The other night I was out running errands for a few hours and all of a sudden the radio acted weird and died. Then the a/c went out. And before I knew it all of the gauges went to zero and then jumped around erratically. Yep, my battery was just about dead which concerned me since I had just replaced the battery the previous week.
On my way home I stopped at AutoZone to have my battery and alternator tested. They said the battery was fine but the alternator was only putting out 30 Amps, and registering a low voltage (like 11 Volts). It's supposed to be 14.5 and up. (Or something like that as I'm not a car expert.) I have to tell you the AutoZone employees were awesome. They charged my battery on the stand for awhile and I went home (got a ride from my neighbor Jana). In the meantime a friend let me borrow her cool sports car so I could get to work on Friday. When I went back to pick up my car at Autozone Thursday night I found out that my battery started smoking on the stand so they gave me a new one (I just bought that one the week before). I needed to buy an alternator and a belt from them, but they didn't have them in stock and it was after closing time so other stores weren't answering the phones. I returned at 7:30 am the next morning so we could have the parts transferred from another store and I could pay for them. One of the guys volunteered to pick them up instead of waiting for them to be delivered and he even dropped it off at the auto repair shop for me! How cool was that?
Showing posts with label good. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good. Show all posts
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Thursday, December 6, 2007
HP - What a surprise!
I called HP today because as I've been slowly getting my new laptop up and running with my software I've come to learn (as I've been told) that most of my software and hardware is not compatible with Microsoft Vista. I've contacted the various makers of the software/hardware to see if they have drivers and upgraded utilities so that the versions I have would work with Vista, however, no such luck. So this means, I need to replace my software at a cost of hundreds of dollars.
After talking with two different case managers (apparently the one who handled my situation is no longer working there) I was kindly told that no, when I agreed to the replacement laptop that meant I realized that my software wouldn't work with it. But, the told me, as a gesture of HP's goodwill in recognizing the difficulty I've had with getting my laptop replaced they would offer me an extended warranty. Turns out...they gave me a 4 year warranty such that if anything happens, they will fix the laptop. Not bad, not bad at all.
After talking with two different case managers (apparently the one who handled my situation is no longer working there) I was kindly told that no, when I agreed to the replacement laptop that meant I realized that my software wouldn't work with it. But, the told me, as a gesture of HP's goodwill in recognizing the difficulty I've had with getting my laptop replaced they would offer me an extended warranty. Turns out...they gave me a 4 year warranty such that if anything happens, they will fix the laptop. Not bad, not bad at all.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
HP Printer Driver Resolution for Vista OS
Since I received my new laptop loaded with Vista I (of course like everyone else) am having difficulty loading the correct drivers (if they even exist) for my printers and other external devices to work with the laptop.
HP's website gave the incorrect information for what driver to load for my specific printer. I tried it two different times. I scoured the web looking for someone who had a solution, but they were quite difficult resolutions requiring a second computer running XP. I finally decided to contact HP's printer group to ask for help and they responded in about 6 hours with a solution that worked. Why the correct information isn't on their website is beyond me.
For those of you trying to install print drivers for HP Photosmart 7350 on Vista, here's the solution:
HP's website gave the incorrect information for what driver to load for my specific printer. I tried it two different times. I scoured the web looking for someone who had a solution, but they were quite difficult resolutions requiring a second computer running XP. I finally decided to contact HP's printer group to ask for help and they responded in about 6 hours with a solution that worked. Why the correct information isn't on their website is beyond me.
For those of you trying to install print drivers for HP Photosmart 7350 on Vista, here's the solution:
1. Click Start, Control Panel, Hardware and sounds
2. Click on Printers
3. Click on Add a Printer
4. Click Next button.
5. Click to select the option "Local Printer Attached to this computer"
6. Click Next.
7. On the Port window select Dot4, click Next button.
8. On the Manufacture & Model page,select the HP and select the Deskjet 990c from the List.
Click on the Next
9. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.
After installing the driver, now download and install the HP Photosmart Essentials software from the below HP website: HP Photosmart Essential FREE Download for Windows Vista O.S
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Free Pizza!
(Event occurred July 7)
Now this is an extreme example of good customer service. Back in July, a friend and I were out shopping and were starving. We decided to order the 3 pizzas at $5 a piece from Pizza Hut. We paid for our order...went shopping some more, picked up our pizzas, went home and realized we got all cheese pizzas which was not what we ordered. My friend went back to get the right pizzas and Pizza Hut not only made the right ones, but let us keep the old ones, and refunded all of our money! So my friend gave one of the cheese pizzas to our local homeless guy and the other ones went to her neighbor.
Now this is an extreme example of good customer service. Back in July, a friend and I were out shopping and were starving. We decided to order the 3 pizzas at $5 a piece from Pizza Hut. We paid for our order...went shopping some more, picked up our pizzas, went home and realized we got all cheese pizzas which was not what we ordered. My friend went back to get the right pizzas and Pizza Hut not only made the right ones, but let us keep the old ones, and refunded all of our money! So my friend gave one of the cheese pizzas to our local homeless guy and the other ones went to her neighbor.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Air Canda: 1, US Airways: 0
(Event occurred in Feb 2007)
I spent this past weekend up in Canada visiting a very dear friend of mine. Right before I walked out the door (really!) I had an automatic call from US Airways telling me my flight was delayed by 99 minutes because the inbound aircraft was delayed. I can only assume it was coming from somewhere out East where snow and cold weather was blanketing the country.
I called US Airways and was able to get a seat on Air Canada. Yeah! The flight was leaving only 25 minutes later than my originally scheduled flight. After getting to the airport I quickly learned that I couldn't check in for my flight because US Airways didn't release my e-ticket to them (or something like that). I had to go to the US Airways counter to get them to do that. But of course, after waiting in a long line I learned their computers were down. I tried to get them on the phone via the 1-800 number. 15 minutes later I had them on the phone and tried to tell them the problem. They said there wasn't a problem and the Air Canada person should be able to pull up my reservation.
Only she couldn't. I went to give her the phone, but what do you know, we got disconnected. However, she was now able to see my reservation, she just couldn't access it. Also, she said that my middle initial was attached to the end of my first name and since that didn't match my passport she couldn't give me the ticket. She told me to go back to the US Airways counter.
So I did. I was very frustrated by this point (over 30 mins of being at the airport and getting nowhere). Finally, a US Airways person was able to help me (earlier when I asked, a lady told me only one person could help me and he had a long line waiting for him). This new lady was able to print my tickets with my name the proper way and released my e-ticket to Air Canada.
Back to Air Canada. Now there is a longer line there, but my new friend at the counter pulled me up to the front. I kid you not, another 20 minutes (at least) passed before I had my boarding passes in hand. Even though the tickets printed with the name the right way, in the e-ticket it was still wrong. She couldn't print my Air Canada boarding passes that way and it took her FOREVER to outsmart the system. But I commend her because she DID outsmart the system and found a way to make it work. She didn't give the every so common excuse - I can't help you the system won't allow me. I can't tell you how many times I hear that today at stores or from people over the phone.
I spent this past weekend up in Canada visiting a very dear friend of mine. Right before I walked out the door (really!) I had an automatic call from US Airways telling me my flight was delayed by 99 minutes because the inbound aircraft was delayed. I can only assume it was coming from somewhere out East where snow and cold weather was blanketing the country.
I called US Airways and was able to get a seat on Air Canada. Yeah! The flight was leaving only 25 minutes later than my originally scheduled flight. After getting to the airport I quickly learned that I couldn't check in for my flight because US Airways didn't release my e-ticket to them (or something like that). I had to go to the US Airways counter to get them to do that. But of course, after waiting in a long line I learned their computers were down. I tried to get them on the phone via the 1-800 number. 15 minutes later I had them on the phone and tried to tell them the problem. They said there wasn't a problem and the Air Canada person should be able to pull up my reservation.
Only she couldn't. I went to give her the phone, but what do you know, we got disconnected. However, she was now able to see my reservation, she just couldn't access it. Also, she said that my middle initial was attached to the end of my first name and since that didn't match my passport she couldn't give me the ticket. She told me to go back to the US Airways counter.
So I did. I was very frustrated by this point (over 30 mins of being at the airport and getting nowhere). Finally, a US Airways person was able to help me (earlier when I asked, a lady told me only one person could help me and he had a long line waiting for him). This new lady was able to print my tickets with my name the proper way and released my e-ticket to Air Canada.
Back to Air Canada. Now there is a longer line there, but my new friend at the counter pulled me up to the front. I kid you not, another 20 minutes (at least) passed before I had my boarding passes in hand. Even though the tickets printed with the name the right way, in the e-ticket it was still wrong. She couldn't print my Air Canada boarding passes that way and it took her FOREVER to outsmart the system. But I commend her because she DID outsmart the system and found a way to make it work. She didn't give the every so common excuse - I can't help you the system won't allow me. I can't tell you how many times I hear that today at stores or from people over the phone.
Kudos for Southwest Airlines
(Event occurred in April 2007)
One of my coworkers discovered that the price for a flight she recently bought was heavily discounted all of a sudden. She had paid $120 to fly from Houston to Austin round trip and now the price was $60. Now, had this been any airline they would have said, sorry there's nothing that I can do. But, this was Southwest, an innovative and flexible airline. She called and was told all she had to do was go online and book the cheaper ticket and then cancel the previous ticket. The money would go be saved via an electronic voucher under her frequent flyer number. Sure, it's not cash back in your pocket. But, she was just going to use the money to book another ticket anyway! 2 trips for the price of 1. Now - that's customer service and innovation! And thank you for not charging a $100 change fee!!!!
One of my coworkers discovered that the price for a flight she recently bought was heavily discounted all of a sudden. She had paid $120 to fly from Houston to Austin round trip and now the price was $60. Now, had this been any airline they would have said, sorry there's nothing that I can do. But, this was Southwest, an innovative and flexible airline. She called and was told all she had to do was go online and book the cheaper ticket and then cancel the previous ticket. The money would go be saved via an electronic voucher under her frequent flyer number. Sure, it's not cash back in your pocket. But, she was just going to use the money to book another ticket anyway! 2 trips for the price of 1. Now - that's customer service and innovation! And thank you for not charging a $100 change fee!!!!
Thanks Cingular!
(Event occurred in May 2007)
Two years ago when I moved to the apartment I had the hardest time getting out of my cell phone contract with Sprint, even after they tried to troubleshoot the problem for 6 months. The bottom line was moving a mile away my cell phone no longer worked. But, finally I was able to move on to Cingular which worked absolutely great at my apartment.
Now, having moved again (this time about a mile and a half away) my cell phone doesn't get very good service. I don't necessarily believe it's entirely the network's fault as the cell phone has slowly been dieing over the past few months. First the phone would hang up on people when I opened it up. Then the front display died. Now the main display dies about 50% of the time. So yesterday on a whim I called Cingular to explain that the phone is dying and my contract ends at the end of June. In addition I told them about the poor service in my area. I asked if I could get out of my contract without a penalty. The customer service agent said to wait while she researched it. I waited, she asked, and magic - I was out of my contract. Piece of cake. I have absolutely loved having Cingular has a wireless provider. I don't think I have a single complaint about them.
Two years ago when I moved to the apartment I had the hardest time getting out of my cell phone contract with Sprint, even after they tried to troubleshoot the problem for 6 months. The bottom line was moving a mile away my cell phone no longer worked. But, finally I was able to move on to Cingular which worked absolutely great at my apartment.
Now, having moved again (this time about a mile and a half away) my cell phone doesn't get very good service. I don't necessarily believe it's entirely the network's fault as the cell phone has slowly been dieing over the past few months. First the phone would hang up on people when I opened it up. Then the front display died. Now the main display dies about 50% of the time. So yesterday on a whim I called Cingular to explain that the phone is dying and my contract ends at the end of June. In addition I told them about the poor service in my area. I asked if I could get out of my contract without a penalty. The customer service agent said to wait while she researched it. I waited, she asked, and magic - I was out of my contract. Piece of cake. I have absolutely loved having Cingular has a wireless provider. I don't think I have a single complaint about them.
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