Friday, May 9, 2014

The Perfect Fit

May 28. 2014 3:58 p.m.

Dear Former Editor-in-chief,

“You don't fit with the team. You're like a square peg trying to fit into a tight circle.”

This is what you said to me shortly after I stepped into my new role at your old publication. What you don’t know is that my feelings were shattered because I thought you were right. I thought, ‘What am I doing here? I don’t belong here. I’m so different from the rest of the team.’

Fortunately a co-worker came to my rescue and changed the mood of the pity party I was having for myself. “Maybe he was trying to say that the team is weird and they don’t fit to your personality.”

I felt a little better but every now and again your voice would linger in the back of my mind. “You don’t fit.” Even with my self-doubts I managed to stay true to my personality. I like my sassy ways. I like my vibrant persona. I like that I am not afraid to respectfully speak up when I see something that isn’t quite right.

I can continue to take this as an insult or I can take it as a compliment. You see, I'm not the weird one, the people in that circle are.

Several months later I came across a quote via Twitter by ‏@Tough_Women:
“Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?”

Point taken.

The only reason why I am still here is because I haven’t found the perfect place to shine. But then I realized that the perfect place for me is right here within my spirit.

Sincerely,

T.C.

*Never sent

Refund in Waiting

March 20. 2014

Refund Department
Greyhound Lines, Inc.
P.O. Box 660691, MS 470
Dallas, TX 75266-0691

To Whom it May Concern:

This is my request for a refund on the tickets enclosed. The tickets had the incorrect passenger name on the tickets, which couldn’t be used.

I have a few suggestions for your online process and customer service. 
  • Have at least a 2 hour cancellation option if the tickets are purchased online.
  • Upgrade your website so that refund requests can be made through the site instead of through the United States Postal Service. Most longstanding travel corporations that are online have this options.
  • As an alternative, consider updating your system so that the travel documents, which has the barcodes, can show CANCELLED once scanned if a disloyal person tries to use the ticket after canceling through the website.
  • You may also consider giving customers the option to go to the Greyhound ticket counter, in person, in order to receive their refund immediately. 
  • Have an alert that reads: “If you are purchasing this ticket for someone other than your self there will be an additional $18 charge.” This is not seen until you get to a certain step further in the ticket purchasing process. This should be noted every where on the site, especially in STEP ONE from the time the buyer starts to search for tickets.
  • It would also be nice to explain why the company is charging $18.
  • Have an alert that reads: “Name on the tickets must match I.D. You will not be able to board the bus under any conditions.” Again, this needs to be mentioned throughout the site
  • In this age of technology I am 100 percent sure that Greyhound Lines Inc. can make a better effort to help customers.
  • Please train your supervisors to be nicer and more patient with paying and non paying customers, especially if they were on hold for 45 minutes and then being told nothing can be done to help them. It’s a shame that your employees are not able to change a name in the system; cancel a ticket and send a new e-mail with a new confirmation code. A 20% fee for refundable tickets purchased online is ridiculous, especially if the customer immediately caught the mistake right after the ticket was purchased.  

Thanks for your time and your services and I look forward to your upgrades on your website.

*Letter sent...still waiting on refund