As most of you know I have a small business. Because it's still small I have to be careful about every dollar I spend on business expenses. So when I accidently ordered three packages of Hewlett-Packard photo paper (from hp.com) with 25 sheets in each package when I meant to order the 50 sheets-per-package size (because the cost-per-sheet is lower), I immediately re-ordered the correct size, and then called HP customer service to arrange to return the first order.
Before I even tell you what happened today let me just mention that shipping for paper, ink, and many other essentials from HP is FREE, even for NEXT DAY DELIVERY. That's awesome. AND if you need to return something, you simply call and get a return number, print the return tag they provide, tape the box back up, attach the return tag to the box, and drop it off at the nearest FedEx pick-up point. AND the return tag includes postage! So returning items is not only easy, it's also FREE. Shipping charges add up so free shipping is always much appreciated. The last time I had to return something to HP my Paypal account was credited before I even took the package to FedEx. I love that.
Back to today. I telephoned the customer service department to get the return number and link to print out the return label. Can you believe it, the guy said, I'm refunding your account but you can just keep the paper.
Huh??? "Keep it??" I thought I'd heard him wrong.
He laughed, and said "I can do that, and I'm doing it right now. Consider it a small gift from HP."
Wow. Sure, it's only a little over $40.00; a drop in the bucket for HP, but it's a lot to me.
And did I mention I LOVE my HP photo printer?
Showing posts with label small business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label small business. Show all posts
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Dang it, I've been Tagged!
I hate this tagging business that's going on in the blogging world. It's as annoying as those emails with the little questionnaires that you fill out and then forward to all your friends. Who starts these things anyway? And Why?? I almost never do them. You'll note I said "almost." If it's short enough, and I'm in a relaxed mood, and I like the person who sent it to me, then I'll participate. But I often don't forward them, instead I just send it back to the sender.
This Tag came from my sister, Kristen, who has an entirely different opinion of them. She actually LIKES them, and she says that getting tagged means you are part of the IN crowd. I've never longed to be part of the in crowd; in fact, just the opposite. I've always been sort of contrary. If everyone is doing one thing, I always go do the opposite just to be different. Of course, that hasn't won me many friends (or influenced many people) but the friends I do have are worth having 10 times as many.
Worse are the "tags" that are going around the business blogs, and often include some sort of bogus "award" that someone has made up. I will never participate in one of those - I don't believe for one minute that doing so would benefit my business or my business blog, and the time spent jumping through whatever hoops the tag requires, and then passing it on to 3, 5, or even 10 other business bloggers could be much better spent optimizing my website, working on marketing campaigns, specials or freebies, or writing my monthly newsletter (which you can subscribe to at the bottom of my website's homepage).
At any rate, Kristen, this is for you! The "Tag" is to List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current obsessions/collections and 3 surprising facts, and then tag 3 more people. Here goes:
3 joys
My family. I rarely socialize except for a few close friends. My social life mainly revolves around my family. I hate to miss any family get-togethers, no matter what it is. I just love hanging with them, all of them, any of them!
My cats, Scout and Jack. They are my little sweethearts, my playmates, and my companions.
Semi-retirement: It’s awesome! No more office politics or stress, my time is my own, finally the chance to run my own little biz, and my boss lets me take extended vacations!
3 fears
SPIDERS. Just last week at my podiatrist’s office Dr. Denten Eldredge snatched a HUGE spider off my neck. He’s my Hero! I had to put my head down on the counter to keep from fainting, I was sick to my stomach for two hours, and I had nightmares that night. I still break out in a cold sweat whenever I think about it. (Edited on 08/24/08: please note, I arrived at Dr. Eldredge's office WITH the spider; I did NOT acquire the spider AT his office! I know this because I had walked in the door, gone straight to the check-in counter, and the spider was already on me. Dr. Eldredge's office is NOT afflicted with spiders!)
Clowns & Monkeys: they’re evil and sneaky, and I hate them.
Dogs. Especially large ones, running around with no owner in sight. I seek shelter, climb a tree, or just scream.
3 current obsessions/collections
Photos: I have thousands, and I spend a lot of time working with them, organizing them, enhancing them, emailing them, blogging with them, and of course, digital scrapbooking with them.
Crafts: my sewing machine is out and the projects are lined up. I bought more fabric today for a twin-size quilt. I also have knitting, crocheting, and scrapbooking projects in work and queued up.
Reality shows, especially Dog the Bounty Hunter, Jon and Kate Plus 8, and Little People, Big World. What can I say? I love peeking into other people's lives.
3 surprising facts
I got caught shoplifting when I was about 10 years old. I stole a paperback book called “Sara Smiled” from Sav-On Drug Store in Redondo Beach, CA. The store employees scared the s*@t out of me by threatening to send me to jail, then said they’d just call my mom and dad instead. I was in terror of that phone call for days, but as far as I know they never called. But you can bet I never stole anything else!
I almost never answer my “land-line” telephone here at home anymore. Nine calls out of ten are telemarketers, surveys, political messages, or a scam. So, take note, friends and family – if you want to call me use my cell phone number! Oh, and I don’t answer the door either.
I am physically unable to vomit, even when I really, really want to. The only exception was a very bad case of food poisoning.
Now I'm supposed to tag three more people but I'm going to be contrary and only tag two: Judy and Kirsten.
This Tag came from my sister, Kristen, who has an entirely different opinion of them. She actually LIKES them, and she says that getting tagged means you are part of the IN crowd. I've never longed to be part of the in crowd; in fact, just the opposite. I've always been sort of contrary. If everyone is doing one thing, I always go do the opposite just to be different. Of course, that hasn't won me many friends (or influenced many people) but the friends I do have are worth having 10 times as many.
Worse are the "tags" that are going around the business blogs, and often include some sort of bogus "award" that someone has made up. I will never participate in one of those - I don't believe for one minute that doing so would benefit my business or my business blog, and the time spent jumping through whatever hoops the tag requires, and then passing it on to 3, 5, or even 10 other business bloggers could be much better spent optimizing my website, working on marketing campaigns, specials or freebies, or writing my monthly newsletter (which you can subscribe to at the bottom of my website's homepage).
At any rate, Kristen, this is for you! The "Tag" is to List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current obsessions/collections and 3 surprising facts, and then tag 3 more people. Here goes:
3 joys
My family. I rarely socialize except for a few close friends. My social life mainly revolves around my family. I hate to miss any family get-togethers, no matter what it is. I just love hanging with them, all of them, any of them!
My cats, Scout and Jack. They are my little sweethearts, my playmates, and my companions.
Semi-retirement: It’s awesome! No more office politics or stress, my time is my own, finally the chance to run my own little biz, and my boss lets me take extended vacations!
3 fears
SPIDERS. Just last week at my podiatrist’s office Dr. Denten Eldredge snatched a HUGE spider off my neck. He’s my Hero! I had to put my head down on the counter to keep from fainting, I was sick to my stomach for two hours, and I had nightmares that night. I still break out in a cold sweat whenever I think about it. (Edited on 08/24/08: please note, I arrived at Dr. Eldredge's office WITH the spider; I did NOT acquire the spider AT his office! I know this because I had walked in the door, gone straight to the check-in counter, and the spider was already on me. Dr. Eldredge's office is NOT afflicted with spiders!)
Clowns & Monkeys: they’re evil and sneaky, and I hate them.
Dogs. Especially large ones, running around with no owner in sight. I seek shelter, climb a tree, or just scream.
3 current obsessions/collections
Photos: I have thousands, and I spend a lot of time working with them, organizing them, enhancing them, emailing them, blogging with them, and of course, digital scrapbooking with them.
Crafts: my sewing machine is out and the projects are lined up. I bought more fabric today for a twin-size quilt. I also have knitting, crocheting, and scrapbooking projects in work and queued up.
Reality shows, especially Dog the Bounty Hunter, Jon and Kate Plus 8, and Little People, Big World. What can I say? I love peeking into other people's lives.
3 surprising facts
I got caught shoplifting when I was about 10 years old. I stole a paperback book called “Sara Smiled” from Sav-On Drug Store in Redondo Beach, CA. The store employees scared the s*@t out of me by threatening to send me to jail, then said they’d just call my mom and dad instead. I was in terror of that phone call for days, but as far as I know they never called. But you can bet I never stole anything else!
I almost never answer my “land-line” telephone here at home anymore. Nine calls out of ten are telemarketers, surveys, political messages, or a scam. So, take note, friends and family – if you want to call me use my cell phone number! Oh, and I don’t answer the door either.
I am physically unable to vomit, even when I really, really want to. The only exception was a very bad case of food poisoning.
Now I'm supposed to tag three more people but I'm going to be contrary and only tag two: Judy and Kirsten.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
