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Oh-h!  for a real person!

Started by Tom, November 08, 2004, 06:08:10 AM

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Tom

Last Tue I began to break blades and hit nails etc at an accelerating rate and by the end of the day was out of blades. I ordered more Tue Evening that, due to some confusion, didn't get shipped until Friday.  I found out Friday afternoon an was beside myself. UPS is closed over the weekend.

The truck pulled up at the house with another delivery at about 6pm and I talked with the driver.  He's nice but not the regular driver.  It seems that they are swapping them around  so that they become familiar with other routes. ::)  My driver would have made a point of coming straight to the house as soon as he got the package on the truck if he new I was in a bind.

I looked at the UPS website and it showed my package being delivered tue.  "oh no!".  The truck comes to my house at 5 or 6pm.  Two more days lost.

I called the 800 number and finally hung up after not being able to reach a real person.   I called a number, that I had gotten by "ill means" way back when, and reached a lady close to the docks at the local hub.  She said that the package wasn't even in the tracking system but to call back promptly at 7am Monday to stop it from being put on the truck.   I worked on the mill parts all weekend for the lack of being able to make money.

Monday a.m. comes and I call the same "ill gotten" number.  Another person answers who says that she can't do anything about it because I didn't get permission from the 800 number first.  "I can't reach a real person at the *800" number", I said.
And besides, they don't open till 8am.

Well she will try to stop the package, but I have to get permission from the 800 number.
 
I spent the next hour calling the 800 number and following instructions from computer voices that weren't of any help and pushing the zero on the phone at opportune times and still couldn't reach anybody.  Finally about 8:45, I punched zero right in the middle of a computer soliloquy and got a real voice.  I explained and gave my tracking number.  

"it looks like your package is on the truck and will be delivered today", he said.

"Oh no!  That will be tonight.  I want to pick it up at the Customer service counter.  Can you call over there and tell them that it will be alright to stop it from being put on the truck?"

"No, sorry.  There has to be one effort made to deliver it before I can reroute it".

"Well, they are looking for it in the warehouse now and it's not on the truck.  They say that you have to OK it being held for pickup".

"Sorry".

I called back to the "ill gotten number". and got another person who went looking for the first person who was looking for the package.  "She's looking for the package and will call you right back.  What's your number?"  

I told her and am waiting for a call back.

Dad-gum computer voices and menus.  I get so sick and tired of not being able to talk with a real person at these companies.  Usually when I can reach a red-blooded, breathing human, I can get satisfaction.  It may not be what I want but at least  I feel that I got a valid answer.  Even the guy on the 800 number that I reached wasn't any better than a computer voice.  All he was doing was reading from the book and could have cared less that there was a "customer" on the phone.   It was still better than that recording that says, after an advertising spiel,  "if you want to ship, punch 1...   if you want to track, punch two.....  If you want to hang up punch 3... grrrrrr-r-rr-

Well, It's 9am now and here I sit.  That 70lb package is in the warehouse somewhere. ......or on the truck ......  or lost if the website is right.  

I  have apologized to my customer over and over because he took vacation to cut the logs.  Thank goodness he is easy going and top of the heap at the railroad. "That's alright, I'll just call down at the office and take another week of vacation.  I've got 5 and a half that I have to spend somewhere and never do.  Besides, I've got plenty to do and am cutting more trees for pulp.  Might even get some more sawlogs.". (I can see him smiling at the other end of the phone.  He's a good humored fellow.)

...........9:15 Michelle calls my house.  "sir, your package is at the customer service counter for you to pick-up.,"

Thank goodness for Real People!

Roxie

Tom, I feel your pain..... :(
I had a similar experience trying to get my phone service repaired, and it was made all the more irritating by the machine trying it's best to sound like a real person with phrases like, "I'm looking up your account now.....ok, I've got it, how can I help you?"   :D
When the 'computer' asked me to state the nature of my problem, I was kind of saying stuff like, "It's hard to describe" and the computer would cut me off.  So my next opportunity to tell the computer the nature of my problem....I screamed.  A real person came on the line then.  After five repair calls, the phone line still has problems.  The entire customer service feeling has been completely turned around to the company you are paying for a service is doing you a great big favor just talking to you.
Say when

GF

Nothing like listening to a computer on the phone telling you what selections they have.  Used to be you could push a "0" when listening to the selections on the phone, now on some if you push and "0" it says "Thank You" and hangs up. >:(

fstedy

 >:( >:( >:( You must have been dealing with someone
here in New Jersey. Been there,  hope your makin boards now.  >:( >:( >:(
Timberking B-20   Retired and enjoying every minute of it.
Former occupations Electrical Lineman, Airline Pilot, Owner operator of Machine Shop, Slot Machine Technician and Sawmill Operator.
I know its a long story!!!

EZ

Sounds like my Rust Reaper delivery, aint that right Jeff. ;D
Glad everything turn out alright, Tom.
EZ

beenthere

Tom
Agree with your dilemma and find that kind of treatment very frustrating, maddening, and becomming more and more common. Computer companies seemed to have taken the lead. I fought tooth and nail to keep my workplace from going to the voice phone system, but see I lost after I retired.

I would think a person could answer the phone and that person would use their 'number' system to check down through the routing maze to get the callers problems corrected.

Also, more and more, the 'real' person answering (if finally you get someone) is somewhere like India and doesn't speak good English, nor, IMO, can they understand English (at least my version).

The UPS system can work pretty good; IF the selling company gets it into the system, UPS picks it up, and gets the tracking number into the UPS system which is then available on line. But, I had a similar experience where the item was lost by the seller, and when found out, took almost a full week ("well the person that was supposed to do that was sick today") to get into the UPS system, which then took almost another week.  My grand daughter (7) was not very happy waiting for 3 weeks for her violin to finally arrive so she could start lessons.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Murf

That kind of thing could make a person go postal, or in this case UPS-stall.  :D

On the other hand, I heard that FedEx & UPS are talking about merging, the new entity will be called "Fed-UP".  ::)

Groan at your liesure....  ;D
If you're going to break a law..... make sure it's Murphy's Law.

Tom

The continuing SAGA of Tom's bad day.

Well I was so  happy to finally have a real person looking out for me that I ran to the truck and headed for UPS.  I'll be sawing in a couple of hours. :D

Yeah, right.

Twelve miles from the house, the truck quit. Out of fuel!  No! couldn't be, the gauge still shows better than a quarter of a tank.

I lucked up and pulled into a convenience store that sells diesel.  There is a small semi parked in front of the diesel pump and blocking half of the drive.  The guy is in the truck reading a newspaper.  It's one of those LP gas "Rhino" swap a tank trucks.  I'm chugging an almost quit.  I pull in front of the dumpster to get out of the way and go to the semi to see if he'll move.  He won't pay me any attention.  I knock on the door and he doesn't even look up.  I looked to see how difficult it would be to let the air out of his tires.  Naw, I can't do that.

Went back to the truck and chugged through the lot to find that there is another diesel hose on the other end.  It's for cars and I have a hard time getting to it.  The truck quits.  I use the starter to move close to the pump.

Two dollars and thirty cents a gallon still......Dang!  I put fifty dollars in and the needle moves to 3/8's.

Truck won't start.  I move with the starter to the side of the lot and try to prime the engine.  It takes of and runs as smooth as can be.  Man that was luck.  

I pull out on US-1 and go about a mile and a half and the truck quits again. I pull off of the side of the road and try to get it going again.  It's not going to do it this time.  I have tools and stuff but I can't crawl under the truck and reach up to the primary filter.  I realize that I can't reach the filter in the engine compartment either.  DanG wore out shoulders and knees.

There is a body shop ahead about a 50 yards.  I walk up there to ask if they have a youngster that could help me.  They do a real good job of ignoring that someone is in the shop.  Frustrated I turn back to the hi-way and realize that there is a New little automotive shop opened up across the street.  I cross the 4 lane and ask the owner if he has someone that can help.  I explain that I can't reach the filters and think that all that needs to be done is fill the filters back up.  "sure, I'll be with you in a  minute."

An hour later I'm still sitting in the waiting room.  An hour and a half and his wife goes and tells him that he really needs to pay attention to my problem.   He puts some tools in his truck and we go across the street to mine.

"Have you got a light I could check voltages with?"

"I have a meter, will that do?"

He takes the meter and checks the sending unit on the tank.  Then he checks the power to the pump.  Then he wants to try to start the engine.  I give him the keys.

He turns the engine over and it doesn't start.

"Doesn't look like it's going to start", he says.   "I don't think it is getting any fuel."

"No joke, I think."

He goes to his truck and gets a humongous pair of water pump pliers and I show him where the primary filter is located.
"I have filter wrench's", I said.

He removed the primary filter and it was full of clean fuel.
He removed the secondary filter on the engine and it was empty.  "There's the problem", I said.

I took the filter and filled it from my drum on the back of the truck and handed it back to him. He spun it on and cranked the truck.  It cranked right up and ran smooth as ever.  I suggested that we go back across the street and finish the paper work.

"I get $65 an hour but your having a bad day so how 'bout $50 dollars.  

OK, I said, and gave him the money.  "not bad for 15 minutes", I thought.

Ok......  that was a bad experience but what am I going to do about it.  Not worth the ulcer so I head for UPS again.

"can I help you", she asked from behind the counter?

"I'm here to get my package".  "I'm Tom".

"Tom who".   "What package".   We don't have a package for anyone with that name behind the counter.

"Oh Boy", I'm thinking.  Here we go again.

I waited for hours while they tried to determine what package and where it might be.  Two o'clock came and I gave up.  "I'm going home", I said.

Arriving at the house an hour later I went straight to the computer to get as much package info as I could and called the UPS Customer Service desk again.

"We sure are glad you called.  We found your box.  It's been under foot all this time".

I ran to the truck and hurried the 25 miles back to UPS where I picked up my blades.  I threw the 70 lb. box onto the truck and headed to the job.

Finally arriving I fixed the guides, put a new blade on the mill and began sawing wood.  The customer, luckily, was there.

When it became too dark to see I quit and left for the house feeling good that I had sawed at least 6 or 700 feet of 1x's.

As I approached I-10, something didn't look right.  I was in a line of traffic that wasn't moving and there were no lights ahead where the intersection with I-10 is populated with a large shopping area.  Yes there was a big accident and all the lights in the area were out, including the traffic lights.  Resigned to my fate, I settled back in the truck, turned off the lights and poured myself a cup of coffee.  

An hour later, a police car began to direct traffic away from the intersection and I was able to continue to the house, where I arrived about 8:30 PM.

After telling my wife about my day, she says "I'm going to quit my job tomorrow".

.......... and it's only Monday!  :D :D :D

Fla._Deadheader

  C'mon down tomorrow and I will fix ya a cup of REAL Costa Rican Coffee. It will relax yer nerves and we can look over the WM and have a nice visit. Everyone tells me to take some time off, soooo, C'mon down. ;D ;D ;) ;) ;D ;D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Tom

I wish I could, but, I'm in the middle of a schedule that will reach all the way to Folkston before I'm finished.  Folks are waiting on me and I got to get it while I can. ;D

Sure would like to sit and have a chat over a pot of coffee.  

Fla._Deadheader

 :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

sandmar

Sheesh Tom.....I thought my day was bad but you win by a mile!
Alternator went bad on my WM last week,only cranking about 11 volts and drained 2 batteries.WM promptly shipped new one on Thursday when I called about 4 PM...so I knew it would be today before it arrived. Well sure enough,Fed-Ex rolled up about 1PM with new alternator.....have already gathered up tools needed ready to roll.......oops,no volt meter,but alas I KNOW where I left it...WRONG! After a 90 minute search,some DanG DanG double DanGing,borrowed one from neighbor...I have 2 somewhere! Off to the mill,remove alternator,10 minutes tops,all smiles......then,the pulleys are different,mine has v-pulley..ok,no prob,just swap them. Let me share a little secret with you all,the one from the factory had loc-tite or something similar on it and I was back to DanGing again.Finally got it off with a gear puller :o
I was thinking the new one would the same way,much to my pleasant surprise it slid right off after I finally got the not off.Swapped pulleys,installed new alternator....about 15 minutes.Getting dark :'( no milling today.A 30 minute swap parts job turned into all afternoon......some days make you appreciate good days. So Tom,I too feel your pain.

Sandmar

J_T

Got to where when I call an finley get a person I ask their name and what else they will tell me and write it and the time I called down.Better have a good pen and lots paper as I told one person give me the person that sweeps the floors he may of over heard more than yaull know :D :D Then I call back and start all over again .I had an internet service took a week to get a person told them to cancel me they offered me three mounts free to stay told the wife tell them no way might take me six to get them next time :( Wish I could can this DanG phone Co Takes all day to get them :'( Some time you can get a sales person then they can transfer you from thare Tom I sawed a pay phone off the wall with a chainsaw once with them listing cut their wire last  ;D Long story but it was worth it ;D ;D
Jim Holloway

moosehunter

Here is a trick that I use to get to a real person with any large company.
 When you dial the number and something answers, don't do anything...DO NOT PUSH any buttons. After awhile the system thinks you have a rotary phone(remember those?) and will direct you to a real person. Works with 9 out of 10 companys.
Moosehunter
"And the days that I keep my gratitude
Higher than my expectations
Well, I have really good days".    Ray Wylie Hubbard

Cedarman

Moosehunter, it is amazing how much truly important stuff can be learned on this forum.  I wonder what will happen if everyone figures this out?  Thanks, I can't wait to give it a try.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Jeff

QuoteSounds like my Rust Reaper delivery, aint that right Jeff. ;D
Glad everything turn out alright, Tom.
EZ
For the record, the rust reaper delivery was totally ups's fault nothing to do with rust reaper. Mike is great about his orders! :)
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

IndyIan

Hi Tom,
I can relate to your phone troubles, it took no less than 6 calls to our phone company to get somebody to come out and look at installing the line to our house we're building.

Twice they sent a tech to our apartment in town even though we called about installing 1200' of line underground.... ::)

Finally they gave me the number of the engineer for our area and 1 call later we got things straightened out and she's coming out to do a site evaluation.

Nothing like talking to somebody that knows something! ;D

Ian  




Phorester


A good idea gone bad.  All these big companies, UPS, Walmart, etc., etc., etc. started out small, bent over backwards  with good customer service to build up their business, then they get big and decide to get 'computerized' to help even more. Yeah, right.

Burns me up when I get one of those voice mails.  Our regional office even went to one.  Only 5 people in that office, all within 30 feet of each other..., do they really need voice mail with selection choices?????  Good grief.

sawguy21

Tom, if it weren't for bad luck, you'd have none at all. I work in a store with about a dozen employees and the only real way I can talk to the owner is through e-mail and he is in his office upstairs.He lives by it and voice mail on his cell. Uses it to screen calls. Sometimes I think he is a mute. Even customers complain. Technology is wonderful but it should not be a crutch.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

ksu_chainsaw

Ive got a gripe that fits in this category.  Today, our phones would not reach to the camp that is less than a mile away.  We called the switch operator, and he told us that our side was good, and we would have to file a trouble ticket with the other camp.  We asked if he could do it, and he said no, you have to CALL them.  After about 10 minutes of getting the same stuff, we gave up.  And this kind of stuff happens on a regular basis.  No wonder why my wife says im going bald  ;D  ;D

Charles

Tom

It kind of makes you wonder if these people listen to themselves, doesn't it. ::)

CHARLIE

Today I called a garage door company and asked to speak to a technician. So I got transferred. I explained my situation to the woman and she said I called the Fireplace area and couldn't help me. I told her I got transfered to her.  She said she would transfer me to the garage door tech.  Sheesh!

The insurance company I use won't let their customers call the agent if they have an accident or some kind of claim. They want you to call a 1-800 number to their Chicago office. Several years ago, I called, listened to options and punched the number I thought best fit. Then got another set of numbers and punched one of those only to get another set of numbers. I punched one of those. The phone rang and a message came on telling me they were all in a meeting and to call back later. >:(

I just hate those dang phone options. I like to talk to real people.
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

shopteacher

I met a real person once, man what a sight. :D
Proud owner of a LT40HDSE25, Corley Circle mill, JD 450C, JD 8875, MF 1240E
Tilt Bed Truck  and well equipted wood shop.

Bro. Noble

The company we sell milk to has a service where you can call and get data on your milk that has been previously picked up-------all kinds of info on quantity, quality,  and components.  I really like it.  The part I like the best is the series of numbers you have to give the computer for security reasons.  If you give the wrong number the computer tells you in an impatient voice to try again.  If you make another mistake she tells you in an irritated voice to try one more time and make sure you got the right number.  Then if you get it wrong,  she says "wrong again,  bye"  and hangs up on you :D :D   I just love doing that to get that computer gal pithed ;D
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Roxie

 :D :D :D :D :D
Now, Bro Noble, that is just plain SAD!   :D
Say when

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