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.  

I'd like a burger and three regular sized sodas, please.

Sunday night was the Miss USA pageant.  We love watching the interview section of pageants.  How the ladies handle themselves under pressure.  Whether they answer the way they feel or answer the way they think the judges want them to.  Their answers can be very telling.

Miss Georgia, Jasmyn Wilkins, was the first of the top 5 to answer an interview question.  This is what she was asked, “The Mayor of New York City plans to ban the sale of large, sugary drinks. Does this go too far?”  This was her answer, “I don’t think it goes too far, you know.  Those drinks have so much sugar in them, and they are unhealthy for you. They are kinda delicious. I love to have my Big Gulp when I go to7-11. But I think that it is a little bit too much, and I’m glad that they are putting some sort of restrictions on it. So. I think it’s a good thing.”

I'm becoming more and more amazed at the amount of people who think force is the best way to handle things.  When my kids were little I worried about them touching the stove top.  I took precautions to help their safety.  Put the handles toward the back of the stove rather than hanging over the top where little fingers could grab at it for instance.  I also taught them about hot and cold.  When the stove was on sometimes I'd pick them up and carefully put their hands just close enough they could feel heat without getting burned, but so they'd feel and understand that the stove was hot.  Then I'd explain that we don't touch things that are hot or we get burned.  As they got a little older and they could see over the top of the stove, I taught them in more detail such as if the burner is red it's hot, don't touch it.  If the oven door is warm it's probably hot inside etc.  Then when they got even older I taught them how to use the oven and stove top using safety measures.  


Never once did I move the oven out to the garage door.  Never did I build a wall around the stove and forbid my kids go near it.  I educated them and yes, I let them learn from natural consequences.   There were a couple times that a child reached up and touched the hot plate...none of them ever did it twice.


What would have happened if I'd have just taken the temptation away?  Moved the stove out to the garage, protected them from making the wrong decision?  Where would they be now?  They would be adults who haven't learned about hot ovens and stove safety.  They wouldn't be as informed and educated and they'd probably be burning themselves every time they made Ramen noodles, which is probably all they could cook too.

What about God?  Didn't he give us agency?  The right to choose wrong or right.  I'm grateful that he allowed Adam and Eve to eat that apple.  Yes, because of it they were kicked out of the garden, but because of it you and I are here as well.  Free agency is a beautiful thing.  If we are forced to choose someone else's way how will we learn and grow?  We can't.


Do you recall a time in your life when someone wouldn't allow you to make a choice you wanted?  It probably didn't go over well.  Possibly, you were even more tempted than when you had the option.   Look at how well prohibition went over.


Back to the large sugary drinks.  It's pretty well known that a 64 oz. soda is bad for us.  But by banning large drinks will that stop people from drinking lots of soda or other sugary drinks?  I say no.  Instead of drinking a can of soda can't someone drink 3?  Instead of getting the large cup at the restaurant can't someone just refill their small cup over and over?  I know that if I eat or drink ANYTHING in large quantities it's going to be bad for my body.   But does that mean that because I may not choose the right someone else should just take the option away so that I don't fail?  Of course not!  


As adults, do we really want people determining what's good for us, what's okay for us, what's allowed-and then enforcing it?   What if the next politician that comes along says ice cream is bad for us and bans it?  Then chocolate cake?  Then fried chicken?  Should restaurants only be able to serve one serving size courses?  Should you only be able to purchase a 4 oz. steak at your local steak house?  Certainly that would help this country's percentage of obesity improve.  What happens when food isn't enough?  When some politician says we're overweight because we're too idle.  Will televisions have auto turn-off timers?  Will certain religions be banned because someone decides which ones are right or wrong?  


Wherefore, men...are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death.
2 Nephi 2:27


We have to allow people to make decisions, even if they're wrong.   That's God's plan.  Who are we to say there's a better way?  If this life is a test then we must be allowed to succeed or fail.   It's often through our failures that we succeed.   Look around.  Who do you know that is strong and successful?  Do you think they ever made a wrong turn that got them to where they are now?  I'm guessing yes. 


I know what you're thinking.  They may not turn around though.  They may just keep going down the wrong road.  This is why we have such an obesity problem.  You're right.  They may not.  But that's their choice, they'll reap the consequences whether it's weight, health or both.  I guarantee that they know why their overweight or unhealthy- and taking away large sugary drinks isn't going to fix this.  If someone wants temporary pleasure instead of long-term rewards of health then that's their choice.  Why is this so hard to see?  Force is Satan's plan!


Moses 4:3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;


BTW, Miss Georgia was 4th runner up.  Last place of those who answered questions.  

Clean up your act

Sunday in sacrament meeting my husband and I were watching a little boy who looked so handsome in his pinstriped Sunday dress shirt when suddenly he picked his nose and wiped it on his shirt.  Twice.  My husband and I chuckled.  We remember seeing our own kids do that more than we'd like to admit.  We continued to watch him.  Obviously he was unable to relieve himself of  bothersome nasal content because he lifted his shirt to his nose and blew.  Rather than a chuckle we had to stifle a laugh - Out of courtesy for the speaker, of course.  I had sympathy for his mom who has to do the laundry.  But that's what moms (and dads) are for right?  To help us clean up.  As parents we help our kids clean up and as their understanding grows we teach them how to clean themselves as well as to stay away from things that will dirty them in the first place.  We may get frustrated at times, but we keep trudging along because we love our kids.


 After sacrament meeting I taught gospel doctrine.  The lesson was about Alma the younger's conversion.  (Read it here.)  I love that story.  I love the example of his loving father who prayed for his son who'd lost his way.  This week I've thought a lot about Alma Sr.  He must have grieved deeply for his son's soul.  Understanding, himself, what it's like to feel the bitterness of sin in comparison to freedom of the burdens of sin and joy in the Lord.  We all want what's best for our children.   I'd imagine he tried to teach his son and felt like his words fell on deaf ears.

“New Era Poster,” New Era, Aug. 2003, 19 

Considering that only a decade after Alma the younger's conversion Alma Sr. died at the age of 82, young Alma was potentially well into his adulthood before the Lord finally intervened.  There is a good chance that Alma prayed for years for deliverance for his son.  If the prayer Alma the younger said 20-30 years later for the Zoramites was any indication of the type of prayers his father said, Alma Sr. would have cried to the Lord for strength and for his son.  Alma 31:30, 34-35  "O Lord God, how long wilt thou suffer that such wickedness and infidelity shall be among this people?  O Lord, wilt thou give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities.  For I am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my soul...O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.  Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee."
He must have wondered at times if his pleas to the Lord would be answered the way he hoped.  


My favorite part of the story is when Alma the younger receives deliverance through the atonement of Jesus Christ.  I don't think it was a coincidence that it was his father's teachings that finally he turned to, that finally freed him from sin and bondage to the adversary.  Alma 36:17-20  And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.  Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.  And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.  And Oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as my pain!


What a beautiful story full of hope, the love of a father for a son and of the atonement of Jesus Christ. 
Years later Alma the younger spoke to his people... Alma 5:21
 I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be^asaved; for there can no man be saved except his ^bgarments are washed white; yea, his garments must be ^cpurified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins.