I just got an automated call on my cell phone from Rogers. The cheery recorded voice told me I got some new feature—free something calls, whatever, not the point—for the next few months for free.
Uh, Rogers. Just because I pay YOU for the use of your network, does not give YOU the right to call my cell phone with your automated blabber mouth marketing message. And the message had no way of opting out, I listened straight through to the end and there was no mention of pressing something to talk to a person or get off their call list.
Of course, one thing that’s interesting about my reaction to this—which, if I haven’t been clear enough, is to be tremendously put off—is that Telus did the same thing to me last year—they called my home number about a new promotion, and I remember having a totally different reaction.
That was for a few reasons: 1) They had a real person call me, 2) It was about two months after I’d signed up, when I was still interested in hearing from them, and 3) I didn’t have a crap relationship with them like I do with Rogers.
Rogers should figure out that I don’t like them, and leave me alone, because they’re not going to make me feel better about them without geniunely changing their underlying prinicples. If your customers don’t like you, for goodness sake, don’t REMIND them of that fact, Rogers!
“Almost every American I know does trade large portions of his life for entertainment, hour by weeknight hour, binge by Saturday binge, Facebook check by Facebook check. I’m one of them. In the course of writing this I’ve watched all 13 episodes of House of Cards and who knows how many more West Wing episodes, and I’ve spent any number of blurred hours falling down internet rabbit holes. All instead of reading, or writing, or working, or spending real time with people I love.”
“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.”
You can scroll right easily by holding down the SHIFT key and using your scroll wheel. (Firefox users trying this will end up jumping to old Web pages until a) Firefox releases a fix, b) they change their settings like so.)