Opportunities wasted

My son has T-Mobile for his cellular service. He went to a local franchised store to get a phone, and in the course of the transaction, the associate didn't give him his ID back, and he forgot to ask for it. Crap happens, everyone is human. When he was called later to notify him that his ID was there, he said "I don't have a ride to get it, I'll be back when I can." He could have called me to help him, but he knows we're quite busy here and it would be a bit of challenge getting it for him with everything going on over here.

Getting the ID back has proved impossible, and has demonstrated this local franchisee's lax levels of customer service. I spoke to the store manager yesterday, and was given one set of information. My son was there the day before but nobody could find it, and as such, he couldn't start a new job since he needs the ID to demonstrate eligibility to work. He called again today and was told the regional manager took the IDs to the DMV "to be mailed" but they automatically get shredded due to security regulations. OK, fine, but be honest with us, and say "sorry, they get shredded". Or maybe if your store routinely has a stack of IDs, get on the ball and make sure the IDs get returned.

On the first visit, my son was told that someone may have taken his ID home even. Uh, hellooooo!!! Now we're looking at the potential for identity theft! I am beyond livid with these individuals for their slackass handling of this, plus the appearance that there is a repeated problem with failing to return IDs, and the store manager not having the keys to the safe while in the store. My son called the corporate office to find out what he can do about it, and the corporate line said he would need to handle it locally. Well, clearly after the store manager gave me a line of fluff while I was there, and then told my son the regional manager took the IDs to the DMV, we were not going to get far locally. He called the store to find out the corporate number for the franchisee owners, and was told "1800TMobile" and the person hung up the phone.

I was done. Two trips to the store to attempt to retrieve the ID, various stories given about what came of the ID, the possibility of identity theft being raised, the abrupt response and disconnect, all left me livid. I called TMobile corporate on my son's behalf. Yes, he's 21, but he's also got a snot-filled head, and coughing, and I've got some skill in dealing with customer service.

I spoke to Adrian at the corporate office, related to her what our experience was and that we're horribly frustrated, having to replace the ID, and that now personal information has been compromised, leaving us facing any number of scenarios. Then there's a week of lost income for not having the ID. Plus, the store had the opportunity to demonstrate stellar service, and instead took the crappy path. Just be honest with us if there's a problem. If we had to get a new ID because his was shredded, we could've dealt with it Tuesday, yesterday, or this afternoon between appointments for my dad instead of chasing down bad information and service, and trying to sort around other logistics tomorrow or Tuesday - both horribly busy days for the DMV. We can't do it Monday because it's a holiday. Adrian offered a partial credit toward the ID, and advised us on putting a consumer statement on the credit files (which we already knew to do). She apologized for the way things got handled, but she shouldn't have to be the one to apologize. She said she would be forwarding the complaint to the company's appropriate channels.

When tasked with serving customers, mistakes can and do happen. However, HOW the rest of the problem gets handled makes a huge difference. Owning up to the error, apologizing for it, and doing what you can to rectify it will leave a positive mark for the customer. I will say that given the entitled mindset of a huge segment of the population, some people will never be satisfied because their tush wasn't kissed enough. But if there is an opportunity to make a positive impression, do everything possible to avoid warranting a call to corporate to have me vent about the poor service. I've been on the receiving end of those kinds of complaints and they are no fun. It's not cool to have to apologize for the errors other people make. And when you have to complain about someone else, be as kind as possible to the person tasked with taking your complaint. How you lodge it could have an impact in the resolution you get from them. They're trying to make it right with you, they don't deserve being abused for the screw-up someone else caused. They are taking the opportunity the first person didn't take.

I feel validated

I am a self-proclaimed slacker parent. I am NOT one of those helicopter, lawn mower, or incessantly intervening parents. This blurb online is one of many articles and anecdotes that confirm for me that I'm not doing it wrong. I have not scheduled my kids for anything except doctor's appointments and religious education classes. I've kicked them outside to play without structure, instruction beyond basic safety rules, and their own imaginations. If they took an interest in something, I let them take that lead. I have kids who, like my husband, do not like for me to nudge them too much. It becomes nagging after about the second time I open my mouth. At that point, they decide to immediately do the exact opposite of what I have been suggesting. It didn't take me long to figure out their modus operandi, and subsequently, alter my own when dealing with any of them. The kids have my big feet, and his method of doing things - their own. How's that for genetic quirks?

So, I can find enjoyment being a parent because these guys have their own minds and methods. Oh wait, that's how I wanted them to be. I have always wanted kids who could function in the world, apart from me, because I still haven't fully enjoyed my mid-life crisis, nor have I cracked too far into my bucket list. Then there's that whole issue of mortality. What kind of legacy do I want to leave via my children? Do I want kids who grow up completely incapable of handling the slightest wiggle to what life pitches?  Or do I want kids that make use of the brain and common sense God gave them? Yes, the toilet overflows occasionally. So reach back here and shut off the water supply before it gets REALLY messy, and this is how you go about effectively unclogging it without making it worse. Don't curl up in the corner sitting in poo water, whimpering about getting stinky and wet.

This morning, I was dragged from my bed at 5:10 to get Evil Genius to work at 6. We arrived at 5:36 to find 3 cars of employees waiting since 4:00 to be let in the door, and the building locked and alarmed. My 19 year old is in training to be a manager 8 months after starting his first McJob, because we drilled life's lessons into his brain, and he saw the examples we set and emulated them. He started calling the managers whose numbers he has. Secondary access to the building was gained, an alarm code shared, and employees could finally start prepping - 2 hours later than they should have been. From my mom-bus, I heard grumbling and whining from the other cars. Those are the same kids whose feelings will get hurt when they have to eventually answer to Evil Genius. How unfortunate that they were not happy to be able to get their work done finally. They would have preferred to sit in the parking lot looking at an empty building as customers came through, expecting their usual breakfast and coffee. They were going to get paid whether they sat or worked, and who wouldn't rather sit and collect a paycheck? (After a while, I'd find it boring and old, and start getting restless.) Meanwhile Evil Genius set about getting the workday started. THAT is the kind of result to my parenting that I was aiming toward. He hates being bored, and thrives on staying busy. He was a horrible kid when he was bored. He's not nearly as hyper and angry anymore since landing this job. The chaos to my calendar is an acceptable trade-off in exchange for seeing my son do a job he likes, and learning to lead.

However, I could absolutely do without this massive caffeine withdrawal headache from not getting coffee when I dropped him off, and coming home to crawl back in the bed. I should have stayed awake and had coffee at home.  Another lesson: the smallest of things you do, can have impact elsewhere.

Rum is worth the drive over a phone call

So my adventures the past couple weeks culminated with a harried Friday. What should have been a celebratory rum-thirty ended up being a frustrating one needing a drink before it started. I left you with my calling the ABC store nearest my house to inquire about the price and availability of Whaler's Vanille Rum. This store is less than a mile round trip from me. A mere mile-ish, gas sipping ROUND TRIP. The other stores are a few miles away at best for the next closest. Total Wine is 7 miles from my house, and I venture near another ABC store to get to Total Wine.

The call to ABC:
Answered with store name, and employee name.
I asked if they had the rum in stock (it isn't always available at this location) and how much it was.
"Hey! We got any Wader's rum over there?"
"No, Whaler's W-H-A-L-E-R-S" (I realize my half yankee tendencies aren't always heard correctly by those not exposed to yankees much. It's been a long day, my diction may have been lacking. It won't be the first or last time)
"Oh that, yea we got that"
"How much is it?"
"round about $10.99 or so"
I thanked them and hung up to call the competitor.

The Total Wine call:
"Thank you for calling Total Wine, this is ___ ... " (I sadly misplaced the rest of the greeting in my mental files. I've got a massive headache- probably due to my Beast's discobobulation of plumbing that contributed to dehydration)
My request for information also included the store hours because it's 7 miles away and required time to get there before closing.
She told me the time they closed and then I asked about my requested product.
::keystrokes:: "As of this morning we had eleven bottles, but I can't accurately say how many we've sold today."
I asked the price.
"It's $10.79 ma'am."
I thanked her and hung up. I then drove fourteen miles round trip for what I wanted. I then went to the ABC website and let them know their associate's lack of phone etiquette sent me to their competitor. The price was comparable. It was the principle of it, and due to the headache I didn't dare crack open the rum. I'd rather avoid the pitfalls of drinking while dehydrated. If I'm going to have a hangover, it better be worth it. The time and gas spent to get the rum was worth it for customer service that was worth a damn.

Yes, it's Valentine's Day, but you still have to work

My husband works in a home improvement store, as a department manager. He's been in a few different departments, and the current one is where all the babysitting takes places. He's in essence, the "Head Babysitter In Charge" - front end manager. If these cashiers are scheduled to work, and they call out just because it's Valentine's Day IMO they need to be suspended or terminated immediately. If they get to keep their job, I would hope they get the crappiest of shifts and schedules just because they deserve it. First of all, my husband had to work on Valentine's Day, as did I. I am sitting here with dinner keeping warm in the oven, an hour past when my husband should have gotten off work. Granted he doesn't always leave on time. However, today he would have - because it's Valentine's Day and he wants to do something nice with me. But wait, we are talking about immature people with no work ethic hired as cashiers at his store. Excuse me, but you're now screwing with MY time. I plan my work schedules around my husband's so that I can try to spend time with him, or have a date with him and not have to worry about a babysitter. It's one of the things you do when you work retail. You work around things. Heck, it's what you do as a grownup, you work around things. The schedule is posted in advance. If you know you're going to be working on Valentine's Day, let your sweetie know that alternative plans should be made. Doing something special doesn't HAVE to be done ON February 14th. Now, these fools have tampered with my Valentine's Day and as a result, certain individuals will be getting some kind of token of appreciation from me for doing their part. Meanwhile the rest of them can go find another job. *hmph*