Category: Rants & Observations

Customer what?

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Has our world become so busy and complicated that we can’t expect decent customer service anymore? I just wonder about it after the whole Butterball turkey sausage incident where they couldn’t tell me whether the product had been discontinued or where to purchase it if it had not.

Today I was at The Sports Authority looking for some new workout clothes. They are so worried about theft that they lock the fitting rooms and you have to ring for assistance. Well I rang and rang but no one came. Eventually Joe went up to the front of the store to tell them I needed assistance and the crabby bitch who came to unlock a room acted like I was completely inconveniencing her by making her do her job. Had I not really wanted a new pair of shorts I would have put the clothes back and left (like I did at Value Shitty two years ago).

And that’s what gets me the most. This poor customer service directly results in loss of revenue. Since when has that been a sound business decision? I may be only one person, but just like when you save money, a little here and there eventually adds up. Target recently lost a sale thanks to their website. I really want the new DS game, Planet Puzzle League. The availability on their site says “This item is available online, but is not available in stores”, so I ordered the game from another site two days ago. What did I see at Target today? Yep. Silly me, expecting businesses to keep on top of things. I guess money just isn’t that important to them.

Flip-flops and me

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I need to talk about flip-flops for a moment. Or as some people call them, thongs. I hate them. Or more like they hate me. I think they are so cute! They come in so many colors and styles, and I wish I could buy them and love them like apparently all the people in my office building who wear them every day (although personally, I wouldn’t wear them to the office because I think they look retarded with dress clothes).

But the thing is, they hurt my feet. Plus the feeling of the material between my toes bugs the living crap out of me. How do you people stand it? I never wore them as a kid because I hated that feeling, and then I bought a pair at Target the other day figuring it might just be a matter of having to get used to them, and I nearly crippled myself walking around the kitchen for less than five minutes. My toes were hurting for half an hour afterwards. Maybe my toes are too close together or something.

I guess you could say I am flip-flop challenged. :(

Stinky

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It sure would be nice if we could get some fresh air in the house without cigarette smoke as a bonus. The neighbors on each side smoke. I don’t get it, if there’s more non-smokers than smokers, how come the smokers always live next door to us? Man, I can’t wait to move! I know it’s years away from now, but I long for the day we have no neighbors within smelling distance, surrounded by nothing but nature. I’ll take the early morning birds chirping incessantly to the smell of cigarette smoke any day.

The saga continues, and ends

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Soooo… we tried the Jenni-O turkey polish kielbasa the other day and while flavorful, it was ruined by the fact that the skin was really tough. So nay on the Jenni-O.

Last night I put together a list of local grocers and their phone numbers with the intention of calling each one today to see who carried the Butterball sausage. That plan was quickly derailed when I was informed by a girl at the first store I called that Butterball has discontinued making the polska kielbasa. Well isn’t that interesting? I do recall asking Butterball if it had been discontinued and not getting an answer to my question. Apparently it’s a huge secret. I shouldn’t be surprised considering it’s still listed on their website.

I am seriously considering writing a letter to their corporate office about this. No, not because it’s discontinued, although I am very sad and bewildered why the best tasting turkey sausage of the four I’ve tried apparently wasn’t selling well enough to remain in production. No, it’s because I’m sick of poor customer service from companies who expect us to buy their products regardless. I for one have added Butterball to my boycott list. Not that I’ll suffer much since that was the single product I really made a habit of purchasing. Sure, I like their Italian turkey breast in the deli from time to time, but no more. I’ll take my money elsewhere if they can’t be bothered to assist me in spending it on their products.

Butterball’s customer service blows

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Yesterday I submitted an e-mail to Butterball explaining how difficult I’ve found it to locate their turkey polska kielbasa. I used to get it at Meijer and Dominick’s and now neither store carries it. They aren’t out of it either; there’s no price tag to indicate they have any intention of re-stocking it. I’ve been bummed because I have a few recipes where I use it, like my sausage and peppers and even the chicken and chorizo stoup (I use the turkey instead of chorizo). I’ve tried Hillshire Farms and Eckrich’s versions of the turkey polish sausage and neither were as tender and juicy. I really miss the Butterball version!!!

I explained all that to Butterball, asking whether they are discontinuing the production of this sausage and if not, if they could tell me what store in my area carried it. This was their response (silly grammar included):

May 14, 2007

Dear Nicole,

Thank you for your question about the location of turkey polska kielbasa, however, we are not able to tell you what your local retailers have in their inventory. We recommend asking the meat manager at your local retailer so the item will may be available at your retailer.

Sincerely,
Howard Lewis
Consumer Response Representative

Well thanks for nothing! Why “product locator” is even an option on their website when sending them an e-mail is beyond me. They can’t locate shit. Nor did they even answer whether the sausage is still being produced. Am I to assume it is since they didn’t say otherwise?

Honestly, I don’t know why I bother. I am practically begging these people to take my money, but they don’t want to help me. I guess they could learn a thing or two from Edy’s/Dreyer’s who can not only tell me what store carries their product, but can e-mail me the day a particular flavor of my choosing arrives at the store I’ve selected. Now that is inventory control. I hope for our sake the Jenni-O turkey kielbasa I bought this week is really good so I don’t have to buy Butterball’s again. You know, provided I can even find it.