Bad Customer Experiences

I think my next blog will be a place for all to come and vent about bad customer service. It's rampant here in the So. Cal. There are so many people in a small space that they really don't have to compete and therefore really don't have to try. It's pathetic. This is not reality.

But more on that in a future entry (or as the opening to a whole new blog).

I have two issues tonight.

1.)  ATT Internet - I pay a premium to have fast internet with a large GB download capacity. Everything I do is Internet based so I pay extra to be able to have all my devices lightening fast on demand. But recently I'm on slow down mode. Interruptions to all my devices, consistently. Not like a momentary thing. It's on going. And the beauty... my Blu-Ray player shows me how slow the connection gets. It stalls out along the way, hitting zero and killing everything I'm playing with. Not cool and not worth a premium. They're getting a phone call.

2.)  Hallmark.com - This site should be very cool. In theory, I should be able to load it up with all my card-appropriate events and schedule e-cards to be sent up to a year out to whomever I want. Yes, there's a subscription fee and I would gladly pay it if the dang thing worked. (Yes, I did pay it and the site sucks so bad, I'm asking for my money back.) Their interface is klunky and buggy. The scheduler doesn't work, the calendar entry system doesn't work, the FB posting doesn't work and if you hit the backspace key while typing, it goes back a page. Not just erases the error you just made, erases everything and backs up an entire page. Bad, bad programming and a HUGE disappointment from a company I always thought of as the top of the heap.

I also downloaded their 2 iPhone apps. One is a glorified commercial. Don't bother. What a waste.
The other allows you to create cards right on your phone. Insert photos, sign your name... cool concepts. But then they charge you 4 dollars to print and mail it. What I really want is to post it to FB, send it via email or text it. Who wants to wait for it to be printed and mailed? Again, so much promise and so disappointing.

There is an untapped market in this space... one just waiting for someone to create a pay as you go or subscription model to be able to manage your card giving duties via your phone, on demand or scheduled out up to a year. It's worth $10 - $20 per year to have this service. So sad that Hallmark missed it big time.

What other companies, services have disappointed you recently? Drop me a line and let me know. Might be just the kick in the pants I need to start my next blog.