Bad Customer Service

It's been one of those days. Have you ever noticed that when you have an "issue" and it could be easily fixed with good customer service, and it isn't, it chews up your entire day?

Yep, my day is almost consumed by one simple issue. You wanna hear it? I'll keep it brief.

I am going to Atlanta next week for my company's national conference. I booked a hotel, that was giving a corporate discount to our 10,000 reps who will be deluging Atlanta. A friend also booked a room. We have several of us going so we are looking to save pennies and pack four per room. Turns out, some can't go because airfare is outrageous.

Last week, I called this national chain hotel and asked what their cancellation policy is, and what the deadlines are. I was told 48 hours, "No later than the 12th at midnight." Gotcha. Gotta to back to my group and see who is going to do what and who needs to cancel their room.

My friend and I decide I will keep my room, she will cancel hers. No go. Not this morning when she calls to cancel it. It's suddenly a seven day cancellation policy, and she will be charged a "full night's stay deposit, nonrefundable." Umm....that is $171. No.

I get on the phone and ask what happened to my specific call on July 2nd to ask this very question, and my answer was different. Apparently because I didn't take down the guy's name, and they have no record of the call, they can't help me. Too bad so sad, "I do apologize." Ummm...folks, this chick has been in customer service for 20+ years. Everything is fixable.

I am mad. Myself and my friend are looking at paying almost $200 because of information given to us from this company. Not acceptable at all. If I had known it was a seven day cancellation policy, obviously I would have made this decision before the seven days. Like even maybe on the 2nd when I originally called! Imagine that.

I ask the gal to give me her manager, and this is how that call went:
Me: Let me speak to your supervisor.
Her: I am the supervisor.
Me: Then fix this.
Her: I can't.
Me: Then give me the name of the person who signs your paycheck.
Her: Here is her number, and here is her voicemail.
Me: No, then give me someone who will actually take my call and not just ignore my angry voicemail I leave them.
Her: Well, I can connect you with the hotel directly in Atlanta, but I am told they are firm on these policies and it will most likely be no.
Me: Then get me someone who can fix this.
Her: Ummmmm......

And so on. And so on. And so on. That is the summary of about 40 minutes of wrangling. Got me no where.

Talked to the manager at the Atlanta hotel. Guess what? Here is how this conversation went:

Me: I want to cancel one of these rooms without penalty based upon the policy I was quoted on July 2nd.
Mgr: (puts me on hold and comes back) I am not sure what the problem is. I just looked at this corporate contract and it is a 48 hour cancellation policy. Not sure why you were told any differently or why you were told we wouldn't honor that.

And that is the summary of two hours of my life this morning. By the way, I won't be staying at a Hilton anytime again soon.

Still haven't heard from the gal who signs the paychecks either. I saw that cat coming down the road a mile away.

Call CSI

Hey, AM, whatcha doing? Canning cherries? How cool. How messy can that be?

















Apparently bloody messy!

P.S. None of that is real blood. It's all cherry juice.

Let's Not Forget Why We're Here

Let's not forget why we celebrate with bbq's, fireworks, too much libation, and joy. The freedom we celebrate has been bought and paid for at a great price. Our forefathers were geniuses to put this document together and I am thankful for that centuries later.

As we watch votes goes through our federal and state capitals our legislators need to remember what is written in this document. Please send a note and remind them of that. Freedom. Democracy. Free market. Choice (except for one, you all who know me).

Let us remember the risk, fear and consternation our forefathers were experiencing as they sat down to sign this document. It was scary. It was drawing a line in the sand with England and saying "Don't cross this." Signing that document put a bounty on their heads. It meant war with a country that didn't lose wars. I am so grateful for every single bold man who put his name on this document. I reap the benefits for their bravery to this day and every day.

Click here for a list of the sacrifices these amazing men made with only a vision of what democracy looked like. Amazing, visionary men.

I wish all of you a blessed, reflective, wonderful, safe, family holiday. We have much to be thankful for, and much to protect in this document.

Summer Camp 2009...In the Bag

The Camp

Enjoying the tree swing.

BH's reaction to experiencing his first road kill skunk.

First day figuring out cabin assignments.

Even though BH didn't go, he sure enjoyed drop off and pick up day.

Meeting the cool counselors.

JM's cool cabin. Much more comfortable than the wagons with tarps last year.

The awesome boys from our church who got to go together.

One Big Lesson Learned

Okay, one more post on this whole virtual school fiasco, and we'll move onto because my summer has officially begun now that Governor Ted has it on his desk.

How could whole thing been averted? I think there is one answer to it. You're also hearing rumblings about this very issue with the whole Cap and Trade controversy.

Make it mandatory that any state or federal legislator be required to read the entire bill they are about to vote on from start to finish. Of course, that would have made the whole hasty Cap and Trade vote recently done take another week since the bill itself is 1,000+ pages.

Why do I think this would have helped our "cause" in this whole virtual school thing? Simple answer--legislators would not have taken Laurie Wimmer's word for it that this bill doesn't shut down schools. They would have seen it. It also wouldn't have been the scandalous revelation when it was shown that this bill's intention was to shut down virtual schools. She could easily have retorted to the accusations, "But you were required to read this, so why is this a surprise?" It would have given her the out she needed to save face and possibly her job.

We, as parents and virtual school administrators, sat in hearings and meetings saying until we were blue in the face saying this would have shut down schools mainly by the dwindling effect of the harsh enrollment cap neatly ensconced in this bill and it's amendments. No democrat, minus about 4 total, believed us. Since we have a super majority in our capital, that didn't cut it at all.

But had every single legislator read the bill, I do believe many many more would have seen the verbiage and we would not have hit the drastic and dramatic state we hit at the end of this bill.

It also may have cost Laurie Wimmer her credibility, and possibly even her job. I am guessing since we all saw the new power suited up woman being groomed at the capital a few days ago for Laurie's job, Laurie's job description has at the very least, changed. I feel bad for her because this isn't a great economy to be looking for work in the education field. But honestly, shame on her for sneaking in legislation on a bill based on her knowledge that legislators don't read bills.

I think it's a good idea to have them read each one. Thoughts?