No, Thank YOU Amazon.com!

I just had to post about my customer service experience at Amazon. For those of you that thought a positive customer service experience was something that was only talked about in folk lore books, well then read on my friend!

Last Friday I ordered the most adorable pair of shoes for my nephew Kai on Amazon.com. The brand name is 'See Kai Run' and they have this cute little red 'K' on the side. How cute is that for a kid whose name is Kai?

Well, me being the best Aunt there is, (but not yet possessing a ton of 'motherly' skills such as knowing that one cry means, 'I want a bottle' and the other means, 'Change me!' ), did not know what size of shoes to order for him. I called his dad and of course the reply I got was:

'Uhhh, he only has one pair right now. Uh, I think maybe a 3 sounds right? Well, I don't know, he just started walking. I'd say they are about 3 inches long (referencing of course Kai's feet, not the shoes).'

So, after much consulting with many mom's in the office, I decide on a size 4 for him. I placed my order at Amazon.com and was happy knowing that they would arrive on Dec. 23rd with plenty of time for me to ogle them first and then wrap them up pretty like!

Then, my sister calls me and is talking about toddler shoe sizes and I start getting a panic attack. She starts convincing me that since they are soooo cute, maybe a 5 would be better so he can grow into them. Duh! What was I thinking? I go into panic mode immediately. I think to myself, 'But I already ordered them! And Dec. 23rd! Oh no!' I immediately get online to dreadfully search for a customer service number.

To my surprise, I find the 1-800 number without really even trying. Not only that, but I just typed my cell number into this little pop up box and seconds later THEY are calling ME! ROCK ON! I am quickly connected with Nice Amazon Lady (A. She is a live person! B. I didn't have to listen to a single options menu. C. Nor did I find myself in my cube shouting, 'OTHER! I said O-TH-ER! Speak to a representative! SPEAK. TO. A. REP.RE.SEN.TA.TIVE. Hello? Hellloooo?')

Nice Amazon Lady did the following that made me post this blog:

A. She commented on how cute my purchase was (I of course then had to tell her it was for my cute nephew who's name is Kai!).

B. She told me what all she was getting from Amazon.com for her nieces and nephews AND let me in on some other gifts that were popular among the Cool Aunts Club that she had been helping out on the phone as well.

C. She cancelled my transaction, posted the new one, and then said, 'I am going to try and checkout for you so that you don't have to do anything at all.'

ME: 'What? Did you say NOTHING? As in all I have to do is sit here and continue having a wonderful conversation with a complete stranger who is just too cool and friendly? I'm not sure how to react...I think now is when I'm supposed to yell at you and then aren't you supposed to 'accidentally' get disconnected from me?'

NICE AMAZON LADY: (Laughs) 'I get that all the time!'

D. She wasn't able to Check Out for me, but all I had to do was go to My Shopping Cart and there it was! My new order was sitting there waiting on me to hit Continue and VWAH-LAH, that was it! AND, I still had Dec. 23rd as a delivery date!

E. She wished me luck in my shopping endeavours for Christmas.

F. She didn't ramble off some memorized, cheesy line at the end that went something like this: (In a monotone voice with a steady fast beat) 'Thank you for choosing Amazon.com Kristy for all your shopping needs is there anything else I can do for you and if not thank you so much and you have a merry Christmas would you like to participate in our survey now please press 1 or I will disconnect okay thank you Kristy for shopping with us today ma'am.'

(G. I hate it when people call me 'ma'am'.)

H. She simply said, 'Okay thanks. Have a good one! Bye.' As if she was just my friend hanging up, that's all!

So thank YOU Amazon.com for the renewed hope that EXCELLENT customer service skills do still exist and that online shopping IS fast, convenient, and fun!

Grandma Attack

A recent phone conversation between my sister and I while we were at work:

...blah, blah, blah about whatever the reason was for the call
(Insert random change of important topic to something not so important)
(Which means neither of us are really thrilled about hanging up and getting back to our work)

AND THEN...

Me: Hey, you know that time when we were kids and shopping at the mall with grandma?
Sis: Yeah?
Me: And she all of a sudden stopped in the middle of the mall?
Sis: (Laughing) Oh, yeah, that was hilarious!
Me: Okay, I'm having that...gotta go!
Sis: Oh weird, me too! *CLICK*
Me: *CLICK*

Let me explain myself and our secret 'I can't say I'm about to shit myself because people here at work will hear me tell you' code.

The holidays always find me reminiscing about what makes Christmas so special to me. One of those fond, oh so fond, memories is the time Grandma took my Sis and I (dragged me) shopping to the local mall. This was always a big deal for Grandma because she lived in a much smaller town that had only a Wal-Mart, TSC (for those of you city folk that is short for Tractor Supply Company) and oddly enough I think a Buckle on Main St.

As I reminisce, let me take you one step deeper into my memories and tell you that Grandma was notorious for carrying ginormous purses that could host a small immigrant for at least a week or so before running out of supplies. She was also notorious for clutching said purse with a white-knuckled-death-grip while mom drove all around 'the city' when she came to visit and take her shopping. (Which ALWAYS consisted of a stop at Merle Norman and the SAS Store for some new shoes).

On this particular Christmas Shopping Trip, Grandma wanted to go to the mall. The last place anyone wants to be two weeks before Christmas on a Saturday. The crowds, the noise, the crying babies, waiting in lines, uggghhh! Now, you know how most malls have an 'assumed' flow of traffic even though there is no written rule? And that during the holidays, doing anything to stop this 'assumed' flow of mass chaos could result in a real life trampling of someone? Okay, so now that the setting is painted for you, here is what ensued on that dreaded day:

Grandma: (STOPS DEAD IN HER TRACKS! Hand clutching said refugee bag, eyes focused intently ahead as if in a trance. She grabs my sister's arm with her other hand, stopping all of us dead in our tracks. With lips pursed together and in a voice as low as a whisper) Shelly, I can't move.
Sis: What?!?
Grandma: I'm serious. Don't move. I can't move. I gotta shit. Where is the nearest bathroom?
Me: Grandma, we're in the, mawwwwlllll! They don't have a lot of options here for restrooms.
Sis: (Noticing the seriousness in Grandma's voice and the said 'incident' that we were about to have on our hands.) Okay Grandma, it's okay. I see a bathroom just up ahead a ways on the other side. It's not far. We can go use that one.
Grandma: I can't! I gotta shit. I'm gonna shit myself right now. Oh my god, what do I do?
(Still assuming death grips on said bag and said sister) (People still trying to plow us over and giving us dirty looks for interrupting 'assumed' flow of traffic.)
Grandma: You don't understand! (Panic beginning to set in) I gotta shit! What do I do? I can't move?...

Well, long story a little shorter but not much, Grandma eventually made it too the restroom that day without down right shitting herself (I say that because I'm sure there was still some damage done to those panties of hers). However, I do think there was a little bit of lost dignity in it all. And from that day on the phrase, 'Grandma Attack', has a WHOLE NEW meaning to it in our family.

Thank you Grandma for the fond Christmas memories! And let's not forget about the sequined Christmas sweaters, matching earrings, great food, the PERFECT gifts, and multiple decorated trees with Santas all over and the train that ran under the tree!