Company.
CSR: We did NOT call you! That was a computer that called you, we did not call you.
::stares at phone::
Me: I'd like to clear up the mistaken late rental charge.
CSR: I'm sorry dear, I'll make a note in your file that you called.
::the fuck?::
Me: You do that. ::hangs up::
Sorting through mail last week post-NN15, I see both a bill for the $47 and a letter stating that they attempted to charge the credit card I had on file but it was declined, and it was vital I kept a current card on file. Sooo, armed with all the paperwork, I called again and got a CSR who was NOT Archetypal Grandma.
CSR: Can I help you?
Me: ...mistaken charge... no mention anywhere of early return date... breach of contract...
CSR: One moment, let me take a look at our records... I've taken care of that and your account is zeroed out and closed. Is there anything else I can do for you?
The Second Tale:
K2 takes a monthly medication that must be obtained via a 'specialty pharmacy'. As we learned in January when our health insurance went from a traditional copay version to a high-deductible HSA where until we hit our personal and out of pocket maximums everything is paid by us, this item goes for $2100 in January and drops to a mere $500 when you've hit the personal limit. So when it hadn't arrived by this afternoon (and in 18 months it's never been later than noon except during Snowpocalypse when I had the foresight to ship it to the local pharmacy) I called to check on it. NO menu options were available for 'If your shipment has not arrived' so I picked the one I use to order each month:
Very chipper CSR: Can I help you?
Me: Yes, I called for a refill yesterday and it hasn't arrived yet.
CSR: I can help with that, let me check the tracking.... It shows as out for delivery.
Me: Well, it never comes this late and it's awfully hot outside (it was just over 90F)
CSR: Well, UPS has until 7pm to deliver, and it is on ice.
Me: Umm no, it's NOT on ice, it's shipped at room temp.
CSR: I show it as being sent on ice.
Me: Unless it's been reformulated since June, it's NOT on ice.
CSR: let me check... you are right, my screen is in error, it was shipped room temp.
Me: Yes. And given it's been in a hot UPS truck all day, is it still viable when it gets here?
CSR: Let me check ... ::very long hold:: ... I have Neil, our pharmacist, on the line
Neil: That item is stable at extended room temperature, between 55-88F.
Me: At the price for that item, I'm not willing to trust it after a day in the UPS truck above 90F. Can you reship it for tomorrow morning?
Neil: We can do that, and would you like us to put it on ice?
::stares at phone::
Me: Remember how we just said it's stable between 55-88F? Ice is colder than that.
Neil: Well, I don't see how we're going to ship it to you and have it stay at those temperatures.
Me: Can we ship it overnight tonight with a guaranteed AM delivery time? That way it won't be too hot when it's delivered?
Neil: We can, or we can ship it to your local pharmacy.
Me: Is that going to change the time or temperature control of the delivery?
Neil: No, but in case you aren't home ::trails off::
Me: I will be home.
Neil: Are you sure you don't want it on ice, in case it's not delivered until later in the day?
Me: ::very slowly with small words:: I. Don't. Want. Ice. And if it's not delivered in the morning, then you've got an issue to pick with your delivery service.
Neil: true. We'll ship that out for AM delivery. Now, when the other shipment arrives, please refuse it.
Me: I can't know that I'll be here, and since no signature is required they usually toss it at the house and run.
Neil: Well, try.
So I left a note on the door stating I was refusing the shipment and to KNOCK. It's 9pm, no knock, no package. I will assume they took it back.
That's my two recent calls for customer service, got some to share below? While you're waiting, please enjoy BeninSC's excellent formatting of what you really come here for, the three Tops!
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
From The Marti:
We have such a good time in the PWB Pootie Diaries, but the comments rarely get nominated for Top Comments.
Today, though...this comment from River Rover touched my heart and made me smile!
"Love is a many whiskered thing."
From mrsgoo:
It isn't Bernie Sanders's responsibility to push or pull other candidates, as NonnyO explains so well!
From HappyinNM:
Another painful explanation of how African Americans keep being murdered by police officers. Found here.
by Save the Mitten
Wow. Just wow.
From KDfrAZ:
Denise Oliver Velez shared a message the Reverend Dr. William Barber sent to NC Governor Pat McCrory. It's well worth reading. Also worth reading is the thread following this comment, by MixedBag, that gets into the need for both political and outside-of-politics leadership.
From BeninSC:
In my Top Comments diary last night on Southern 'heritage' (and heritage in general!), urnumbersix wrote a stunning comment on racial factors in the Jeffrey Dahmer case in Milwaukee. Compelling argument. I think it could make a fine diary.
From expatjourno:
In this comment, The Dead Man reveals why it is taking weeks and months for Hillary Clinton to release her policy stances.
From Yours Truly, brillig:
An interesting question by Uwaine with replies by TrueBlueMajority and aimeehs are just one of many in Kwik's compelling Today, I Saw Why It's Vitally Important For Me and Other Black People To Serve On Juries.
Top Mojo for Monday, July 27, 2015, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary
FAQing Top Mojo.
1) More backlash needs to happen. by Raggedy Ann +199
2) She Was Awesome! by unapologeticliberal777 +189
3) And this is the southern culture represented by by cany +188
4) Ahh, can you feel post racial amerikkka? by rexymeteorite +184
5) its not just southern by rexymeteorite +148
6) A real charmer, should be fired for impersonating by LaFeminista +143
7) It's something I refer to as the rural/urban split by ontheleftcoast +138
8) So, you think people won't support Bernie, even if by Bad Cog +137
9) This is getting really absurd by fat old man +110
10) The contest is between monopoly and by hannah +106
11) Australia got the better deal by Major Kong +104
12) If they don't like the government... by markthshark +94
12) Wow by PsychoSavannah +94
14) And, don't believe the spin. Hillary owns this! by bobswern +93
15) His actions speak for themselves by Snapple +91
15) This needs to go to the FBI by winglion +91
17) The solution is simple by Quabbin +90
18) I really hate the way Hillary triangulates by aboutmri +88
19) In the battle of passion vs. obligation by El American +87
20) So not right, a child's birthday party! by winglion +83
21) oregon here too by rwiley +82
22) Memo to the by T Maysle +80
23) They really don't. by Lysis +79
24) Clearly these comments are compeltely unacceptable by xxdr zombiexx +78
24) Why was she arrested at all? by anastasia p +78
26) He was hoping to kill her. Straight up. by pajoly +73
27) I'm looking for data in your diary and your links by Lysis +72
28) And why were the cops holding back by deben +70
29) "in spite of"? by Armando +68
29) My son works in corrections in WI by agnostic +68
2015-07-28 Top Comments with Pictures, courtesy of
jotter!