Link:
https://dannyman.toldme.com/2004/06/22/can-he-handle-presidentwhitehousecov/
I noticed that e-mails from the Kerry campaign are consistently quarantined to my Spam folder. So I forwarded them a sample and gave them some suggestions for being less spammy. They responded promptly:
Dear Friend,
Thank you for attempting to send a message to the John Kerry Campaign. To better handle and manage our email volume, everyone must now use the new web form reached by clicking the link below: http://www.johnkerry.com/contact/contact.php
This does not inspire confidence …
… but I’m already in for $100, so I went to the web site and suggested they spend some of it on better IT.
Hrmmm, no auto-response from BushCheney04@GeorgeWBush.com. I’ll let ya know if I get anything back from the pachyderms.
And, I’m sorry to report, that Ralph Nader’s website has only a form, and no e-mail link that I can find. You’d think a populist …
/danny
1 Comment
Link:
https://dannyman.toldme.com/2004/06/18/a-special-offer-for-wired-magazine/
Dear Wired,
I really enjoy reading your RSS feeds, and I enjoyed the high-quality advertising included in my previous complimentary subscription to Wired magazine. Unfortunately, your complimentary subscription has lapsed. This is unfortunate, as I would like you to enjoy the benefits of high-quality readers like me. I thus extend this invitation to you to resume your complimentary subscription.
Given that I am in a valuable target demographic, (a mid-career technology professional, an upper middle-class geek, and a business manager,) I believe that sending me a complimentary subscription to Wired Magazine is in your best interests, and in the best interests of your advertisers. Please do not pass up this special offer. Act today!
As an avid reader, I look forward to hearing from you. It is my sincere hope that you can continue to enjoy the beneficial advertising revenue that a valuable reader like myself can help to bring your fine publication.
Sincerely,
-danny
Unfortunately, their web site is either rejecting my message without an error, or it keeps accepting it over and over, but it is just not telling me that it has been accepted. Maybe I’ll send them a paper offer. I could throw in some stickers, perhaps.
/danny
2 Comments
Link:
https://dannyman.toldme.com/2004/05/19/budgetcom-contact-us/
Hello,
I made a reservation for a one-day rental, to pick up at Palo Alto at 2pm, and return to SFO at 4pm. I was told that this would cost $30. At the facility, I agreed to another $20 for insurance. “You don’t already have liability insurance?” He prattled something about “piece of mind.” As I don’t want to drive without the state-required liability insurance, and I don’t want to be liable for your vehicle, I agreed to about $20 in insurance.
I received a free upgrade, drove around, filled up the tank, and dropped the car off promptly.
Total charges $78.54. I was figuring I’d be out around $50. What happened?
I note you nailed me for “1 HR and 1 DY” though technically I guess I had the car for “2 HR and 1 DY” .. okay, yeah, whatever. $10.
Then, $3.19 sales tax. Okay …
LDW? $18? What’s that? And PAE/ESP/SLI CHG? $23.90? Which of those are insurance and what insurance am I obligated to get when I rent a car?
As it stands, I can not say that I would use Budget again. I feel as if I have been taken advantage of.
Thanks,
-danny
hey say. If anyone wishes to impart some car-renting advice or wisdom, I’m happy to hear. I could publish your message here.
/danny
2 Comments
Link:
https://dannyman.toldme.com/2004/04/30/write-what-you-know/
Benjy,
Isn’t there anything in your current life that makes you nuts? Like, the other day I got some coffee grounds. I have a twelve-cup coffee pot, but the instructions for the coffee grounds are for ounces or milliliters of desired coffee. How many ounces in a cup? Well, I looked in my fridge and was able to convert a cup on the milk serving size to ml, which I then correlated with a 6oz serving size on the orange juice, to arrive at 1 cup = 8 oz. And it’s like 2 tablespoons per cup or so, which is just insane.
I went back to my normal method of just dumping grounds into the filter ’til I figured thats just enough. Yayoi called the Starbucks consumer hotline, and a guy with an Indian accent had no idea what she was talking about. He probably drinks tea, but apparently his best advice was “I’d use more coffee.” After all, he is taking that call on Starbucks’ behalf.
It is not fair that a person who has not had their coffee should have to perform so much math in the morning.
Love,
-danny
Feedback Welcome
Link:
https://dannyman.toldme.com/2003/06/11/amazoncom-feedback/
Your web site is becoming a useability nightmare, which is discouraging given that this has traditionally one of your core strengths.
I have a gift certificate. I try to buy something with it. I order a used item, I go through all this stuff, and it says NO YOU CAN’T BUY A USED ITEM WITH A GIFT CERTIFICATE. Why not? Hasn’t someone given you $10 to send to a third party?
Okay, so a few days later I want to see your price on color sidekick. You don’t have them. Pity. Ah, but I could afford a heavily-discounted hiptop carrier! Okay, let’s put that in.
And it says “your gift certificate wont cover it” which is interesting because the item is $8 and the GC is $10. How much IS shipping? It won’t tell me HOW MUCH my order costs, just that it needs a credit card, and submitting my credit card is the ONLY navigational option.
Okay … well, let’s do that, and there are items in my cart from WAY BACK, like the used item I tried to purchase the other day. The only option is to confirm my thirty dollar order. Where do I say no? There is what LOOKS LIKE a navigation bar on the top of the screen, but it doesn’t do anything, not even clicking on “Amazon.com” to start over.
So, I go in to my web browser and TYPE Amazon.com to get to the point where I can clear out my shopping cart to just the item I want, proceed to check-out, and you STILL want $3 shipping for a little piece of neoprene. After all this hassle? FORGET IT! I could stuff that thing in a padded envelope and smack an 80 cents stamp on it and send it USPS, but you can’t, because you’re designed to extort money out of your previously-loyal customers.
Please fix your user experience.
Thanks,
-danny
I try to be very laid-back about most things, but I guess I take customer service really personal now, huh? And it is all the more frustrating to be thwarted by Amazon.com because for a long time they distinguished themselves by being pretty clueful and user-friendly.
4 Comments
