customer talk
Talk is cheap--it's easy to say that you're the best. Being the best requires commitment and hard work. Many "talk the talk"; but few "walk the walk."
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
collusion between the IRS and USPS?
Friday, December 22, 2023
inflation and prescription drug prices in 2023/WALGREENS
Monday, December 18, 2023
Balneol/Amazon
Amazon,
I received an email from you (11/28/23, 2:48 PM) threatening to charge our credit card for not returning an order that was damaged so severely as to make it unusable and nonreturnable.
When we opened the delivery box that contained the Balneol, it had leaked from all 3 containers and from the leaking plastic envelope that they were in. one of the two bubble packaging cells was punctured. One corner of the delivery box was crushed.
We told Amazon's representative that the mess was unusable and nonreturnable. We cleaned up the mess and disposed of it.
Now, Amazon is threatening to charge us for the mess??? This is outrageous! Amazon and/or your supplier, epharmastore, should give us a credit for having to clean up the mess.
So, who’s responsible for the mess? not us. We didn’t package the Balneol for delivery. We didn’t place the bottles in a plastic envelope without packaging around them to protect them. We didn’t cause the tops on the Balneol containers to leak. It was obvious when we opened the plastic envelope that the tops had become loose and leaked Balneol in and through the plastic envelope.
we're not the only ones. If you check the reviews for this item on your website under "bottles and they leaked" you'll see many. Unfortunately, we didn't see these reviews until AFTER we received the mess. Also, we have a photo of the mess on our phone but were unable to attach it. we're more than happy to send it to you if you can tell us how to do so.
Why is it so difficult to get this resolved? Why can’t Amazon’s customers speak to a live Amazon employee to resolve problems?
We resent your threat to charge our credit card for a product that was so severely damaged when it was delivered as to make it unusable and nonreturnable.
Sincerely,
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
"chatting" with Amazon
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Toyota RAV 4
"what good is a service department that can't/won't diagnose a problem with the liftgate on a NEW Rav 4, that was reported NUMEROUS times, that has to be forced manually to open and shut? What good is a sales department that doesn't return phone calls? what good is a car with too many gadgets, a dashboard with print so small that you can't read it and a useless, poorly written owners manual the size of a phone book? ... Mr. Lewis, you have my contact info. what do you have in mind? please respond in kind (email)."
"We are not pleased to hear of the incident you've described in this review. We want nothing more than to work with you to correct this situation as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience. Thank you, Frank Lewis, Service Director"
I received an email from Malloy:
"Good afternoon Mr. & Mrs. Koenig,
I'm writing in regards to the review you left in reference to your 2019 RAV4. My service director, Frank, and myself have tried to reach out via the phone number provided and haven't heard back, so I'd like to extend this email to assist you further.
It appears that the last time you were in for service was in 2021, and you still have ongoing concerns with your liftgate. We are more than willing to have a Master level Toyota-trained technician look at your liftgate again, as well as our service director, to ensure your concerns are addressed.
It also looks like there may be some questions regarding the features of your vehicle, and I've got members of my team ready to go over the features and functions with you whenever you are available to bring the vehicle back in. Please give me a call at 540-678-1791, or reply to this email with the best days and time for you, and I'll make sure you're taken care of!
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon."
"Good afternoon Kala,
I can understand why you and Frank are concerned with my review.
The facts are:
1. Shortly after we purchased the car, the liftgate didn't always lift and close properly.
2. We reported this problem each time that we brought the car in during the warranty period.
3. Each time we were told that the liftgate was working properly.
4. Since the warranty expired, the problem has only gotten worse.
In writing my review, it wasn't my intention to bring my car to Malloy to have a master level toyota-trained technician diagnose and fix the liftgate problem. Why didn't your mechanics diagnose and fix the problem when we reported it multiple times during the warranty period? Did they think that I was lying? The fact is that I've had to force the liftgate open and shut for some time now. It's my intention to continue doing so until it breaks. At that time I'll take it to a mechanic of my choice to fix the problem.
After Mr. Lewis responded to my review, I felt compelled to reply. I emailed our contact information to Malloy. I did not lie in my review.
I'm familiar with Malloy's practice of doing business over the phone. I wouldn't entertain the thought of bringing my car back to Malloy unless we were assured, in writing, that we would not be held responsible for any costs associated with diagnosing or fixing the liftgate problem. It should have been fixed during the warranty period.
Sincerely,
Ray Koenig"
I received another email from Malloy:
"Mr. Koenig,
I appreciate you following back up with us. Kala and I have carefully reviewed your service history. We found a concern on 1/21/21 stating "Liftgate will not open or close correctly at times." The technician opened and closed the liftgate 12 times and found no issues. It was working properly at that time. The next time you had a concern with the liftgate was on 5/27/21 stating "Tailgate hatch will not open all of the way." The technician adjusted the liftgate height for you as it is adjustable. So we see a total of 1 visit stating the rear liftgate is inoperable.This does not mean that we thought you were “lying”, we take the safety of our guests and integrity of their vehicles very seriously. If we cannot duplicate or find a failed part it is impossible to fix something that is intermittently failing.
Your review was posted on 6/2/2023 and the last time we have seen the vehicle in question was 5/27/2021. I am always willing to help a loyal Toyota customer out with after-warranty assistance, but I think it's obvious I need to be aware of the issue other than receiving a review more than 2 years later.
I'm not sure what you meant by "Malloy's practice of doing business over the phone" and ask that you please elaborate if you care to.
While we do apologize about the small font on the dashboard and density of the owner's manual, these things are out of our control. As far as the liftgate concern goes, we are more than happy to look at this free-of-charge as well as offer assistance should any repair be needed.
Please let me know if you would allow us to assist you further with your concerns, and we will do all that we can to help."
Thank you, and we hope to assist you soon!"
I responded:
"Mr. Lewis,
I recall another time when someone from Malloy went with us to the parking lot and opened and shut the liftgate once and declared that it was working properly and sent us on our way. That's not what I call diagnosing the problem. I wouldn't even call opening and shutting the lift gate 12 times as diagnosing the problem. I'm not a mechanic. Our car has 10,883 miles on it--in 4 years. Most of that mileage is for short trips. Driving to Winchester is a relatively long trip when compared to going to the grocery store, doctor, etc. in Strasburg. The other observation that I've made, for what it's worth, is that the liftgate problem is greater in cold weather than in warm weather.
As far as my comment about doing business over the phone is concerned, I said that "I wouldn't entertain the thought of bringing my car back to Malloy unless we were assured, in writing, that we would not be held responsible for any costs associated with diagnosing or fixing the liftgate problem." I am unsure that this is the case ("... other assistance ..."). Even with your assurance, I don't know if I will bring the car into Malloy for another go at diagnosing and fixing the problem. As you know by my review, this whole experience with the liftgate has left a very bad taste in my mouth.
Sincerely,
Ray Koenig"
"According to experts, it could be that your battery is not dispensing enough voltage to the liftgate. When the voltage to this part of the vehicle is low, it will not function or it will function below expectation."
"One thing you should know about liftgates is that they run on a pump/motor system. So when they malfunction, it is likely that the motor or pumps are having issues. It is also possible that the hydraulic reservoir oil is low. In this case, the liftgate will struggle, depending on the level of oil available."
"There are times when your liftgate malfunctions because of leaks. Check all these parts for damages. If you notice any leaks, first try to tighten the connections at those points."
Diagnosing liftgate problems involves more than just opening and shutting the liftgate. Complete diagnosis requires checking of both electrical and hydraulic systems that operate the liftgate. Was this done? Based on copies of the service orders that we received and our discussions with Malloy personnel, our answer is no.
Friday, March 24, 2023
VISA vs. mastercard
Monday, March 20, 2023
information overload
- IRS
- messages on our cell phones from vendors, doctors, etc.
- IRS
- TV
- commercials ad nauseam
- local news
- weather
- traffic reports
- IRS
- the owner's manual for our RAV 4
- HUNDREDS of poorly written and poorly organized pages
- We've NEVER got an answer to our questions from the owner's manual.
- IRS
- appliances' manuals
- IRS
- TONS of junk mail (email, snail mail, etc.)
- IRS
- etc.
- the INSTRUCTIONS for completing the 3-page form 1040 is 113 pages long!
- not to mention the HUNDREDS of other forms, instructions and documents.
- how did our parents ever get us to doctors and dentists appointments?
- how were they able to complete their income tax returns?
- how did they know how to operate their cars and appliances?
- they wrote them down on a calendar. they didn't need multiple "reminders" (phone calls, messages, etc.).
- income tax forms and instructions were relatively simple.
- they checked their owner's manuals. their owner's manuals weren't HUNDREDS of pages long. They were short, to the point, and clearly written.
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
blame???
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
boost mobile
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
low tech
- high tech is no longer my friend.
- when high tech becomes more of a nuisance than a friend, then it's time to go low tech.
- software upgrades are a nuisance.
- learning curves are a nuisance.
- when the old version does everything that you want, then to whose advantage is the software upgrade? (hint: it isn't you.)
- Bezos has enough $$$. He doesn't need more of mine.
- same for Google, internet and cell phone providers, tv streamers, online security providers, device providers, etc.
Saturday, January 28, 2023
customer rating systems
- 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = A+
- 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = A
- 3 stars ⭐⭐⭐ = B+
- 2 stars ⭐⭐ = B
- 1 star ⭐ = C+ (average+)
- 1 thumb down 👎 = C- (average-)
- 2 thumbs down 👎👎 = D
- 3 thumbs down 👎👎👎 = E
- 4 thumbs down 👎👎👎👎 = F
- and 5 thumbs down= F-
Friday, January 27, 2023
youtube tv
Saturday, January 21, 2023
dr. heater electric space heater (dr968, original heater)
Sunday, January 8, 2023
how safe is strasburg's (VA) drinking water?
it's a well known fact that one of the signs of contaminated drinking water is intestinal disorders.
Surface waters and aquifers can be contaminated by various chemicals, microbes, and radionuclides. Disinfection of drinking water has dramatically reduced the prevalence of waterborne diseases (such as typhoid, cholera, and hepatitis) in the United States. Other processes may also be used to treat drinking water depending on the characteristics of and contaminants in the source water.
- Industry and agriculture. Organic solvents, petroleum products, and heavy metals from disposal sites or storage facilities can migrate into aquifers. Pesticides and fertilizers can be carried into lakes and streams by rainfall runoff or snowmelt, or can percolate into aquifers.
- Human and animal waste. Human wastes from sewage and septic systems can carry harmful microbes into drinking water sources, as can wastes from animal feedlots and wildlife. Major contaminants include Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and E. coli.
- Treatment and distribution. While treatment can remove many contaminants, it can also leave behind byproducts (such as trihalomethanes) that may themselves be harmful. Water can also become contaminated after it enters the distribution system, from a breach in the piping system or from corrosion of plumbing materials made from lead or copper.
- Natural sources. Some ground water is unsuitable for drinking because the local underground conditions include high levels of certain contaminants. For example, as ground water travels through rock and soil, it can pick up naturally occurring arsenic, other heavy metals, or radionuclides.
Effects on Human Health
If drinking water contains unsafe levels of contaminants, it can cause health effects, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous system or reproductive effects, and chronic diseases such as cancer. Factors that can influence whether a contaminant will lead to health effects include the type of contaminant, its concentration in the water, individual susceptibility, the amount of water consumed, and the duration of exposure.
- Health effects of chemical exposure. Chemical exposure through drinking water can lead to a variety of short- and long-term health effects. Exposure to high doses of chemicals can lead to skin discoloration or more severe problems such as nervous system or organ damage and developmental or reproductive effects. Exposure to lower doses over long periods of time can lead to chronic, longer-term conditions such as cancer. The effects of some drinking water contaminants are not yet well understood.
- Health effects of consuming water with disease-causing microbes. Most life-threatening waterborne diseases caused by microbes (such as typhoid fever or cholera) are rare in the United States today. The more common illnesses caused by viruses, bacteria, and parasites can result in stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fever, and kidney failure. Infectious diseases such as hepatitis can also occur. Hepatitis may be severe in people with weakened immune systems (e.g., infants and the elderly) and sometimes fatal in people with severely compromised immune systems (e.g., cancer and AIDS patients)."
Wednesday, January 4, 2023
valley health
Friday, December 16, 2022
town of strasburg VA
how do you get important public information where you live? email? message on your phone? how many places do you know of where the ONLY source of important public information is facebook?
- be clairvoyant and KNOW that there's important public information to be had.
- log into the town's pitiful facebook page.
- search for the important public information.
- HOPE that you find it.
- HOPE that you find the important public information in time BEFORE it's too late.
- never mind that most people aren't clairvoyant.
- never mind that some citizens aren't on facebook.
- never mind that some citizens don't have 24/7 access to a smartphone or a PC.
- never mind that those people who have facebook typically work for a living and have more important things to do than to hang around the town's pitiful facebook page waiting for important public information.
- never mind that it's not the job of citizens to inform other citizens of important public information ("Please, let your friends and neighbors know about this change.")