Weekly RoundUp 8-14-2012 (1 Viewer)

[Moe Dickstein]

I'm not able to report any such problems either--with my copy of The Hunger Games...
BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET IT YET!  :f

Seems like Mike is hungry for this one...
*ducks rotten produce*

 

[Mike Frezon]

Stop playing games with me, Moe!

 

[Moe Dickstein]

Ok, I'm gonna go make a sandwich, as I'm feeling a bit...
peckish?

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Did Amazon not sending Mike his disc *ruin* his weekend plans, or *save* them?
FYI, the Jaws BD was $18.99 at my local Costco this weekend.

 

[Todd Erwin]

It has been my experience (and not just with Amazon) that online chat reps are mostly worthless, which is why I usually prefer to use the good, old fashioned telephone for situations like this.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Did Amazon not sending Mike his disc *ruin* his weekend plans, or *save* them?

 

[David Weicker]

That  probably makes sense, Todd...for one very practical reason.  A phone conversation allows for more nuance (inflection, tone) between the two parties in terms of understanding specific points which the written word often lacks. 

I would disagree with this statement. In today's world, at least the Online rep is typing in English. On a phone call, probably not.
David

 

[Jason_V]

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon /t/322956/weekly-roundup-8-14-2012/120#post_3965238

A phone conversation allows for more nuance (inflection, tone) between the two parties in terms of understanding specific points which the written word often lacks.

And I'm the exact opposite. I like the written word much better. The lawyers at work have gotten me on the track. Phone conversations can be more in depth and easier, but e-mail leaves no room for "he said, she said." For instance, if I tell a client over the phone they need to make a specific contribution to their 401(k) plan, even though it's noted on my side, they can always (and do) say (1) they didn't know (2) I didn't give them the number or (3) they forgot.

If it's written, I can point to the exact day, time and message they received, both for our internal reference and external reference. Any complicated or potentially problem conversation I have with a client is followed by a recap e-mail. Our three Assistant General Counsel's have made me go this route.

 

[Mike Frezon]

And I cannot disagree with either of those points. I've had my share of conversations with guys named Jim who sound like they are a native of some far, exotic locale (but that comes close to "profiling, doesn't it?).

And I was able to provide the transcript to you folks because the chat was "written down."

But my frustration in this particular instance was trying to get them to understand my point. And Mark said I came off as hostile...when, in fact, I never felt hostile while I was typing any of it. And, as a moderator (and long time member) of an internet forum I can tell you from deep experience about the misunderstandings between people caused by the lack of emotional understanding included in the written word (was something meant in humor? Sarcastically? Etc.). It is much more discernible in the spoken word...even without the visual cues a face-to-face conversation can further provide.

 

[TonyD]

I didn't see any hostile inflection at all in that conversation. Maybe Mark meant another word or doesn't fully understand hostile.