Showing posts with label fail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fail. Show all posts
Notorius P.I.G. Sunday, July 18, 2010

So after trying to contact my Groupon vendor Bonafide Cupcakes on multiple occasions for some cupcakes (if you cannot tell I lurves cupcakes), I have decided to wave my cupcake white flag and ask for a refund from Groupon. I purchased my Groupons (2 dozen) in April and was hoping to use it rather quickly or even now, but to no success. I have been calling Bonafide Cupcakes on their phone number for the past 2 weeks straight and nobody picks up the phone. WTF!

So awhile back in the end of May, Groupon sent me this:
"Thank you for purchasing the BonaFide Cupcakes Groupon! Due to the great response, BonaFide Cupcakes will be remodeling their kitchen between May 24th and June 7th to accommodate the large number of incoming orders and will not be able to take new orders during this time. They will be able to take orders again after this time up until the expiration of April 23, 2011."

It is now July and their website is non-existent. The home page just has a list of cupcake flavors, THAT APPARENTLY I CANNOT GET. And a phone number, THAT APPARENTLY I CANNOT GET A HOLD OF. It is probably up to tease the poor Grouponers on their dissatisfaction that there are no cupcakes! I must say their flavors look nommy, but how can I confirm their nomminess, IF THERE ARE NO CUPCAKES? How disappointing! =(

What finally made me decide to request a refund was after reading the Groupon discussion board about Bonafide Cupcakes. And I found out that not only after their "remodeling of their kitchen and their upgrade of their website" Bonafide Cupcakes have been MIA, not answering phones and/or missing deliveries that were confirmed. (HOW DID THOSE PEOPLE GET A HOLD OF ANYONE ANYWAYS?) I understand that the demand was quite overwhelming for the company, but they should of at least put a cap on how many Groupons to give out or figured out a sustainable distribution and/or order system PRIOR to their Groupon release! What happened to making business plans? I'm a fan of them, use them!

When the Groupon closed there were about 2800 Groupons purchased. But when I return to the Bonafide Cupcake Groupon site now, it states 2100. So hey, 700 of us were smart enough to ask for refunds - I think the 2100 so do the same.

NO CUPCAKES = CUPCAKE FAIL!

Notorius P.I.G. Monday, April 26, 2010

So my parents are going on a cruise on Princess Cruise lines this May 2010 to Scandinavia. They have a party of 14 people going on the cruise together. Most of them purchased cabins (a little less in a year in advance) with an oceanview and paid in full right away. Soon after Princess Cruises upgraded my parents to a better room since they were two time previous cruisers (I really like that, reward your loyalists! AND it should be this way). I hope what helped as well was that I too, who lives at the same address took a cruise myself last year, and they were rewarding us for being a good family. Granted my parents take at least one cruise every year, but in their hearts, they always state Princess is the best! Anyways, the upgraded room my parents received was one on the Lido deck, is twice as big as most of the cabins, and has a balcony....PARTY ROOM! Well however 70 yr olds party...well at least they can be comfortable when they go to bed early....


But their travel agent gets a call today, about 2.5 weeks before they sail. Princess Cruise lines would like to take the room back and DOWNGRADE them back to their original room. WTF? This does not make any sense at all. I mean do you really think someone would be "SURE! Downgrade me! " Ummm...HELLS TO THE NO!

I think the big obvious question would be: Well was there compensation for the downgrade? I mean it is like a kid who was expecting a princess pony, you give her a princess horse...alright she's excited...and then go to her...well, nevermind....we want you to switch back to a pony. It's like that! That's mean! You big meanies!!! Well the answer from Princess Cruise lines was "no!" Well then, the travel agent equaled that response, and said to suck it, and do not contact my parents either. In the end, I'm hoping my parents don't get screwed. They didn't demand this upgrade...you VOLUNTARILY upgraded them.

As a marketing grad student, this concerns me. I like the fact that rewards are given for loyalty, as they should be. You are supposed to reward your good customers, but what message does this send? Well we thought you were awesome...but we changed our minds. We obviously have found someone more worthy and we would like to throw you back into the peanut gallery even though you booked far in advance and paid up...you know so we can gain interest on YOUR money. I do not understand this "logic." Branding is your power, word of mouth is fast and furious, as a 30 year old, I have lots of friends and we have plenty of potential cruises to be had and you are not the ONLy cruise line. Granted maybe my business is not important...or even my parents...but really...WOULD ANY ONE take a downgrade? And especially with no compensation? I'm sure 100% would say no.

In the end, I hope Princess does my parents right. Because, I'll know and I'm watching you.....


P.S. No ponies were harmed in this blog....scared, perhaps...but not harmed...well maybe emotionally...but only temporarily.



Notorius P.I.G. Friday, April 9, 2010

Scheduled my appointment to change everything over to Comcast. It consisted of adding an HD DVR box to one new television and changing over the telephone. Well after much hub-bub of the wire cutting into the new HD hook up connection, the technician was able to splice the cable and fix it to finally get an HD picture.


After that install, he goes to work on the phone. For some reason Comcast was not able to switch over our Verizon telephone service as they were not able to get Verizon turn over the telephone line. Well then, WTF? Why did you schedule my 5 business day to change over appointment 5 EXACT business days to change over? NOT HAPPY. Technician said he couldn't do anything AND took back the HD DVR box as well and was told to reschedule the appointment.

I later called Comcast that afternoon and had to tell them the story in my "calm, angry annoyed tone" and the lady said I had to REAUTHORIZE to turn over the request to Verizon again. Was told to reschedule for 5 business days, new appointment for next Friday.

Not a good start. Should I be regretting my decision now? Starting to feel that way...

As of right now....COMCAST FAIL.