I HATE PHONES! And demos, well they can be upsetting to say the least - as well as painful.

This has been a difficult week. I had accepted doing a demo in Walmart. It was for hand lotions (doesn't matter which but both are very popular and also a bit expensive) Knowing this, I put a negative sing. It was people do not like demos that are not food (most important) and which allows the customer to sample the product but does not give a coupon. I guess it was my attitude that kept me from taking the test until I had to (most companies do not require this but this one did) So, finally I called. The first thing asked is the code number to get you the right message.The code was 0690. It is an IVR system which repeat what you put in and you must press 1 for yes, 2 for no. THAT is the #1 reason I hate phones! I detest a list of things and you must push a certain number! Want English, push 1; spanish push 2. Want to know such and such, push 1, so forth and so on, 2, this and that 3 etc. I haven't the patienbce for that. The day I called, I put in 0690 and the voice said " you put 4694, push 1 if correct; 2 if it is not. After doing it about 10 times on 2 different phone, I was frustrating and screaming!. I enlisted my sister and being an entirely different personality from me, she loves phones and called. The first time she also got the same answer, but on the second try, she got it and so she handed the phone to me. Finally, somehow I got through it.

Yesterday morning, before leaving for the demo, I had to call and again give 0690 and yes, again it was stated as 4694! so fortunately she was here again and she got through that part and handed me the phone but other numbers I had to give also had 0's and yes, they also came out 4's on the other end. My sister made the call again and put in the numbers I had written down and that callwas finally also completed and I left for the store.

The demo was ok but very hard on me. It is a 6 hour demo - standing- except for a 1/2 hr. lunchbreak, much spent also on my feet, walking to the other side of the store to get lunch and back and waiting to put my order through and receiving iand walking back. My sit down time was reduced to about 15 minutes, without even time to stop at the restroom.

Now, a demo of 6 hours is just that but a demo of food seems to go faster because you are always busy, but any other is boring and seems 12 hours long. This was one of those. It was finished finally and I decided to come home and use the option of reporting online rather than making a call since my sister was home and there was no way I could get it through - and there is something to be said about reporting online and taking as much time as necessary. When I got out to the car though, I had to "help" my bad leg into the car - it was so stiff. Halfway though the trip, my gas light went on and I feared I wouldn't make it home and get stuck so, I had to stop and get out and pump the gas. As they say, "no rest for the weary". Got home, walked to the end of the driveway to get the mail, took the dog out for a fast trip, grabbed a cold drink and dragged up the stairs to my room and computer and guess what? There was no website to put in the report! I could not believe it. So I called a help number that there was and got a human person and asked what the corrrect site was (a typo perhaps?) She said that they were having trouble and gavce me instructions. Several hours later, I completed the report, faxed it, pasted it where needed (because my writing leaves much to be desired, and must fax again because the number that I faxed it to was also incorrect!

Phones and demos!!!!!!!!!!!! Not for a while. Perhaps by then, I'll forget this experience. I do hope they have no trouble with paying............LOL!