I'm walking past a donation bin for the food bank and I see a bag of Doritos. Now, I realise that this is Tyndale and to some Doritos might fall into one of the food groups but I have to also note it was on the Seminary side where the age of the students is a little higher and the in ministry experience is a little more rounded.
Lesley was saying she noticed the same thing at Loblaws, some of the donations just boggle the mind. What on earth am I going to do with a box of cake mix. Yes, it is nice to think that I could make a birthday cake for my child but perhaps sending him to school with some protein in his stomach would be a little more helpful. I think we are so clueless. I'm sure people mean well, but it seems that there is an idea that food bank use is just to pick up a few things - that people aren't really as bad off as to need tuna over cake. I'm going to ask our food bank what they do with the chocolates and stuff - maybe I can start buying them and giving them the cash. I've seen the paperwork and even at non-living wage you are only allowed to come to the foodbank at most 4 times a month - this is to ensure there is enough food for everyone.
The whole donate food has been bugging me for some time because I reason that they could do a much better job buying the food wholesale if I give them cash. But there is something so gratifying about giving something you can see. I have always wondered why a supermarket doesn't have food bank drives where they lower the price on the food bank type items and put limits per customer. They would likely make money because I will go to that chain to buy tuna at the cheapest price and do the rest of my shopping while I am there. And maybe they could put up the price of Doritos and cake mix during that week!!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Good Customer Service Graduation
I had a really good customer service experience the other day. I went to my dentist and was told he was running late - which was fine because they have magazines I can't afford!
When I went in for the treatment he handed me a gift certificate to the LCBO saying that my time is as important has his time. Isn't that great! Had four small fillings done - and it was okay. If you are looking for a dentist his name is Arjay Singh and he works on Sheppard at Pharmacy. Very nice office and really good staff.
Now on the other hand, I was at Tyndale and needed to pay for my courses. Tyndale is not York. The registration and accounts payable counter is about 10 feet long and there are two places to line up. Usually they are really super and they often remember my name - no,not because I'm a bitch but because they are good! It was a few days before the last day to register so the line was unusually long. I did what I had to do and then got in the other line to pay. Then I asked for the form to fill out for graduation so I could pay the fee. The clerk looks at me and tells me that I need to go to Registration to get the form. I'm like are you serious? Oh yeah, they hand out the forms. I don't get this - they are all behind the counter side by side - its like lining up at McDonald's everything is back there. The forms are simply photocopied Word docs - and they are hanging up all over campus so its not like they are secure. What could I do? I had to go back into the Registration line to get the form.
Cliff couldn't believe I had to pay to graduate. I think I remembered this from York so I wasn't too surprised. The nice thing about going to a small school is I can invite as many as I like - so everyone who wants is invited to come out on Saturay, May 5th to see me graduate!
When I went in for the treatment he handed me a gift certificate to the LCBO saying that my time is as important has his time. Isn't that great! Had four small fillings done - and it was okay. If you are looking for a dentist his name is Arjay Singh and he works on Sheppard at Pharmacy. Very nice office and really good staff.
Now on the other hand, I was at Tyndale and needed to pay for my courses. Tyndale is not York. The registration and accounts payable counter is about 10 feet long and there are two places to line up. Usually they are really super and they often remember my name - no,not because I'm a bitch but because they are good! It was a few days before the last day to register so the line was unusually long. I did what I had to do and then got in the other line to pay. Then I asked for the form to fill out for graduation so I could pay the fee. The clerk looks at me and tells me that I need to go to Registration to get the form. I'm like are you serious? Oh yeah, they hand out the forms. I don't get this - they are all behind the counter side by side - its like lining up at McDonald's everything is back there. The forms are simply photocopied Word docs - and they are hanging up all over campus so its not like they are secure. What could I do? I had to go back into the Registration line to get the form.
Cliff couldn't believe I had to pay to graduate. I think I remembered this from York so I wasn't too surprised. The nice thing about going to a small school is I can invite as many as I like - so everyone who wants is invited to come out on Saturay, May 5th to see me graduate!
Last Exam
I wrote my last exam last night. Have you ever gotten to the point where you just want to finish - who cares about the mark? I got to that point and kept telling myself that once I started writing I would be so busy that the time would fly. But actually during the exam I can remember feeling like I just wanted to hand it in! I've never had that before. The prof was nice the way he set it up. You could choose three questions for 33.3 marks each or do 4 for 25 marks. Of course I picked writing 4 - the chances of a higher mark just made me go that route. Took me 2.5 hours and I'm not normally that long so I must have written enough! There was that panicky moment where the first person handed the exam in at the hour mark - everyone looks up thinking the same thing "did he just blow the exam or am I screwed!?".
This year was tough because 50% of my mark for this course was based on two papers I handed in on Nov 30th and 40% of my Ezekiel course was based on a paper handed in on the 27th. I didn't get the Ezekiel paper back until I handed in the exam and that just sucks because you like to have an idea of where you stand.
Driving home there was an incredible sense of freedom for about 15 minutes. By the time I got in the driveway I had already figured out what all was waiting for me at work and over the holiday!
This year was tough because 50% of my mark for this course was based on two papers I handed in on Nov 30th and 40% of my Ezekiel course was based on a paper handed in on the 27th. I didn't get the Ezekiel paper back until I handed in the exam and that just sucks because you like to have an idea of where you stand.
Driving home there was an incredible sense of freedom for about 15 minutes. By the time I got in the driveway I had already figured out what all was waiting for me at work and over the holiday!
Consumer Rant
I have had the worst customer service - at least three stories worth! The latest is that I went to Zeller's on a break from studying. I like to grab something to eat at the foodcourt at Centrepoint and then look over my notes there - there's lots of background noise and activity which I prefer.
Anyhow, there is a huge display of those boxes of Neilson chocolate - the ones that are Rosebuds, Macaroons, Slowpokes and they are advertised for 1.00. I usually don't buy them unless they are down are 97 cents but I figured if I bought anything else I would pick up a box on my way out the door.
I go through the cash and check my bill and I was charged 1.09. I go back and sure enough the sign says 1.00. What really pisses me is the tax - I bought two boxes so I figure I'll get more than 18 cents back.
I stand in line and I explain to the clerk that the sign says 1.00. She asks me if they are the same product. Now picture this - in front of her cash is a skid of this crap. Its a impulse buy and I can't possibly be the first person to buy this. So I explain that it is the same product. Having determined that I do need a refund she then tells me I have to go to the clerk that sold me the product. This is one line over and there is a lady buying a ton o crap so I'm not to thrilled about this. I ask her what would happen if the clerk had gone home for the day. Oh, well, I really just need to go to that specific cash. I ask her to show me where on my bill it says which cash because this just sounds like bullshit and I wanted to make sure that someone could actually tell which cash I went through before I change lanes. She shows me - I ask her if she realises that this is a stupid policy and she agrees that it is and she doesn't know why its this way.
Anyhow, I'm in the next lane and I have the same conversation. The cashier goes over and takes down the sign (finally someone with some responsibility) and explains to me that the sign was for a sale that ended on the 8th but since the sign was up she will give me the cheaper price. Here is where I really wanted to scream - I was buying this on the 13th. For 5 days they have been overcharging 9 cents a box on an item that is an impulse buy. How can you have a sale item with two signs on it for 5 days and I be the first person to notice. I really want to send a letter to Zellers asking them to pull up all the sales of that product from those cashes and donate the money to charity!
Anyhow, there is a huge display of those boxes of Neilson chocolate - the ones that are Rosebuds, Macaroons, Slowpokes and they are advertised for 1.00. I usually don't buy them unless they are down are 97 cents but I figured if I bought anything else I would pick up a box on my way out the door.
I go through the cash and check my bill and I was charged 1.09. I go back and sure enough the sign says 1.00. What really pisses me is the tax - I bought two boxes so I figure I'll get more than 18 cents back.
I stand in line and I explain to the clerk that the sign says 1.00. She asks me if they are the same product. Now picture this - in front of her cash is a skid of this crap. Its a impulse buy and I can't possibly be the first person to buy this. So I explain that it is the same product. Having determined that I do need a refund she then tells me I have to go to the clerk that sold me the product. This is one line over and there is a lady buying a ton o crap so I'm not to thrilled about this. I ask her what would happen if the clerk had gone home for the day. Oh, well, I really just need to go to that specific cash. I ask her to show me where on my bill it says which cash because this just sounds like bullshit and I wanted to make sure that someone could actually tell which cash I went through before I change lanes. She shows me - I ask her if she realises that this is a stupid policy and she agrees that it is and she doesn't know why its this way.
Anyhow, I'm in the next lane and I have the same conversation. The cashier goes over and takes down the sign (finally someone with some responsibility) and explains to me that the sign was for a sale that ended on the 8th but since the sign was up she will give me the cheaper price. Here is where I really wanted to scream - I was buying this on the 13th. For 5 days they have been overcharging 9 cents a box on an item that is an impulse buy. How can you have a sale item with two signs on it for 5 days and I be the first person to notice. I really want to send a letter to Zellers asking them to pull up all the sales of that product from those cashes and donate the money to charity!
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