Anne-Marie of the Soaps and the Finer Things in Life blog often talks about the importance of customer service. I have just one extra thought to add to that: an online business should always, always have a general customer service contact e-mail on its website. (I prefer e-mail, but would make a phone call if I have to).
Case in point: The Artist's Magazine website. I had ordered the Artist's Sketchbook 2005 & 2006 CD back on December 24th. The amount was posted to my credit card on December 27th/28th. However, I still have not received this CD. So, I needed to ask their customer service about it. Well, in their website, under the Contact Us link, the only contact forms for them are affiliated with magazine subscriptions for their three magazines, The Artist's Magazine, The Pastel Journal (to with I subscribe, but my question is not about that), and Watercolor Artist. Long story short - I spent probably a total of about 25 minutes on this problem, 15 of which were spent on the phone calling 2 differen numbes because the none of the phone numbers listed are for the purchase of merchandise other than magazines.
To their credit, when I finally talked to a representative, she was able to authorize resending the CD out to me - according to their records, they had shipped it to me on Dec. 27th. I guess a USPS black hole swallowed the first CD. This is why I like to let people know when I've received a pkg from them, and I like it when they let me know likewise because to paraphrase the talented Stephen King, I trust the mail system about as far as I can throw a refrigerator.
To add annoyances to my busy day, Alpina, our little Houdini fowl, escaped twice. Luckily, ds#1 is a chicken-whisperer and helped get her back in both times. The second time, he helped me catch her and clip her flight feathers so she can't escape again...at least not until she grows them back.
Now I gotta go bake cheese scones and molasses cookies, do a Spanish lesson with the kids, review some French to prepare for Wednesday's class, and make Valentines for Thursday's Co-op.
"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." ~ William James (1842 - 1910)
