Other stuff I worry about a bit

It's probably not worth worrying about, actually

An online delivery model going badly wrong

I guess the idea was a great one.  Take a traditional service that’s declined in recent years due to the pressure of the supermarkets – doorstep milk delivery – and turn it into a 21st century online service.

In our house, we get through a lot of milk with the kids. So we thought – let’s support the “local milkman” and do this – we can manage it online and the money gets direct-debited from our account. Easy – the way we’re used to doing stuff these days.

The trouble is, while it might be a great idea, the company behind it appears to have failed in its delivery of the service.

First – the system allows you to change your orders online. But it’s unclear whether the local depot actually gets notification of this.  We’ve changed our regular order a couple of times now and have received the wrong order on the next delivery.  In one case we have received a completely different order to the one we placed.  It’s been wrong 3 times in less than 10 deliveries now.

The second problem is that you have to call them to report any problems – there is no online help mechanism. So, invariably, the line is busy. And it’s an 0845 number so isn’t included in call packages.

It’s unfortunate – this is a good idea.  But it’s been delivered – in all senses – very badly.

Filed under: random, technology

Broken Britain?

Over the next few weeks we will hear a lot of rhetoric from all the political parties involved in the UK General Election.

Of all of them, the Conservatives’ claims over “Broken Britain” irritate me the most.  Claims that are wholly unfounded.  Societies across the world experience differences in relative peace and prosperity. The way in which the government of the day makes laws to make sense of those differences shows the value of that government.  You cannot sweep away those differences – but you can manage them well. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Politics

Today, I shall displease “the Lord”

I tweeted at the weekend at my disgust for UCB for a particular part of their television programming on Saturday.  Be assured that UCB TV is not my usual choice of televisual viewing; random Sky surfing sometimes brings unexpected, and disturbing, results. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: media, religion

On when you’re asking for trouble…

I was at a company’s premises today – I won’t say where it is, or what I was doing there but I happened upon seeing this stuck to a computer screen: Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: technology

Congratulations Microsoft… inertia will reign

I have a test workstation in the office that I use – well, for testing stuff.  I hardly ever use a browser on the machine and had forgotten, actually, that Internet Explorer was set as the default browser. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: digital, technology

Shorten it for them!

I heard a radio commercial this morning that included the web address of the advertiser alongside their (unmemorable, mobile) phone number.  It was something like – and this won’t be accurate as no listener has a hope in hell of remembering what it was verbatim – “call us on 07021 431823 or visit us online at b v hyphen domestics dot co dot uk”.

Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: media, radio

Assumptions are often wrong

With the winter weather comes the inevitable school closures.  Parents then turn to the local radio stations to get the information on whether their school is open or closed; station websites have been used this year as in others to publish information that can’t always be broadcast in full. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: radio

Great customer service

It’s not often that you get great customer service. When it happens, it’s almost so surprising that it really stands out – and you feel compelled to shout about it from the rooftops. Or blog about it. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: random

BBC Caves in to Carter Ruck Threats Over Trafigura Film

It seems the BBC have caved in to the demands of Carter Ruck and removed a BBC Newsnight video from their website… so, along with (hopefully) a lot of other bloggers, here it is. This law firm need to get brighter lawyers.

With thanks to Iain Dale and New Statesman

Filed under: Politics

Time to simplify

The debate on the future of radio has suddenly got a bit busier.  News items and blog posts are coming-a-plenty.  Here’s another one. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: digital, radio, Uncategorized

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