Archive for June, 2006

Rising competition has meant that packages for phone, internet and cable are cheaper than ever. Additionally, these companies have spent so much money to acquire new customers that they will go to great lengths to keep you. If your plan is over six months old, chances are you are overpaying. Call your phone, cable or internet company and tell them that a competitor has offered you a better deal to switch over and you are thinking taking the offer unless they can match it. A good rule of thumb is to shoot for 20-30% below what you are paying currently and to name the competitor i.e. Comcast, RCN. If they won’t budge, ask to speak with the cancellation department and tell them you want to cancel your service. These folks are empowered to make a last ditch effort to keep you. As an example, when I recently switched to Verzion’s new FOIS service, the retention department at RCN called me and offered a package that was 50% of what I was currently paying. Go all the way with the bluff, you can always pick a cancellation date a few weeks out and then call and change your mind. They will be more than happy to keep you as a customer.

Read more money saving tips from Bobby’s Best.

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As part of my work for Judy’s Book, I have started taking frequent trips on JetBlue to Seattle. Everyone has heard about the Direct TV, the all leather seats and the brand new planes, but what really stands out for me is how friendly everyone is from the pilots right down to the gate agents. I am learning that you can put up with a lot at the airport if you feel that people are acting in your best interest. Recently, my flight was running late and you could see everyone at the gate hustling to turn it around and get us out on time. It’s also not beyond the pilots to help clean the planes. Give Jet Blue a try, they are committed to low prices and better service in an industry that for the most part cares little about either. Also, don’t support a major carrier that temporarily lowers fares to match JetBlue’s entry into a new market because you know that they will raise prices at the first chance they get.

Also, check out Kayak.com, the latest edition to the Bobby’s Best Travel Section. Kayak is a very cool travel search engine site which shows you the best the possible prices based on your preferences from many different travel websites. As you change your variables on the left side of the page, the results automatically change on the right side without having to refresh. It’s cool stuff and extremely useful.

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When I started this blog, I was hoping it would be about positive consumer experiences, however the past month or so, I have had my share of negative ones. I have often wondered what the advantage is of buying a product online and then picking it up in the store. A few weeks ago, I purchased a bunch of patio furniture from Sears.com for in-store pick-up so that I could get a discount from Upromise. The first order went okay, but the second order was a mess. The website crapped out on me three times in a row after I had filled my shopping cart and gone through the entire checkout process, telling me that it had timed out and erasing all my info. I called Sears.com and they put the order through for me manually, although they could not honor the Upromise discount over the phone. One of the pieces that I needed wasn’t available for pick-up, it was only available for delivery for a fee that was equal to half of the item’s price. I had to get into this whole complicated discussion with the rep about their inventory system. I asked why they couldn’t just tell me where I could buy that single item from regular store inventory, but did not get a good answer. Finally, I just gave up and ordered the items that were in stock.

When I got my confirmation e-mail for my “in-stock” items, I was told that they were expected to be in the store within seven days. I called back and asked why an in-stock item would be not ready for seven days and again I got finger pointing about the in-store versus online inventory…..blah blah blah.. There is nothing I hate more as a consumer than one part of a company blaming another; I don’t care, I just want someone to take responsibility. The final straw was when I realized that one of the items I ordered and paid for had not been given to me at the time of pick up. I called Sears.com again and the woman I spoke with told me that I would have to deal with the store. I inquired why I should have to deal with the store when I ordered from Sears.com and she gave me the same explanation about how they are separate from the store, however this time for an opposite reason. I inquired, “Doesn’t your system track on an item by item basis if it was actually picked up?” Not getting anywhere, I just asked her to cancel the reservation for the missing item and return my money which she did, but not before asking me if I wanted to cancel items that I had already picked up. If I were dishonest, I would have tried it to see what happened.

Bottom line, treating your internet arm as a separate entity is a horrible idea. Customers look at a company as a single brand and shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of poor internal processes. In the future, if I want to buy online, I will, but that’s probably the last time I buy online for in-store pick-up unless it offers me a dramatic price advantage. I also found an interesting article from another customer who had a very similar experience.

Incidentally, we love the patio set, it’s a combination of hardwood and aluminum that looks nice, but won’t require a ton of maintenance.

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