Flip-Flop Love: Reef

That's one happy foot!

One thing that will quickly end a sight-seeing trip is uncomfortable footwear. I should've known not to buy a brand new pair of shoes before such a trip, but alas, I didn't understand the dangers and my poor feet ended up paying the price. Luckily I had some super comfortable Reef flip-flops to right my wrong, which is certainly worth a thank-you note.

Hello Reef-

Before my last trip to Washington DC, I bought some so-called walking shoes (from a company who shall remain nameless) to get me in and around all of the sights I wanted to visit in our nation's capital. These shoes had seemed comfortable in the store, so I was worry-free when I headed out to the National Mall. As I walked down Massachusetts Avenue, past all of the embassies, I had some foot discomfort but thought my shoes just needed time to be broken in. Oh, how wrong I was. By the time I got to the mall, my feet were aching and rubbed raw. I turned around and returned to my friend's house. When I got back, I pulled off my shoes to find several blisters on my chewed-up feet. Ouch! This was my first day! How was I to explore the other sights I wanted to see? Luckily, I had packed my Reef flip-flops. I put them on immediately, and felt like I was walking on clouds. The soles were so soft and cushy and there was no rubbing anywhere. What relief! I managed to walk all around to the various museums, shops, and government buildings I wanted to see.
Thanks for making such fantastically comfortable flip-flops!

Customer Service Love: GetHuman

Wouldn't you rather talk with these really real people than a robot?

Let's say you've had a wonderful experience with Ginormo Co. and you'd like to call and tell someone about it. You're probably going to Google the customer service line and negotiate through a vast network of automated press-or-say-this-or-that commands before you actually get to a human. If you're worried that all this time might deflate your desire to tell your fantastic story, fear not: GetHuman is here.

GetHuman lists customer service numbers that connect customers with real, live people instead of autobots. Users can rate the quality of a phone number and GetHuman will work to list the most relevant numbers. Now, let's pick up/flip open/turn on our phones and get calling!

Copy Shop Love: FedEx Office (aka Kinko's)

What's a person to do when she finds herself in need of printing and binding late on a Friday night? It's FedEx Office (formerly known as Kinko's, then FedEx Kinko's) to the rescue! I think it's nice to recognize people who go above and beyond to help, especially late on a Friday, and specifically when their job probably isn't their dream career.

Dear FedEx Office,

You need to know about an excellent experience I had with one of your employees. Last Friday night, I was busy preparing printed material for an international company sales trip the next morning. I was told by my boss that our company has a certain type of binding machine but when I went to look for it at 9pm, it was nowhere to be found. Panic! My co-workers were leaving in less than 12 hours and I HAD to get my papers bound. What was I to do? I quickly checked the hours of my local FedEx Office and, relief!, they were open until 11! 

When I arrived, the very friendly sales associate, Molly, was happy to help. She asked when I needed the binding done. Sheepishly, I said, "Tonight?" Molly looked at the clock and said, "We usually ask for a four hour window, but I can make an exception." Elated, I nearly jumped across the desk to hug her, but I restrained myself and instead thanked her profusely. She was able to quickly finish the binding and I sent my co-workers on their way. Molly saved the day! Give that girl a raise!

They responded:

Dear Amy,
Thank you so much for taking the time to tell us of your experience. It is always good to hear from customers who received great service.
At FedEx Office we strive to care for all customers in a professional and prompt manner. I am glad that we met these expectations at this time.
Your patronage of FedEx Office is appreciated, and I hope we can continue to be of service. 
Thank you again for contacting us.
Becky
FedEx Office Customer Relations

Shoe Love: Merrell

A few years ago, my husband and I decided it was time to see the world. This adventure started with us asking two critical questions: where should we go and what will we wear on our feet? The "where" came about quickly: Nepal (husband's top destination), Italy/France (my top destination), and South Africa/Namibia (combined top destination). Footwear was an even easier decision. We needed something lightweight, comfortable, and durable to get us through this globe-trotting adventure. That meant one brand: Merrell. Our shoes held up beautifully and I only recently had to send mine off to the big shoe store in the sky. I thought Merrell deserved to know about my experience.

Dear Merrell,
Have you ever considered world domination? I'm not talking about the evil, soul-crushing kind. I'm talking about a world where everyone gets along and all is good because each person has comfortable footwear. If not, you should think about it because your shoes are the best in the world! I should know—my most recent pair of Merrells got me to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal, then braved incredible wildlife-watching in Etosha National Park in Namibia, and finally accompanied me on a tour of France, Italy, and Germany. I never got blisters or achy feet and the fabric stood up to a lot of abuse. I just wanted to write and say thanks for making great shoes that last! And I'm just kidding about the world domination, sort of...

They responded:

Hello Amy,

Thank you for contacting us and sharing your enthusiasm for the Merrell brand.  Because of this we would like to send you a gift pack and also get your permission to keep your name and address on file for future promotions and mailings. For your reference we will not share any of your info with anyone outside of our organization. If you could please reply back with your permission we will then ship out your Merrell gift pack.

Always feel free to share your stories, pictures, or video of your adventures with us or at Merrell.com.  

Best regards,

Consumer Relations Account Specialist

A gift pack! How nice. True, it consisted of a pen, a carabiner (NOT to be used for climbing), and some stickers, but it's the thought that counts.

Yoghurt Lohve: Noosa

Is a person considered a foodie if she likes eating? How about if she likes eating things that taste really good? I mean really, really good. On a whim I recently purchased some Noosa Yoghurt from my local co-op and I think I heard the other yogurt containers shudder with disappointment. Maybe it's the extra "h" in the word, or their mysterious Australia connection, but this stuff is different. Taste-buds-doing-a-tap-dance different. It's-all-gonna-be-all-right different. The company clearly knows about their superior yoghurtness, but I thought I'd send them a note anyway.

Dear Noosans-

I'm writing on behalf of my tastebuds. They've become curiously perkier and more discerning ever since I bought my first container of Noosa at my local co-op. If this is yoghurt (formerly known as yogurt), what have I been eating all these years? How have you managed to balance such intense and creamy flavors with a hint rainbows and fond childhood memories? Truly, you are exceptional yoghurt craftspeople and should allow your Noosempire to seep its sweet fruity goodness into every corner of the world. Please let me know if you need a Noosambassador to spread the good news.

Fondly,

Amy

They responded:

G'day Amy,

We're absolutely thrilled you've discovered and are loving Noosa. A big Aussie TA (thanks) for your fab feedback and be sure to let us know which flavour is your fave.

Cheers,

Noosa Yoghurt

I've only tried the blueberry and raspberry and they are both out of this world!

Web Design Love: ICDSoft

Web hosting companies

There are many, many choices for website hosting services and as a designer, I've seen several of them. A lot of them are terribly built with so many bells and whistles, how could a person possibly navigate around them? After one particularly frustrating episode with an unfortunately popular company, I decided to send some love to the service I use for all of my sites, the BEST hosting company ever, in the history of hosting companies: ICDSoft.

Hello ICDSoft-
I just wanted to send a quick note of thanks for being such a fantastic hosting company with incredibly easy-to-use interfaces. I am a web designer who has to slog through multiple client sites hosted by other companies. The interfaces created by these companies are usually confusing, outdated, and cluttered and I end up wasting a lot of time searching around. Whenever I test anything on my site, hosted by you, things always go smoothly and if I need help, the support documentation always answers my questions. Thanks for providing an island of sanity in a sea of frustration!
Your Biggest Fan,

Amy

They responded:

Hello,
Thank you for your high appraisals! We appreciate them greatly!
Best Regards,
Support 75

No, thank you, Support 75, thank YOU.