Tag: General

I just got off the phone with a customer rep from United Airlines. I was calling them to book the two free tickets that Jamie and I received when we were vacationing in San Francisco a year earlier (Day 1, 2, 3). Firstly, their phone tree is terrible. My path that I wanted to take was to talk to an agent directly. So, when I followed the phone tree, I realized that I was talking to this computer and it was working for me. I didn’t like it. I already had my flight number and I just wanted to get my tickets confirmed.

Three calls later, I finally tried the “press zero” trick and what do you know… I was taken to an agent. This agent was very difficult to understand and he kept raising his voice to me. I kept saying “I’m sorry, I can’t understand you”. But, what I really wanted to say was, “Can I get someone with better English?”. At any rate, after getting all of the details to the agent, my tickets are placed and I need to send the free ticket vouchers in.

So, here’s my last issue. Why do I have to send vouchers in? I don’t get it. What is the value in sending in a paper ticket when I could have been provided with a one time code that I could have used on united.com? From a customer experience standpoint that would have been ideal. None of this calling some phone tree, tricking the phone tree to get me an agent, and then getting an agent who has a difficult time with English. I just wish I could have purchased these tickets online with a coupon code and have that be the end of it. So, in the future I guess I’ll think twice about taking the free tickets from United. My only problem is that I’m a sucker for free stuff.

SR 520 @ 148th Ave NE » Originally uploaded by rprins.

My commute home is going to be super sweet. Why Seattle, Why?!

Edit: It took almost two hours to get home tonight and I left at 5:30. To get to the first stoplight from my building at Microsoft took almost 50 minutes. It was downhill from there.

Also, some people are real jackasses. For example… I’m at an intersection where traffic from the parking ramp at buildings 122/121 comes out to the street. There are two lanes, one for left turns and one for rights. Seeing that he was too impatient to wait for the left turn, this slimy gentlemen decides to go in the right turn lane and steal next open spot in my lane (right behind me) from the guy who had been waiting at least 10 to 15 minutes. I would have let him in, but I let the car in front of him in.

So, when the next movement was made that opened space in front of me, I didn’t move an inch. I rolled my window down and waved the guy who got jacked in front of my car and let him in. I mean, it’s crazy he even did that, I’m just glad I could let that other guy in.

Flickr Badge » Originally uploaded by rprins.

On the way back from Cannon Beach today I was called by Avanade and offered a job as a Program Manager. Yeah, I’m pretty stoked. I’ll be starting April 13th. Yeah, I’m a little tired right now to enjoy it, but I’m sure I’ll write some more about it later.

After floating through the fog to meet the runway at SEA-TAC I’ve arrived back in Seattle. My flight yesterday was good and spending time at home was even better. I had the chance to catch up on sleep and not have to worry about anything. Well, almost anything. But, it was nice to just kick back and relax for nine days. There were no due dates or deadlines to meet. I was on my own, to do what I wanted… and I did. Continue reading “I’m Back”