Customer Service and Kindness

For the last several months it seems all I have gotten when I go to places is tacky at best customer service.  I think most of these companies have forgotten that the customers experience will decide whether they return or continue to do business with them or not.  I know most of these companies have also forgotten that your customers experience good or bad comes from how the employee feels about their job. An example of poor service?  Well I have several.  I think other than the occasional shake I'll go get I've given up on the Wendy's in Fort Wayne. They are never really very friendly.  They also assume things like that I would want a spoon rather than a straw with my shake.  Yep.  Last 4 times and they looked at me like I had three heads when I asked for a straw.  To me it's like DUH Shake here.  Then you almost have to beg them for napkins.  I guess they are figuring that is what your sleeve is for.  Now I say Fort Wayne because I have been to the Wendy's in Indy several times and it's like evasion of the body snatchers, they are friendly, polite, give you a spoon and a straw and OMG napkins!  Your service in most of these places is not much better.  I really think they need to think about their service before they act and whether that customer will ever return.  I do most of my shopping at Meijer.  Not because they have lower prices but because they are more helpful and friendlier than their competitor.  I shop Target because their people are ALWAYS friendly to me no matter what and I know their prices are not the lowest.  No matter how good a product is the service is what sells it in the end.  I always use to tell a friend of mine that liked Ford's that I wouldn't have one.  He said why they are gorgeous cars.  I was like yeah but I like my car running.  If you have a Ford and it works good my appologies but I have had nothing but trouble from them and don't know anyone else who's had good luck including this guy whose vehicle was in the shop (brand new vehicle) every time he looked around.  I don't care if it's comfortable and gorgeous.  The service on it sucks if it's constantly broken even if friendly people are saying sorry it's down again.  It's just a fact in my life. One exception here is Ford Trucks now those suckers run and they run very well.  Cars not so much.  So as of late I've been watching my own avoidance of places from their customer service and getting discouraged because I just assumed there was no where left where you got good service.  This past week I found a service center and employee that cared.  I went to Midas on North Coliseum out by Kmart.  I went in there at 5pm on Friday to have them check my brakes which were rubbing or pulsating.  I expected hundred of dollars of work and prepared for the worst.  Scott the guy behind the counter apologized and said they could check them but if they needed work it would have to be on another day since they close at six.  His guy came out and said there is nothing wrong with them.  Specs are fine.  I said I know there's something wrong with them.  Scott then went for a drive with me in my car so he could figure out what I was talking about. He said he'd learned the customer knew their car and if they said something was wrong it was.  so it didn't take him long to agree with me.  They just need reconditioned and cleaned.  Old man winter had rust in there and it was making it hard for things to maneuver.  So Saturday morning he fit me in, knew I had to be to work at 10:30 and promised to get it done in time.  He gave me the remote to the television to flip through the channels and kept me updated on my car.  While I was in there a homeless man came in and needed money.  He gave the guy a couple of bucks.  I was awed.  Great, honest and friendly service and my work was completed just as promised on schedule.  If this guy could bottle up what he has going for him and his shop and sell it to companies the economy would be booming and business would be back to giving good customer service.  I don't wow easy.  So for me this was a great experience.  It was also a pleasant surprise to have great customer service and kindness all in one spot.  Made for a nice start of a Saturday morning.

Just Out of Reach

If you ask me what my favorite tool in my house is I'm going to have to go with the "Gopher grab & reaching" tool. It of course is one of those "As Seen On TV" products. I am forever more needing something off a top shelf or dropping something behind the stove or washer or dryer. So I keep this hanging in my kitchen. I can just grab it and then use it to grab whatever has fallen out of my reach. I think it's a must have for every home. I have even used it to reach for stuff back under the bed. It retails for around seven to ten dollars so it's really not all that expensive and to save one aggravation when something seems lost, it really seems well worth the cost to me. So next time something is just out of reach are you going to have your Gopher? I'm just asking...

Colgate Wisp

I'm sure there are other brands of this same type of product, but the only one I have tried to this point in time is the Colgate Wisp in Cinnamint. I have to say this is a clever little product and if you haven't tried it you really should. I keep them in my car. They are wonderful for if you've eaten something and you need to freshen your breath and make your mouth feel more human. It's a product I have to say I'm quiet addicted to at this point in time. So pick some up today... Trust me you've got nothing, other than money ;-), to lose.

McFrappes?

I’m not really much for flavored coffees and I’m definitely not a cappuccino girl. Normally I like my coffee either with two sweet-n-lows only or sometimes I’ll add cream too. Now, I’m not apposed to adding a little Irish Cream (real, not imitation) to my coffee or even Bailey’s, but I really just don’t get the fascination with the flavored drinks, but then of course I like the taste of coffee. I didn’t always. Like most things in life coffee is an acquired taste. None of us come out of the womb and immediately go yeah baby coffee. I worked a part time job for the Fort Wayne Children’s zoo in the middle to late 80’s. I loved that job. It wasn’t a job made to pay very much, but the people where friendly and fun for the most part and it was good honest work. Earl Wells was one of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet, as is Jim Anderson who replaced Earl. I had a lot of good times back then. More innocent in my way of thinking but I did learn a lot of hard life lessons while working there. I also learned to love coffee. I worked at the zoo year round which meant several long winter days out in the freezing cold weather doing all sorts of things. The worst I can remember is using a huge hose to clear paths of ice and snow. I would go in to the break room frozen solid and somehow something cold just was not going to cut it. The only thing hot there was of course coffee which I quickly learned to drink just to warm myself up. Before I knew what was happening not only did I drink it, but I sort of craved it. Now I’m not a die hard like some of my friends and family. I have a coffee pot at home, but I rarely use it. I usually use those little tea bag coffee’s if I’m at home and want one. Me hyped up on a whole pot of coffee isn’t a pretty thing. As most of my friends will attest I normally have enough energy all on my own without it. So today I had a coupon to try McDonald's new Caramel Frappe. I thought it would probably be a waste of my time in that I’ve rarely found any flavored coffee drink I like and I sure as heck don’t like their iced coffee’s, but it was free so I figured why not? I’ve got to tell you… I LOVED IT! I could definitely see this little drink getting addictive, although I was half tempted not to get it and to get a shamrock shake (forgot those were out now and I love them). I settled on the drink I went in for though and I was not disappointed in the least. Nutrient wise a small one of these has about 130 calories (50 of which come from fat), 5 grams of fat (3.5 of which is saturated), 20 mg of cholesterol, 40 mg of sodium, 21 grams of sugar, 1 gram of protein, 200 vitamin a (IU) and 40 mg of calcium. All in all that isn’t really that bad. I wouldn’t advice drinking them by the gallons but for a little afternoon pick me up, especially after spending a few hours at the gym, it’s really not that bad. Hey and what better way to put a little boost into your afternoon than with whip cream and caramel? OK, I am talking about on the drink here guys!

Smooth Away Product Review

OK, so you all know I am a big fan of the "As Seen On TV" products. Some of them are very good, some not so much, but I am always intrigued and usually if one of them catches my attention I am going to buy it and try it. My latest product to try was the "Smooth Away" pads to remove hair supposedly easily and without any pain or problems. Sounds too good to be true doesn't it. Well, yes it is in one way. The product cost approximately $10 and it comes with three medium pads and three coarse pads. My legs, I am ashamed to say, had not been shaven in over a week so I set out to find out if these pads actually worked. The medium pads didn't cut the mustard so to speak. I went on to the coarse pads and they did work, but I had to put a lot of muscle into it and it took longer than shaving my legs would have. I had no reaction to the pads so there was no irritation. They did leave my legs feeling silky smooth. So there are some up sides. However at $10 a pop I am thinking this could get expensive. One pad done and gone. I have two of the coarse ones left and as I said I found the medium ones to be worthless. It all comes down to what you want I suppose. I find it hard to believe these would work on the coarse hair of a man though too. Sorry guys, if you want to try them I'll give you one of the pads I have, but I don't think that tough, sexy, stubble of yours would be phased by these pads. If anyone knows the answer to that feel free to speak up. So on a scale of one to ten, I have to give this product a six. It was slightly better than average, but not so great that I would run right back out and buy it.