Squeaky Wheel #14: Replacing the BEST Can Opener Ever

I went back to take a look at my last Squeaky Wheel post and was surprised to see it's been over a year since I wrote one. This one is a quickie but it's oh so good and I hope it inspires you to do something similar:

I'm not a materialistic person. I'm happier having an awesome, memorable life experience than having things. With this being said, I am particular about investing in simple things that work well. For example, companies like Oxo and Simple Human make my heart sing and while some might think they're pricey I'm of the belief that it's better to invest in a quality item that you don't have to replace rather than get something cheap that might break easily and need replaced often. 

Enter my search for the perfect can opener. 

I've been married for 5 years and as part of our wedding gifts received a Kitchen Aid set of kitchen utensils which included a can opener. I'm familiar with Kitchen Aid from their line of mixers (I LOVE mine and use it regularly) and while they're built to last some of the items in the utensils set were not including the can opener. I was surprised when it just completely snapped apart when trying to open a can. 

We then moved on to a couple others which promptly broke as well, and even got to the point where in the interim of searching for a comfortable can opener used tools from our tool kit to open cans in desperation. 

I just wanted an awesome can opener that didn't make me feel stressed out (or end up with red fingers)! I turned to Amazon and after reading many reviews settled on this Zyliss Lock N' Lift Can Opener.  Growing up I remembered my mom having a Zyliss, and I did what any typical Amazon shopper does and read the reviews. Nearly 1,000 reviews ya'll with an average of 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. I didn't realize people were just as passionate as I was about can openers!

I ordered it and it was everything it promised to be: it handled our industrial-sized BJs cans with ease and was comfortable to grip.

Then. 

I don't know how it happened, but the spring locking mechanism popped off a few weeks ago and with the holiday season approaching (meaning LOTS of cans to open) I panicked and went back to Amazon to see exactly how long ago I ordered it and what could be done. 

I was wary when I pulled up my account and saw this:

2011?! I doubted it was covered under some type of warranty (if that even existed), but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask and sent the following message to Zyliss:

Click to enlarge

The next day. The. next. day. WHA?! I got this reply:

Then this arrived in all its glory (I didn't even have to send in the old one or the receipt as I offered!):

I was so excited, Mr. Lovebird thought I had won Publisher's Clearing House. 

Simple things I tell ya. That's all it takes!

I'm now back to happily opening my cans. 

Thank you Zyliss for your awesome customer service and making this cook super happy!

Do you share my passion for a particular kitchen gadget?

P.S. Click here for a recent cringe-worthy example of how *not* to be a squeaky wheel. Can you believe this guy?

Squeaky Wheel #13: My Quest for the Perfect Smartphone Walletcase

I have a bit of an obsession with finding the perfect cell phone case (you can check out my BlackBerry Squeaky Wheel case post here) and now with my S3 it took several months before I found the right case. There was one I thought was perfect, but it arrived cracked from an overseas vendor via Amazon, who reimbursed me (love their customer service!). It was while waiting for that case that my last S3 screen cracked. Just my luck!

The search for the next case was extensive and after scouring the internet I found this one:

{Image Credit}

 Here's what I liked about it when considering purchasing it:

• The color - I didn't want a non-descript black case but not too show-offy either; the deep shade of purple was spot-on
• The strap - so many cases didn't have a wristlet strap or if they did they were lacking in other features
• Ample card slots including a clear one - I liked that there was a see-through pocket to put my ID into
• A pocket for cash - I want the ability to just put my phone, cash, ID and MetroCard into one unit and dash. I didn't want to have to carry a wallet and a phone in a case      

Well when it arrived I noticed it had a ribbon attaching the wrist strap and slowly but surely it starting unraveling . . .

I promptly contacted the company, Navor, being sure to include the picture above. They sent the following response (grammar/punctuation unedited):


Dear Valued Customer

We are sorry for the inconvenience., caused due on product issue. I have forwarded the problem to our development team to rectify it in future production .

May we send you the same wallet case New condition totally free of charge.

Please let us know if we are handling this matter appropriately & if not do write us your concerns.

We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you.

Thanks and regards.

Customer Service


And in just a few days a new one arrived. In the interim the case was still fine apart from the strap so I asked my mom what I should do to stop the fraying and she recommended Fray Check. Have you heard of it?

Well it worked like a charm and I can get a bit more life out of the existing case and will hold onto the new one for later.

Regarding protection the case has done its job. I have dropped it a few times and the edges got a little scratched up but other than that it's provided great protection. Not a crack in site!

Oh and one more note - I added a screen glare protector as I read the cards opposite the screen can have a tendency to scratch it. So far it's been OK apart from a bubble that appeared randomly underneath that I can't smooth out but three came in a pack (I gave one to Mr. Love Bird) so I'll hold out before using the last screen protector. It really does make looking at the screen much easier!

So there you have it - my S3 walletcase situation solved with outstanding customer service. I really am happy with the case - I get compliments on it all the time, and it's a breeze for running around the city with everything easily accessible!

Are you particular about your cellphone case? What are your must-have features?       

 

P.S. You can read previous Squeaky Wheel posts here.

Squeaky Wheel #12: Krazy Glue to the Rescue

A few weeks ago Mr. Love Bird placed my favorite mug from our casual wedding china on our hardwood living room floor (why oh why he'd put it on the floor vs. on a coaster on the end table is beyond me!), but of course Lil Love Bird stepped on it slicing her foot and sending blood everywhere and all over our couch as well (if you follow me on Instagram you know our couch is pretty much done!). Well, Lil Love Bird handled it well, and I was proud of myself for not losing my cool - Mr. Love Bird felt bad enough.

Once Lil Love Bird was all cleaned up I moved onto repairing the mug. Thankfully Lil Love Bird didn't need stitches, but a good friend who's also a pediatrician who we happened to meet for brunch the following day was able to take a look at it and bandage it properly!

We had cheap 99 cent store super glue which hadn't worked on another item I tried to repair, so this time Mr. Love Bird bought the real stuff - Elmer's Krazy Glue. The package said that it was a thick gel and a no-run formula. Well something was wrong because it was super runny. It hadn't been in a hot place either so I wasn't sure what happened.

I promptly contacted Elmer's via e-mail who responded pretty quickly . . .

I also let Elmer's know on Twitter and they replied:

The replacement glue arrived a few days later and we tried again AND ran the mug through the dishwasher for good measure. 

SUCCESS!

Guess we had a bum tube of Krazy Glue.

As minor as it sounds this little customer service interaction made me happy (it's the little things!), and I'm back to using my mug {I LOVE our basket weave Martha Stewart casual wedding china from Macy's - and NO, that wasn't a sponsored statement ;-) }.

So moral of the story: if a particular product isn't working right ask for another before giving up on an entire brand. Sometimes it could be an off batch. Who knows?!

Have you ever had an experience like this? Want to read more in the Squeaky Wheel series? You can find them all here.
 
 

Squeaky Wheel #11: Ask and Ye Shall Receive

We purchased a First Years Jet Stroller about a year ago. It's super affordable, light and easy for navigating around NYC - I still don't understand how those folks with huge $1,000 strollers get on and off the subway!

If you saw my Instagram stream last week though you may have noticed something weird about it:

Do you see it? The handlebars are missing their foam covers. They had started coming off a few months ago and Mr. Love Bird temporarily fixed them with electrical tape, but it turned super sticky. He used that instead of duct tape so it would camouflage better (this was before I remembered Duck makes it in various colors!). Well, it was an awful mess so at last he just ripped it off foam covers and all, of course without consulting me first about how this would affect my comfort level as I'm the one pushing the stroller 99% of the time O_o

With my gloves on it was making handling the stroller really tricky so I turned to Amazon to find replacement covers and saw they were just over $6 a piece. Seriously?! For a stroller that cost about $35 to me that was outrageous so I emailed the company and they wrote back in less than 48 hours that they were putting them in the mail for me:

A few days later they showed up and now we're back in business!

I have to add that I tried this method for replacement straws for Nia's Born Free Twist 'N Pop Straw Cup, but they told me it would cost me $1.50 per straw. Didn't hurt to ask though!

What slightly damaged items in your home might this "ask and receive" tactic work with?

{You can check out more posts in the Squeaky Wheel series here.}


 

Squeaky Wheel - #10

I'm getting back in the habit of including more Squeaky Wheel updates and remembered one from a few months before we left Harlem involving BJs.

We purchased our BJs membership last March starting with a trial membership we saw over on Prissy Mommy. We didn't jump right in to purchase a full membership, but did calculations and determined that we'd indeed save money by purchasing certain items in bulk and continuing to get other items at the traditional grocery store. 

One of the items we determined we could save on by purchasing in bulk was orange juice. Now this doesn't sound like a big deal but growing up both me and Mr. Love Bird came from households where juice was GOLDEN! You were only allowed specific quantities and usually only with Sunday morning breakfast. Even today when I pour a correct serving of 8oz of orange juice in front of my mom she will reprimand, "You know that's 2 servings of juice???" Seriously.

So one of the perks of leaving home for me as an adult was being the master of my own juice (and being able to buy white bread, but that's another blog post for another day!). 

Back to the squeaky wheel . . .

We noticed after the first couple times of shopping at BJs that they were out of their store brand orange juice, Wellesley Farms, which tastes so good and is substantially less than Tropicana. 

We started noticing no matter what day or time we did our monthly BJs shopping that they would be out of orange juice. OJ's a pretty basic item so I finally decided to do something about it . . .

I wrote to the company! I promptly got a call from HQ and explained the situation. They investigated, gave me the SKU # and advised I call ahead to make sure they have it in stock. Well on the next trip I called within 1 hour of our arrival, gave the SKU # and was assured there was juice on the shelves,  but when we showed up there was no juice! ARGHHH!

I contacted HQ again to let them know, they investigated again then informed me there was an error in the computer making it seem like OJ was in stock when it actually wasn't.

AHA! I knew there was something fishy going on!

They assured me that it would really be fixed and upon our next trip this is what we found:

I know it sounds corny, but I was so proud of how my persistence paid off to have OJ in stock for the masses who shop at BJs! I wanted to post a picture of myself on the door and write: "Courtesy of Quiana." 

Is there an item at your store that's always outta stock? Say something! 
 
   

Revisit: Squeaky Wheel #4

I have over 100 draft posts in my Blogger dashboard and came across this one and decided to resurrect it:  

{Photo Credit}

My squeaky wheel update 4 had been about my experience at Society Coffee. If you don't have time to click over and read the whole thing, essentially, the owner attempted to make-good on a poor review I gave on Yelp and offered me a free meal to come back and try again. I brought Mr. Love Bird with me and he definitely wasn't impressed and in all honesty, although they tried hard they failed miserably. 

Well, I guess I must've been on to something because last fall I came across the news on Harlem Bespoke that Society closed. It's a shame this happened because a little bit of effort and customer service would've gone a long way for that shop.

Mr. Love Bird and I often lament about our customer service experiences and how it really doesn't take much to outshine so many other competitors who fail miserably. 

Farewell Society, and I hope the owner learned from its mistakes and can try again. 

Have any of my readers been squeaky wheels lately? Please share!

   

Squeaky Wheel - #9 (with video!)

I can't believe it's been nearly a year since I wrote a Squeaky Wheel post. WOW! I have another one plus an update on a previous one coming up. I went back and spent some time looking over them and adding the label "Squeaky Wheel" to make them easier to find going forward. One quirk I noticed is that I was calling them "Squeaky Wheel - Update # . . ." Why the need for the word update? It's not like they were each building upon each other or something although a couple were so going forward I'm taking that word out.

Anyway, this Squeaky Wheel is a fun one, AND it has a video! Here goes . . .

Last month my church had a women's playgroup outing to Shake Shack. The location they chose was Madison Square Park, the original location. I was introduced to Shake Shack by my friend Mildred who now lives in Zurich. It was one of the lasting impressions she left on me before she moved abroad and boy am I ever grateful for it!

I've blogged about Shake Shack before and have visited every location in NYC except for the ones at Citi Field and Brooklyn. I've even accompanied my family to the D.C. location when we visited over the summer. When Mr. Love Bird and I go to Vegas we always go to In-N-Out Burger and a debate ensues over which is better Shake Shack or In-N-Out burger and while sometimes the recency effect comes into play overall, Shake Shack wins most of the time. Their secret blend of meat has been written about in the local press, and it is something that I am truly grateful to the cows who have scarified their lives on its behalf. It is divine!

Anyway, the lines at Shake Shack are known for being long. Whenever I take guests there I warn them that we are about to wait at least 1 hour for a burger, yes, a burger. And while they are daunted at first after they have partaken in the gloriousness that is Shake Shack they agree that it is well worth it. From the bun to the meat blend to the fresh toppings, it is one. awesome. burger.

Now for the squeaky part  . . .

Although I was prepared to wait in line something seemed off about this particular visit to Shake Shack. It was a late afternoon and the line crawled even more slowly than I was accustomed to and although we got our buzzers and they buzzed, it appeared to be another 20 minute wait after they buzzed before the food appeared. So weird! I noticed they were catering a private even adjacent to the park so I guess they were overwhelmed. Well, that wasn't all. My shake came out warm and watery and so did my sisters! It was like chocolate milk. I was SO disappointed. 

Also, the squirrels and mice were RAMPANT! Yes, this location is outdoors but for all the times I've been there I had never seen the pests this bad. People were feeding them too making it even worse. The squirrels were dangerously aggressive and mice were running all around our feet. Absolutely disgusting!

This destroyed my ability to enjoy my burger (I had given up on the shake at this point). Nia was with me and all I wanted to do was get outta there ASAP!

So, I took to Twitter and tweeted the following:

Well, a few days later I got an e-mail from the manager of the Madison Square Park location. It was quite lengthy but he essentially apologized for my experience explaining they can't help the pests, but was going to send a gift card my way. 

Wow!

About a couple weeks ago I received the gift card and note:

I invited my sister Ariane, who had gone with me to the women's group outing, to come with us Love Birds after church last Sunday. This time we went to the Upper East Side location - it was MUCH better! The best part is Shacktoberfest was going on! 

It was glorious:

We got a bratwurst burger with German slaw, 2 burgers, fries, apfelstreusel shake and a German chocolate concrete. To top it off (and further emphasize what awesome customer service Shake Shack has!) they had accidentally missed our apfelstreusel shake instead giving us 2 German chocolate shakes so they gave us our apfelstreusel shake at no charge! SWEET!

Nia had a good time too:

Squeaky Wheel - Update #8

This is a squeaky wheel report without an actual squeak! Let me explain . . .

A few months ago I accidentally washed my glasses in the washing machine (they were in the pocket of my robe), and they snapped right in two. Well, I finally got around to getting a new pair and went earlier this week for an eye exam and fitting. I quickly picked a style similar to the broken pair and in all of 15 minutes I was done. They told me to call back in 5-7 days to see if they had arrived. 

In less than 48 hours I received a call that they had arrived. I thought it was odd and headed over to the eye dr. They pulled them out and they were not my glasses. They were more elaborate and decorative than anything I would've picked out. I mean, they were nice, but they were not my glasses. 

The associates showed me the accompanying prescription slip, and I agreed that yes, that was me but those were not my glasses. They asked me to try them on and the prescription was perfect. I looked in the mirror and WOW! They looked great on me. 

Well the manager asked who had taken care of me that day, and I told him. It was a young girl who was so engrossed in personal phone calls that she confused my first and last name on the form although my insurance card clearly stated it. I mean, why would my name be Agbai Quiana? Does that even make sense???

Anyway, the manager and associates all agreed that the glasses looked good on me and asked if I liked them. I said, yes. The manager then said, "Well, since they look good on you and you like them then you can keep them!"

Now these glasses were 3x the amount my insurance benefit would allow, and I asked several times if I was going to get slapped with a bill for the difference. The manager assured me I wouldn't and said that because it was their error it was fine. 

YAY!!!!

So here I am with my stylish glasses:

Here you can see the fancy design on the side:

When I walked out the store on 135th and Broadway then over to Amsterdam it was amazing how clear everything looked - even the sunset! I'll definitely be wearing these more frequently around the city. I looked downtown and could even see the windows on the Empire State Building! I was on the phone with my mom at the time, and she laughed at me but totally understood how I was feeling because I inherited my blindness from her.

I now wonder if Nia will have to wear glasses or will she have her father's perfect eyes . . .

Anyway, this was a great example of customer service and not having to "squeak" to get a good deal!

Squeaky Wheel - Update #7

Yet another update to post! My mom ordered Nia's nursery furniture from Walmart at the end of July during her visit, and it came very quickly ahead of the estimated arrival date.

We weren't in a rush with the nursery anyway because we'd figure Nia would sleep in our room for the first three months, but we were still excited to get the room in order. Well, when it arrived there were two of the same end for the dresser so we couldn't complete it. My mom called to have a replacement part sent, and after about 3-4 days it didn't arrive so she called again then wrote an e-mail. Well needless to say, Nia was born and we never received the part. Uka even called, and I did but they sent a crib part although we never even mentioned needing it, only the dresser part. 

It's been a very annoying pursuit, and I've called both the consumer department the manufacturer outsources too as well as the manufacturer directly trying to get the part and let them know what a headache their causing. Although Nia's not in her room yet, having the dresser set up would let us better organize her clothes (they're in a hanging closet organizer for now). It got to the point that the consumer department and the manufacturer knew who I was whenever I called!

Finally, I escalated it back to Walmart. Here's what I wrote them: 

This product was shipped incomplete, and I have called the customer service that the manufacturer outsources to as well as the actual manufacturer for the missing part (side A of the dresser as I had received 2 of side B). My mother ordered this for me and she called and e-mailed multiple times as well as my husband. They sent a follow-up part but it was for the crib instead of the dresser which we requested. I've now contacted them myself 3 times and as my daughter was born on August 12 and this product is now over one month delinquent. I am very upset as I have not been able to complete my daughter's nursery. This is my first child and this is such an embarrassment when guests come over especially as my parents who are visiting this weekend to see their first grandchild for the first time. I would like a refund for this product or for Walmart to step in and demand that the manufacturer send it to me immediately. Thank you.


Well Walmart customer service was fantastic! They stepped in and contacted the manufacturer and called me to issue a $20 credit. We finally received the correct part a few days ago and now can set up the last piece of Nia's furniture and get organized!

I know a lot of people take issue with Walmart, but we've bought pieces from them before and guests always thinks they're from Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn and I say, "Nope, it's from Walmart!" For people on a budget it really is a good go-to source for decorating. Now visiting Walmart . . .  that's a whole other issue entirely. That's what the funny site People of Walmart celebrates. Check it out! 

Squeaky Wheel - Update #6

So back to non-baby posts! It's been a while since the last squeaky wheel update, and I have a couple to report on. Here's the latest:

About 3 weeks ago Uka purchased Hormel bacon on sale at Pathmark, our local grocery store. We don't normally purchase bacon, but occasionally we do as a treat especially if we want pancakes or French toast a particular week. Anyway, the bacon was $2.50 on sale which was a good deal. This is what the bacon looked like cooked, and it tasted fine:

The following week he saw it on sale again and bought it. Now this is what that bacon looked like cooked, and it did not taste right:

It was as though the wrong part of the pig had been cut; it was fatty and thick. It tasted more like ham and didn't get crisp at all.

We cook our bacon in the oven which I discovered via my favorite America's Test Kitchen, and it keeps the house from smelling of bacon. Just stick the slices on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees, and you're done! Growing up my family made it on the range, and we and the house would reek of bacon for a couple days, but this method is much better and the bacon comes out delicious.

Anyway, back to the report . . .

I wrote the following to Hormel: 

I purchased the Black Label bacon the week of August 22 from Pathmark supermarket on 145th ST in New York, NY. It was on sale again this week so I purchased it again, however the taste and texture of the bacon was off. It was very fatty as though the wrong part of the pig had been cut and didn't even taste like bacon - more like ham. I have pictures of both bacon products and can e-mail them if needed. I'm very disappointed as the first week the bacon was fantastic, and now I have to throw away the remaining product. The consistency of the product will prevent me from purchasing the Black Label bacon again.

Well Hormel wrote me back and promptly sent the following:

Yes, a reimbursement for the bacon! It's only $2.50, but I appreciate their response. Besides, that's enough for a single ride on the subway! In this economy it all adds up . . .

Squeaky Wheel - Update #5

Yet another update to report! I had purchased a case and protective privacy cover for my BlackBerry 8530. 

It's not the latest BlackBerry, but it was a free upgrade and it's violet so I figured, "Why not?"

This is the case I purchased (isn't it cute?):

 

Well after a couple months the strap broke off and the privacy cover started peeling as the adhesive ran out. I was surprised neither lasted very long as it was $20 for the case and $10 for the privacy cover.

I wrote the company and explained that I had been a customer before and was surprised the products failed so quickly. I let them know I'd like replacements and even offered to test products before going to market. Well they promptly wrote me back and said they'd send a new case but not a new privacy cover. While I do miss the privacy cover (I can't stand when people look over my shoulder while I'm on my BlackBerry on the subway), the screen is more crisp without it. 

Always remember it's never too late to let a company know when their products have failed you. They may have a 30 or 60 day return policy but you never know when they'll be willing to make an exception.

Squeaky Wheel - Update #4

In January I met for a fellow Wellesley alum for a casual business brunch at Society in Harlem. I saw on the website that it had a small, cafe-ish vibe and had heard from a few people that it was good so I decided it'd make a good meeting spot.

Well my experience was less than stellar and as soon as I got back home I wrote a review on Yelp about it. Yelp is one of my favorite sites and often the first place I go to when deciding new places to try. I haven't written a ton of reviews there, but I've maintained a style of constructive criticism as well as praise for many of my reviews. There are some reviewers that are more well known for their humor and others who leave out critical details. but I try to strike a balance between the two so readers can get a quick take on my experience. 

I usually like to visit a spot a few times before writing a review, but in the case of Society, I had to write immediately about my experience. You can read the review here under January (I have a profile pic on my review). 

Anyway, the owner wrote me an e-mail last month after reading my review. He let me know about the improvements that had been made at Society and offered me a free meal (he recommended the shrimp and grits or the red velvet waffles - YUM!). He provided an e-mail stating what I was entitled to, and I just have to show it to the waiter. I told Uka about it, and he's agreed to be my date. I look forward to posting an updated review about my experience on Yelp.

It's good to know my review didn't fall on deaf ears, and it was a pleasant surprise to hear directly from the owner. 

The squeaky wheel triumphs!

Squeaky Wheel - Update #3

So the updates continue! Those of you who are friends of mine on Facebook saw the following status update on May 7: 

@Iron Man 2 w/Uka for his birthday; tried to see the 9:30 but about 100 kids showed up and ruined it so at the 2nd showing now; gotta love Harlem's interactive theater experience 

Well, when we got home I wrote an e-mail via AMC's website letting them know about what happened. Although they accommodated us by letting us move to the 10a.m. showing, this inconvenienced us and caused Uka to be late for a call AND we missed the foreshadow of Thor that was shown post-credits. 

The kids that suddenly entered the theater at 10:10a.m. (30 minutes past the showing) were loud, obnoxious and apparently unsupervised or not properly supervised. When composing my e-mail to AMC I let them know that this was a birthday treat for my husband, we had hoped to stay for the Thor special and how he ended up being late for his call. I'm not sure why these children weren't given tickets to the 10a.m. show instead and why they were allowed to enter the theater in such an unruly manner. 

Well, I got an e-mail back from a local manager a few days later, and she asked that I call her. Unfortunately, I couldn't reach her by phone (I was put on hold for 15 minutes once while they tried to locate her) and she later said she was going to call on a specific day but never did. Ultimately, she said she was sorry we couldn't connect, but that she was sending me passes to see another movie.


We received them today, AND it included a voucher for soda and popcorn:

Now going to the Harlem movie theater is definitely hit or miss; I had an awful experience seeing SATC there on opening day. It was over one hour late getting started, the crowd control was awful, the interactive theater was on full blast and ultimately, the friend I saw it with had to leave before the end so she could catch her commuter rail train home. They offered to give her another ticket to come back, but seriously, why would she?


Anyway, I still like how Harlem's prices are waaay below the rest of Manhattan. For example, they really do have matinee prices: I can see SATC2 in the a.m. for only $6 vs. $13 elsewhere at the same time. I think I'll keep going back but definitely will keep being a squeaky wheel!

Squeaky Wheel - FOLLOW UP!

So I had written about my history of writing companies with praise and criticism over the years and recently I wrote to Kraft about their 100 calorie snack packs. 

Now, I didn't get the flavor above, which I would have liked, but my grocery store doesn't carry it. Instead I got the Parmesan, mozzarella and white cheddar blend. I do like these three cheeses separately, but I've never had them together. I don't know if it was the blend, the fact that it was low calorie or that they had spoiled in shipment, but this was not good. I seriously couldn't even stomach the snack packs, and I tried two packs before I had to throw the entire package away. 

Rather than just end it there, I wrote a quick e-mail via Kraft's website about my disappointing experience and they replied within three days with an apology and informed me that a coupon for another free snack pack would be sent to me. Well I received it this week:

W

Well today I went grocery shopping and bought a new snack pack - the mozzarella, garlic and herb. Unfortunately, the store still didn't have the flavor I wanted, but maybe next time. Uka and I shared a snack pack this afternoon, and we agreed that this flavor is very good!

Do you want your own snack pack? Click here for a free coupon!

The Squeaky Wheel

Ever since I was in high school, I've had a bit of a consumer habit that I'd like to share: I went to Columbus School for Girls and at lunch time the "dessert lady" would circle with her cart passing out desserts. Now, all the other food was self-serve, but I think the food services realized how out of control we would get if we had unlimited access to high sugar foods so they decided it was in our best interest to ration it out. Anyway, we'd get things like pudding, ice-cream cups and the like. 

Well, I don't know who thought it of it, but someone at my lunch table thought it would be fun to start calling the 800 #s listed on the deserts to tell them what we thought about the products. So after lunch we'd make our way to the pay phone near the athletic office while one of us would make the call and the others would encircle as a means of support often throwing in our two-cents. 

Eventually, it crossed over to calling about other products such as Secret's "click-click" deodorant. They had a big marketing campaign when it launched and with most of us at our lunch table being atheletes  we decided to essentially call and give them an impromptu focus group. I don't know why we got such a kick out of this but by then our antics really started to annoy the athletic staff who could hear our phone calls and fits of giggles right outside their office. 

Now, I'm sharing all this to get to the point that these experiences stayed with me and as I've grown older I've taken to more appropriate consumer sharing of my product experiences. From writing a letter to McDonald's to tell them I loved it when they featured a chocolate-brown family enjoying The Book of Pooh in their advertising campaign, to letting Kozy Shack know I've rediscovered their rice-pudding as an adult and that I actually like it now, I've shared both praise and criticism with many companies. 

Usually, I'll get a generic response, but in the example of McDonald's they actually wrote me back letting me know they like receiving feedback about their advertising campaigns and Kozy Shack sent me coupons for more rice pudding! I've even inspired my past coworkers to write e-mails when they have product issues including one who found Sabra's hummus containers to not snap tightly and spill everywhere during her commute. They ended up using her suggestion to fix their lids AND gave her coupons for free hummus!

So yes, the squeaky wheel does get the grease, and if you end up sharing your feedback and getting a response, please let us know and we'll share your story.