The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep?

Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:

My best consumer experience: Customer service at one Verizon Wireless store

 

Although I’m satisfied with the cell phone I bought several years ago, I’m considering getting a new one because the one I have emits a fairly high level of radiation. See the article "Are You Using a Cell Phone That Emits High Levels of Radiation" to find out how to tell how your cell phone ranks in emissions.

When I went to the Verizon Wireless store in Lacey, Wash., to shop for a new cell phone, the customer service was good. When you walked in, it was clear that you needed to sign up at a computer screen to get in line for an appointment.

A customer service representative walked around and talked to the consumers who were waiting. He was able to answer questions for people who needed information but weren’t ready to sign up for plans.

He told me that since Verizon wants me to sign a two-year contract, several free phones are available to me online. If I signed up again at a Verizon store, I’d have to pay sales tax.

My worst consumer experience: Customer service at another Verizon Wireless location

In Olympia, Wash., Verizon has a kiosk-type outlet in one of the malls. I went there to shop for a new cell phone.

I waited a half hour before I figured out that you had to sign up for an appointment. The employees didn’t make eye contact with consumers who walked up. I waited for an additional hour and a half before my appointment came up. When people arrived at the kiosk, I told them about the sign in procedure. They were thankful someone informed them about it.

When I finally got my turn, the sales associate told me that I couldn’t get a free phone. I found that surprising since Verizon had been mailing me information about free phones. I left and went to the Verizon store described above.

I’ve been satisfied with my Verizon service, and Verizon gets higher ratings for coverage and fewer dropped calls than its competitors. However, I’m disappointed by the phones they offer for sale in terms of their emissions.

In the rankings by the Environmental Working Group, Verizon didn’t have one phone on the top 10 list of the cell phones with the least emissions.

The top phone on the list is the Samsung Impression SGH-a877. It’s sold by AT&T. I don’t think I’d like being an AT&T customer.

I checked the database for the top 10 Verizon phone in terms of emissions. Most of them are BlackBerries and SmartPhones. I don’t want one of those due to the extra charges for the Internet.

What to do?

I guess I’ll think it over for a while.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep?



Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:



My best consumer experience: Balancing my checkbook

My paycheck came in this week and so did my mortgage payment. I balanced my checkbook.

I sat down and paid my bills. Then I balanced my checkbook again.

There wasn’t much money left. A good thing to know to keep from getting overdraft charges.

I belong to a credit union and have an overdraft protection plan. The fee for checks is only $2, but I still want to avoid a series of those charges.

Many banks are hiking overdraft fees along with other fees and interest rates.

Some banks charge as much as $39 when customers overdraw their bank account by even a few dollars.

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My worst consumer experience: Trying to figure out Verizon’s cell phone offers

When I learned that my cell phone is on the high end of the scale in terms of the radiation it emits, I decided it’s time for a new cell phone. See the article “Are You Using a Cell Phone That Emits High Levels of Radiation?” for information about cell phone ratings by the Environmental Working Group.

I checked out the iPhones, and disappointedly, they’re also on the high end of the scale. Beside, if I bought an iPhone, I’d have to deal with AT&T.

Verizon has given me good service, so I’d like to stay with them.

When I saw I could get a Blackberry for free if I signed up a two-year Verizon contract, I was excited. And, more importantly, the BlackBerry in the ad was on the low end of the radiation emissions scale.

When I called Verizon, my hopes were dashed. You have to pay a $30 monthly charge for a data package if you get a BlackBerry. That would make my cell phone costs about $75 a month, which is too costly.

Verizon should certainly put this information in its ads. It felt like “bait and switch” advertising.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Journalist

What were the best and worst consumer experiences you had this week?

Recently, I launched a best and worst consumer experience feature on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.

I think looking weekly at these experiences helps us learn from our successes and mistakes.

Here are my most and least successful consumer transactions for this week:

My best consumer experience: Finding masks to wear on the airplane

When I to Walgreens to look for masks to wear on upcoming airline flights, I found a package of the usual thin masks that I’d seen before.

The sales associate told me there were others at another location. I couldn’t find them, but she directed me to the right area.

I found two masks by US Germicide Technologies Inc. that said they would protect the wearer against swine flu, avian flu, seasonal flu strains, and other germs.

I’m glad I persisted and found the better masks. I’ll try them on my trip and see how they work.

My best consumer experience: A bothersome cell phone user

My trip to the post office was going well. The line was short, and I was about to have my turn.

Then a woman entered, got in line, and began talking loudly on her cell phone. She complained about how hot the post office was and gave a friend or relative advice about what she should do about people in her family moving.

Suddenly, the man behind me turned around and left the building. The woman moved right up next to me and continued talking loudly.

Finally I had my turn. Before I left, I spoke to the woman and told her that her cell phone conversation had been disruptive. She said she was sorry. I appreciated her apology.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What were the best and worst consumer experiences you had this week?

Recently, I launched a best and worst consumer experience feature on The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.

I think looking weekly at our best and worse experiences as consumers will help us learn from our successes and mistakes.

Each week, we have dozens of consumer happenings, some good and some bad.

Here’s one each of mine for this week:

My best consumer experience – Eating vegetables from my garden

Although I ran into some problems trying to figure out how to build a raised bed garden, I finally was able to get it constructed with help from a friend.

That was six weeks ago. Now I’m eating vegetables from my garden – Swiss chard, kale, and crookneck squash.

It’s terrific. I’m making a big effort this year to grow more of my own food to cut my grocery bill and reduce the amount of energy it takes to ship food.

My worst consumer experience – Failure to resolve a billing dispute with Comcast

When I signed up for Comcast, I received a bundled “deal” of $33 for high speed Internet, $33 for phone service including long distance, and $33 for cable television.

When the deal ran out, I was able to get it extended. However, the amount the Comcast supervisor told me to pay on my bill was wrong.

When I received my next bill, it had extra charges on it for $34 that hadn’t been properly credited.

I talked to a customer service representative who said impolitely that the bill was correct. No credit could be given. I asked to talk to his supervisor. The supervisor wasn’t available, but was to call me back. It never happened.

Several days later, I called again. Another representative, again impolitely, insisted nothing could be done about the bill. I asked to talk with the supervisor.

The supervisor listened politely, but wouldn’t adjust the bill. I told her how impolite the customer service representatives were. She said she would speak to the one I had just talked with.

Then I gave up. It wasn’t worth spending any more time on it. A disappointment.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What do you think of Wired Magazine’s new rules for the digital age?

Wired Magazine has mulled over the complex computer and cell-phone world and come up with 70 new tips for best practices for consumers.

These are among the ideas in its article, “How to Behave: New Rules for Highly Evolved Humans”:

• Don’t Google-stalk before a first date.

• Don’t blog or tweet anything with more than half a million hits.

• Delete unwanted posts from your Facebook wall.

• Meet online friends in the real world.

• Texting in the company of others is O.K.

• Never broadcast your relationship status.

• Don’t lie with your Facebook photo.

• Friend your boss and coworkers on Facebook

• Leave your Wi-Fi open so others can use it.

• There’s no such thing as too many friends.

• You can reinvent yourself online.

• Ignore your ex on Facebook.

• Don’t hesitate to haggle on Craigslist.

• Never unfollow someone just because they unfollowed you.

• Don’t send out a follow-up e-mail apologizing for a typo in a previous e-mail.

• List your high school on Facebook, not in LinkedIn.

• Give credit when repeating tweets and blog posts.

What do you think? Are these suggestions worthwhile? Did Wired miss the mark on some of them?

To leave a comment, click on Comments below and write in the space provided.

For details on each tip, click here.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Is the Internet interfering with your family life?

Americans spend 32.7 hours a week online.

As a result, they’re spending less time with their families.

In a survey, 28 percent of Americans said they’ve been spending less time with members of their households, the Annenberg Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California reports. That's nearly triple the 11 percent who said that in 2006.

A 10-year-old girl told how her dad spends a lot of the little time he has at home on the computer, on the NPR program “Daddy, What’s a Facebook?” She described how her little brother throws tantrums to get his dad’s attention when he’s using the computer so long.
 
What’s happening in your home? Are your family relationships being affected negatively by computer use? Is the problem worse since Facebook and Twitter have become so popular?

Do you have limits on how much teens can use the computer? Do your teens have their own laptops?

Write a comment below and let me know if soaring Internet use is causing squabbles in your home.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison

The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide Recall of the Week: Samsung ‘Jitterbug’ cell phones

About 160,000 Samsung "Jitterbug" cell phones are being recalled, reports the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Manufactured by Samsung Telecommunications America, of Richardson, Texas, and distributed by GreatCall d/b/a Jitterbug, of San Diego, Calif., the recalled cell phones that are in a no-service area and display an "out of range, try again later" message could fail to connect to emergency 911.

This recall involves Jitterbug cell phones model numbers SPH-a110 and SPH-a120 with standard key pads and version BB14 software.

No other Samsung wireless phones or software versions are included in this recall, the commission advised.

 

Manufactured in Korea, the cell phones were sold directly to consumers through targeted national advertisements and publications, at electronics and drug stores nationwide, and on the Web at www.jitterbug.com from March 2008 through May 2009 for about $150.

Samsung and Jitterbug are directly contacting consumers to schedule a free software upgrade. Consumers should call Samsung if they haven’t already been contacted.

For additional information, call Samsung toll-free at 866-304-4980 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and on Saturday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.samsung.com.

For more information on recent recalls, visit www.Recalls.gov.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide recall of the week: Certain ‘Spyder’ cell phones

About 30,000 LG 830 “Spyder” cell phones, manufactured in Korea and imported by LG Electronics MobileComm USA Inc. of San Diego, Calif., are being recalled because they can have difficulty sustaining a connection or have poor voice quality on calls to emergency 911.

The firm has received one report of a motorist in a disabled car who was able to dial 911, but the call was dropped because the network had difficulty establishing a GPS lock on the phone. No injuries have been reported.

The recall involves LG 830 “Spyder” touch-screen slider cell phones with software versions T83LGV03 and T83LGV04, which were sold for use with the following regional wireless carriers: Cellular South, Cellcom, Bluegrass Cellular, Centennial de Puerto Rico, Appalachian Wireless, Illinois Valley Cellular, Northwest Missouri Cellular, Inland Cellular, Leaco, Golden State Cellular, Thumb Cellular, Silver Star Communications, and Nex-Tech Wireless.

The cell phone model number can be found underneath the battery. The software version can be verified by going into the menu of the cell phone, selecting “Settings” then “Phone Information” then “Version.” No other LG cell phones, software versions, or wireless carriers are included in this recall.

The phones were sold at various cellular dealers in Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Washington state, and Wisconsin from September 2008 through November 2008 for about $200.

Consumers have been or are being contacted by their wireless carrier or LG Electronics MobileComm to schedule a free software upgrade. Please contact your wireless carrier if you haven’t been contacted yet.

For additional information, contact your wireless carrier or LG Electronics MobileComm at 800-793-8896 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at mobilephones.us.lge.com.

For more information on recent recalls, see www.Recalls.gov.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What President Obama and Congress need to do for American consumers

In my last post, I looked at what President Obama said in his Inaugural address about consumer issues and discussed the challenges he faces in corralling the country’s strong special interests.

Here’s what I think Obama, working with Congress, needs to accomplish for American consumers:

• Find a solution to the country’s massive financial problems.

• Help consumers who are facing foreclosure of their homes.

• Find effective ways to create jobs.

• Establish a health care system that works and provides coverage for all Americans.

• Curb the excesses of the pharmaceutical industry by putting a lid on their profits, investigating the harmful side effects of prescription drugs that are injuring and killing people, and fostering the use of less harmful alternative medicine techniques.

• Act quickly to halt the excessive fees and interest rates being charged by banks and credit card companies.

• Stop poor lending practices by banks and mortgage companies.

• Establish better regulation of financial services.

• Fund nonindustry-sponsored research on approaches for clean energy and implement programs based on the research.

• Reestablish the White House Special assistant for consumer affairs and/or create a federal consumer protection agency.

• Restore the budgets of federal regulatory agencies including the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Food and Drug Administration, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• Enhance the regulatory functions of these agencies so that our food, consumer products, and drugs are safe.

• Develop creative and effective ways for citizens to be involved in the decision-making of these agencies.

• Restore trust in the work of the federal government and its processes.

• Insist on transparency in all the work of the federal government including the regulatory agencies and White House staff.

• Ban the direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs on television, in magazines, and on the Internet.

• Ban, establish a moratorium, or least require the labeling of genetically modified food.

• Require irradiated food to be labeled.

• Work with Congress to develop regulatory processes that will prevent the excesses under the George W. Bush administration that caused the collapse of the housing market and the stock market.

• Enhance environmental protections.

• Adequately fund programs for seniors including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

• Assist local and state governments in preparing for the needs of baby boomers as they age.

• Work to eliminate poverty and homelessness.

• End the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan so that money will be available for domestic programs.

• Support a congressional investigation of the crimes of the George W. Bush administration that will lead to the filing of charges against those who broke the law.

• Review recent telecommunication laws in terms of how they meet the needs of consumers.

• Figure out whether cell phones are safe to use and, if they’re found to be harmful, mandate that they be safe.

• Improve mass transportation throughout the nation.

• Work with local governments and the states to create compact, walkable communities so that Americans can walk to work and shopping areas.

I know this is a huge agenda, but American consumers are in need of drastic assistance after the gutting of consumer and environmental protections during the George W. Bush administrations.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Cancer institute director urges people to limit cell phone use to reduce cancer risks

Ronald H. Herberman, M.D., director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, sent a memo recently to students and faculty members at the university urging everyone to limit their cell phone use to avoid increasing their risk of developing cancer.

Herberman believes that a solid connection between cell phone use and cancer is years away, but he still cautions people to keep their cell phone use to a minimum to decrease the risk of future health complications, including brain cancer.

“We shouldn’t wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later,” he said in an article on Blogger News Network.

In his memo, Herberman stressed the importance of keeping cell phones away from the head and using the speakerphone or hands-free speaker when possible. Cell phones emit electromagnetic radiation, which some scientists claim can lead to cancerous brain tumors. He also stated that children should restrict their cell phone use to emergencies only, as their brains are still developing.

Devra Lee Davis, M.D., director of the university’s Center for Environmental Oncology, agreed with Herberman’s warnings.

For details on Herberman's recommendations, see the article “Do Cell Phones Cause  Cancer? University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Expert Says ‘Yes.'”

For more information on the dangers of cell phones use, see my article "Is Your Cell Phone Safe?"

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist