Channeling Emily Gilmore

[kybearfuzz]

I usually take it very easy on customer service people when I talk to them on the phone. If something is wrong it isn't usually his or her fault, but they are the front line with access to the information I need.

On my front door as I got home is a attempted delivery slip from DHL for my precious iPod. Apparently, they tried to deliver it at 10 AM this morning, but wouldn't leave it. I appreciate that, but they mark that I can pick it up at the warehouse. Fine, I want my iPod tonight, but they leave no address of where the warehouse is on the slip. If you recall, I had to ship my iPod off for repair, well they supposedly fixed it and sent it back. I'm off to Dayton tomorrow to visit a buddy and wanted it for the trip.

I call DHL and ask where I can pick it up, but the lady on the phone wont tell me. Why? Because I cannot pick it up unless Apple gives them permission to release it. Even though I have ID and the slip they left, they will not release MY property to me due to the agreement they have with Apple. Why did they leave the slip saying I could? "Oh that's just standard," the lady says. No, that's misleading! They tell me they can redeliver it.. between 12 and 5 PM tomorrow.. when I'm at work. They tell me I can sign the slip for it and they will leave it on the porch. A $400 iPod, in a cardboard box, in the rain, on my porch. I don't think so! I tell DHL I am thankful that they aren't in charge of donated organ deliveries and hang up.

So I call Apple to get permission, the chickee on the support line say they can fax a release to them. Things, I thought, were starting to look up. It will take two days to send it. What??? "My God, woman," I said, "no one's phone lines are THAT slow!" Apparently, such permission must go through several channels to get approval before it is sent. Red tape apparently isn't limited to Uncle Sam. She seems totally unhelpful and can do nothing, except get things started for another two days waiting. I hang up.

I ponder this again and think that its ridiculous that they can't fax something sooner. So I channel my inner Emily Gilmore and prepare to give the next available customer representative some stern, but witty retorts. It may not help, but it will make me feel better. I call back to Apple and get a guy this time, who sounds really cute. It does little to sway my temper.. much. I explain my situation and he seems familiar with it. My guess is that he sits next to operator #1 who is explaining what a jerk she just dealt with.

He seems better, but offers no additional solutions. I tell him that I cannot believe that I am less than six miles away from my property (he let it slip that it was in Erlanger, KY), and that they will only redeliver tomorrow between 12 and 5 PM, when most sane people are working so they can afford the next Apple product. He does the unthinkable. He calls DHL and gets them to agree to TRY to deliver it before 10:30 AM. It's not much better, but at least I can go to work tomorrow after lunch without eating up too much leave. I appreciated his effort, but I launch a formal complaint about this situation and how much I thought this arrangement with DHL was horrible. Even though I have proof of identity and the slip they left, I cannot be given my package because it has to be delivered to me and signed for? He's says it's due to responsibility issues. He says their contract with DHL is for two years, but that it will help them decide if they renew it. I personally don't like DHL's service (and not just this instance).

DHL has until tomorrow at 10:30 AM. Afterwards, there will be hell to pay, and I pity the poor man who rings my doorbell. I'm sure some of this anger and anxiety is political leftovers... but I want my iPod.

Comments

[jeremasaur.livejournal.com]

*grins* You go get em, Cutie. :-)

[shortstackbear.livejournal.com]

ARGGGH thats "ridicurous"! Stuff like that sends me over the edge. I hope you get it buddy, if ya dont though.........you want to borrow mine??

BTW, Emily Gilmore RAWKS!

[jbear70.livejournal.com]

DHL sucks as a delivery service. That's why we use FedEX and UPS at our office.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

LOL.. I got mine back, all is well now.

And Emily is this generation's Bette Davis, in my opinion.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I know.. my office almost never uses them.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure that would help or not. When I'm at work, I'm often working out of town or out of the office, so I wouldn't be there anyway.. and I'd be afraid it would be lost in the shuffle.