during the past month, i sent 2 requests to the customer service deparments of 2 different websites. i filled out the required fields of their forms and clearly explained my questions in the comments fields. BOTH of them sent me an automated response expressing their sympathy over my difficulties with their sites and gave me the generic instructions on how to use their site and where to find help on the sites. um…….HELLO? IS ANYBODY IN THERE? would i be ASKING for help if the answer to my questions were not found already on the site? are you KIDDING ME? i do not understand why is it so difficult to get a customer service department to answer a simple f’n question. perhaps my 1st mistake was asking them via their website (or email) instead of calling someone directly. one of the reasons i don’t do this is b cuz i will no doubtedly encounter a rep who will say something utterly stupid causing me to unleash a stream of 4-letter words that would probably make even ron jeremy the diceman blush (being married to an ex-sailor comes in handy sometimes).

i received the 2nd reply this morning, and already being in a monday mood, i immediately start drafting my response:

i did manage to do this w/o any 4-letter words, amazingly. then i had a moment of pause & decided i’m not quite ready to send this reply. i did save it though, while i try another option. but if i get anything similar to what i received this morning, it will be the 3rd strike in my book & i’ll declare open season on customer service reps. and before anyone starts in on me about how hard that type of job is, don’t even go there. i’ve had that job & i’m well aware that it doesn’t take much to show the customer that you are listening to what they have to say. trust me, that small effort goes a LONG way.