rants

It took them a couple of years, but ShopNBC.com has sold my email address - without my permission, of course. (That or their customer information database has been compromised.) I just received spam from AtomicShopping.com at an email address given only to ShopNBC.com. Anything sent to that address will now automatically be trashed. I purchased something from ShopNBC in April of 2004. I wonder if my address was sold because I've not purchased anything else since then. Perhaps they were trying to make money by selling my personal information since they weren't getting any of my money. Well, in so doing, they've ensured I will never purchase anything from them again and that they receive a little black mark on the Internet in the form of this post.

From ShopNBC's privacy statement:

"To prevent our disclosure of your personally identifiable information to one of these third parties, you can choose not use their services or order their products."

It's an interesting statement, no? My not using the services or ordering the products of the third parties ShopNBC discloses my personally identifiable information to will prevent ShopNBC from disclosing my personally identifiable information to said third parties.

More from their privacy statement:

"We employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf. [snip] They have access to personal information needed to perform their functions, but may not use it for other purposes."

I wonder if an unscrupulous company/individual snagged my info from ShopNBC.

And here's a wee bit more:

"ShopNBC.com uses industry standard practices to safeguard the confidentiality of your personally identifiable information, including "firewalls" and Secure Socket Layers (SSL). ShopNBC.com treats data as an asset that must be protected against loss and unauthorized access. We employ many different security techniques to protect such data from unauthorized access by users inside and outside the company. However, "perfect security" does not exist on the Internet. It is important for you to protect against unauthorized access to your computer."

At least they acknowledge the impossibility of "perfect security" on the Internet.

Barbara in customer service (800-676-5523) assures me they do not sell customer information, says I'm the first person to call about this, and acknowledges that their customer database could be compromised. Damon, the supervisor on duty emphatically denies their selling of email addresses and the possibility of their database being compromised. No email has been sent to management about any breaches but, after further discussion, he accepts that their database may have been compromised and they don't yet know it. When I asked to speak with someone in I.T., he said he didn't think there was anyone I could talk to. Finally, he started verifying my contact information and said he was drafting an email as we spoke. The email is apparently going to several people and he agreed to copy me on it. (Oddly, he said he'd blind copy me...) He also told me someone would contact me when they knew something. When I inquired as the timeframe in which I would be contacted, he faltered, saying he was off tomorrow and couldn't tell me. I assured him I would follow up on this and did not want to "fall through the cracks" that I want this to be handled professionally. He said it would be. I also informed him of my documenting this on my website.

I await his email...

A couple of Sundays ago, my partner and I went to Home Depot to purchase a riding lawnmower. We were very impressed with Jay, the sales associate. Friendly and knowledgeable, he answered our questions and provided information we didn't know to ask for. He directed us to 2 mowers that were a good fit for our needs and desired price. There was no attempt to upsell us or pressure us in any way - an excellent salesman.

We made our choice and were ready to purchase it. He then told us we could save money by renting their truck (with ramps & such for loading and securing) for $20 instead of paying $60 for delivery and having to wait for a day or two. Great idea! He accompanied us to checkout, we paid and he went to bring it out front for us. We headed to the rental desk for the truck. It had just been rented! Oh well, no big deal. It was expected to be back in about 90 minutes. We wanted to go on and rent it next, filling out paperwork and paying so we could just get the key and go. No. It's against policy. Um... OK. We didn't want to hang around the store for the next hour and a half, so we asked if they'd call us when the truck was returned. No. It's against policy. I was pissed and questioned the level of customer service we were receiving considering we'd just spent about $1000 there. Of course, that was in futility.

Disgusted, we decided to just have it delivered. At the delivery desk on the other end of the store, I was presented with two forms to complete. One was a liability waiver. I read the thing. (I know. I know. One should NEVER read forms and contracts before signing them...) In the legalese I waded through, breaking down complex sentences and trying to get the meat of the wording, my final understanding was that they would deliver it to the curb at my home. Anything beyond the curb was considered "additional delivery" and any damage from such was mine to deal with. Well, I only wanted it delivered to the curb, so I didn't need to sign a waiver. No. You have to sign the waiver; it's policy. Relatively sure, but not 100%, of my interpretation of the waiver, I knew I did not want to sign the thing. In light of the service I'd gotten AFTER the sale, I surely don't trust Home Depot and their policies not to attempt to screw me over. That was the end of my tolerance for their poor customer service. I asked for a refund and within 3 minutes I was out the door, likely never to darken Home Depot's doorstep for any other large purchase.

I hate that Jay lost the sale due to his coworker's poor service and Home Depot's poor policies. He was standing there when I got the refund and I thanked him for his help and told him why I was getting the refund. It's a shame such a great salesman lost a sale because of his company. It's got to be frustrating for him. I know it certainly was frustrating for us!

It's been a while since I've felt the desire to post here, but Dataviz's poor customer support BEFORE the sale has prompted me to do so. I've tried their product, Documents To Go, to use for invoicing in the field. I've had significant problems and have asked for help. When a potential customer asks for help, your response to that request means money coming into your coffers or going elsewhere. Apparently Dataviz doesn't quite get this. I have used their support system and it is lacking. Imagine troubleshooting a computer problem through the US Mail. That's much of what I've been doing with them. I submit a request, a day, two days or more later I get a response. (Don't pay attention to the date stamps on the entries in the PDFs. They're entirely wrong. Notice that their response is posted exactly at the same time I posted my query.) Then, when I ask for a way to speak to someone, they want to charge me $20??? Charging for customer service when you're trying to sell your product to someone??? That's in line with a telemarketer calling me collect to pitch a product to me! Get real. I'll survive quite nicely without your product, Dataviz. Don't forget that word-of-mouth (or blog) is the best advertising; it can also be the worst.

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An email sent to Lucky 32 via their website on April 5, 2004. I have received no response.
After having dinner at the Greensboro Lucky 32 last night (April 4, 2004), I strongly feel the need to relay my comments to you.

I am disappointed in my recent visits to this restaurant. I had always enjoyed great food, ample portions and wonderful service and atmosphere at L32GSO. I had not visited regularly for some time, but have visited four times in the past several weeks. Those visits yielded wonderful service, atmosphere and (until last night) ample portions. However, every single one of those visits was lessened by poorly cut tomatoes.

Yes, poorly cut tomatoes sounds a bit trivial and certainly picky, but when I'm paying the prices you charge, I expect to have presentable food. At three of those visits, I ordered a turkey & havarti sandwich. At least one slice of tomato on each one of those sandwiches had the stem in it; not a little bit of white, but brown, tan & green woody stem. I informed our waitress on two of these occasions and received an apology. An apology is nice, but the occurrences continue. I frequently have to rebuild sandwiches at lesser restaurants (i.e. fast food joints), but I should not have to at restaurants of L32’s caliber.

Last night, I ordered a chef salad. Not only did it have a tomato with stem in it (more tolerable in a salad), but it was small; very small for $8.50. The cheeses were good, as were the meats and dressing. However, I think I've had more lettuce on a burger than was in that salad.

If these experiences are indicative of what I can expect at L32GSO, my checks are going to be decreasing significantly. I thoroughly enjoy the place and will continue to meet friends there. However, a cup of coffee and, perhaps, an order of your killer cheese bread will be all I'm ordering. Granted, I'm not a regular "big spender," but I have, on occasion, racked up quite a tab there.

I hope you'll receive these comments in the tone with which they were written. I am hoping Lucky 32 recaptures what made me frequently proffer it as my first choice in deciding where to eat.

Kind regards,

So why is it I don't think my opinion matters to Elizabeth Dole? A mitigating factor is another poor experience with her district office. This time I was contacting my representatives to urge them not to co-sponsor or vote for the Federal Marriage Amendment. (It's basically an amendment to OUR Constitution that singles out a group of citizens, effectively promoting prejudice against them and legally creating second-class citizenship.)

I first called Senator Dole's district office and stated simply my name, that I am a constituent and that I urge her not to co-sponsor or vote for the Federal Marriage Amendment - Senate Joint Resolution 26. The staffer simply said she'd pass the message along. Um, OK.

Next, I called Senator Edwards' district office. I relayed the same statement I'd just given Senator Dole's staffer. Senator Edwards' staffer was very professional, taking down my contact information and position on the issue and telling me I would receive a letter or a phone call addressing my concern. He said he'd fax the information to D.C. immediately.

Next, I called Representative Coble's district office. Again, I relayed the same information (except House Joint Resolution 56). Representative Coble's staffer was also quite professional, acting in much the same measure as Senator Edwards' staffer.

Considering the way my last 2 calls went, I called Senator Dole's office again and asked why my contact information had not been requested on my first call. She (a different staffer) could not tell me why it was not, but that S. O. P. was to collect such information. She was courteous and professional and requested the information. I also told her of my other experience with that office (detailed in this blog), to which she commented that the voicemail picks up when all staffers are on other calls. I suggested they change the greeting to inform callers of such, that the current greeting makes it seem as though the office is closed during its normal office hours. I also suggested they provide an option for callers to leave a message, like Senator Edwards' system does. She said she would relay all of that. (To whom I don't know and should've asked.)

I really do not feel as though I'm "heard" by Senator Dole. I feel strongly that Senator Edwards and Representative Coble do hear me, even when we disagree.

8:05 AM EST - I have received spam for weight loss drugs at an email address given only to Dremel for product registration. Jeri at Dremel customer service (1-800-437-3635) took the email address, my name and phone number. She said she will be working with John on this and I will receive a call about it today.

9:15 AM EST - I received a voicemail from Pat Hensiak requesting more details. Upon returning her call and providing them, I also sent her a copy of the offending email & its headers. Pat is very professional and is taking this seriously. She told me that her division does not deal with product registration (where my email address was given), but that she will continue working on this issue.

I called Representative Howard Coble (DC Phone: 202-225-3065) to express my desire that he vote against the additional $87 BILLION for BushCo's Iraq fiasco. I spoke with a real live person who took my message, name and address and thanked me for the call. Cool, though I don't expect him to vote against a fellow Republican.

Then I called Senator John R. Edwards (DC Phone: 202-224-3154). I got his voicemail system and left a message stating my opinion and contact info. OK.

Next I called Senator Elizabeth Dole (DC Phone: 202-224-6342). My call was answered by an automated attendant, stating her office opened @ 8:30 AM. That was at 8:45 AM Eastern. I called at 8:55 & 9:00 and got same message with no option to leave a voicemail. Impressive. I called once more (before posting this) at 9:10 and actually spoke with someone. After informing her (nicely) of the calls I had attempted and their times and suggesting the use of phonemail, I gave her my message and such. She was nice and professional. Still, I'm not impressed with Senator Dole's office and, of course, I don't expect her to vote against BushCo.

I just don't get it. Sure, I'll park getaway style (parking so you can drive forward to leave) if I can just pull through to the space in front of the one I was taking. Beyond that, why take the time? I see SO MANY people parking for a getaway. They tend to take too much time to do it, usually making another driver wait while they get it just right. Many shouldn't even try it because their driving skill level is just not quite there. What is the reason for this phenomenon? Does it save time? Does it have a "cool" factor? Is it somehow linked to the need to park as close to a building entrance as possible, regardless of the time consumed waiting for that parking space? I just don't get it; I don't think I want to.

Update: I rec'd the complimentary copies of the software. Thanks again, Pat. --11-26-2003

H&R Block Sold My Email Address Without My Permission - Closed (with less rant & some rave)

I just spoke with Pat Thomson again. Per the group that manages their customer information, I didn't check the appropriate box to opt out of their selling my address to other companies. Also, they don't know to what companies the address has been sold. I still maintain I wouldn't knowingly give them permission to sell my address, but it cannot be proved either way. What is, is. Their records show I said they could. So, that address has been retired and nothing sent to it will be read.

Fortunately, Pat knows the value of customer service and has treated me very well throughout this inquiry. She understood my dismay with the situation, said she would investigate it and would personally contact me about the results. She did everything she said she would. I admire her integrity. Even after I stated I would still be using their TaxCut applications, she offered to provide me complimentary copies of this year's federal and state packages. That was outstanding on her part and very much in the nature of the small businesses in which I was raised. "Even when the customer is wrong, the customer is always right." That tiny loss of revenue for H&R Block helps ensure continued revenue over the years. Pat's professionalism, integrity and excellent customer service skills are great assets for H&R Block. Thanks, Pat.

I understand the fiscal need for tiered customer service, but if the first tier representatives had half the drive Pat does and were given some flexibility to act, there would be many more happy and loyal customers beating down the doors to make purchases.

I just received a call from Pat Thomson, calling for the customer relation's head, Stacy Barker. She listened to my complaint, took additional information and will relay it all to the appropriate person(s). She also said she will contact me again, even though someone else will be handling the issue since it's not in her area. It was a pleasant business conversation and certainly in line with my expectations regarding customer service.

I've been a user of H&R Block's tax software, TaxCut, for several years. When purchasing the software, I gave them a unique email address at a domain I own (i.e. taxcut@mydomain), as I do with all companies to see who's being sneaky. Yesterday, I received spam (unsolicited commercial email) sent to that address from a third party email marketer, CheetahMail, for Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouses.

Though CheetahMail offered an automated unsubscribe-via-email option and they do have a respectable looking website, why should I trust them? They should never have had my email address in the first place and can I reasonably expect them to purge a "live one" from their system? They may, but can I trust them not to use it in a sister company or sell it? I doubt it.

I do have a business relationship with Lowe's and they have their own unique email address for me. I thought Lowe's was a respectable company. What are they doing resorting to spam???

The worst and most unforgivable action is H&R Block's selling of my information without my permission. I cannot prove that I opted out of any third-party advertising, but they cannot "prove" that I didn't. I can say that I am acutely aware of the various techniques used by sellers when gathering personal information. I am so strongly against receiving spam that I carefully examine these forms before submitting my information. It is extremely unlikely that I told H&R Block they could "share" my information with other companies. Databases are mutable, as are privacy policies.

From their site, as of 09/10/2003:
"Changes to Our Privacy Statement

If we make a material change to this Privacy Statement, including a material change in the way we use your personal information, we will notify you by using one of the following methods at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of such change: (1) we will post a notice on our Web site describing the change; or (2) we will send you electronic mail notifying you of the change. You may also have additional rights under state or federal law in the event of a change in our Privacy Statement."

Notice that little two-letter word "or" between methods 1 and 2.


I called H&R Block's customer service and spoke with Susan. Susan was nice enough, but what can anyone expect from first-level customer service? The only thing she could do was direct me to the opt-out page on their site or perform opt-out over the phone. That is not the issue at all.

I don't necessarily want to opt out of H&R Block mailings. I want out of ALL CheetahMail mailings. I want every occurrence of my address deleted from CheetahMail systems, any systems with which they are affiliated, and any other systems of businesses to which H&R Block and CheetahMail sold, leased, loaned, gave or, in any other way, provided my email address. I'm sure this is yet another case of wanting in one hand...

Susan seemed to understand my gripe, but was unable to do anything. I asked to speak to a supervisor. After being on hold for a couple of minutes, she informed me that the supervisor had left for the day. I asked what had to be done for me to speak with someone who could rectify this situation. She said I could call the next day; that their business hours are until 5:00PM Central. It was then 5:38PM EASTERN! Then she told me that supervisors leave at 4:30. Uh huh... I wanted better. She (supposedly - I'll know later) produced better: the name and direct phone number of the head of customer relations. I repeated the information she provided, thanked her and ended the call. I called the number she gave and got the voicemail of Stacy Barker. I left a genial message, stating I am a TaxCut customer and would like to talk about an issue and requesting a callback the next day, between 6:30AM (Yeah, I know, but I have actually received business calls before 7:00AM.) and 3:30PM Eastern. I'm waiting for her call...

Don't believe the exorbitant figures the RIAA, MPAA and software industry spout as lost revenue due to piracy. Those who have downloaded music, movies and/or applications would, most likely, have never purchased them in the first place. How can revenue that would not have existed be lost? Yes, some sales are lost due to piracy, but are they possibly offset by the sales gained by people being able to sample new works?

Today, on Bob & Sheri, people called in telling of companies and people that had pissed them off and no longer received their patronage. Well, here's one of mine...

Blockbuster Video will never get another dime from me. Several years ago, I would pick up 2 or 3 new releases and watch them over 3 days, their then rental time for ALL movies. One evening, ready to pay for my rentals, I was informed that they had to be returned the next day because they were new releases. The rental fee was the same, but the time was greatly reduced. Nope. Not gonna happen. I made no big scene, but cancelled my account, told them why and said I'd never patronize any of their stores again. I also contacted the corporate office and informed them of the same.

I believe they've changed their business practices, probably due to competition, but they'll still not have any of my business.