Jump to content

rockpile

Community Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    5,949

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by rockpile

    Is it my ears or do customer service reps suck?

    in Off the Wall Archives

    Posted · Edited by rockpile

    I don't know about the quality of the reception but the actual customer service at many places sucks.

     

    I currently live in London (though I'll be back in the States in a week!) and have had the worst banking experience in my life here. They consistently decline my card and then want to send me a new one. Why? They won't tell me anything other than it's "for your protection."

     

    When I call to try and get some help they hang up on me if I show the slightest aggravation. They literally hang up on me. As if I'm not going to be aggravated that they continuously decline my card for whatever "security reasons" they come up with. When I'm actually able to keep my composure they ask me a dozen questions about my activity and want exact numbers and places of things I've charged recently. However, in order to log on to their website to get this info I have to use this little machine that I put my card into and it gives me a log in code. Of course that gets declined because - wait for it - my card has been turned off! So I have to actually go down to the bank and wait in line and talk to a representative. I've done this at least 7-8 times.

     

    It's a vicious cycle and one that has me and my wife pulling our hair out. Change banks you say? Can't, the company my wife works for requires a Barclays account to deposit paychecks.

     

    I have learned from being on the call center side of the wall to be polite but firm when I deal with customers AND when I call because I need customer service.

    I used the same head set for 4.5 years even though we changed phone software multiple times.

    Sometimes when a person got through to me, they had been transferred a few times already, which compromises the quality of the sound you get.

     

    Where I worked, help desk 'customer service' personnel were paid by having a high sales/call ratio, length of call, availability, and number of calls taken.

    Actual service quality is only 10-15% of the quarterly review.

     

    This is not customer service.

     

    Also the customer's expectations range pretty evenly from polite but frustrated, to holier than thou, to ignorant/stupid.

     

    Some customer service agents DO suck, by the way. :censored:

    Define your "successful" season?

    in The Stadium Wall Archives

    Posted

    A successful season will be when I do not have to say "Well, Gomer, there's always next year!"

     

    I have been saying that since the Bills did not go to the first AFL/NFL championship.

     

    I am glad I did not know then that the first championship would be a loss - 25 years later!

     

    I look forward to each season, but have drastically lowered any expectations. If you have no expectations, you cannot be disappointed.

     

    ...rockpile

    Group ticket purchase for 2015 home opener / TBDAHOT

    in The Stadium Wall Archives

    Posted

    I just got off the phone with my guy, and the news I'm getting is as I had feared. Due to season ticket demand and other required allotments, the Bills will be capping the number of tickets available to groups for the opener (and also the New England game) to 50. He's trying to get our group up to 100, but even that is well short of the 261 that have been requested in this thread.

     

    This puts me in the awkward position of having to "play God", determining who gets to buy tickets with the group, and how many. I had said before that if that came to pass, I would be using membership seniority and a rather nebulous "community contribution" (including post count and prior TBD tailgate attendance) as criteria.

     

     

    Some other things to note:

    • However many tickets we get will likely be in the same area of the stadium as prior years, and will probably end up at around $75/ticket
    • When tickets become available for ST holders to buy extras, they will be capped at 6 max per game for the first 3-4 days. He expects the opener will be sold out before the end of those 3-4 days.

    My guy is treating our group as any of their business partners with an allotment of tickets for this game. He's hoping to have a concrete number of tickets for me in the next few days.

     

    I've already reached out to some of you who asked for large numbers of tickets. I will continue to do that as I work to come up with the who and the how many for our group.

     

    It sucks that it's come to this, and I apologize to those who will have to look elsewhere for tickets. I'm going to have to draw a line somewhere and that's unfortunate.

     

     

     

    If any season ticket holders are able to buy tickets for my 'group' please send me a message or reply with a way to contact you.

    If you are so inclined, we can work out price and method of payment that is mutually agreeable.

     

    Jay, thank you once again for doing your best. What more can we ask? :thumbsup:

    first topic

    in Off the Wall Archives

    Posted · Edited by rockpile

    Welcome! :beer:

     

    Do I make that picture by typing "smiley face and I would like a beer"?

     

    Just wondering.

     

    I have been around since the Cookie days myself, Howard. Favorite Bill was Tom Day. I shook his hand when I was about eleven.

    Shirl had three brothers. But her mom was quite the looker. She had this powder blue bonnet she'd wear with a white hoop under her dress on sundays. Once in a while i'd see ankle and things went from there.

     

    Was your Mom's name N.J. Sue?

     

    I feel this thread drifting towards the pickle juice jar.

     

    Got any tennis balls? My sh*tter is clogged.

    Group ticket purchase for 2015 home opener / TBDAHOT

    in The Stadium Wall Archives

    Posted

    Once I got official confirmation we're a go, I'll publicize that.

     

    Due to demand (we're over 250 tickets requested and I'm not sure how many the Bills will give us), here's what I've decided. I'll be distributing the purchase details to people in a phased approach. Your contributions to this community (in terms of post count, membership seniority, and prior tailgate attendance) will determine when you will be given the opportunity to purchase from the group block. So if you joined the board last week and only have 4 posts, you'll probably be the last in line. If the Bills grant us a block smaller than the number of requests we have, it's possible we will not be able to allow some people who asked to buy from the group.

     

    But I'm still waiting for official confirmation...

     

     

    I have been here since Scott was designing the first logo and e-mailing folks to write articles to get things started.

     

    Many folks have me beat on "post count" though! :D

     

    A lot of folks have spent a whole lot of time making this place "home" since then.

    MS Walk 2015 - May 3 - Rochester, NY

    in Off the Wall Archives

    Posted

    Well, another walk is completed. We had beautiful weather - sunshine and mid 70's.

    We took the long walk, 5 miles.

    I hit the wall around three miles but pushed to get a second wind and actually jogged the last 100 yards.

    I am sore all over and tomorrow may be hell, but it was worth it.

     

    With a several at the wire sponsors on line and a couple checks, the total came to (drum roll please)

     

    $1,365.00

     

    You people never cease to amaze me. When I left for the walk this morning I had recorded $960.

     

    TBD Sponsors:

     

    JÂy RÛßeÒ

    Cugalabanza

    The Tomcat TBD

    Fezmid

    Mr Info

    Boyst

    Mr. WEO

    tsaikotic

    papabear ?

    Cowgirls Fan

    Doc

     

     

     

    Others

     

    Jane P

    Dunk

    Marcie and Dave

    Grace B

    Arlene H

    Bilby

    kimm

    Jwalk2000

    Lou P

    dsmack

    Jesse G

    Karen and Fred R

    Anyone ever get fired or quit

    in Off the Wall Archives

    Posted

    It will work out eventually. Good things happen to good people.

     

    I was let go after 18 years. I knew I was overpaid and I knew it would come to an end someday via layoff.

     

    Was unemployed for 3 months, but could not collect because I got a 19-week severance package; took a sales job to get some money flow, which was good flow, but I knew I'd be up against my own numbers in a year, so I began looking for something more my style as soon as I got there. It lasted about 9 months and I made decent money, as well as some very good friends.

     

    Landed my current gig in early February agreeing to take less than what I was asking for. I figured I could prove my worth and things would work out. It worked out well and I couldn't be happier.

     

    Good luck, man. I'm sure things will go equally as well.

    Screwing you would be telling you to leave.

     

    I am doing just fine. Thanks for the kind thoughts!

     

    Sorry if it came across as a negative post.

    At one time in the past, some of the "millennials" were ragging on the "boomers" for ruining their lives. :w00t:

    Retirement savings?

    in Off the Wall Archives

    Posted · Edited by rockpile

    Im sure you still have to pay something even with insurance. Is it in the $5k range?

     

    Medical insurance is currently closer to $8K per year out-of-pocket for the wife and me.

    That is already planned into the budget when I retire. Some of it will be covered by Medicare, but I will carry insurance to fill the gaps.

     

    Her SSI will not be a lot, if she ever retires, because she is self employed. We have maximized her SEP every year to compensate.

    Retirement savings?

    in Off the Wall Archives

    Posted · Edited by rockpile

     

    His children will take care of him. That's their culture that we don't do at all here. Mom and dad are kicked to the curb.

     

    I have four grown children who I can count on to help me and the wife as best as they can if needed, but I have medical insurance for a reason.

     

    If you have a chronic illness, how do you pay for it? As many of you know, I have multiple sclerosis. Just two pills I take daily would be $84,000 per year if I paid for them out of pocket. Added to those two prescriptions: blood work, GP visits, MRI's, vision and dental expenses. How could anyone cover that without insurance?

     

    Read The Millionaire Next Door for some good advice. You can have a great life and save for the future if you do not piss away all or more money than you bring in. If you use common sense, you do not have to be cheap. :P

     

    I worked for a company for 25 years. I contributed the maximum into their 401K, they matched my contribution to either 4% or 6%, and they had a pension plan! I thought I had it made. They sold us to another company, and paid off our 'pension due' in a lump sum. I rolled my 401K and pension check into an independent IRA (not their stock). The unlucky ones who were not laid off or took early retirement, got screwed out of their pensions when the company went belly up.

     

    We are a very close family. No BS or drama! When my mother-in-law needs assistance, I will welcome her into our home. She can stay as long as we can care for her. I only wish our other three parents were still here! :( But seriously, I can provide a home - but who would pay the medical expenses?

     

    With any luck, I will be able to retire in less than 18 months, LONG before SSI alone would be enough to support me if that was my only source of income.

     

    Save for the future and retire young enough to enjoy it.

    Anyone ever get fired or quit

    in Off the Wall Archives

    Posted · Edited by rockpile

    Laid off in January of 2014. Sucked. Making about 20% less now, but WAY happier. All's well the ends well.

     

    I was laid of in 2007 after 27 years.

    I spent 20 months at Corning Tropel, "contract-to-hire" as quality engineer, took about a $12K pay cut, and was laid off again.

     

    Worked at a small manufacturer as a quality manager. That lasted for 12 months until they fired me for not completing engineering tasks I specifically told them I was not trained for and had never done, before I signed the offer. Dropped another $8K too. That was difficult, because I was treated like dirt for too long but had to get fired to insure I would get unemployment.

     

    After a year on unemployment, I took an internet help desk job, that did not pay well, unless you were starting your career, but it was full time with good benefits. I needed that because two pills I take daily for MS would be $84K annually out of pocket. Four years later, I am still there but looking to make another change. I will keep this gig until another is found.

     

    As far as salary? I make now what I made almost 30 years ago.

     

    So much for Baby Boomers living the "high life". LOL

    Group ticket purchase for 2015 home opener / TBDAHOT

    in The Stadium Wall Archives

    Posted · Edited by rockpile

    You can't call them that anymore. I think the PC term is Online Native American Ticket Re-Sellers.

     

    Good one! :nana:

     

    I am not PC.

    Ticket scalpers are bottom feeding scumbags. If this offends any Native Americans, please read on:

    From the Urban Slang Dictionary, "Someone who purchases large quantities of goods (usually tickets) early with the sole intention of re-selling them at a higher price at a later date (closer to the event)."

×
×
  • Create New...