Customer service and the USA

Customer service .... Usually something that all of us complain about ..... Especially when your trying to return something ..... If you are one of the readers of this blog that lives where the customer service is good then good for you.... No better said, great for you! .... Here in EC there really is no such thing as customer service .... Well they say there is but it really isn't, not in the sense we are accustomed to, that is, if your from the US, Canada or from Australia.

For example......

We are in the US for work and to visit my Dad and other family. The formally know GC asked us if we could return an item they bought, while in the US, sometime back .... Now in EC you have a unwritten 30 day guarantee .... After that if you have a problem it's your problem "not ours" or so they say ... I have figured out a few possible work arounds to that mentality but never actually put them into practice .... Perhaps one day we will try putting them into practice and find out if they really work..... Anyway, the return in the USA .... I go into BBB no not the better business bureau, Bed Bath & Beyoooooond, and the little lady at the "customer service department" asks how she can help,.... I share with her the problem with the item and she does'nt even look in the bag to see what's in there ..... There could have been a dead rat for all she knew .... No she didn't even look .... Just told me to go and get another one ..... Well there were different sizes so I didn't know which one to take back to EC to the Webbs .... At this point the manager gets involved and directs me to the exact item ... I ask what more I need to do and she says "nothing" .... Oh I'm sure there is something I need to do right? "nope" "well yes take your junk and go"! Nothing else? Nooooooo! She says ..... And looks at me like what is your problem mister ...... I'm thinking my problem is I live in Ecuador and this is just not normal, what your doing and I want, I need a little more resistance .... Nasty looks and general frustration when I try to return something..... What's the matter with you people? Oh I know what's the matter with you people, you've been taught to have a measure of customer service.... A really good measure of customer service!

Lesson learned

So the next time you have a problem and have to return something to a store, just remember that customer service does exist in many countries, and if you happen to live in one where it does exist, even if it's not perfect .... Be greatful as you could be trying to return something in EC and have them look at you like your a moron from another planet, and then have them tell you "we don't even sell that here" well not this week you don't ..... But last month when I bought it here you did.... And then have them tell you it's past the 1 month guarantee, Uuuuuuuuugh!

Oh one other thing... now you know, if you stay with the Webbs you have a nice mattress to sleep on ;-)...

Where has the time gone?

I was looking at the site and noticed it's been 3 MONTHS since the last blog ...... and to think I had plans to increase the amount of blogs sent out when I sent out the last one! ...... What happened? ....... New congregation .... that's what..... BUSY BUSY BUSY..... Arranging everything and with 2 elders and 90 publishers it's ... well crazy..... but the congregation is awesome .... the friends are wonderful and appreciative of all the efforts on there behalf.... we also got a great group of MS's that are hard workers ..... One is a fireman full time, a dad of 2 lovely children, an husband of the sister on the far right and a regular pioneer (spends a minimum of 70 hours in the ministry  ...... for those unfamiliar with the liiiiingoooo)

Just last night we qualified 2 new publishers to start in the ministry (1 of the 2...2nd from the left).... yes the 3 (formally 2) congregations are already starting to grow ... with lots and lots of new bible students regulary attending the meetings... Carol has 3 that are attending, 2 regularly and one of and on ......  AMAZING..... so for those that have the circumstances and the desire to go where the need is greater... come on down to Ecuador ..... we will leave the light on for you! You wont be disappointed ..... with the ministry that is ;-o !

As for some of the tom foolery that happens here we just have to share with you ..... We were with the Webbs yesterday and they share with us, their fun little episode ... seems they decided to purchase a bed not the mattress, just the part that makes the mattress look good... evidently they went in a few weeks back a made the deal-i-o with the furniture place... they specified the color and made sure the color was written on the paperwork and highlighted and underlined and bolded and...... well you get the idea .... it was clear what they were paying for.... well evidently it wasn't ! ... when the bed comes it's the wrong color and the finish was the Cuenca Ecuador high shine ... make that spit shine special! ... all we can all say about that is  ....... YUCK!!!!!!!   ...... UGLY!!!!!! ...... so when it came they asked what was going on as this was not what they ordered .... "well lets get it set up and deal with that later" or something like that was the response ..... Carl tried to talk to the sales person and then the owner but the owner wouldn't  take the calls, until Carl informed the delivery guys that they wouldn't be receiving the rest of the DINERO..... bed set up and they don't get all the money .... Carl had to escort the fellow that was the driver, who had nothing to do with the deal, out of the apartment due to the guy "sticking his spoon in the situation" ... (translated for the english speakers and readers).... well once the setup guy realized he wouldn't be returning to the office with all the bucks .... guess who calls Carl? .... Yup the owner .... "what's going on"? .... he says to Carl .... (listen to your voice mails buddy? if so you would know.... oh but you do know ..... that's right ... THAT'S THE REASON YOU DIDN'T ANSWER THE CALLS IN THE FIRST PLACE! YOU WERE TRYING TO IGNORE THE SITUATION) ..... well when there is money involved they don't tend to ignore you ..... well the long and short of it is that they are going to have it refinished ..... well we had a good laugh at their expense ...... (never want to do that, ......It always comes back to haunt you) .....

But usually not the next day ..... so this morning we call for gas (propane) .... we have some friends coming and we don't want them to have to take cold showers and not to be able to cook their food (it's always better when it's cooked isn't it?) ... so we call for gas as mentioned ... "how long"?  .... "30 minutes" ......  ok that sounded reasonable .... so an hour later I call and ask where they are and they mention that they had a problem that came up and that the truck would be here in 20 minutes .... fair enough ... 20 minutes it is .... 30 minutes later I call and ask where they are at "well our truck was there but you weren't" ... noooooo not so Mr. gas man ... I was here! .......  and then they tell me they will come again (again? no you never came the first time, so you can't come again .... just come the first time) and deliver the gas in the next few minutes ..... ok ok, calm down Bill, calm down .... you doooooo understand I was a bit upset as I had other stuff to do on my "day off" .... the one and only during the week .... for right now .... like I said earlier BUSY BUSY BUSY! .... SOOOOOO after several more phone call and  promises to be there "enseguida" (right away, immediately, ASAP) and then being told that I gave them the wrong address .... yes all 3 times I gave them the wrong address.... I still don't know where I live .... I'm an idiot! .... finally the truck arrives and they do the gas tank trade out and I pay the driver and mention they must be really busy today.... then he tells me he's been at the shop, getting the truck fixed, something to do with the brakes ..... So I go back into the house after paying him and call the gas mans office and ask for the jefe .... (boss) and let him know that I was told that the truck would be here about 10 times between 10-12:30, and all along the truck was in the shop, and they had no way of fulfilling the promises to deliver the gas and I don't appreciate being lied to and blah blah blah ..... and then I realized ........... I was speaking to NO ONE.... I guess when I told him I didn't like being lied to like that he didn't take it too well .... Customer service .... whats that? ... we saw Carl and Esli at the grocery store same day, and told them our story, ..... we all just laughed ... even though we weren't laughing when it happened .... seems when we moved to the neighborhood/area where the Webbs live,  we stole some of their golden-ness (if thats a word) and when they came by and visited yesterday they stole it back! It's good for some laughs! ..... and a lot less hair. .... (I have so little,.... hair that is,  I have nothing to loose)