I am on Sylvia's side on that one, NO,we should NOT have to assemble anything we buy. Congratulations to that hardware store owner, where if you look at something and buy it, the owner assembles it for you free of charge. I think that store should tell the world where they are located, oh yes, in Aurora, right? I wish they were closer to my place. That store owner deserves a medal.
A few years ago I purchased a sort of tent gazebo...supposedly so easy to assemble that a child could do it. They forgot to say a genius kid yes might do it with some adjustments but not a 79 year old "kid at heart". Well I tried to follow the directions, you know the story:"if all fails, read the directions..." This did not help me a bit. The manufacturer had everything marked wrongly. So do you suppose that I would make a trip to China to get the thing replaced ? No, I threw it away in the garbage, the metal collector picked up the metal bares that had all the wrong fittings and the trash collection guys took the rest to the dump. I NEVER again looked at something that I had to put-together.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Since When Was It Our Job to Save Time For The Sellers?
You know how it goes. You buy a product and end up with a humungous box that you can barely carry and are told to "assembly it yourself".
Why? Because the sellers want to do two things... save time and make more money.
To heck with the buyer. Why not dump it on them? Sure, sellers want your business, but they don't want to do the work.
Whatever happened to the days when customer service was a number one priority? Now to me, that means providing the buyer with a product that is user friendly when it arrives at your doorstep. No assembly required.
Cripes, I bought a garden rake last year and I had to assemble it. What the heck is THAT about? They didn't even include the screw!
How lazy (and greedy) are these sellers anyway?
I don't know about you, but it sure would be a treat if manufacturers and retailers would put the "service" back into their lineup. You know how frustrating it can be trying to get stuff done. If you can't figure out how to assemble the product, they want you to pay them extra to do it for you.
Hello? It should have been done in the first place, before they shipped it or at least by the seller who would then assemble it.
Lazy and greedy. That's what businesses have become. Do they really care about their end users? I think not or you wouldn't have to spend hours sitting on hold waiting to get the service that would not have been necessary if they'd done their job right in the first place.
You know, there's an old family hardware store down the street from me. They are welcoming, friendly, helpful... and they assemble the products. Now THAT's what I call service!
Big companies could take a lesson from them.
(p.s: Thanks to our friend Geny for this topic idea!)
Sylvia
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.
.
Why? Because the sellers want to do two things... save time and make more money.
To heck with the buyer. Why not dump it on them? Sure, sellers want your business, but they don't want to do the work.
Whatever happened to the days when customer service was a number one priority? Now to me, that means providing the buyer with a product that is user friendly when it arrives at your doorstep. No assembly required.
Cripes, I bought a garden rake last year and I had to assemble it. What the heck is THAT about? They didn't even include the screw!
How lazy (and greedy) are these sellers anyway?
I don't know about you, but it sure would be a treat if manufacturers and retailers would put the "service" back into their lineup. You know how frustrating it can be trying to get stuff done. If you can't figure out how to assemble the product, they want you to pay them extra to do it for you.
Hello? It should have been done in the first place, before they shipped it or at least by the seller who would then assemble it.
Lazy and greedy. That's what businesses have become. Do they really care about their end users? I think not or you wouldn't have to spend hours sitting on hold waiting to get the service that would not have been necessary if they'd done their job right in the first place.
You know, there's an old family hardware store down the street from me. They are welcoming, friendly, helpful... and they assemble the products. Now THAT's what I call service!
Big companies could take a lesson from them.
(p.s: Thanks to our friend Geny for this topic idea!)
Sylvia
.
.
.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Unexpected Condo Fees and Limitations - Ask Eddie
My friend Geny just told me that she's sold the condos that she had purchased to rent as an income. Now, Geny is not a stupid person. She is a very world-wise woman who has been buying and selling real estate since long before I met her 19 years ago.
One reason she's glad to be rid of them is the additional fees that you end up paying on top of the mortgage.
There's so much more to buying a condo than you might expect.
You have to pay maintenance fees on top of your mortgage and taxes.... something people considering a condo should be aware of. While this is probably a valid expense to cover snow removal, lawn care and such, the cost can make a difference when you add up everything else in your budget.
Did you know that condos are run by the owners who listen to beefs about other owners? Do you know that they can have an impact on your life by telling you what you can and cannot do?
Does that not irritate you? I mean, if I purchase my own home, I do not expect to have to live by someone else's standards. I put in the money. The home is mine.
As long as I'm not doing something that is detrimental to the building or disturbing to tenants, I should be allowed to live and let live.
This brings me back to the Frasier show. Did you happen to catch the episode where he meets with the board about complaints related to his father's dog, Eddie? The board members were downright nasty. They demanded that Eddie be banned from the building.
It wasn't as though he had damaged the premises in any way. If I'm not mistaken, it was because Eddie was "in love" with another tenant's dog.
That kind of intervention just is not acceptable. Don't you agree?
Sylvia
.
.
One reason she's glad to be rid of them is the additional fees that you end up paying on top of the mortgage.
There's so much more to buying a condo than you might expect.
You have to pay maintenance fees on top of your mortgage and taxes.... something people considering a condo should be aware of. While this is probably a valid expense to cover snow removal, lawn care and such, the cost can make a difference when you add up everything else in your budget.
Did you know that condos are run by the owners who listen to beefs about other owners? Do you know that they can have an impact on your life by telling you what you can and cannot do?
Does that not irritate you? I mean, if I purchase my own home, I do not expect to have to live by someone else's standards. I put in the money. The home is mine.
As long as I'm not doing something that is detrimental to the building or disturbing to tenants, I should be allowed to live and let live.
This brings me back to the Frasier show. Did you happen to catch the episode where he meets with the board about complaints related to his father's dog, Eddie? The board members were downright nasty. They demanded that Eddie be banned from the building.
It wasn't as though he had damaged the premises in any way. If I'm not mistaken, it was because Eddie was "in love" with another tenant's dog.
That kind of intervention just is not acceptable. Don't you agree?
Sylvia
.
.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Frazier Crane - The Master of Phrases
Here's one I just heard from this comedian.
While exchanging barbs with his new female boss about chauvinistic attitudes, Frazier accused her of using her feminine wiles to get what she wants. She directed the accusation right back at him. Men are no better.
With his usual pinpoint accuracy, Frazier replied: "How can we use sex to get what we want? Sex IS what we want."
Good point, don't you think? :)
Sylvia
.
.
.
While exchanging barbs with his new female boss about chauvinistic attitudes, Frazier accused her of using her feminine wiles to get what she wants. She directed the accusation right back at him. Men are no better.
With his usual pinpoint accuracy, Frazier replied: "How can we use sex to get what we want? Sex IS what we want."
Good point, don't you think? :)
Sylvia
.
.
.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Ma Bell Won't Help - Unless You Pay
That's what I was told. If I have a problem with telemarketers, they can block those calls, but it would cost me.
And then, this new "Do Not Call" law came into effect. Rah!!! Rah!!!
It certainly eases the issue of unwanted telemarketing calls, but I'm still ticked. You've probably noticed that lately, anything "extra" that you request from a service provider (and others) costs you more... things that should be covered.
I find it abhorable that they give you a service and then allow telemarketers to aggravate Bell's customers. So much for "customer service". They penny-pinch every step of the way.
Here in Canada, they implemented a "wire care" service. So if you want to be sure your service is working, you can go for this additional wire maintenance service. Basically, you pay around $8 per month to cover in case anything goes wrong with the phone wire inside your home.
Now I ask you. Why should the customer be responsible for a wire that Bell needs in order to deliver the service they so badly want you to have? It makes no sense.
Add to that the Cancellation Fee they wanted to charge me for dropping my call display feature that was costing me $8 a month. The fee was $25. I was awestruck!
This brings me back to telemarketers.
Bell telemarketers call now and then offering me their new Internet service and phone package that's supposed to save me money. Remember, I'm already ticked off at Bell for the penny-pinching.
I told the guy, "If I didn't need Bell for my internet, I wouldn't have it."
He wanted to know if I'd mind sharing why I'm not interested in Bell services. I explained that every time I turn around they're trying to sell me yet another service at additional cost. In particular, I told him about the Cancellation Fee.
At one time, one price paid for it all - wire care, pulse tone, phone calls and even the phone itself. If you cancelled your service, so be it. No cancellation fees.
Today, you pay extra for pulse tone, wire care, call display, call-back, answer service… the list goes on. By the time you're done, you're paying an additional $15 a month for your phone service.
The telemarketer continued with his pitch about how he has this great new Bundle that would "lower my monthly rate". (Actually, it would end up costing me more than my current Internet/Phone combo.) So I asked him, "What if I decide I don't want it after I try it out for a month?" He replied, "There would be a cancellation fee if I didn't keep the service for an entire year."
WHAT?!
Point made, I think. He hadn't absorbed a word I said.
Sometimes, you just have to throw your hands into the air.
Sylvia
.
.
And then, this new "Do Not Call" law came into effect. Rah!!! Rah!!!
It certainly eases the issue of unwanted telemarketing calls, but I'm still ticked. You've probably noticed that lately, anything "extra" that you request from a service provider (and others) costs you more... things that should be covered.
I find it abhorable that they give you a service and then allow telemarketers to aggravate Bell's customers. So much for "customer service". They penny-pinch every step of the way.
Here in Canada, they implemented a "wire care" service. So if you want to be sure your service is working, you can go for this additional wire maintenance service. Basically, you pay around $8 per month to cover in case anything goes wrong with the phone wire inside your home.
Now I ask you. Why should the customer be responsible for a wire that Bell needs in order to deliver the service they so badly want you to have? It makes no sense.
Add to that the Cancellation Fee they wanted to charge me for dropping my call display feature that was costing me $8 a month. The fee was $25. I was awestruck!
This brings me back to telemarketers.
Bell telemarketers call now and then offering me their new Internet service and phone package that's supposed to save me money. Remember, I'm already ticked off at Bell for the penny-pinching.
I told the guy, "If I didn't need Bell for my internet, I wouldn't have it."
He wanted to know if I'd mind sharing why I'm not interested in Bell services. I explained that every time I turn around they're trying to sell me yet another service at additional cost. In particular, I told him about the Cancellation Fee.
At one time, one price paid for it all - wire care, pulse tone, phone calls and even the phone itself. If you cancelled your service, so be it. No cancellation fees.
Today, you pay extra for pulse tone, wire care, call display, call-back, answer service… the list goes on. By the time you're done, you're paying an additional $15 a month for your phone service.
The telemarketer continued with his pitch about how he has this great new Bundle that would "lower my monthly rate". (Actually, it would end up costing me more than my current Internet/Phone combo.) So I asked him, "What if I decide I don't want it after I try it out for a month?" He replied, "There would be a cancellation fee if I didn't keep the service for an entire year."
WHAT?!
Point made, I think. He hadn't absorbed a word I said.
Sometimes, you just have to throw your hands into the air.
Sylvia
.
.
Jerry Seinfeld Fans Will Get This
One of my pet peeves is telemarketers as I'm sure they are with many of you. I mean, why would they want to put themselves through such abuse? Do they not have any other career options? And why would they want a job that aggravates so many people they call?
I've reached the point of not answering my phone because the majority of calls are telemarketers or incoming faxes. Can you relate? Why they send faxes is beyond me since I don't have a fax machine, but that ear-shattering squeal is enough to send anyone over the top.
There's no way to tell them to stop either, because hitting #69 to get the number will only refer you to a fax machine. How irritating is that?
Telemarketers are just as difficult to turn off. They call with their sales pitch, you try to let them down gently, but… THEY WON'T LET YOU.
You know the type. The ones who keep talking over you or continue talking after you've given them your answer. They are robots who are not listening. Perhaps that's how they manage to get past the abuse.
That's why I stopped answering my phone all the time, even though there is always a risk that I will miss an urgent phone call. Thank goodness for answering machines. I figure, if the call is that important, they'll leave a message. Most don't – a good clue that the call was just another telemarketer.
I was in a quandary as to how to deal with the flood of telemarketers without being rude and abusive. Nothing came to me.
Then, one day while watching the Jerry Seinfeld show, the solution was delivered to me. You might have seen the episode. For those of you who didn't, it goes like this.
Jerry is chatting with friends when the phone rings. He breaks away to answer it. It's a telemarketer. Jerry replies, calmly and effectively, "I'm busy right now. Give me your home number and I'll call you back." The telemarketer hangs up and Jerry looks at the phone, puzzled.
It's perfect. Thank you, Jerry. :)
Sylvia
.
.
I've reached the point of not answering my phone because the majority of calls are telemarketers or incoming faxes. Can you relate? Why they send faxes is beyond me since I don't have a fax machine, but that ear-shattering squeal is enough to send anyone over the top.
There's no way to tell them to stop either, because hitting #69 to get the number will only refer you to a fax machine. How irritating is that?
Telemarketers are just as difficult to turn off. They call with their sales pitch, you try to let them down gently, but… THEY WON'T LET YOU.
You know the type. The ones who keep talking over you or continue talking after you've given them your answer. They are robots who are not listening. Perhaps that's how they manage to get past the abuse.
That's why I stopped answering my phone all the time, even though there is always a risk that I will miss an urgent phone call. Thank goodness for answering machines. I figure, if the call is that important, they'll leave a message. Most don't – a good clue that the call was just another telemarketer.
I was in a quandary as to how to deal with the flood of telemarketers without being rude and abusive. Nothing came to me.
Then, one day while watching the Jerry Seinfeld show, the solution was delivered to me. You might have seen the episode. For those of you who didn't, it goes like this.
Jerry is chatting with friends when the phone rings. He breaks away to answer it. It's a telemarketer. Jerry replies, calmly and effectively, "I'm busy right now. Give me your home number and I'll call you back." The telemarketer hangs up and Jerry looks at the phone, puzzled.
It's perfect. Thank you, Jerry. :)
Sylvia
.
.
What is this blog about?
We all have thoughts that quickly come to mind when we become aggravated over some obstacle in our lives. They also pop into our heads when we are faced with a person, place or thing that begs opinion and possible debate.
Most of us keep those secret thoughts to ourselves because "you just don't say things like that" or "that's just the way it is" and let's not forget, "there's nothing you can do".
Well, we believe there IS something we can do.
We've launched this blog, "Things You Wouldn't Say Out Loud" to let out all of those thoughts where anyone who wishes can debate them, offer their opinions and share their stories. By all means, don't hesitate to participate!
Now, you're probably wondering, "Who are 'We'?"
I am Sylvia and I live in Canada where I developed a lengthy relationship with a fellow Canadian who shares many of my views. Her name is Geny. But she's really busy right now launching her new Children's books series starting with PROTO, and renovating her new Duplex, so it'll just be me for awhile.
Not that I'm not equally busy. I just launched my new Puppy Parenting Course which teaches owners how to become top dogs themselves. That project requires a lot of marketing. But I need an escape and this is it.
We will be posting on whatever is going on in our lives at a given time. We hope that it will inspire you, get you thinking and... make you laugh now and then. Expect a lot of "opinionation". (Oh yes. I make up words - just for fun.)
Welcome.
Sylvia
The Debatable One :)
.
Geny (in absentia)
.
Most of us keep those secret thoughts to ourselves because "you just don't say things like that" or "that's just the way it is" and let's not forget, "there's nothing you can do".
Well, we believe there IS something we can do.
We've launched this blog, "Things You Wouldn't Say Out Loud" to let out all of those thoughts where anyone who wishes can debate them, offer their opinions and share their stories. By all means, don't hesitate to participate!
Now, you're probably wondering, "Who are 'We'?"
I am Sylvia and I live in Canada where I developed a lengthy relationship with a fellow Canadian who shares many of my views. Her name is Geny. But she's really busy right now launching her new Children's books series starting with PROTO, and renovating her new Duplex, so it'll just be me for awhile.
Not that I'm not equally busy. I just launched my new Puppy Parenting Course which teaches owners how to become top dogs themselves. That project requires a lot of marketing. But I need an escape and this is it.
We will be posting on whatever is going on in our lives at a given time. We hope that it will inspire you, get you thinking and... make you laugh now and then. Expect a lot of "opinionation". (Oh yes. I make up words - just for fun.)
Welcome.
Sylvia
The Debatable One :)
.
Geny (in absentia)
.
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