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Sites and Tips For Better Customer Service
There is nothing fun about sitting on the phone waiting for customer service. Nothing. Unfortunately, it's a fact of consumer life.
Website of the Day: Customer Service Scoreboard
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but oh-so helpful: Customer Service Scoreboard gives you the overall score of some of the most used customer service lines around to see how they stack up. For example, if I would have checked this site before I called AT&T to complain about service interruptions last week, I would have been prepared for their less-than-stellar customer service — they have 29 negative comments and only 7 positive, leaving them with a total score of 48.31 out of 200. Come on AT&T — you can do better!
Geek Tip: Email Comcast Corporate For Cable and Internet Help
Last month I suffered the ultimate geek distress — an Internet and cable outage for over a week.
It inspired me to air my frustrations here, and the silver lining of the whole situation is that someone at Comcast saw my post and responded with a tip: if you're ever feeling like you're getting nowhere with the customer service on the phone, you can email the corporate team for assistance.
The corporate email address is We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com.
Musician Gets Revenge Against United For Breaking His Guitar
Canadian musician Dave Carroll has spent the past year trying to convince United to compensate him for the $1,200 in repairs his guitar needed after being tossed around by baggage handlers. His trip from Halifax and Nebraska included a transfer in Chicago, where the damage occurred. Carroll has ruled out accidental cause because another passenger witnessed the guitar abuse and spoke out in alarm while it was happening — he even notified the United employees on-board, who were anything but helpful.
The Customer Service Halls of Shame and Fame
Nobody wants a customer service experience that leaves you swearing under your breath, but these situations aren't exactly avoidable. MSN Money knows how important customer service is to consumers and conducts an annual survey that measures customer satisfaction.
It's named 10 companies that need a lot of improvement in the customer service department and 10 that would be good examples to the companies in the Hall of Shame.
How to Complain About Those Factory Warranty Spam Calls
I turn into an angry she-Hulk every time my cell phone rings and I dive for it, only to hear "This is the second notice that the factory warranty on your vehicle is about to expire." I all but explode to the recording "But I don't even have a car!"
These spammy calls seem to affect everyone I know — and we're all sick of it.
Restaurant Owner Eliminates Tipping to Ease Tension
Tipping was brought to the US from Europe after the Civil War and was met with opposition — six states even passed anti-tipping laws that prevented diners from having to tip. The laws were later repealed, but the angst toward the tradition of tipping lives on in the minds of many American customers. San Diego, CA, restaurant owner Jay Porter observed that tipping was not only a point of contention for his customers, but was also causing tension between his staff members and adding to the stressful environment.
Money Tip: It Pays to Complain
My best friend has been back from her honeymoon for only a few weeks, and she already has another trip on her brain. The difference between her honeymoon and the next vacation? She and her new husband will be treated to a complimentary hotel stay on their next trip!
Have You Requested a Hotel Room Change?
Travel professionals surmise that women travelers are more likely to request a different hotel room than men, whether it's a couples or family trip or a woman on a solo business trip. Some room-change requests are made to ensure the traveler is getting the most for her money, but there are some who manipulate the system for a sense of accomplishment.
Have you been known to request a room change or do you usually settle for the rooms offered to you?
Website of the Day: DialAHuman
I can't always be cool, calm, and collected. It inevitably follows that on those stressful days, I have to call my cable or phone company or something equally as undesirable.
And, of course, all I need to push me over the edge is to be "communicating" with a robot, telling me to push a button for this, a button for that, but no button to talk to a living, breathing human being.
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