Hanging on the Telephone
Posted: Wed 15 December, 2004 Filed under: General Leave a comment »Today’s a bit of a crunch day. I’m supposed to hear back from both agencies about the jobs I interviewed for on Friday. I can’t deny, I’m nervous and just want to know whether I’ve got something to start work with on 4th January, or if I’m going to continue running round like a mad thing to get work sorted.
In some ways it’s been a frustrating process – loads of applications and CVs without much feedback. I did have a phone interview on Monday as well (just before the 2nd interview for the 2nd job) which may prove interesting. But right now I just want to know about the two I interviewed with.
Obviously news will be published here as and when I get any.
Response
Posted: Tue 14 December, 2004 Filed under: Letters Leave a comment »Someone at Thorntons has a sense of humour, God love ’em. In response to yesterday’s email, I got this…
Dear Lyle,
Thank you for your e-mail.
We always appreciate feedback from our customers and I have passed your comments on to our Marketing Department.
Kind regards,
[name supplied]
Customer Services
Thorntons Direct
Festering Fir
Posted: Tue 14 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »Further to the post about buying a christmas tree, I should point out that while I helped carry the bloody thing, it’s not in my house, but rather is down in Berkshire.
So yes, I’ve actually helped with a tree, although I’d be forced to say that decorating it was down to Herself rather than me.
(In)Competence
Posted: Mon 13 December, 2004 Filed under: Letters Leave a comment »As the run-up to the Festering Season continues,back on Thursday I’d decided to buy a couple of “wine and chocolate” box sets from Thorntons to be delivered. Hardly rocket science, you’d have thought. But no, all the wine box items (only available through on-line or telephone purchasing ) were out of stock, and no information was given on when/whether they’d be back.
Oooh, look, there’s an email address for customer services, regarding stock items and out-of-stocks etc. I think I’ll mail them…
To whom it may concern,
I have tried today to order some of your “wine and chocolate” hampers, primarily product codes 51116 and 50565, in time for Christmas.
Unfortunately, both these items are listed as out of stock. I find it incredible that a company such as Thorntons would make such a monumental cock-up when it comes to the Festive season and gifts that have been heavily promoted in your catalogue etc.
Will these items be back in stock before Christmas? Or is Thorntons determined to lose as much business as possible to companies such as Hotel Chocolat?
Sincerely
Lyle.
Ex-Thorntons customer.
On Friday came the response from Thorntons (Although I only read it on Saturday, due to a certain level of manic behaviour around interviews on Friday)
Dear Lyle
Thank you for your e-mail.
50565 the Classic Combinations wine hamper should be back in stock at the beginning of next week, week commencing December 13th.
Unfortunately 51116 the Twin Red Wine hamper is now sold out and we will not be receiving further stock of this item. 51117 the Twin White Wine Hamper is still available to order as an alternative.
Please accept my sincere apologies, on behalf of Thorntons Direct, for any inconvenience caused by these items being out of stock.
Kind regards,
[name included], Customer Services, Thorntons Direct
OK, now I’m sorry, but that deserves a response. So here we go!
Many thanks for the response.
As a general pointer regarding usability on the website (as only website and phone ordering were available for the wine hampers) would it not be an idea to perhaps mention when an item is due back in stock?
As it is, Thorntons has lost the sale of at least three of these hampers by myself – and I can’t begin to imagine I’m the only person who was planning on buying one of these items!
Having advertised the hampers in your catalogue, I simply can’t believe that you’ve managed to sell out of the Twin red hamper completely – did your ordering department underestimate demand?
I’ve now completed my Christmas shopping with one of your competitors ( Hotel Chocolat, if it’s of any use to know) whose ordering system has been superb, and with no stock problems at all that I have found.
Congratulations on losing customers in this way.
Sincerely
Lyle
I haven’t yet had a response – that’ll probably be some subject matter for Tuesday’s posts!
The Incredibles
Posted: Mon 13 December, 2004 Filed under: Reviews(ish) Leave a comment »I confess, I’ve always been a fan of Pixar‘s films (although I draw the line at “Finding Nemo”, which I still think is a hunk of crap, but that’s my perspective on it, rather down to the film itself) so going to see the Incredibles was always a case of “when” rather than “if”. And last night turned out to be the “when”.
I lost count of how many “superhero” movies the Incredibles features. The speeding bus from “Speed”, the slow character build-up of “Spiderman” and “Hulk”, The ‘group of heroes’ thing from X-Men etc., and many other far subtler ones. Interestingly, the film has a much maturer aspect than their other works, this one really isn’t that much of a kids film, in the way the Nemo and Monsters Inc. were. It’s not “adult” humour, but it demands a more adult outlook- understanding the frustrations of Mr and Mrs Incredible, forced into being “everyday” people, using their secret identities as their only identities, and put in everyday jobs.
The entire film is beautifully done – as with Monsters Inc, it will stand up to repeated viewings – even in scenes you get familiar with, it’s all too easy to simply look at the detail the animators put into everything. For example, the water in Incredibles is simply stunning, as are the fabrics, and the way they move and flow just like the real thing.
Technically superb, Pixar’s films always seem to be firmly based in the storyline – these films aren’t a series of setpieces about “look how great we are at animating”, instead they follow the full story curve, and their work has always been more of a film than a cartoon.
Incredibles is a step up for Pixar, and well worth seeing (
and probably buying the DVD) several times. Now, when’s their next one “Cars” due out – that looks fantastic too!
Miraculous – pt. 2
Posted: Sun 12 December, 2004 Filed under: Festering Season Leave a comment »Ye Gods, this domesticity thing takes some compromise sometimes. Today has actually involved – and sit down while you’re reading this – the purchase and decoration of a Christmas tree. Two shocks in one weekend : I’m just not prepared for this kind of thing. I feel like Scotty in Star Trek “It’s no good, captain, the propulsion system cannae take the strain…”
Still, it’s up now – I’m just waiting for the dog to destroy it while we’re out…
Art for All
Posted: Sun 12 December, 2004 Filed under: Depression, General Leave a comment »I love the story today about Mad for Arts, which according to the BBC story is designed to enable people with experience of mental illness to express themselves through art.
It’s always been said that those with mental illnesses can sometimes be more in touch with their own creative side, and if it helps to express those feelings and thoughts in a ceative and non-destructive way then I think the initiative deserves all the coverage and publicity it can get.