Busyness and an update on the Bed Saga

What with earlyish dentist visits, playground activities, sick big girl cozying, ballet dancing, and supper preparations, I have had no time to write til now.

I would like to thank Huff Daddy for his breakfast casserole recipe- I modified it some for our family, but we would have had beans and rice if it weren't for him. And I am zonked. Still not sleeping the night through, and the Kid getting up and crawling in bed with us the past few nights isn't helping. Oh and sleeping with the mattress on the floor is getting old, really old.

I do have an awesome story for you though.

So Big Daddy D goes to Sam's and gets a plain jane universal metal bed frame and lugs it home. I cajole him into setting it up that night before we go to bed. It's 9:30 by the time we get everything cleared out of the way and pull the pieces out of the box. Read the short and sweet directions-which are clear by the way and relatively well illustrated-and hunker down. It only takes a few minutes to realize something just ain't right. Things are not fitting together as shown in figure 1a. Big Daddy D goes for the hammer(that is usually my course of action, and it has worked well in the past) but it is late and for once the Kid is in bed and seemingly asleep so metal banging on metal might be a bit satisfying for us grown ups, but ultimatley detrimental for our longer term goal of actually getting to sleep anytime soon. I assure Big Daddy D that I will call the company and make the return trip to Sam's if neccesary.

You and I both know that if vendors get too many returns the big stores, and I imagine the small ones too, quit carrying their product(s) and most are happy to rectify any unpleasantness without getting the store involved.

So I have to work myself up to place this call. You know, having to deal with phone queues and menus and waiting on hold forever and the transfers is a chore and gets very annoying, very fast.

Imagine my suprise when the phone was answered at the beginning of the second ring-BY A REAL LIVE PERSON! A sweet older lady by the sounds of her voice. She listened to my short story(I really did manage to keep it short!) and she said,

"Hmmm, that line is busy would you like me to have her call you back?"
"Yes, please"
"I'll transfer you to her voicemail."

I left a brief message and hoped for the best-my expectations somewhat higher having actually spoken to someone at the company so quickly.

Suprise number two.

Gail called me back in, I think, less than 45 minutes, not any longer than that. She asked me a few pertinent questions.

"Did you read the instructions?"
"Yes, the rivets were too low to fit in the slots and slide and lock into place."
"But the other side was ok?"
"Um no,(laughing) it was a big CF all the way around last night at 9:30 when we were trying to put it together."
"I see,(chuckles a bit herself) I am glad you didn't have my number last night then."
"Oh, I did. I just decided to wait til today."

A bit more clever banter and she acquired my mailing address and assured me that a new frame or replacement parts would be in the mail the next day(today) and she would let me know the next day by 1 if they wanted the defective pieces back.

Pleasant good byes.

She called me back within 15 minutes(!) to let me know that replacement parts were being sent and to throw away the defective parts since they wouldn't need them back.

How incredibly awesome is that people?

A company that has real people to answer the phone and others to quickly and competently handle customer service issues? A rarity these days to be sure.

So, if you need a bed frame, on customer service alone, I recommend Mantua Bed Frame.

Does anyone know where to take the defective parts for recycling?