Q-tips - Are now crappy. www.qtips.com
Bear with me on this one as I usually post travel related topics. What the hell happened at Unilever the corporate maker of Q-tips? Have you bought a new box of Q-tips lately? When you use them to clean your ears the stick part between the two cotton ends bends like crazy now. They cut back on the amount of paper which makes up the stick part of the Q-tip. You cannot apply any presure wthout them bending in half. Again, we are subjected to the small nipping away at products and services to "save money." Does anyone even care about the quality of Q-tips? Should we call and email the company? I am going to complain to them. I guess I will have to find another brand which continues to produce a quality product. I do not know what Q-tips are good for now......filling the landfills???
Holland America Cruises, www.hollandamerica.com
Here is a perfect example of corporate suits making stupid decisions and getting paid salary and probably bouses for them. Holland America Line has removed all trays from their ships' buffets. Their guests must now grab a table, get drinks, return to table, get salad, return to table, get entree, return to table, get dessert, return to table. Get the point? Just wait until someone gets sick from someone putting Rx, or sneezing or coughing on, or anything else in the unattended food items. We have already seen guests on various cruise lines being drugged for unlawful intentions. The news has reported on ships coming into port with outbreaks of illness. If I cannot watch the food items on my table, how do I know it was not touched in some way? And that is the WORST scenario. What about people who cannot handle all of the walking back and forth? What about the guests who want a relaxing dinner and not a marathon? This had to be done and justified as a cost cutting measure. Saves on weight, saves on water and soap, saves on food as people are less inclined to fill their tray with food instead only being able to fill a plate with food. What it adds up to is BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. Until we start complaining, the corporate suits will win. They will continue to chip away at servces and ammenities as they have done in the past. We need to wake up and let our voices be heard! Will this end wars and famine? No. But, we must start somewhere at sometime. When is enough enough??? Please contact Holland America and let them know that this is unacceptable. Thanks.
Catalina California
Catalina can be a great place to get away to. Sadly, it has fallen on the same hard times as the rest of California. It used to be wonderful, it used to be clean, it used to be vibrant and alive. Now, it seems to be a shadow of its former self. Downtown Catalina (Avalon) needs a good hosing down and bath. Then, many stores need to be repainted and freshened up. It is great if you as a hotel think you can charge top dollar for your rooms but really, what do people get when they stay there other than a hopefully clean room, bed, and bath? Not much for the money and a small room to boot. Why even make the crossing to Catalina? What is there that is not on the mainland? Catalina needs to rethink its offerings to entice more people to come, stay, and visit. Same old artwork, same old t-shirts and souveniers, same old same old. Catalina may have attracted the stars in the mid 20th century, but what is Catalina doing to attract the visitors of the 21st century?
The Neverland Ranch
I would like to put out there that the Neverland Ranch be converted to a "Graceland" style attraction. You could tour the mansion, and the grounds. Maybe even keep the rides running. The money raised would go to the upkeep of the ranch and to childrens charities that Michael Jackson supported. I can imagine a Ronald McDonald House there or even a small retreat for kids with cancer on site. They could turn this controversial piece of real estate into something which brings joy and happiness not only to the fans of Michael Jackson but to the children who are sick or down and out without families. God knows the Jackson family has their hands full right now, but maybe someone reading this is within six degrees of separation and can help plant the seed to the right people. RIP Michael, we miss you.
Alaska Cruise
Glacier Bay, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Victoria, BC. These were the stops on our Alaska cruise. If you are hesitant to book this kind of a trip because you think that it will be boring just seeing tree after tree after tree for seven days, well think again. I enjoyed the Alaska cruise so much. There are so many waterfalls that you get to see right from the cruise ship. The wildlife is awesome. Eagles, whales, seals, I did not get to see any wild bear. It just goes on and on the wildlife that you will see. Glacier Bay is not a port of call per se. You cruise to it, and sit and the boat rotates so all get to see the glaciers. They are HUGE and they are right in front of you. The silence is wonderful as people get quiet to listen for the cracking sounds the glacier makes when it is calving or breaking off a piece to fall into the ocean. It is cool to be right there in front of nature with this 12 story or so ship with its casinos, the bars, the internet, the showrooms, and yet that all takes a back seat to the glacier spectacle in front of you. This is God's country. The other cities listed above are great to visit. They are basically tourist traps but fun to explore and to take some of the land tours of each city. Victoria, BC is much more of what you would expect in a full service city. It is the capital of BC. You only get a short six to eight hours in Victoria and that is not enough time to really see it. But, you get a taste of Canada. There are sailings from Seattle 3-4 days a week on multiple cruise lines. Holland America provides a great cruise. I just wanted to give them a little plug. Try an Alaska cruise. I do not think that you will be disappointed.
Customer Service. My Wishes, Hopes, Dreams, and Desires.
In this time of the economic downturn it is especially important to remember to provide to the customer excellent and genuine customer service. I all too often see employees who do not make eye contact with their paying customers. I see employees who fail to say "thank you."
The customer can choose to spend their hard earned money at numerous stores which sell the same thing. After choosing to buy something at your store please acknowledge me as the customer, and be grateful that I am supporting your business and your paycheck. Joe's Sporting Goods, Circuit City, and many more now closed businesses are examples of bad management, and examples of where the customer did not feel they received excellent customer service. The customers chose to do business elsewhere. Just because you work for a giant corporate entity does not guarantee future sucess. See Above. As customers we must bring to the attention of the employee and management when we do not feel welcomed, or thanked for being their customer. This does not mean that I think the customer is always right, because lately, I have also seem some shitty attitudes and behaviors from customers to employees. We need to return to some basic civility. So, let's treat each other with some respect. Maybe we will all be better off when this economy turns around, and maybe just maybe, it will turn quicker if we choose to be nicer to each other. What do you think?
traveltoestwo
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