Now THAT was customer service!

I just had, what I think, is a phone call that will never be duplicated in my lifetime.  Maybe that's going overboard but it's a first for me, and I'm well into my 40's (shhhh!).  So chances are if these calls happen every 43 years or so I'll be at the end of my life or dead the next time one comes around.

Let me tell you the background, not to go on a tangent about the mistake in one company and possibly incompetent employees of another but to just help you understand the end of the story (which is why I'm blogging about this).  Wednesday, my husband and children left town to our family reunion.  I was unable to go.  The morning they left my husband was concerned because during the night a charge hit our checking account from TiVo.  A company we haven't done any business with for a year.  I told him I'd take care of it after work and sent him on his way.  Later that day I went to our Wells Fargo branch and they said I'd need to work it out between their 800# and TiVo.  I went home and called TiVo who realized the mistake, apologized and issued credit.  I called the bank to see if they would reverse the fees, a $35 charge for overdrawing the account with the TiVo charge and an overdraft fee of $35 for a Redbox. (I refuse to spend $36.20 on an overnight movie rental that was so unimpressive I can't even remember the name- Call me cheap.)

Wells Fargo said they'd be unable to reverse those charges until the credit showed up from TiVo and that is typically 10-14 business days!  Unacceptable!  I need access to my funds.  The WF associate then said if I had them call the merchant line so they could hear from TiVo first-hand that the fees were being reversed they could issue the $70 credit and a temporary credit of the TiVo charge of $129 so I'd have access to all my money.  Good deal- that's what I wanted/needed.  I asked for the number to the merchant line and he replied they can't give it out but to have TiVo call the 800# and ask to be transferred.  TiVo agreed to call.  That was Wednesday evening.  Yesterday I was gone most of the day and evening.  There was no time to make sure the credits were showing.  I knew I needed to give it a couple days anyway.

Today after work I checked and noticed no credits still.  I called Wells Fargo to ask why and they let me know that Tivo hadn't called in.  The WF associate looked over the account while on the phone and didn't seem to have any problems with what we were trying to do. It was when I called TiVo that I found out they'd tried to no avail.   TiVo needed my pin # to my card and my checking account # and the last 4 of my SSN to get through the auto dialer.  I wasn't willing to give them that info (I've already dealt with identity theft- not going there again!) so we did a 3 way call so I could push the buttons and get the info through the system without giving private info to an associate at TiVo.  


Longer story shorter, a very nice TiVo associate named Chelsea helped me.  We talked to 3 associates in 2 departments who kept passing the issue to each other.  One department wasn't allowed to speak with me, the other wasn't allowed to speak with her.  One even went so far as to make me repeat everything Chelsea said on the 3 way call since she couldn't communicate with Chelsea even with my permission- forget the fact she could hear her.  WF let me know this could have been  resolved if  "I" had handled things properly and called WF before TiVo issued the credit....I should have known.  How silly of me.  The final word, Wells Fargo said I could wait until Wed. then if the credit hadn't shown up (which it probably wouldn't) I could file a complaint against TiVo, which would get me my temporary credit 2 days after that!  They got a little hard to deal with for both me and Chelsea.  At one point on our call they made her disconnect from me and call them again alone.  They caused her a lot of time wasted- I've worked for call centers before.  I know in most companies your call length and volume can directly impact your pay and reviews.  She didn't seem to be bothered at all, even after we'd been on the phone for almost an hour.  She made such an impact on me that I said a quick repentance prayer for my unkind feelings and shortness with a couple WF associates.  

By the time we were done I was almost in tears.  Chelsea was absolutely sweet.  When I wanted to be short with the WF associates Chelsea was Christ-like and kind and reminded me through her example that she's above that, certainly I could be as well.  When we hung up Chelsea was very apologetic for her company's mistake that caused this problem for me.  It's not over here though....And here's the part I wanted to blog about:

Two hours later I got a call from Chelsea.  She told me that she couldn't get the call out of her mind and asked if we could call WF and talk to someone different.  (Was she really up to another hour on the phone?  TiVo was closing in only 30 minutes.)  She didn't like knowing that I was in a bind.  I couldn't believe it.  Surely, she could have just moved on, taken more calls upped her stats, know that she'd tried.  And hard.  It wasn't enough for her though.  She cared more about me than she did any ill affects these calls may have on her job, let alone her sanity.  I was impressed with Chelsea.  I think her manager will get a very nice letter about her.  I thanked her, let her know I'll be alright and that we don't need to do that.  I also let her know I've never been called back by an employee of any company, wanting to go the extra mile.  I want to be more like Chelsea.

May we resolve from this day forward to fill our hearts with love. May we go the extra mile to include in our lives any who are lonely or downhearted or who are suffering in any way. May we “[cheer] up the sad and [make] someone feel glad.”   President Thomas S. Monson May We So Live.  

Perilous Duck Crossings

Ducks crossing highway

A few weeks ago our family was driving into Boise, ID.  We were travelling in the left lane of the freeway, a concrete barrier on the left side of us, cars on the right.  Suddenly a mother duck and her babies following behind started across the freeway.  The car just ahead and to the right barely missed the little ducks.  I had to do some good maneuvering to miss them as well and everyone in the car inhaled sharply as I came within just inches.  I'm sure the mother didn't realize that she was leading her family toward a concrete barrier which would stop their progression and complicate keeping her family safe even further.  But certainly she had to know that crossing a busy street was potentially hazardous.  The only way out would be to backtrack that treacherous and possibly perilous road before they could reach safety.

I wonder how often we, as parents, lead our children into dangerous ground thinking nothing about it.  Possibly we watch inappropriate TV shows with less than virtuous messages.  Maybe it's music.  Perhaps we lead them into dangerous ground with our attitudes or negative language.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/909216/things-aren-t-always-as-they-seem

It is more important than ever that we realize our children follow us, whether we want them to or not, they're watching and most likely will emulate our actions.  From the time they're born they learn by watching and imitating us or doing those things we teach them- everything from talking to eating to dressing to running.  It doesn't stop once they hit elementary and have other teachers and friends to follow.  They continue to watch us.  To imitate.  What a terrible feeling when we realize our kids have followed us into dangerous territory and we have a lot of fixing to do.  What makes it worse is that there are no guarantees that our children will follow us back across that treacherous ground and into safe territory again.

The best option is to just keep ourselves in the safety of the Lord's commandments in the first place.

Can you say GOLDEN?

A couple weeks ago McKenna was in class and a girl named Makenzie asked if she could talk to her in the hallway.  Worried she'd done something wrong she agreed.  What came out of Makenzie's mouth surprised McKenna, but in a good way.  She asked why McKenna makes different choices than the other kids?  Mainly the choice not to have a boyfriend- something she's had the opportunity of more than once this school year.  Then Makenzie wanted to know what makes our church different than others?  McKenna was nervous to answer the questions.  She said she wasn't sure what to say.  She rattled off some things that were correct but without confidence.  She came home and told us about it and said Makenzie wants to know more.  We gave her some ideas to better answer the questions she'd already asked and reminded McKenna that after she was baptized she was given the Holy Ghost and that he's there for her, she just needs to feel for him then listen.  We reminded her that Heavenly Father loves Makenzie too and wants her to know more about the gospel because he wants her to live happily and return to him as well.  By bedtime her confidence was boosted.

The next day McKenna came home and said the conversation went much better and she wanted to come to church with us.  A few days later she couldn't find McKenna but got the number of my other daughter, Neicia, and asked if she could come hang out at our home. Neicia was already at the seminary building so Makenzie went there to meet her.  Neicia introduced her to Brother G. and he and Neicia answered more of Makenzie's questions.  Neicia gave her a Book of Mormon so she could read it for herself.  Then they came home and marked scriptures that Neicia knew would be specific to her...(Neicia has prepared herself for this.  She has over 80 scriptures memorized- often she's our scripture go-to girl.)  Later McKenna came home with the girl next door.  I heard the most beautiful sound.  McKenna yelled up the stairs, "Makenzie, Alexis and I are going next door, would you like to come?"  Makenzie replied, "No, I'm reading the Book of Mormon!"

Fast forward 2 weeks.  Makenzie is amazing.  Not only because she's loving the Book of Mormon, can tell the Plan of Salvation in detail, and is excited to be recognizing the spirit, but because she exudes sunshine.  The happiness is bubbling out of her, she's receiving answers to her questions.  She reminds me of Joseph Smith.  She's just a few months older than he was when he knelt in that sacred grove to pray.  Like him her desire to know where she came from, why she's here and where she's going is enormous.  She too has checked out other churches but nothing been right.  Yesterday, I picked her up and on the way to church I explained that church was going to be a little different than last week because it was fast and testimony meeting.  I explained what our day and meeting would be like.  After the 3rd testimony was borne she jumped up and went to the pulpit and bore the most beautiful testimony.  She said that she knew the gospel was true, that she's so happy to have found friends in my girls who have been so willing to share it with her.  She was grateful for the missionaries for answering so many of her questions and that she is happy to be finding Christ.  Yesterday afternoon was her 4th missionary discussion.  My husband gave the opening prayer.  When he was done she asked if we'd teach her to pray and if she could say the closing prayer as she has some things she'd like to talk to the Lord about.  As the missionaries were teaching her she kept excitedly saying things like, "Oh!  I just read that," or "that's like Nephi!"  My 12 year old said she thinks Makenzie already knows more than she does.  Her spirit in our home has been overwhelming and wonderful.  She's a truly remarkable, faithful girl who is anxious to be a member of the church.   How blessed we have been to be a part of this, to know her, and to feel of her spirit and of Heavenly Father's as he seems to be wherever she is.  I'm also overwhelmed with joy to see my own girls testimonies growing, as they are sharing what they know to be true and are also being touched by Makenzie in return.


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