The Bipolar Otaku

I bought shelving from Ikea with which I will build my entertainment center. I placed this order on September 13. It's about $400 of actual material, but $200-300 to ship it. I can't remember the details any more. They finally shipped it from Chicago to Detroit this morning, taking a whole 30 day month to process. The shipping company, Don't Blame the Messanger, called me Monday and asked me to choose a day, Wednesday (today) or Friday, and that they'd call me Tuesday with a 3 hour window. The 3 hour window which they told me was 3-6pm today. I had to leave work early to be there, of course.

So, 2:30pm and I'm ready. I have the garage cleaned out, tarp laid out knowing I'd have to stain the shelves my self. 3pm, nothing; not surprising. 4pm, nothing. 5pm, nothing; I'm checking my watch. 6pm, nothing; I'm on the phone. They tell me, they just talked with the driver and they are on the last drop before mine, down in Roseville, maybe about 10 miles from here. 30 minutes, 45 minutes tops. 7pm, nothing. 7:30pm and I'm on the phone again. Leaving a message for the delivery department, calling again to get a hold of a mangager. While on hold, the driver calls me and tells me he is JUST NOW heading to the place in Roseville. Hour, hour and a half, maybe worse. I call back to leave a message on the manager's (actually a VP's) voice mail.

So they end up rolling in at 9pm... Unloading is fast and simple. Everything is light so I help unload too. The driver is okay, his assistant seems capable of no more than the menial loading/unloading. One problem is they use crappy software for maps and directions. Another problem is the assistant lost 2 manifolds this morning. Another problem is they probably overloaded their schedule.

But now I'm probably going to be getting a phone call tomorrow from a VP of this company. And I have to bitch him out, because for a delivery that costs more than 80% of my actual order, I have to expect better than decent service. I was planning about reminding about how delivery service is really all about customer service, and how I should be complaining to Ikea about what a shitty service they provide. But I can't do that last part. You see, they already lost Ikea's contract, effective end of buisness day Friday.

Well, I'll bitch however I can. Of course, I always end up wimping out when I actually get them on the phone... Oh well...