Customer Service: Pizza Hut Listens After All.

So after close to a month of no-reply from Pizza Hut about our terrible experience on New Years Eve, after I filled out their "Pizza Hut Listens" customer service satisfaction survey, requesting a manager contact me, and going through the modern-day version of telephone tag over social media with Pizza Hut's Facebook rep, I received a phone call today from the manager.

I am happy that my concerns were fully acknowledged and I didn't get a lame excuse of "well you know we were very busy that night..." It was clearly, yes we messed up and you should have received proper service, like any other day. Taking almost a month to get back was inexcusable.

I appreciated the additional conversation of explaining how their system works, the problems they do encounter, but trying to improve upon, and making sure I was okay with their offering, IF we want to give them another opportunity to serve us either by ordering online, dine-in, take-out or delivery. I also liked that I was informed on who to directly contact if things go astray again.

So here it is folks, if you make a mistake (yes we all do this, no one is perfect!), own up to it and ASK what you can do to resolve the situation and even offer some suggestions on how to provide a better experience/service next time. This makes a person feel validated. They may still say to you "there is nothing you can do, i'm never using your services/buying your product again" but at least you went that extra step. Just saying "i'm sorry" and leaving it like that doesn't make someone feel any better and it could result in lost business and you know how fast word-of-mouth spreads. Be proactive and go beyond "i'm sorry."

2015 Holiday Musings.

It has certainly been a challenging year, to say the least. I am happy to say that my Dad is still with us and he is doing very well.  I intended to document a lot of my feelings throughout this ordeal, but you can understand the level of physical and mental exhaustion that I was faced with.  I could not shake the feelings swirling around in my mind.

I am grateful for the outpouring support and love that we received from family and friends, but also from people we rarely even knew. Strangers can be so oddly comforting.  I was also able to keep my faith alive in a situation that was so devastating and needed a miracle.

If you're just finding my blog now, my Dad fell critically ill with a rare encephalitis virus that ended up attacking his brain. Our lives got turned upside down so quickly that I felt maybe I was just stuck in a terrible nightmare. Nope, reality hit hard, but fortunately, with all the help that we received, my Dad survived.

My Dad, happy to be celebrating my 35th birthday at Casey's. 

As cliche as it sounds, life is short. If you haven't gone through some sort of devastating moment, you are lucky...or perhaps unlucky, since every experience teaches you something good or bad, heck, perhaps a mixture of both.  You really never know what is going to happen from one moment to the next. It's exhilarating and terrifying, all at the same time.

I try and make the most of each day. I am still battling my traumas, yet trying to survive and continue my journey of helping others. I'm not perfect. I make mistakes.  I continue to deal with disappointments and fleeting friendships. I used to be certain on so many things, but today, I am full of uncertainty, and I know that's ok.

I do not want to let a day go by wishing "if only" because

"If only...is a wish too late."

Movie Review: 15 Reasons To Live

Have you ever made a list? Of course you have, whether it is a grocery list, general to-do list, or even the elusive bucket-list, these lists show a piece of our identity. In the film, 15 Reasons To Live, director Alan Zweig converses with many eclectic people who share their own reasons for existing. Positively stirred up by author, Ray Robertson’s collection of essays “Why Not? 15 Reasons to Live,” Alan takes a real look at the themes pertaining to love, intoxication, humour, solitude, work, duty, home and death.

15 Reasons To Live 

In a forth-right, yet conversational style, Alan goes beyond just the surface level of interviewing, allowing an honest platform for each person to share a personal story or memory as they vividly remember it.

Meet a young and inquisitive girl who is the constant literal punching bag at her Catholic school and is kicked out, due to not partaking in rituals and her questionable faith. Experience the life of an overwhelmed mother of five, who oddly finds sanctuary people-watching in a busy shopping mall.

Next, against all odds, after a serious stroke, an older man uses his determination to learn how to read again, even if it takes an entire day to read one single page of a book. A wealthy Chinese man is stuck in an unfulfilling career that keeps him in a depressive and suicidal state, until moving to Canada, where he is given a second lease on life and finds his true calling as a massage therapist.

There are also plenty of other stories to embrace, as the film carries on, in a slow but methodical pace.

I would definitely recommend viewing this film with your heart and mind fully open. Encounter some fascinating human miracles. The gambit of emotions that is felt throughout the film might seem like a pendulum, but I think that is truly what Alan was hoping for.

It’s all about taking a deeper look inside of our souls, asking questions that seem on some level beyond what we could fathom of explain to another person. It is also about the collective experience, sharing our memories, wisdom, and opportunities for growth and change, which keeps us in tune with the world that we live in and those that we hold a special place for to accompany us through life.

In the final moments of the film, it is evident that by listening to each story, and seeing each person through a different pair of eyes, our similarities outweigh our differences, and we are all connected.

Self-Employed: Appreciation gifts

Aside from my other jobs, I do enjoy being "semi" self-employed. I like the freedom and the flexibility. I've met a number of interesting people over the years too. Some were great experiences, while others were less than desirable.

It often reminds me a bit of my Internet dating extravaganza's, except my goal is not to find love, but to help others succeed in their personal and professional lives.  Tutoring is very rewarding. My clientele is diverse and I couldn't be happier when those words of "I can't do it" turn into "Wow, I did it!"

Nothing says "I appreciate you Melissa" than a delicious slice of strawberry shortcake (one of my favourites!).  I suppose that a successful school year with a very special young lady from Korea was worth buying me an entire cake. She'll be going into high school in September.  :-)

I love making a difference in someone's life, and let's face it, reaping some of the benefits!

Erasure: Sent you money, sent you flowers, could worship you for hours

SEPTEMBER 11th, 2011

at

The Sound Academy

I AM GOING TO SEE...

 ERASURE!!!

This was taken in 2005, when I went with my mom to see Erasure in Toronto
at Massey Hall for the Nightbird Tour!



It was a toss-up between seeing Erasure in September or waiting for VNV Nation in December (which is actually very close to my birthday-hint hint hint!!). However, weighing the pros and cons, Erasure won out. Tickets were not too badly priced and I've been working my tail off, so I think I deserve something special. I am super excited about seeing them for the second time now! I realize that Andy Bell probably won't be prancing around in sequin tops and glittery underwear, but i'm sure the show will still be amazing!

They have so many wonderful songs that pull on my heart strings or just make me want to get up and dance; Make Me Smile (Come up and see me), A Little Respect, Oh L'Amour, Always, Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel cover) and the list goes on. No matter what though, I Bet You're Mad At Me remains my absolute favourite. Everything from the lyrics to the simplistic sound to the intense emotion, I remember when it first came out, I made my parent's ears bleed because I kept the song on repeat playing in my bedroom. LOL I guess that's just another "Melissa quirk."