The professor who gave the Last Lecture to a packed auditorium and, eventually, six million viewers around the world has passed away from pancreatic cancer. I feel the same way I did when my grandfather died. GrandPops was so vibrant and healthy and full of life that I felt sure if anyone could live forever, it would be him. Randy Pausch had a wonderful life, made some spectacular choices when faced with a short runway at the end, and embodied what a professor and a father should be. His wife and children are in my thoughts. His page is unreachable at the moment. He chronicled his vital signs in an utterly straightforward manner as the disease progressed, and retained his remarkable upbeat voice throughout.
Randy Pausch talked about being a Tigger versus an Eeyore in life, and I think that is a wonderful metaphor. Now I am off to download Alice, the programming language for children he stewarded, to introduce my son to a new skill in Professor Pausch's honor - and have fun doing it.
PS Here is his lecture on time management, which he seemed to think was going to be his legacy before all "this" happened.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Maid Brigade of Denver does everything well
Maid Brigade is the service for those of us who have to clean up BEFORE the housekeepers get here. We've been out of town for most of the previous month -- except for a party for my now-ten-year-old son and the days I waited for the Sears guy. My house is a mess.
A messy house does not usually bother me that much, but also have company coming tomorrow. Since my clothes dryer has been out of service for ten days, I am frantically doing laundry, and my house was utterly disorganized when they arrived. Now it sparkles and everything is neat.
Maid Brigade teams are conscientious, polite, experienced, and very nice.
They call the day before to confirm a two hour window of arrival, and they send surveys or leave cards after asking how the service was.
They do things I don't expect, like clean encrusted detergent off of the pour spout on my clothes washer.
They use 'green' products that are safe for children and pets and gentle on those with allergies, like my husband.
They ask me to walk through the house and make sure everything is satisfactory.
I *love* these guys - they do everything right.
A messy house does not usually bother me that much, but also have company coming tomorrow. Since my clothes dryer has been out of service for ten days, I am frantically doing laundry, and my house was utterly disorganized when they arrived. Now it sparkles and everything is neat.
Maid Brigade teams are conscientious, polite, experienced, and very nice.
They call the day before to confirm a two hour window of arrival, and they send surveys or leave cards after asking how the service was.
They do things I don't expect, like clean encrusted detergent off of the pour spout on my clothes washer.
They use 'green' products that are safe for children and pets and gentle on those with allergies, like my husband.
They ask me to walk through the house and make sure everything is satisfactory.
I *love* these guys - they do everything right.
Maid Brigade of Denver
| Local | (303) 369-6243 |
| Fax | (303) 496-6243 |
3435 S Yosemite St Ste 100
Denver, CO 80231
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Norman from A&E knows his stuff
If you ever need your Sears appliances repaired, call Norman from A&E in Colorado Springs.
1. He called ahead and let me know when he would arrive, and then he arrived on time.
2. He fixed my dryer in half an hour.
3. He found enough small change in the lint area that I can take Nic for a steak dinner tonight.
4. He offered to de-oderize my washing machine.
5. He told me the ratio for front loading washers to top loading is 3:1, so I should not be able to overload my front loader. (I elect not to take that as a challenge, but it contradicts the last guy to visit, who told me to run small loads.)
6. He told me the phone support team should always be able to see the routing and send the tech a message.
It is entirely possible he is the repair guy who stood me up before, but I choose not to believe that. My dryer is fixed, Norman is wonderful, and this story is at an end, with a happy ending. I am still not going to buy any more Sears appliances, but at least the one I have is fixed.
1. He called ahead and let me know when he would arrive, and then he arrived on time.
2. He fixed my dryer in half an hour.
3. He found enough small change in the lint area that I can take Nic for a steak dinner tonight.
4. He offered to de-oderize my washing machine.
5. He told me the ratio for front loading washers to top loading is 3:1, so I should not be able to overload my front loader. (I elect not to take that as a challenge, but it contradicts the last guy to visit, who told me to run small loads.)
6. He told me the phone support team should always be able to see the routing and send the tech a message.
It is entirely possible he is the repair guy who stood me up before, but I choose not to believe that. My dryer is fixed, Norman is wonderful, and this story is at an end, with a happy ending. I am still not going to buy any more Sears appliances, but at least the one I have is fixed.
It is 11:00 and "Norman" from Sears just called
He is from Colorado Springs, and he says this is not his normal territory. He added he had a note that said I had called -- "a couple of times," heh - to check on my scheduled time. I am the next house on his list. Glorious. It's likely a real, live repair person will be at my house in the next hour or so.
Call #11 to Sears customer service: "Michael" has helpful information!!
8:26. By the way, they ask you to take a short customer service survey to let them know how they are doing. I took it last night.
8:26: ...please hold
8:27: ...please hold
8:28: ...please hold
8:29: ...please hold
I tell "Alex" I need to talk to someone who can see the routing for my service call today. He says, a little reproachfully, that he will forward me to the "correct" department. He is gone before I can ask him what that is.
"Michael" picks up. I tell him I need to know where I am on my technician's route. He asks me for my phone number, checks whatever he checks, and tells me I am #4 on the schedule and the repairman is estimated to arrive at 2:00.
WOW. An estimate. This feels good. Thanks, Michael.
8:26: ...please hold
8:27: ...please hold
8:28: ...please hold
8:29: ...please hold
I tell "Alex" I need to talk to someone who can see the routing for my service call today. He says, a little reproachfully, that he will forward me to the "correct" department. He is gone before I can ask him what that is.
"Michael" picks up. I tell him I need to know where I am on my technician's route. He asks me for my phone number, checks whatever he checks, and tells me I am #4 on the schedule and the repairman is estimated to arrive at 2:00.
WOW. An estimate. This feels good. Thanks, Michael.
Sears bad customer service, call #10, day 11
I called at 8:18 this morning, was on hold until 8:24, and was abruptly disconnected without ever talking to a human.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Sears puts the cuss in customer service - day 10
Tonight I spoke with Marco of Sears' truly, putridly, execrably bad customer service. As you'll recall, ol' Bob with the Texas twang told me that if I called the night before service was scheduled, anyone on the Sears phone support team would be able to see the routing and tell me what number I would be in line. Kai also affirmed that when she told me she would call me back after 6:00, when she could see the routing. Of course, she never called back and anything Sears phone reps say is suspect, but I decide to press on.
Alas, Marco denied that he could see the routing. Senor Marco, of Sears' incredibly cavalier and cruddy customer service, told me that he could only commit to the technician being here between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. When I mildly inquired why two other people told me he would be able to see the routing, Marco told me that "In really weird cases we can do that. But,normally, we can't see the routes."
I asked if he was in "kitchen," since Bob implied he was in a special group. Marco says "I am in phone service. That is all there is."
I politely asked for customer relations. Marco informed me that they closed two hours ago. Now, when I called last week, I spoke to customer service at 8:20 p.m. Apparently, their hours have changed.
I say, "So, you cannot see the routing, and there is no way to escalate my call so I might be able to narrow this down?" According to Marco, there is nothing I - or he - can do.
Perhaps Sears' support does have new hours. Perhaps Marco is just riffing, because there is clearly no script for Sears' woefully decrepit customer service.
I have to admit, I love the "we can only see the routing in really weird cases" line. That is surreal both for its lack of logic and the utter disdain for me, the soon-not-to-be-a-Sears customer.
Alas, Marco denied that he could see the routing. Senor Marco, of Sears' incredibly cavalier and cruddy customer service, told me that he could only commit to the technician being here between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. When I mildly inquired why two other people told me he would be able to see the routing, Marco told me that "In really weird cases we can do that. But,normally, we can't see the routes."
I asked if he was in "kitchen," since Bob implied he was in a special group. Marco says "I am in phone service. That is all there is."
I politely asked for customer relations. Marco informed me that they closed two hours ago. Now, when I called last week, I spoke to customer service at 8:20 p.m. Apparently, their hours have changed.
I say, "So, you cannot see the routing, and there is no way to escalate my call so I might be able to narrow this down?" According to Marco, there is nothing I - or he - can do.
Perhaps Sears' support does have new hours. Perhaps Marco is just riffing, because there is clearly no script for Sears' woefully decrepit customer service.
I have to admit, I love the "we can only see the routing in really weird cases" line. That is surreal both for its lack of logic and the utter disdain for me, the soon-not-to-be-a-Sears customer.
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