lwidmer | Words on the Page

When You Just Don’t Get It

Posted on September 9, 2008 by lwidmer

Working on a project now with a regular client. In the past, I’ve had zero problems interpreting what they want/how they want it. Perhaps I’m tired, old, or some other form of out-of-it, for this time I’m just not getting it. They’re kind enough not to say so, but multiple revisions later, it’s obvious we’re…

Have You Nominated Your Favorite Yet?

Posted on September 6, 2008 by lwidmer

It’s time once again for Michael Stelzner’s Top Blogs For Writers nominations. Go here to nominate your favorite. But be aware – you get one nomination. And your nominee must be nominated twice or seconded in order to be considered. I’ve cast my vote already, but if I could, all of the following would be…

The Posts That Got You Talking

Posted on September 5, 2008 by lwidmer

I’ve decided to try something a bit different here. Some blog posts obviously get a bit more attention than others, and I thought it would be fun to revisit the ones from the previous month that had you busy commenting. I’ve looked at the posts from August, and here are the two most-commented-on posts: The…

Promises, Promises

Posted on September 4, 2008 by lwidmer

Heard from my favorite client yesterday – they’re back to needing monthly newsletters again. Hooray for several reasons; the work is interesting, the people are great, and they pay on time without fail. Hooray, indeed! Despite working under a post-migraine fog, yesterday brought an inquiry from one of the major companies in the area looking…

Lots of Work, Little Cash

Posted on September 3, 2008 by lwidmer

How many times have you been there, too? The work – you’re drowning in it. Yet the cash for that work? Let’s just say Casper makes more appearances than your checks. At the moment, I have about $7K in outstanding invoices. Only one is just slightly overdue. Taxes are due on the 15th (you do…

Recurring Client Issues

Posted on September 2, 2008 by lwidmer

The meditation group I belong to teaches us about life’s sanskara, or the stuff that keeps coming up throughout our lives that must be dealt with. For example, suppose you keep meeting the same type of person as you’re dating. No matter how far outside your comfort zone you look, that new person soon starts…

It’s Unlimited, With Certain Limits, Of Course

Posted on September 1, 2008 by lwidmer

I once signed up for a new phone service that promised me unlimited calling. It wasn’t one of the big companies, but rather a startup company offering great rates. The first month, it was wonderful. For just $30 a month, I could call my sister and talk for an hour, or call my mother, or…

Office Hours

Posted on August 29, 2008 by lwidmer

Got a nice break in my workload this morning – met a writer friend for Starbucks. We solve the world’s ills over caffeine. Or at least we think we do. Got another small break – a friend who works a 9-to-5 called. She’s home and had some time to chat. I was able to spend…

Go On, Just Pile It On

Posted on August 28, 2008 by lwidmer

It must be just before a holiday weekend because here comes another big project and another “Are you able to work this weekend?” request. It came in yesterday morning as I was firing up the computer to get going on the first big job. A request like that wouldn’t be a problem if I A)…

Service or Support – It Needs to Work

Posted on August 27, 2008 by lwidmer

Yesterday’s Microsoft-created mania is behind me, amen. Today I hope to make huge progress on this project so the client can at least gain some headway on her deadline. Side issue that seems to be growing – we switched our cable service from Comcast to Verizon Monday. The technicians were quick about it – I…

Devon Ellington

August 27, 2008

I immediately demand to speak to a supervisor. I refuse to speak to the morons who answer the phones.

Verizon is useless. They’re trying to force me to switch from DSL to Fios, which I DON’T want, and they won’t let me talk to ANYONE about it.

Anyway, after the conversation with supervisors, I type a quick letter to the executive office with the result of the conversation and its myriad frustations, and CC both the BBB and the AG’s office in my state and the home state of the exec office.

Within a week, I get results.

Without the letter and the CC’s — nothing.

I still think we should invoice these companies when they waste our time.

Eileen Coale

August 27, 2008

Devon, when you write to the executive office, to whom do you address your letter? Finding the right person can be a huge challenge.

I had a big problem with Verizon FiOs last year and it was a very frustrating experience. The sales rep made all kinds of promises that he did not deliver on, and it ended up costing us significantly more than he’d promised. A friend of mine who is a telecom consultant was able to get me the name of someone at Verizon who finally addressed the problem and gave me a modest credit. But I will forever after be wary of Verizon, and will make another choice whenever possible.

Amanda Nicole

August 27, 2008

This sounds like trying to cancel a cell phone service! Their ploy is to make it as inconvenient as possible (numerous holds, transfers, people who claim to not understand you).

We switched our internet provider a while ago, and a few weeks later had a telemarketer from that same provider call to try to get us to switch to them. I had to cut her off after 3 full minutes of scripted yammer, and when I said, “We actually have it already,” I could hear the hamster wheel turning in her head, processing what I’d just said. I don’t think her script covered that possible response.

Lori

August 27, 2008

I’ve heard some negatives about Verizon’s tech service in general, and frankly I wasn’t too happy with the service I’d received when we had a minor glitch during our FiOS Internet switchover. I used my email from Comcast to mail weekly updates to my opted-in subscription list. Verizon disabled my Internet connection for 24 hours the minute I’d sent/received 500 messages in an hour. Naturally, I called.

The tech person actually said, “Go to the Terms of Service page. Are you there? Good. Now read along with me…” I felt patronized. He wasn’t understanding. He said if I wanted to “spam” people, I had to purchase an online email service from someone else. I couldn’t convince him that I wasn’t spamming, that these were legitimate subscribers, and that the terms of service needed to account for such things.

We went with the cable in order to simplify our bills and save a little money. Time will tell if we’re satisfied. In general, I wasn’t sure we should be switching, but we’ll try it.