Taking the day off!

Jay H

PFG, Picture Framing God
Joined
Dec 8, 2003
Posts
9,908
Location
KY
Well its 2 days before Christmas and I’m taking the day off.

I’m not looking forward to the mess that will come from this. We got about 16” of snow last night and all roads are shut down and there is a state of emergency. BUT before I decided to throw in the towel I decided to make sure I wasn’t going to get the shipment I have been waiting on sense Tuesday. I called Fedex.

Jay: I was calling to find out if you will be delivering in Owensboro today.

Smart-*** Fedex “customer service” girl: (giggling) WHY WOULDN’T WE? (Long pause while she giggled and I counted to ten before meltdown) We will be running our regular schedule except holidays and Sunday.

Jay: Wow that’s amazing in 2foot of snow with all roads closed and a state of emergency! Well I’ll go to work and I had better see a truck this morning ok? OK? Hello?

Smart *** Fedex “customer service” girl: Um please hold for a minute
(holding)
(holding)
(holding)
(Still holding)
It appears we won’t be running today.

Jay: WHY WOULD YOU? Merry Christmas!

Ohh well for one day I can let the store go. I’m going to play in the snow with the kids.

Carry on.
 
Another day to be glad that we live in the Tennessee Valley. The vast majority of the time, severe weather either goes north of us or south of us.

However, when you can walk to work weather isn't a big factor, except for the occasional power outage.

Right now I walk about 20 yards to work. In a year or so, I'll simply walk upstairs... (Will that make me an "attic" framer?)

Betty
 
It looks like we’re going to be spared the storm that you got, Jay, but in our years of operating, we’ve found that the worse the weather, the busier we are.

I suspect that most people look on bad weather as a challenge and want to prove to themselves that they still have the Yankee pioneer spirit. It’s not uncommon to see cars spinning their wheels in the parking lot, jam themselves into a snow bank and enter the store with their uncovered poster and a grin on their face.

I have to admit I kind of like to go to work in inclement weather, too. There is a weird sense of camaraderie with the folks who show up in 8 inches of snow. We try to convince each other, “It’s not too bad out there”, as they track in piles of salt and sand on the carpet.

Merry Christmas!
 
Bill, you're exactly right. There seems to be some contrary part of human nature that says "I'm not gonna let death-inducing wind chill stop me". So it's 22 below and I'm on my way to work. (Even though I'd much rather spend the day in front of the fireplace reading a book.)

We'll be serving hot cidar and cookies to anyone who braves the cold and shows up.

Kit
 
I think people view it as a chance to do errands and free up the weekend (when it happens that the severe weather is on a weekday)

I haven't experienced it yet but I'm told that if the weather is bad enough to close schools Baltimore pretty much shuts down. We'll see how that goes.

Jay, enjoy your day with your kids.
 
Jay -

I can't imagine your situation. It wouldn't be too bad if it weren't 2 days before Christmas with your other shipment issues.

Mother nature threw you a curve and I think you are right to just go and enjoy playing in the snow with your kids. That in itself is a blessing.

Crazy Holiday Season!

And, Bill - you are so right about the customers coming in with the worst weather occuring.. and an unprotected piece to be framed and usually happy. Who'd figure!

Happy Holidays!
 
We got hammered here in Central Ohio. Not the 16" that Jay got, but I have about a foot of snow covered by about a 1/2" of ice. After digging out and getting into the shop, I discover a roof leak right above the drymount press. Needless to say, that's not a good thing to start the day off with.

Allen
 
We have about a foot of snow here too, with more on the way. There is a snow emergency in effect and no one is allowed on the roads except emergencies. It's just as well, because I couldn't shovel my driveway-- the snow is very heavy and mixed with ice.
The good news is that I only have two more holiday orders that haven't been picked up yet. I called the customers from home this morning. The bad news is that one of the pieces needs a matboard that was to be delivered today. All the other pieces are finished.
It's nice to have a little rest today. Hopefully tomorrow the roads will be accessible (although the temps are supposed to drop to single digits).
:cool: Rick
 
Incredible how it stopped just west of us ... this time of year, we expect to get nailed ...today, it's raining and about 55 degrees ... front door wide open, wearin' shorts, sippin' on a julep, slatherin' on the cocoa butter .... (well, not really... ;)
 
We got hammered last night also.
We got at least a foot of very heavy wet snow and temps are slated to drop into the single digits later tonight. I'll take another foot of snow before ice any day. It took me over an hour to shovel the stuff out from in front of the shop so my customers would have a place to pull up. The street parking is mostly blocked with plowed in cars and HUGE snow piles.

No customers yet today and no UPS for the moulding for that last job.

The good news is that my bike went through the white stuff quite nicely on my way in to work. Two people looked at me like I was nuts (I might be...) and two other people looked at me with envy as I scooted around their stuck-in-the-snow cars. SUV's both of 'em. Both of my customers with xmas pickups are on my way home, maybe I will become a bicycle messenger...

I took a lovely long walk last night in the thickly falling snow- while it was still fluffy- it was very peaceful and I felt that Christmas spirit all around me.

edie the waterproofbootsaremybestfriends goddess
 
You're my kinda woman, Edie!! Until you get out and enjoy&nbspthe enevitable, you really aren't enjoying life! I walked many a trip in the falling snow when I was living in "Yankeeland" just to enjoy the special quiet that a fresh snowfall creates. And, yes, I DO miss that one tiny little bit of a couple feet of fresh snow but I can't say that I miss the rest of it one bit.

They are saying that, if the conditions are right and this cold front hits down here at the same time as the moisture moves in from the Gulf, we could have some snow right here in <strike>River City</strike>&nbspFort Walton Beach! The last time they had a dusting of snow was one night back in 1993 so this would be a rare occurance for this area and one that the kids who have never seen snow will enjoy.

Framerguy
 
Even better than walking in fallinf snow is x-c skiing in it. Ever notice that those customers that have left their work there for months after you notified them usually show up when the weather turns bad? Had one lady do that to us once and then get mad because we were closed. It was blizzard white out conditions and we couldn't get into town, but she lived in town and thought that would be the perfect day to pick up her framing that had been there since August!

If we're lucky, temps here might get above zero. At least for once the sun is out. We've had alot of cloudy weather this year. Tonight is going to be a cold one though, in the minus 20 range.
 
We got hammered in Columbus. I live north of town and in Delaware county it is a level 3 snow emergency. This means they can ticket you for being out on the roads.
THe snow is in levels with the ice, about 4" of snow then 2" of ice and so on till it gets up to a foot or more.
 
I got hammered last night, and man, my head is still aching.

Oh, you meant the weather. After a nasty wet day here yesterday, it's now sunny with a high in the low 40's. I love the occasional snowstorm, but I usually have to travel to see any snow at all. That's just enough of a cold-weather fix to keep me happy.
c2dc.jpg



Boston, Christmas night, 2002
 
Same here FMDave. They said that only emergency vehicles on the road today. But I have seen a few cars slide by, stop, shovel, and head on down a little further.

I called UPS and FedEx and both say they aren't running at all. So I can't get my orders and I don't see no sense in going in! Tomorrow will be ugly.

I have a team lined up ready to help. I'll frame and somebody else will package and deliver. I hope I get them all out in time to pick up supper and head to grannies at 2pm. Wish me luck!

So far today I have shoveled my driveway and two of my neighbors. I build two igloos and watched Borne Identity (is sucks). Then I took a nap. Now I think I’m going to start on supper. I’m starting to remember what those days off felt like.
 
You guys stay warm up there.
It sounds like one **** of a winter storm!
I just heard a report that said you got a year's worth of snow in a day and next will come artic cold. Brrrrr!!!!!!!
 
Southeast of Columbus, we got a little less weather than Dave's Delaware County -- only a level 2 emergency. But the roads are a mess all over central Ohio.

The power failures here are uncommon and severe. At home it went out about 4:00 am. I woke up at the usual time, showered & shaved in the dark (what a hoot that was) and made it to the shop at about the usual time.

No electricity there, either. Fortunately our crew doesn't procrastinate, so we had most of the Christmas orders done yesterday. Working in the dark, we got almost everything due for Christmas done; thankfully, it was mostly glass, preservation mounts, and fitting.

Only six frames remaining, and they require electricity -- saw two more frames, cut one more mat on the CMC, dry mount three photos.

Having done everything we could do, we then went shopping and out to dinner.
thumbsup.gif
Power's on at home now, but at 6:00 pm, still no electricity at the shop.

Tomorrow will be a long day, and we're supposed to close at 2:00 pm. There must be 50 Christmas frames still in the finished work bins. Gail & Pat will make a round of phone calls to expectant customers; I'll go in early & finish up the orders due, if there's electricity. If not,
shrug.gif
 
Fortunately our crew doesn't procrastinate, so we had most of the Christmas orders done yesterday."

Fortunately my crew doesn't either. My customers and FedEx on the other hand.....

I just got finished making the "Its probably not going to happen" phone calls. I had to call 6 people making up a total of 18 pieces. They are all mounted and glazed. I just need to cut mats join framed and deliver. IF THE TRUCK SHOWS TODAY and I'm not too confident it will.

All but 1 1/2 people understood and was very understanding.

This is the first time in my life I have felt this way about the weather. I used to love it.

I remember in my teens hearing that a big storm was coming and so I rushed over to my girlfriends apartment. As luck would have it we got snowed in for 2 days. I loved it. The restaurant where we both worked closed also. So we were trapped in this tiny apartment. I loved it.

Now that girl and I are married with three kids and this store. I was out, this morning, with a shovel cussing and digging and trying like **** to get out of that house. Is sad really. Quite sad!

I got where I wanted to go so badly. Alone, I sit and wait on a stupid delivery truck.

Merry Christmas!
 
New England was warm, for December anyway, and rainy yesterday. Looks like others got the snow alot of people around here were hoping for. What snow we did have is all gone, and it looks like we will not be having a white Christmas this year.

I love to drive in the snow. My daughter and I were out in a raging blizzard last year doing our Christmas shopping. Four wheel drive makes it kind of fun.
 
Jay,
I feel for you! We also got hammered with ice, and capped it off with about a foot of ice. I've been telling customers for weeks that I would not be open Christmas Eve. I walked out last night leaving 2 gift wrapped orders not picked up, and a few others that the customers called and apologized, but said they would not be skidding in to get them. I don't blame them. I have no idea what happened with the 2 that didn't make it; we couldn't get either of them on the phone.

(Oh, and one "pretty day" last week, we were without power most of the day--transformer had to be replaced....that was frustrating, and threw our schedule off.)

I almost reconsidered closing today. But, I've baked 10 dozen cookies for the Mission, a Amaretto cake, still have to make a pecan pie, cheese ball and appetizers, and I've had time to visit the grumble while waiting for the timer to ding.
I'm going to watch the Christmas Story (thanks again, dnys!) later with my kids after they are worn out from sledding. Ooooh, it's good to be snowed in and not HAVE to go anywhere today, as opposed to the last two stressful days.

In spite of the weather and the slower than usual last 2 days of the season, we've had a great holiday season. I hope this trend will continue through 2005 for everyone. Merry Christmas guys!!
 
Thanks Barb.

Shipment never showed.

Monday will be ugly. I wonder what would be a good way to make it up to these people. Discounts just don’t seem appropriate. I would like to do something that really says "I'm sorry and I couldn't do anything about it." Perhaps a gift certificate to a local restaurant or something. Most of these people have been very understanding while aggravated at the same time.
 
Oy vey, Jay!
I know exactly how you feel. It is painful. No matter what you say, you look like the incompetent one.

I stop guaranteeing Xmas delivery using materials that need to be ordered a solid two weeks before The Day. I am lucky, I have a workshop with plenty of storage for length moulding and a saw and a chopper. So, the only things on which we GUARANTEE xmas delivery is on orders using in-stock materials. This also includes mats. But in my early days, when I operated out of a shoebox, I bought a chopper early on and still stashed a few favorite profiles in the corner and sold those later in December. That said, I WILL still order materials up until the last minute, I just don't guarantee them precisely because of suffering through what you just did.

Remember, 'Underpromise and Overdeliver' and you will do fine.

And nuts to the gift certificate to the local restaurant, give them a gift certificate to your joint to lure them right back into your clutches! Or maybe a mini-framed mirror or photo frame...

Just my time-tortured opinion...

Edie the stillridingmybikethroughitall goddess
 
Thanks Edie.

I didn't guarantee per say. I just said "Yea I think I can."

It all worked out well. There is a very popular restaurant here. Warren Tucker even visited and ate there on a bar-b-que tour but he didn't stop by and visit me (I wasn't open yet). They have a famous buffet. They gave me $100 worth of gift certificates for the same amount of framing. Guess my cost!

My problem with giving discounts to my own establishment is this: I have had several customers complain that Hobby Lobby screwed up their framing and offered a discount instead of fixing it. I know this isn't the same situation but I fear my customers view it the same. BTW the ex-HL clients weren't happy with the offer.

Oh well its 8pm here and I have a long night ahead of me. I got my shipment today. Gotta run.

Hey Edie didn’t a band named “The Cult” name a song after you?

Jaythe90’srocker4life

Carry on!
 
guess you guys dont want to hear about our 1/4" of snow here in south mississippi(!)It was 22 degrees Xmas Eve and sleeting. Roads closed, etc. 'cause these people DO NOT know how to drive in GOOD weather, let alone sleet. And I actually had customers wanting "last minute" stuff! Now, Monday, blue skies high in the mid 60's and nobody shows up! Go figure!
 
You can tell me about your little bit of snow. What I really don't want to hear about are blue skies and 60 degree temps. Yes, I could be a little jealous. We had blue skies this a.m. Trouble was, it was 14 degrees.

I would rather drive in alot of snow than a little any day.
 
OK now its late and I'm tired. I have just set a one day record for framing. I framed all these pieces sence 1pm. Its 10:30 now. I took this picture and noticed this "orb". I have seen shows about this on tv before. This is the first time I have seen on myself. This picture was taken in the dark and there is nothing shiny that would make this orb. CREEPY....I'm tired!

onedayrecord.jpg
 
Well, even though we didn't have any snow, only rain, we were still hammered by that snowstorm. Had a price-is-no-object customer get two pictures of Reagan and visitation card of same framed. He wanted one overnighted to California. This is on Dec 23. We packed it, went online to check charges, and sent it UPS Red for 3pm delivery. Of course it didn't make it. Hung up in Louisville for 3 days. Customer was at first upset (to say the least) So I called UPS. Piece was scheduled for delivery on Dec 28 by 7pm. I called UPS to have the charges reduced. HAHAHAHA. Not a chance. But you didn't deliver it. I'm not asking for total refund, but for reduction to ground rates. Supervisor's supervisor says no go. (Guess they use the Capital One commercials as training films...) So why then if they knew that Louisville was weathered in, why send more packages there so they can wait? No alternate routes? No disaster plans? dumb dumb dumb... and no insurance for such a disaster? And not a drop of "We'll make it up to you some way"?
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The customer however, had cooled off considerably and refused a refund on shipping saying that I was very gracious to offer to refund even when I received no satisfaction from UPS. So all's well that ends well; kept the customer anyway.
 
Ellen,

I think this is the problem in America today. Absolutely, no customer service, and furthermore, the company's do not seem to care. I see this all the time. I called Walmart to complain about their internet service, and was directed to India. Could not even understand the person on the phone. I fuss all the time about this. I shipped a frame job to Colorado and jumped through hoops to make sure that it made it for Christmas. Even called their local post office on Christmas eve to make sure it was on delivery truck. I did find USPS to be very helpful.
 
India!!India!!India Buy a dell you get India. Buy tickets for vaction they change your flight on you, you get India.
 
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