Ok, this is a good place for my computer stories:

1. Waited 45 minutes on phone for tech help. "We at Dell know your time is valuable. We are experiencing high call volume. A representative will assist you shortly" repeated 90 times in a blastingly loud and tinny recorded voice. Then tech help came on and was very impatient. He asked me to pull out and then reconnect all the computer plugs. Unfortunately, I pulled out the phone plug as well, and got disconnected. BTW, one of the first things he asked was "what is your phone # so I can call you back if we get disconnected?" Does ANYONE here think he called back?

2. I took the computer into BestBuy to save the contents of my hard drive before installing a new one. The next day I got a call from tech help (and the Geek Squad is great!) saying that I had 10x more files than would fit on a disk, and what did I want to do? I decided to buy an external hard drive to put the info on, and I specified which one and asked if I should pay for the extra drive now. "No, just pay for it when you pick up your computer." When I came for the computer 2 days later, the external drive had gone up $50 (it had been on sale.) The cashier couldn't change the price. The geek guy wanted to give me the price but didn't have the authority. The floor manager came out and gave me this whole 20 minute song and dance about sale prices and how they couldn't charge over the phone, even though when my files were transferred to the drive, it essentially was mine.

Then I got on the store phone to corporate customer service (at least 15 minutes wait.) The guy was giving me the same song/dance routine for 15 more minutes. Finally I said, "If I wanted to waste my time dealing with management with an intransigent attitude, I would've gone to Frye's (a local competitor). BestBuy has a good reputation, and frankly, you're not living up to it." All of a sudden he got nicer. He said if I couldn't resolve the issue in-store, he'd send me a gift $50 certificate. So he gave me the names of the head manager, head of that store's customer service, and a few other people.

When I called the head manager, he was very nice and said to come back to the store and he'd take care of it. Which he did, simply and swiftly, by keying in "price match." Which the floor manager could've done without wasting all my time.

SEE? SEE? This is why we are ALL going back to small businesses...the giants are hiring anybody who can wear a white shirt and black tie, or a blue apron. It doesn't matter if they can speak English or not, or whether they have a record as serial killer, just so they show up and they have a quota of reps on the floor.

You? Who are you, Mr. and Mrs. Customer? Who the heck do you think you are interrupting the cashier at the grocery store as she relives Saturday night to the girl/boy/mutant bagging your groceries. How dare you insist she pay attention to YOUR order as she swipes the same item five times!

How dare you ask one of those people wearing the apron that says, "My job is to help YOU!" which aisle the baby food is on. Can't you read the sea of signs above your head? The ones that haven't been changed since the store opened and DON'T HAVE THE ITEMS LISTED THERE ON THAT PARTICULAR AISLE? HOW DARE YOU....

How dare you ask for a refund Kathy after you have done everything but give that woman FREE service....all in order to help her accomplish her dream of owning her own biz....just so she can bite the hand that FED HER.

Sigh....yeah, how dare we?

Do ANY of these people EVER stop and think where THEY would be if we didn't dare?

Sorry....but it's time we forced CUSTOMER SERVICE to be a real thing.

Anne, may the fleas of a thousand camels fly up her nose.

Amen to small businesses. I love supporting them this time of year. There are certain items I need to get at Macy's or Best Buy, but when there's a chance to buy from small businesses, I'm all over it. I've gotten quite a few gifts from small businesses this year. And they are some of my favorite ones. Seems I can usually find really neat, different gifts in small stores.

I was in a big department store the other night and, naming no names but it rhymes with CHEERS, was looking around the appliance area, along with several other shoppers. Nary a salesperson in sight. When I had made my decision, I couldn't find a boxed-up version of the item in view and had to hunt down a salesperson. There they were, four of them, chatting to each other off in a corner (and NOT about business, either, just social chitchat). I finally pried one loose to handle the sale.

What really blew my mind is that these were NOT teenagers, but four middle-aged adults. I know these people work on commission. Here it was, Christmas-shopping time when more sales are made for small appliances than any other time of the year, and they were completely unaware of their customers. I don't get it.

They don't C-A-R-E. Period. They are just drawing a paycheck. The work ethics of yesteryear have gone down the toilet. I thank the good Lord above that I taught my children to C-A-R-E! They both have excellent work habits and are kind to their elders, children, and animals. I count myself blessed.

But let's give a cheer to Publix grocery store. I went in there the other night looking for Cedarlane frozen foods. This would save me from going to Wally World...which you KNOW I hate! I couldn't find them and asked a young clerk (two boys stocking shelves). He said "I think they are over there" as he points to the aisle two over from us. I said, "Could you show me? I've looked and can't find them." Instead of looking disgusted because I had interrupted them, he said, "Sure!" We both looked and couldn't find them and I noticed him slip away. I thought, "So much for that!"

A few minutes later, here comes a manager. He says, "My worker tells me you're trying to find ___". I said yes. He said, we're out right now. Would you mind stopping by the counter on your way out? I said no, no problem...he also recommended another brand and said it was as good as Cedarlane so I bought a couple of them. He was right! They are called AMY.

Anyway, I stopped by the counter and he showed me where he had placed an order for Cedarlane, just for me. He took my home phone number and said he would call as soon as they came in.

CUSTOMER SERVICE is alive and well, living in Madison, AL....THANK YOU PUBLIX!

I feel the same way about the Harris Teeter supermarkets. I absolutely HATE grocery shopping, but their stores are always clean, bright, well-stocked, and loaded with helpful clerks - at least the two stores near me are. Sadly, they are also a more expensive grocery store....

Wow JJ, did you pinch yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming...

I wrote a letter of complaint to the pres. of a grocery store where I shopped. He actually came to my house with two beautiful steaks! Can you believe it? It was a very serious issue that he wanted resolved.

This kind of fits in here. I had a rather bizarre thing happen while Christmas shopping at the mall today. First, I did a lot of shopping and encountered smiles and pleasant customer service everywhere I went, which made the day much easier to get through. Secondly, I went into the office supply store to buy some printer cartridges (they're on someone's Christmas list), and decided to go with the compatible store brand. When I got to the cashier, I was informed that because I bought two store brand cartridges, I would get a free Lexmark printer. Now is that bizarre or what??! I couldn't believe it, and started laughing. I wouldn't be so surprised at getting a free cartridge if I bought a printer, but getting a free printer because I bought two cartridges? LOL. Anyway, I asked him "what's WRONG with the printer to make you give them away like this?" His face reddened a bit and he said, "oh they're great little printers - refurbished, but they work!"

So hubby was delighted, until I told him we couldn't give a "refurbished" printer away as a Christmas gift - we can still give it away, just not as a gift!