Sunday, September 30, 2007

Sassy-ness

It definitely runs in my family. We are a sassy group. It should be no surprise that when a certain member of my family called to inform of the need to set up service in her new abode, she showed every bit of sarcasm and sassiness that was shown to her. Apparently the oh-so-friendly customer service rep was taking some information about service starting dates then asked for the "code". When my family member replied "Pardon" the customer service rep said "Code. You know, as in Zip Code. Z-I-P." My family member replied with "Do you want the new N-E-W or old O-L-D code." The customer service rep paused before continuing; with less sarcasm.

That's why I didn't hesitate to contact anyone and everyone I could when DirecTV wouldn't give us our money back. On July 17 we called to cancel service and request a refund (as we had paid for the year of service), which we were told would take 4 to 6 weeks. On July 18 or service was shut off. On September 9, I called to inquire about the refund and was informed that it is actually 6 to 8 weeks, and the request wasn't entered until July 24th. I told Latoya that it was not my fault that the request was not entered until a week after it was requested. Service was terminated, they obviously got that part right, and we were 7 weeks and 3 days from the date it was terminated, so even if it is 6 to 8 weeks we should have the check within the next 4 days. She "escalated" the order. On September 11th (the day before the 8 weeks was up) I spoke with Angel and told her that I was calling to confirm the check would be in my mailbox by tomorrow... she transferred me to a supervisor. Joyce told me she would again "escalate" my request and follow-up with me in 8 days (apparently it was going to take her that long to hear back from whatever department she was contacting). On September 19th I spoke with Michelle who told me the check was released, but she couldn't give me a check number. Instead, she gave me the number of the billing department, which I happily dialed. I spoke with Ruth, who tried and tried to pull up my account to get me a check number but just couldn't get in to the system. She did assure me that the check had been written on the 14th and it would take 7 to 10 business days for it to reach me. But she couldn't give me a check number. I politely informed her that if I didn't have a check number I was assuming that a check had not been written and if a check had not been written at this time (9 weeks from the date of request) I was contacting the Better Business Bureau. Eventually (about 45 minutes later) I spoke with her supervisor Jason who told me that the check had been done on the 14th and I had to wait 3 to 7 business days from the 14th. I told him that I had just been told 7 to 10 and inquired as to why nobody could give me a check number if one has been written. He told me I had to wait. I told him I had already waited 9 weeks and if I did not have a check number when I got off the phone, I would be filing complaints and contacting an attorney (my boss told me to write a letter stating I had retained his services and he would sign it... I love working for attorneys) The conversation ended with "You will just have to wait." So I went home and filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. And the next day I filed a complaint with the FCC. Then I received a voice mail on the 24th indicating that the amount was credited to my account on the 20th. I was pretty upset. After all, we had already received 2 statements showing the credit balance and I was supposed to be getting a check. So that evening I contacted them again and explained everything I had gone through, and that I had retained an attorney and filed a complaint with the FCC and the BBB. To my surprise she gave me a check number. And told me the check had been written on the 20th. So I filed a complaint with the company about Jason (I had his ID#) and indicated that he had outright lied to me and told me the check was written on the 14th. Then I received my check. 10 weeks to the day.

DirecTV's customer service is very polite, but that does not make up for keeping my $500.00 for 10 weeks. If I hadn't paid my bill for that long they would have sent me to collections. I am following through with these complaints and hopefully, maybe, someone else won't have to wait an unrealistic amount of time to get their refund.

And if you experience problems File a Complaint. We should not be punished because they can't manage their money. That is exactly what is happening here. And if you feel up for some interesting reading simply google the phrase "Directv refund" and you will find hundreds of similar stories. If everyone of these people would file a complaint, something might change.

That's disgusting

Very disgusting. What is so disgusting that I had to post about it?

This:


I am, of course, referring to Elvis Presley as much as the Peanut Butter and Banana Cream flavor.

My family apparently finds my disdain of the guy amusing, and a certain member of my family decided to leave this hanging from my door one afternoon.

I was not even going to eat it, considering the overwhelming feeling I have to bang my head against a wall (which burns 150 calories an hour, by the way. Glad I wasn't the one who had to figure that out.) anytime I hear one of his songs or even his name.

But my husband really wanted to try it. So then I had to try it. Stupid.

Speaking of stupid. Here's a story...

Once upon a time there were two employees. One was intelligent and had common sense, the other was unintelligent and had no common sense. One day intelligent employee told unintelligent employee that she had listed the name of the Attorney General incorrectly on a document. Unintelligent employee got upset and immediately snapped back "How do you know." After explaining that she watched the news and read and that you could find the information on the internet, unintelligent employee got on the internet and typed in "Attorney General". She clicked on the first link that appeared. When intelligent employee said "You have to type in Illinois Attorney General" unintelligent employee replied "Oh, I thought there was only one."

Unintelligent employee then went on to state "You know, the one that puts the warnings on the cigarettes."

Intelligent employee laughed and said "Do you mean the Surgeon General?"

The End.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Again?

I woke up this morning to the sound of geese flying south for the winter. Already! I'm not ready for that, yet.
Though I am not complaining about the geese leaving town. Evil birds who make any child sorry that they asked to go down the slide one more time and then have to do a Dukes of Hazard impression and jump through the window of the car because they are chasing said kid.

I had horrible luck with birds when I was a kid.

Monday, September 03, 2007

Labor Day

I love Labor Day. I don't love labor. Don't get the two confused.

I have fond memories of this holiday. The MDA telethon, fondue, and family.
Every year, mom would prepare all this stuff for a fondue and we would turn on the telethon (back when it was on all night long) and we would settle into the living room and watch, occasionally heating up our food/snacks throughout the night. It is a tradition that I miss. While I still turn it on every year to see how good ol' Jerry is doing, and to see if I can understand a word Charo is saying yet, it will never be the same (except that I still can't understand a word Charo is saying).

(p.s. today was a three-post day, so if you're really bored, don't forget to read the rest of them below)

Name that Ferret

Knowing that I have always wanted one, my sister-in-law bought me a ferret.


It's cute, and soft, and needs a name.
I am currently taking suggestions on names.
Names that I will not accept are:
Elvis, or anything relating to (i.e. The King, etc.)
A certain plant from the bible
and other names to be added at a later date as I am sure I will receive some bad names I haven't thought of yet.

De-cis-what?

We all know that I can't make a decision unless it has to do with work and I am being paid to do so. So it should come as no surprise to you all to hear that I needed help purchasing my new purse. As I walked helplessly around Kohl's the other weekend carrying two of the exact same purse in two different colors around the store I tried to reach a couple members of my family, thinking they would help. I was, however, informed that my sister was much to busy buying a door and couldn't help with my crisis right away and would have to call me back, and then I was hung up on when I tried to reach my parents house. (Ok, not their fault that they live in the middle of nowhere and have to suffer through dial-up and the modem picked up the phone when I called) I did eventually talk to mom, who told me to go with the grey and black as Dena was FINALLY calling me back on the other line. I spoke with her just as she was leaving a conveniently close location and she kindly ran over to see my two choices, much to Aaron's shock and dismay. She, too, chose the grey and black.
Here it is:



Isn't it cute. Thank you.

Next...

This part of my post has been edited. After reading my aunts board, I realize I may have spoiled something...?? This will be reposted at a later date. However, I would just like to say that not all of my family reads this blog so it may not be spoiled yet