So, You Didn't Think It Gets Busy For Christmas?

Given that this year both my husband and I got raises at work, even though we're still burdened by our student loan and credit card debt, I felt better off than others in this economy. So I wanted to share some Christmas cheer.

Our neighbors, with whom we share a driveway, are retired and home almost all day. They get up early and when they go out to the front of the driveway to get their newspaper, they grab mine as well and place it on my backdoor step. The first few months we lived at the house, I didn't know they did that and I, believing it was great service from my newspaper delivery guy, sent him a nice Christmas tip with a letter saying "thanks for the door delivery." I bet he was confused. Now, knowing its not him, but my neighbors, I still send a tip, which I suppose at least keeps my papers coming to me dry (wrapped twice on rainy/snowy days), but no note.

Its nice that by the time I'm up, dressed, downstairs getting coffee, my newspaper is right on my backdoor step so I don't have to go outside to get it. A few times, I happen to be the first one outside, so I reciprocate for my neighbors, but its me 10%, them 90%.

Similarly, our neighbors help with the trashcans. Our trash is always picked up after both Stephane and I are gone to work. Instead of coming home and hoping our trash cans are still in the vicinity of our house (even if the trashmen leave them in the driveway, sometimes the wind can blow them away), my neighbors will grab my trash can and bring it back to our backyard when they get their own trashcan.

I really appreciate their help, so I wanted to buy them something for Christmas this year. Not really knowing their tastes, I thought to buy them something from a gift-food place. They used to have a local store at our mall (which I frequented every few months for cocoa, chocolate covered cherries and other items), but it closed a few months ago. So I had to use their online service.

I inadvertently got my neighbor's address incorrect. I only ever knew their first names, but I needed their last names for the delivery. So I went to look up their last name via whitepages.com since I knew the address. However, I put in the wrong number, I mixed it up with the address of the house on the other side of us (which is also a nice family, btw). Later than night, I realized I put in the wrong address on the order. I tried to call the place, but the "on-hold" time was more than a hour because "Christmas is busy." I didn't have that kind of time, so I sent an email, which promised to "get back to me within 24 hours."

The next day, I got an email saying they got my email and would respond "within 24 hours." Already slow. Another day passes and I get an email that said "Hey, you know it's Christmas and we're busy, so we'll respond to you as soon as we can." I'm thinking, ah oh, problem. I tried to call again. Now its "so busy" the customer service can't take more calls, try back later or go on our website for responses "within 24 hours."

Well, sure enough, the next day I get an email saying my order has been shipped. :p Great. Now my other neighbors are getting the gift. Now, they're nice people and all, and we've exchanged pleasantries, they have a boy just a little younger than Elise, so its entirely possible we'll eventually get to know them better. But still, I think they're going to be quite curious as to why out of the blue they're getting a fruit/chocolate/cookie box from us. Oh well, guess we're being extra generous this season. Of course, now I wonder if this is going to cause them to feel they have to reciprocate (at least for next year) and we start some fake gift exchange because we feel we 'have to for appearances sake, even if we don't really want to' all because I made a mistake.

I went out and bought something from a brick and mortar shop for my retired neighbors (these wonderful chocolate covered apple slices and strawberries from Edible Creations) and delivered it myself. I should have done that in the first place, I know, but the other place offered free delivery and hey, I'm a busy full time working mom.

Several days later, I finally get an email from the on-line place. "Oops, sorry about your order, but its Christmas and we're busy and didn't get to it in time to cancel/fix your order. Hope you accept our apologies and Merry Christmas." :p Gee thanks. Only took you a week to respond to my email. Quite a bit beyond your "24 hour" promise, you think?

Yeah, I get Christmas is busy. Perhaps one of the busiest of year. You think I don't know that? Don't they know that too? These companies know (or should know, seriously) that Christmas is busy. Why didn't they oh maybe take a stab at lowering the unemployment rate (even if just temporarily) and hire more people so they could fix orders, or get orders out on time, respond promptly to emails, etc.? I'm sorry, but 7 days to respond to an email that was promised a response in 1? You're that busy and backed-up on responding to customer service questions?? Perhaps you should have hired an additional person, which could have cut that response time to maybe 3 days, or hire 2 to cut it down to the promised 1? Oh, and hire more telephone operators too maybe, so I could get through the telephone lines without having to sit around on my butt for over an hour, or even just get told to "call back later."

I know this food company isn't the only one that is using the "Christmas is busy" excuse either. I've seen complaints on other consumer websites as well about problems with other on-line order places. Seriously, there is no excuse for the "we're too busy because its Christmas" line for on-line companies that can friggin hire people in India for pennies if they don't want to pay Americans living wages (though I think those that do that should be taxed to make up for it).


Maybe these companies will make nice big profits this year, because they've cut their labor force to the bare minimum, but they're losing a lot of future customer orders in the process. I know I'm not exactly itching to place another on-line order with this company, which means they could loose at least few more orders each year (I've used the on-line service in the past for deliveries in CA and other places in PA). I haven't tried out the Edible Creations delivery service, maybe I'll do that next year (although I think its just local delivery, but that will work for most of my orders, or I can actually pick up my order at a physical store).

With unemployment bouncing against 10%, there's no excuse for the "its Christmas, we're busy" ploy to excuse poor service. Hire people! Companies keep saying they can't hire people because they don't have the orders, but then when they do get inundated with orders, for *surprise* Christmas, they can't provide the service. Seriously, you knew Christmas was coming, its the same date every year. Plan for it. Hire a couple more people, heck, even temporarily. People will take a decent paying job, then go back on unemployment afterward, if necessary.

Maybe if more companies quit thinking about bonuses for executives and CEOs and more about their employees and customers, we'd have less unemployment and more happy customers.

More Bits

And another month gone by. Was busy this last month, had to write an appellate brief for the Third Circuit, which took pretty much an entire week of work. I'm pretty jazzed, my boss says I can do the oral argument in February. The damages at issue are in the seven figures, so chances are good that whoever loses will appeal to the US Supreme Court. The case involves the UCC, so it could have potential for acceptance. Now that would be exciting, to go to the SCOTUS.

Then I almost got to go to Germany for two witness depositions, that got canceled at seriously the last minute. I had always figured my boss would go, but the trip conflicted with a vacation he had and at least originally the depos couldn't be rescheduled. That only happened because my opposing counsel found out he had cancer and even then we weren't sure the German courts would allow the rescheduling. I was a bit nervous about going by myself, traveling a few states over for a couple of nights is one thing, going across the ocean for five days a bit more. So now the trip has been rescheduled for January (and may get rescheduled again for March). Not sure if I'll still get to go, or if my boss will want to do it. It will almost certainly need to be done, one witness is crucial to our defense and somehow I just don't see the plaintiff coming down in his settlement demands (currently in the seven figures) to anything near where the insurance carrier will consider paying (which is currently five figures, which may go up to low six, maybe). In the meantime, I spent several days getting stuff ready for the trip, that got canceled.

My Warcraft guild finally killed the main boss at the end of the current expansion. Always a fun accomplishment. A new expansion is coming out Tuesday, with level increase to 85. I expect to be spending most of my free time playing WoW over then next few months. New dungeons and boss mobs to overcome.

So trying to catch/keep up on my TV shows. I'm out of my Survivor pool now, my pick Brenda was betrayed by her alliance, one member of which then quit the next week. Bah! There's several shows I like, but nothing is OMG I MUST WATCH NOW the way Lost was for me. Couple shows are trying and I do watch, but sometimes several weeks are saved on my DVR before I get around to it.

I watched Dennis Miller's new show the other day. I really used to love his stuff, but he moved too far to the right, and I've moved more left, so half his show isn't funny to me anymore, since he got a bit more political in his comedy. I get my political comedy from Jon Stewart and Robert Colbert now.

Thanksgiving was "exciting" in that Cami fell against a table, cut her lip and needed three stitches at the hospital. :p

Now just a few more short weeks until Christmas. Kids' shopping is nearly done and I know what I'm getting Stef. I have my sister's family's list, so I just have to sit down and decide if I'm ordering on line or going shopping. So just a few other miscellaneous gifts to get and I'm done. Still need to get Christmas cards out, maybe this weekend.

Its a bit slower at work now, so maybe I'll have more time to write later.