Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Apple Saga Finally Ended Today in a nano second.

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Almost a month after I ordered my Dad’s Gift Card from Apple all debts and credits have been satisfied albeit non conventionally. Sami List was assigned to me by apple after a horde (6-7) different reps at apple had made a real mess of my credit, re-issue of card and then refund. I kept getting emails from apple saying that I had been refunded but of course they refunded the money to a long dead and dormant account I stopped using 6 years ago. But they kept saying it was in my itunes account and I kept saying no it’s not.
The way apple went about issuing a new gift card for my Dad was very interesting. They bought a card from the local apple store near my dad’s house in IL. They then had the store manager read the card # to apple in Cupertino who relayed it to me then my Dad. He was able to use it on Christmas eve. Mission accomplished.

The 2nd part was even weirder. I sent an email wanting credit for the shipping. I figured since they delivered it to me in MA and not to my Dad in IL they should take care of it. They agreed and tried to credit it back. No luck, because Fedex said they delivered the package they never got a signature for. Hmmm. Apple then said they would credit me the shipping and my father’s new gift card because of all the trouble I went through. I said that wasn’t necessary but excepted readily.
They left a message saying the credit had gone through and I checked and it had not. This went on another ½ week with apple trying to apply a credit to my functioning itunes account with no luck at all. Everyday Sami checked in to see if I saw anything. It was funny.

Finally Sami called and said they found what was happening and they (apple) offered me a new 8 gb Nano. The value is about 150.00. I said sure and thank you.
Sami list should be promoted to manager at apple. I sense she is former military and was a no nonsense problem solver that finally had to laugh with me at the situation that was created at apple. I told her the backlash of me writing this blog is apple might make her a pariah of sorts for doing such an amazing job in sorting out the mess that is apple
online purchasing. Thanks apple for finally solving this mess in a nano second.

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My Top ten favorite iphone / Itouch Apps so far…

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My Sister Robin got an Itouch for Christmas, and immediately wanted to know about apps to download. I explained there are free apps and apps you pay for. I of course prefer the free ones. Here is my top Ten list of favorites with hyper links to each one.

1. Siri . Voice activated concierge, slick even when it does not work perfectly.

2. Dropbox Share files with clients, friends and complete strangers

3. Facebook If you don’t know facebook by now your dead, or on life support in a coma.

4. Hootsuite takes some of the stress out of being socially relevant.

5. Linkedin or Facebook for business people. I can’t say that now they may go public.

6. ESPN Know the score, nah nah nah nah nah nah.

7. Wallet Zero Take all those club cards and plu scan plastic things and enter them into app. Then scan phone at checkout. Toss plastic in recycling. (TYJM)

8. Pandora or Satellite radio for the free world. You can stream it to your car. I do. Figure it out spanky.

9. Mapquest 4 Mobile Too cheap for a GPS I give you Mapquest for Mobile. Allow time for getting lost.

10. QIK Video yourself and others live or to your phone to view or share later.

Have fun with this list and let me be the last to say Happy New Year

Why I dumped 4 square

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I’m older I have kids a real life and I think letting others know I am not home is fundamentally unsound. If I was better organized I’d rob all your homes while you are at SXSW later this year. many of you plancasted that in September. I plan to not worry where others are in 2011 and worry more about things that really matter to me most. Sorry in advance, but if we are really friends this too shall pass. I should also say that I am interested in what it is your are doing, how life is treating you, and if I can be a better friend and helpful somehow. At midnight on New Years Eve I will checkin off the grid indefinitely.

Happy New Year 2011

Apple lied… Don’t order online at Christmas…

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Don’t ever order anything on iTunes at Christmas they will create emails and minutia, they will spin their wheels and lie to you, they will submit notices of pending internal discussions that yield nothing. I was told that my dad would get a new card sent this has not happened, it won’t happen. They said they were refunding my money but that did not happen yet either. I am out 50.00 and 5 hours of my life enduring 11 phone calls that have yielded nothing. This may be the worst customer experience ever.  All over a $50.00 gift card. They sent it, it was lost, they said they would send a new one, but they can’t is the message I have gotten. Next time I will go buy one in person and mail it myself. 

Merry Christmas Apple

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An Apple angel to the rescue

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I had a snafu getting my dad an iTunes gift card sent to him for Christmas. I placed the order on the 18th, and it shipped on the 20th overnight.  Somehow the order got sent to me instead of my dad. When I got the email at 6:30am I called Apple at 9:00am. I explained and they said they would ask fedex for a re-route of the package. Fedex never got the message about re-route and left it on my snowy stairs. (Apple hates when FEDEX does not get a signature)  it’s in their contract.  When I called FEDEX they said they would retrieve the package but would not reroute it anywhere but back to Apple. Thank you Mrs Scrooge at the FEDEX  Framingham Depot on New York Ave you were anything but helpful.  

I called Apple back and an Apple Angel resent a new card to my Father overnight. I hope it gets to him before Christmas. I also hope Apple shipped it UPS. The Apple angel fixed the problem, and took the time to make things right. I know, “ that’s what they are supposed to do”  Its still nice when it happens.

 

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If I am creepy, you must be socially retarded.

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So I am am AT SMB#21 last week and was glad to see lots of people I have not seen since like August. I was so glad in factthat I added a bunch of people in the room to a check-in I did on Facebook. It went rather un-noticed until one person in the same room with me decided what I did was creepy.  He posted it on his wall. Nice, we are in the same room, maybe 6 people apart and  Iam creepy?  How about getting off your fat ass walking over and being a man and explaining it, I would have taken it down of course ,But calling me creepy in this case just makes me think WTF.   Are you so socially retarded that talking isn’t part of your social mix? I think this social media thing needs an enema.  

A few weeks ago there was this incident at USC. Bill Nye “Mr Science” fainted and nobody came to his aid. Everyone was tweeting about his fainting and taking pictures to upload. Clearly we are starting to send the wrong message to our kids. 

What do you think?

 

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Pruning back and upping the Karma…

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I was out the other night at a social event visiting with people I had not seen in quite awhile. During my visit, one of the discussions turned to the good people doing the good deeds, doing things for others, being helpful. It also turned to discussing some people who are not being so helpful. I think when you have a large group of people there will be some of those. I grew up in a huge cliche of people in my hometown, then was part of a crew in college and now I am friends with some of the social media folks in Boston. Heck there have been times in my past when I was pretty damn useless. I’d like to think I have improved over the years, but like everyone else I am a constant work in progress. As 2010 comes to an end and 2011 begins I feel the need to “prune back” the social. I want to focus on the people in my life that matter most. I want to focus more on relationships, and not just the facebook kind. Seeing people in person, talking, interacting. I feel the whole social media thing has made me a little lazy. I have been a casual observer but a non participant in lots of peoples lives, I hope to put an end to that. I really want to be a better friend. I also hope to Start up Metrowest Media Makers with Roy Kranz here early on in 2011. Its time we started acting locally to reach globally. I want to make a difference for others in Metrowest. I also want to give more of my time to non profits and help get their message out utilizing video, and or audio visual presentation.

Lastly I want to be an even better Dad, lots of people think I am a great dad. I think I still have lots of work to do.
At the Holiday break, What are you thinking about? What are your plans for 2011?

How can I be a better friend?

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If stumble upon invited you…

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I owe you an apology..

If you received an invite to follow me on stumble upon I apologize. Stumble upon is a great site and it allows you to peruse different websites and for you to suggest them to others. I invited a few friends from facebook and a few from twitter I thought. It appears however the contacts in my address book also got sent messages. This was all done from my stumble upon iphone app. I am not sure how this happened, but if I inconvenienced you in the least I do apologize.

Sometimes I am all thumbs, sometimes I am technology challenged, at all times I remain human.

Respectfully

Skip Bensley

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I am very thankful

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I am very thankful this thanksgiving.
I am thankful for good health and especially for finally quitting smoking.

I am thankful for family, my kids are my strength.
I am thankful that I am busy with work and still find a little time for volunteering.

I am thankful I still don’t look my age, or feel it as yet.
I am thankful for seeing friends and reconnecting with some after 20 plus years.

I am also thankful for the new friends I have made this year, you inspire me.
I am thankful that I still live in the greatest country in the world.

What are you thankful for?

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Goodbye Mr. Moose

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One of my daughters favorite places to eat has suddenly closed its doors. We went there for my birthday in fact this past November 5th and I kissed the moose with my daughter. What we didn’t know was that we were kissing Mr. Moose Good Bye for good, because Bugaboo creek’s corporate entity (CB Holdings) closed 9 restaurants in MA and in RI. It’s sad because she will miss all the moving animals, but it does explain why Timber the evergreen tree had Laryngitis for thelast two years. Good Bye Bugaboo Creek good bye Mr Moose and Timber.

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