What. The. HIZZLE?
Leap Year Lunacy? Yesterday was totally weird.
I was stoned all morning, as though I was on Benadrool. But I wasn't. I couldn't think straight, could get much work done, couldn't seem to get it in gear at all. Which was a bummer, because it was shaping up to be quiet at work and I had some long term projects to work on. Then the phone guys came. To make a long story short, my first day at work (Jan 3rd) I declared that we'd be overhauling the phone system to make it customer and user friendly. 2 months later, it's still not done, and for the past few weeks this is because of heinous customer service from our phone vendor. When they came to finally make the actual changes (again), I'm told that what I wanted, what we'd been discussing with them for weeks, couldn't be done. I had to choose either this, that, or the other. None of the options sounded right, and on top of all the other things they screwed up I couldn't believe that I was being put in the position to make this decision RIGHT NOW because they were FINALLY HERE and ready to make the changes. I was upset and I let them know I was upset and I let them know in a calm but disappointed tone (I think) exactly why I was upset. I asked that they give me 10 minutes to consult my boss (who's in Wisconsin). I called her and gave her the short version, that we had to choose either a, b, or go with another vendor (I'd expressed my disappointment in 3 consecutive management meetings now and had the business card of another phone system service vendor). As boss & I talked, I was told the phone guys left. They told one of my team "Tell Chris to find another vendor". They walked out. They declared, in not so many words, that I was such a bad customer they didn't want my business. And I understand they've HAD our business for some time now. Weird.
I've known those customers, the ones so bad you don't want their business. I've told them so to their face (customer: "I'll never buy another Honda!" Chris: "Promise?"). But I can't imagine that on my worst day I am that customer. I'm not irate, I don't yell, I don't threaten or intimidate. I asked everyone there (small office, everyone hears everything) and they said I was calm & reasonable.
I suspect there are two things going on here. First, I'm slowly learning that I can't hold our vendors to the same standards of customer service I hold myself and my team to for our own customers. This is unfortunate, and I'm honestly not ready to accept it's a reality. So we'll see on that one. Second -- and this is from AK not me -- apparently I can be a really big scary serious bald man. :(. I don't FEEL big or scary. But I am serious when I'm serious. And I am bald. She says I'm like the muppet Sweetums. . .
. . . the monster who doesn't know he's a monster. I don't think I like this. We'll see how that goes.
Anyway THEN the bottom falls out of the reality market for the rest of February 29th. Then the phones light up and everythings bad and everything's right now and oh my gizzle this that and the other. It was hands down the craziest few hours I've ever spent at my new job. And everyone ELSE in my life was panic-themed too . . .
AK spent yesterday afternoon having the e-mail equivalent of a shouting match with THE PRESIDENT OF ONE OF HER CLIENT COMPANIES! This is SO not like AK. She did the right thing, see, something went weird somewhere, and people all got pissy and mad. So she stood up for herself and said DAMMIT I WASN'T DOING ANYTHING WEIRD OR PISSY I WAS DOING -- AND I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE NORM IN OUR INDUSTRY -- THE RIGHT AND HONEST THING TO DO IN THIS SITUATION!. It all sorted out by the end of the day, but still. Who are you pod people and when are you bringing my wife back?
Gramma Gaye did something -- and we don't know what -- we think maybe something terribly offensive and personally against her podiatrist like *gasp* NEGLECTING TO PUT LOTION ON HER FEET -- to tick off her podiatrist. As retaliation, her podiatrist did something to her feet that caused her to bleed in her socks all day. What the fizzle, people?
Is it just us? Did anyone else have a totally surreal February 29th?
I was hoping it was all over. However, I've been out-of-it all morning again. I did some stuff for Gramma this morning and she is also "rummy" as she puts it. I had to growl/bark at the two college boys who boldly cut right in front of me at the symphony ticket office this morning (this is what reminded me of the Sweetums Dilemma, as I walked out and they apologized for the 2nd time I thought "Hm, you'd have think they saw a monster the way they reacted. . . "). And AK's just reported that not only did she have a typically heinous customer service issue at Wal-Mart just now. . . but she boldly confronted the Customer Service people and waited while her issue was addressed and personally apologized for. Is it us? Are we uppitty? Have we reached our tolerance for unacceptable paid services? Is it the barometer? Is Mercury retrograde? Is it the end of the world as we know it?
We'll see. I have to go pick up Ben and Milo from Emma's birthday party, so any number of unthinkable things may be reported at that time. Then Max and I go see a local production of "The King and I" this evening. More potential for weirness, weirdiosity and utter weirditude.
I was stoned all morning, as though I was on Benadrool. But I wasn't. I couldn't think straight, could get much work done, couldn't seem to get it in gear at all. Which was a bummer, because it was shaping up to be quiet at work and I had some long term projects to work on. Then the phone guys came. To make a long story short, my first day at work (Jan 3rd) I declared that we'd be overhauling the phone system to make it customer and user friendly. 2 months later, it's still not done, and for the past few weeks this is because of heinous customer service from our phone vendor. When they came to finally make the actual changes (again), I'm told that what I wanted, what we'd been discussing with them for weeks, couldn't be done. I had to choose either this, that, or the other. None of the options sounded right, and on top of all the other things they screwed up I couldn't believe that I was being put in the position to make this decision RIGHT NOW because they were FINALLY HERE and ready to make the changes. I was upset and I let them know I was upset and I let them know in a calm but disappointed tone (I think) exactly why I was upset. I asked that they give me 10 minutes to consult my boss (who's in Wisconsin). I called her and gave her the short version, that we had to choose either a, b, or go with another vendor (I'd expressed my disappointment in 3 consecutive management meetings now and had the business card of another phone system service vendor). As boss & I talked, I was told the phone guys left. They told one of my team "Tell Chris to find another vendor". They walked out. They declared, in not so many words, that I was such a bad customer they didn't want my business. And I understand they've HAD our business for some time now. Weird.
I've known those customers, the ones so bad you don't want their business. I've told them so to their face (customer: "I'll never buy another Honda!" Chris: "Promise?"). But I can't imagine that on my worst day I am that customer. I'm not irate, I don't yell, I don't threaten or intimidate. I asked everyone there (small office, everyone hears everything) and they said I was calm & reasonable.
I suspect there are two things going on here. First, I'm slowly learning that I can't hold our vendors to the same standards of customer service I hold myself and my team to for our own customers. This is unfortunate, and I'm honestly not ready to accept it's a reality. So we'll see on that one. Second -- and this is from AK not me -- apparently I can be a really big scary serious bald man. :(. I don't FEEL big or scary. But I am serious when I'm serious. And I am bald. She says I'm like the muppet Sweetums. . .
. . . the monster who doesn't know he's a monster. I don't think I like this. We'll see how that goes.
Anyway THEN the bottom falls out of the reality market for the rest of February 29th. Then the phones light up and everythings bad and everything's right now and oh my gizzle this that and the other. It was hands down the craziest few hours I've ever spent at my new job. And everyone ELSE in my life was panic-themed too . . .
AK spent yesterday afternoon having the e-mail equivalent of a shouting match with THE PRESIDENT OF ONE OF HER CLIENT COMPANIES! This is SO not like AK. She did the right thing, see, something went weird somewhere, and people all got pissy and mad. So she stood up for herself and said DAMMIT I WASN'T DOING ANYTHING WEIRD OR PISSY I WAS DOING -- AND I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE NORM IN OUR INDUSTRY -- THE RIGHT AND HONEST THING TO DO IN THIS SITUATION!. It all sorted out by the end of the day, but still. Who are you pod people and when are you bringing my wife back?
Gramma Gaye did something -- and we don't know what -- we think maybe something terribly offensive and personally against her podiatrist like *gasp* NEGLECTING TO PUT LOTION ON HER FEET -- to tick off her podiatrist. As retaliation, her podiatrist did something to her feet that caused her to bleed in her socks all day. What the fizzle, people?
Is it just us? Did anyone else have a totally surreal February 29th?
I was hoping it was all over. However, I've been out-of-it all morning again. I did some stuff for Gramma this morning and she is also "rummy" as she puts it. I had to growl/bark at the two college boys who boldly cut right in front of me at the symphony ticket office this morning (this is what reminded me of the Sweetums Dilemma, as I walked out and they apologized for the 2nd time I thought "Hm, you'd have think they saw a monster the way they reacted. . . "). And AK's just reported that not only did she have a typically heinous customer service issue at Wal-Mart just now. . . but she boldly confronted the Customer Service people and waited while her issue was addressed and personally apologized for. Is it us? Are we uppitty? Have we reached our tolerance for unacceptable paid services? Is it the barometer? Is Mercury retrograde? Is it the end of the world as we know it?
We'll see. I have to go pick up Ben and Milo from Emma's birthday party, so any number of unthinkable things may be reported at that time. Then Max and I go see a local production of "The King and I" this evening. More potential for weirness, weirdiosity and utter weirditude.
posted by Chris at
1:22 PM
1 Comments:
Dear Mr. Bald Dude,
Have your wife email about her Wal-Mart experience, if she has a moment please. I own LOTS of stock for myself and our clients. It might make a difference.
Danka schein. Or something like that.
Risha
Post a Comment
<< Home