Nobody believes a corporate announcement* that an executive has left to “pursue other opportunities,” so why do companies continue to pretend that they don’t fire people? Sometimes the person’s “contract has not been renewed” or he has “stepped down.” Maybe the “board has accepted her resignation” or he’s leaving “to spend more time with his [...]
Tag Archives: Rants
Customer disservice files
Can you tell me… Why my bank has hired people to make “courtesy calls” to customers — which seem to be thinly disguised ways to sell other products/services — but cannot tell me that they have discontinued my paper statements? I have no problem getting my statement online, but I suddenly realized that I hadn’t [...]
Drowning in insurance papers
My car insurer claims it is working on “greening” its operations, and not a moment too soon. I’m drowning in paper. True, I laid a number of changes on the company over the past two months. I bought a new car that had to be added to my existing insurance policy. I had to keep [...]
Usability bugs
Random petty annoyances in the usability world: When a web site makes me log in, but has nowhere for me to log out. When a site makes me log in more than once (for instance, once to enter a members-only section, and again to comment on a discussion forum). When my e-mail program randomly logs [...]
Gee, thanks, Stevie
I’m mad at Stephen Harper. Yes, Canada’s newly re-elected Prime Minister is still in the saddle after a useless election that he called, thinking he could turn a minority government into a majority. Although he did gain 16 more seats, he was 12 shy of the majority he wanted. When he called this election, a [...]
No glamour left in the air
Remember when flying used to be glamorous and exciting? You’d look forward to your trip. Flight attendants were cheerful and helpful, and gave out blankets and pillows so you’d be more comfortable. On long flights, you’d get a hot meal chosen from a menu even if you weren’t in First Class. After one trip, you [...]
‘What’s the point’ marketing
A coupon for a free item seems like a good way to market your business, doesn’t it? Maybe not, if the place you turn it in can refuse to honour it. We have such a coupon, expiring May 31, for a free sub at Quizno’s. In our household, the subs are known as good, but [...]
Why can’t you reserve?
Is it a spirit of “we have so much business, we don’t need to accommodate you” that makes restaurants refuse to take reservations on a busy weekend? Really, if you know, please tell me because I just don’t understand it. Son #2′s favourite restaurant is a casual steak place called The Keg. Unfortunately for us, [...]
Customer disservice, Bell style
Sorry, it’s a Friday afternoon vent! The good news is that my ISP, Bell Sympatico, has added a “service status” page to their web site, so you can check it before calling (shudder) to talk to their tech support. If you are lucky, the status is correct and a yellow or red light on the [...]
More Sympatico fun
Oh, those jokers at Sympatico. Today they breathlessly advised me (in a message sent three times) that they have “enhanced” my e-mail service and added “new, complimentary features.” The first new feature was that I couldn’t access my mail until I changed my password. Sympatico offered links to help members “configure” their e-mail, assuming of [...]