Search Engine Queries Which Lead To Irrelevant Results and Links Which Go Nowhere

Whether it's a 404 error, poor meta tag description management on content pages or simply misleading link description to irrelevant content it's all frustrating.

Sometimes page errors occur not out maliciousness but out of dead links, code error or a bad page extension...I can momentarily live with these errors. It's the other ones which really get under my skin as they waste everyone's time. Search engines need to seriously penalize those idiots for misleading content  descriptions based on search queries. In these few cases, the altruistic content suffers and the irrelevant prevails. Albeit sometimes the relevant content is poorly optimized or not optimized at all leaving the sewage to float to the top.

Then there are the black hole websites. The sites which pull you in based on your query giving you the impression that you will find the answer to your holy grail within a click. Yet what you find yourself doing only is clicking deeper and deeper into nowhere fast.

Banks are notorious for poorly designed sites with hiding or misleading information. The larger the institution the more mindless and user unfriendly the content search experience is.  I've come to realize that bank websites are not designed by marketers or persons strategic in nature of customer service experience. They appear to be developed via the input  of people so far detached from the front lines of user experience; The hard core coders and the VP of finance. 

To that end, I've made my point. Not finding what your looking for is an ongoing issue for all of us and may always be apparent.

City of Hamilton - Christmas Garland on the Escarpment

I've lived in Hamilton all my life. As long as I can remember we have always bared that tacky garland displaying "Hamilton WishesYou A Merry Christmas."

City Of Hamilton's Cheap and Tacky Looking Christmas Garland is back up on the escarpment. Come on, let's put a better looking sign up. How about a nice year round full colour digital sign with rotating messages from the city including upcoming events, public notices, raw raw tiger cats etc.....that's prime real estate for the city to put up some decent signage instead of wasting tax dollars on useless messages in malls and in bus shelters. I'll say it again...the city needs to think like a business and perform with creativity, passion and competitive edge and not like an organization driven by policy and quotas, and people who do the minimum with myopic tunnel vision.


If they invested in a large multi-coloured  digital display signage panel this could be utilized all year round to promote seasonal, community or city events, messages and more.  

The city could also sell sponsor logo, ad messages to local businesses.

Companies Who Break The Do Not Call List

We've placed our phone number on the "Do Not Call" List but it appears that companies are breaking that list and calling regardless. I just had a call from a gentlemen, sounding like he was calling from India, saying he was calling from Brampton. I couldn't understand much of what he was saying so I said to him slowly and intently, "We are on the do not call list you should not be calling this number.

He kept on mumbling incoherently....I repeatedly said we are on the do not call list. Eventually he said he would not be calling anymore....

If this company is in Brampton and they do call again....I will make the effort to drive down to their telemarketing sweat shop and incessantly repeat the same thing over and over (explaining to them to remove me from the do not call list) in person and give them their own mind numbing canned presentation, until they have to call the police and have me removed from the premises. Do you think this will work? );)

Telemarketer From India - A Different Approach

It's 630pm, we're just finishing dinner and the phone rings incessantly. It was the third call this evening from the same telemarketer from India pushing an accounting software program which would make our lives so much easier and of course save us money. As if  "No Thank-You" was an answer which you think would suffice, the telesales person would not give up on "NO" and actually said in broken half inarticulate English , "Are you not interested in talking to me Mr. Sir"....."Why do you not want to hear me speak of how I can help your business"....he kept on speaking from script or from whatever nonsense he was pulling from the deep recesses of his mind. As his harassing gibberish continued I decided to pull the dirty card....I passed him on to the president of the company.....my 2 year old daughter who loves conversation.

She talked to him about how beautiful the Christmas tree is and that she wanted to speak to Grandma and go to Grandma's house....curiously enough the telesales man couldn't handle the pressure, he actually passed the call onto his supervisor who kept on asking my daughter if she could speak with Mommy or Daddy.

I'm enjoying this engaging conversation tremendously. It went on for 8 minutes. I finally hung up the phone and incredibly there were no more calls.  The eternal question, If I hadn't hung up the phone
how long would they have stayed on the phone attempting to communicate with a one way conversation.

Country Music Songs - History Repeats Itself again and again

I enjoy some of the country music out there and I'm sure there are country artists who have not realized that history repeats itself...I'm referring to the blatant clichés prominent in so many songs especially by new artists.

These are the category/topics most country songs fall under:

Alcohol (The trouble it got me in and the stupid things I did because of it)
Revenge (He/she cheated on me and I'm gonna get even)
Songs with reference to pick up trucks and beer.
Stop and smell the roses because the simple things in life and my family are more important.

My hats off to artists such as Alan Jackson and The Dixie Chicks as they blend in fresh concepts with novel interpretations to create great lyrics.

Message to all new country artists out there...don't reinvent the wheel and start off with avoiding those 4 above messages.

Now I will go back to drinking some beer in my pick up truck as I ponder revenge contemplating on getting in trouble but realizing I should stop and smell the roses because my family and the simple things in life are more important.

Sears facebook and public relations officers - patronizing and unaccountable

If you read my earlier post with respect to my Sears Credit Card experience, the story has devolved. I posted my experience on the sears facebook page. I was apprised by the sears wallpost PR gatekeeper that he was sorry for my unfortunate experience and provided me a contact email of a social media senior case manager and they would help me out.  I proceeded with the process all the while thinking, shouldn't this guy start the process and have someone get back to me?

Nonetheless, I emailed once and called twice and finally I received a response.
Here are the email transcripts:

Sears Social Media Customer Service	10 Oct (11 days ago)
to ROB

Mr. Balla,

My name is Nadia M.  I am a Senior Case Manager for the Sears Executive Offices.  I am trying to reach you in regard to your credit concerns.  We appreciate you taking the time to address your concerns. Please be assured that we understand your frustration, and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced.I would like to assist you and have built case number 1803779 in regards to your concerns. Please contact me at your earliest convenience by simply responding to this email or calling me at your convenience at toll free 888-266-4043 extension 52 so we can discuss your concerns.  I look forward to speaking with you soon.We value your relationship and hope that you will continue to make Sears Holdings Corporation your choice for quality and value.

Nadia M.

Social Media Case Manager
Sears Holdings Corporation
Phone: (888) 266-4043 Ext #52
Toll Free: (800) 995-2139
Email: smsupport@searshc.com
Schedule: Tuesday–Saturday 8:30am- 5:30pm (CST)

Rob Balla	11 Oct (10 days ago)
to smsupport

Hi Nadia

Left you a message on your vm....I hope we can connect soon to resolve this issue. Cell: XXXXXXX

Thanks

Sears Social Media Customer Service	15 Oct (6 days ago)
to rob

Mr. Balla,

Thank you for your reply. With credit concerns the only assistance I can provide is to contact CITI bank who handles all credit issues. In order to do this for you I need your complete address and the phone number used when the line of credit was opened if it is not the same as the number you have provided. Thank you for your time.

Nadia M.

>> Sent: 10/11/2013 12:09
>>
>>

Rob Balla	16 Oct (5 days ago)
to smsupport

Address XXXXXXXXXXXXX

I'm not sure on the exact date, but I believe the acct was opened in the fall of 2011 or spring of 2012?

Sears Social Media Customer Service	16 Oct (5 days ago)
to rob

Mr. Balla,

Thank you for the information you have provided. I am located in the states, this being said you would need to contact my Sears Canadian team for further assistance. The phone number for Sears Canada is 888-473-2772. Thank you for your time.


Still...to this date, there has been no further communication, resolution or accountability on the part of sears...

The Quiz Hour CH....Seriously?

I'm up a little late tonight half watching the tube while I'm googling important things in life when low and behold this terribly tacky amateurish game show is gnawing away in my consciousness.
This eloquently challenged game show host is pushing people to compare pics and is incessantly pressing viewers to call in to take his money by simply play the game "One of these things is not like the other and find the difference in the 2 pics"

It's played as if the money is easy, and is there for the taking because  no one is calling in, so your odds of winning appear huge....it's very alluring however keep in mind as in gambling....the house always wins. 

Save your $1.00 and don't bother calling. I'm sure there making thousands...it's a numbing show to watch.

Sears credit card - Don't get it, you'll be sorry

I'm not a huge proponent of credit card usage. I use credit cards for business on an as needed not as wanted basis. About a year ago the customer rep at Sears suggested I get a Sears card to save a certain percentage off my purchase. She also apprised  me of the benefit that I wouldn't have to pay for 3 whole months! Wow...I thought...the 5% off was pretty decent for a $1100 purchase, I figured I could use that savings on treating the family to dinner....the 3 months deferred payment was neither unappealing or appealing, regardless I stupidly said...OK, let's do it.

As most of us have busy lives, I marked down when my deferred payment plan was due. Two weeks upon approaching the deadline I paid it all off in one lump sum. About 8 months went by and I applied for a mortgage and my credit score wasn't the best because of my Sears Card. Apparently the deferred payment plan was not a true deferred payment plan but rather an equal minimum monthly payment plan. I got screwed with my credit because of a lousy $1100 hoodwink for a Sears Card.

To that end, I have found out from other Sears card holders that as soon as you are one month late, your reported to the credit bureau. To that end I was recorded as 3 months late. Bottom line message, who needs the stress of worrying about when you have to pay or what the terms are. Pay by cash or debit or use one card and manage it diligently.

Thanks Sears Credit for nothing but headaches and a tainted credit record for something I could have paid off right away with cash.

By the way, Sears now has lost thousands of dollars worth of my lifetime business because of their militant, stringent and deceiving credit policy. Whether the customer service rep was misinformed or not, their credit office made no attempts to appease my frustrations. I found the credit rep to be unapologetic and numb minded with a limited comprehension of the English language.

SAYONARA Sears.

Thoughts on spirituality, or not?

Spirituality means so many things to so many individuals on this planet. I respect and believe in all religions and belief systems which respect everyone else. I'm not going to get spiritual in this post as I am limited with my understanding of spirituality and do not consider myself an expert by any means.  I will say that all religion should be a voluntary submission for any individual and never forced or imposed on others by family, groups, countries or individuals. When it comes to religion/belief, you are not a victim, only a volunteer. We all have the power to craft our own belief system based on our experiences and intuitions. Whether you give yourself up to a belief that there is something greater than us with a master plan or not, we all have the same basis for existence and that is life and love. Making memories and reliving them.

Banks and advertising. You're richer than you think? Really?

A message to all banks....when it comes to assets and cash flow, 95% of the population is NOT "Richer Than They Think." If they are referring to the richness of your life because you have people who love you or are grateful for a healthy life....well that's not the reason I go to their bank.

I've had enough of the banks spending our interest money on their condescending, patronizing and lofty marketing campaigns with headlines such as "You're Richer Than You Think" or "Not for Profit. For People"
If banks really want to pass their savings onto the consumer the first thing they should do is place a halt with all advertising on all national media campaigns, and put those dollars back into customer service, local marketing and community in a more efficient way than they currently do.  The head offices of national banks should give advertising buying power completely to local branches  to spend in their community on local media and charities. The reason: A bank's marketing person on the local level should know the community and use their buying leverage to harness added value from their local media for partnerships. They should also know which local community or charity organizations are genuine in ensuring that any money they receive goes directly to the client end user who is in need and not large amounts to administration.

Obviously every bank wants to separate it's brand from every other bank and create that unique selling position in the marketplace.

Banks make money from your money and have a tough time spinning that into something good.  I came across this list of bank slogans/tag lines from all around the world:
http://thefinancialbrand.com/taglines/

Here is an actual guideline for creating financial slogans
http://thefinancialbrand.com/1767/guide-to-financial-slogans/

Here are a few I came up with:

• Your money tree with great service
• Caring lenders. Community supporters
• More in your pocket and less in ours
• We're more than just a bank.
• Really making your life simpler
• What a bank should be 

If you are marketing manager with a major bank and would like to use any of the above slogans or a derivative, contact me.

Call centre agents who don't understand english

I'm all about profit. But when it comes to profit at the cost of customer service or more importantly the agent on the phone not understanding the language of the client or being able to process your information then as a company you have a big problem.

I'm not only talking of North American companies hiring call centre agents in India or the Philippines, I'm referring to english speaking companies hiring people who are fresh off the boat who can't process the information you are providing because they don't understand every word. This can be a very frustrating and pain staking experience especially if the issue you are calling about is as simple as updating the address of your account or requesting a recent invoice.

If a company promoted itself by saying all our phone agents speak English and understanding the meaning of customer service, I would switch to that company in a heartbeat and pay  a small premium for it.

We are experiencing a higher than normal call volume all the time.

I was on the phone with a company, trying to get answers on a recent  transaction. The automated voice message said, "Thank you for calling blah blah blah, all our customer service reps are busy, we apologize for the inconvenience your call will be answer by the next available representative.  The problem here is every time I call they are experiencing a more than normal call volume. As far as I'm concerned, sincerity can go right into the toilet as soon as an automated voice says "We apologized for inconvenience due to the high volume of calls."  This automated message is to placate the client and the billion dollar company is too cheap to hire more call centre reps.