Cookie Mobster - July 15, 2017
Oh my goodness! I’ve become a con artist in my older age. OK, maybe not full-fledged because a con artist is unlikely to reveal her evil ways to the world. Still…
How did it start? Well, Laur and I were having a sandwich made by our favourite sandwich artist, Carolyn, in Sudbury, when she stated, “You know. If you pay for each sandwich separately, you can each send in a review of our store.”
No problemo. We received over-the-top excellent service – Caro, like me, is a customer service junkie. This is an addiction we inherited from Granny Marj and it’s a good obsession to have.
Laurence and I returned to our hotel room and dutifully filled in the customer service survey. There is a certain, “Ah…” feeling that comes of filling in a positive report and sending it. But this was nothing compared to the “Wowee wow wow” feeling of getting an email that tells you that you have earned a FREE Subway cookie. Both of us!
Laur and I picked up our free cookies when we picked up Caro from work. I picked Smartie and Laur picked chocolate chip. Now the problem was, what to do with these cookies. Laur can’t eat them because he is trying to watch his weight, and I cannot have chocolate because I can’t stop eating it once I start. Another tendency I inherited from my mom, except she knows when enough is enough. I don’t have an “off” button for chocolate.
Who do we know that doesn’t have a weight problem and has someone around to monitor what she eats and who loves cookies? Our granddaughter Emma! Great – one cookie to her from Aunt Caro, and one from Uncle Jeremy (Caro’s sweetheart).
One problem. Emma’s “adopted” older brother, Monty, who shares an apartment with Caro and Jer has not been included in this equation (Cookies + Emma = Joy). No worries, I’ll simply buy another cookie – which I did when I got back to St. Catharines. Just one cookie, and I still got an opportunity to review this Subway location.
Was that the right thing to do? It was only one cookie. Still, the server was lovely, the place was spotless… How could I not send in a positive customer review? (By the way, I’m also a survey junkie. Folks who work in the service industry – hotels, food, clothing, dancing on hands, etc. – normally only hear when the customer has a bone to pick. I want to do my bit to even the score – even if just a little.)
I did, and tra-da. Another free cookie offer! What? If I keep this up, for every 85-cent cookie I buy at Subway, I’ll get a free one – if I fill out the customer survey. I’ve been looking for a meaningful hobby – might this be it? I could leave them on the “free” table in my seniors building with a happy face note. (Smile cookie note? No, that’s Tim Hortons.)
A friend of mine, who is also a senior, once told me, “There are four things you need to know about seniors.
1. They have lots of time on their hands,
2. they love to eat,
3. they are frugal, and
4. they love to complain.”
Perfect! I can hear it now…
1. “Wonder if there are any free cookies today? Let’s have a wander and take a look.”
2. “Cookies!”
3. “And they are free.”
4. “But they’re not as good as cookies used to be…”
How did it start? Well, Laur and I were having a sandwich made by our favourite sandwich artist, Carolyn, in Sudbury, when she stated, “You know. If you pay for each sandwich separately, you can each send in a review of our store.”
No problemo. We received over-the-top excellent service – Caro, like me, is a customer service junkie. This is an addiction we inherited from Granny Marj and it’s a good obsession to have.
Laurence and I returned to our hotel room and dutifully filled in the customer service survey. There is a certain, “Ah…” feeling that comes of filling in a positive report and sending it. But this was nothing compared to the “Wowee wow wow” feeling of getting an email that tells you that you have earned a FREE Subway cookie. Both of us!
Laur and I picked up our free cookies when we picked up Caro from work. I picked Smartie and Laur picked chocolate chip. Now the problem was, what to do with these cookies. Laur can’t eat them because he is trying to watch his weight, and I cannot have chocolate because I can’t stop eating it once I start. Another tendency I inherited from my mom, except she knows when enough is enough. I don’t have an “off” button for chocolate.
Who do we know that doesn’t have a weight problem and has someone around to monitor what she eats and who loves cookies? Our granddaughter Emma! Great – one cookie to her from Aunt Caro, and one from Uncle Jeremy (Caro’s sweetheart).
One problem. Emma’s “adopted” older brother, Monty, who shares an apartment with Caro and Jer has not been included in this equation (Cookies + Emma = Joy). No worries, I’ll simply buy another cookie – which I did when I got back to St. Catharines. Just one cookie, and I still got an opportunity to review this Subway location.
Was that the right thing to do? It was only one cookie. Still, the server was lovely, the place was spotless… How could I not send in a positive customer review? (By the way, I’m also a survey junkie. Folks who work in the service industry – hotels, food, clothing, dancing on hands, etc. – normally only hear when the customer has a bone to pick. I want to do my bit to even the score – even if just a little.)
I did, and tra-da. Another free cookie offer! What? If I keep this up, for every 85-cent cookie I buy at Subway, I’ll get a free one – if I fill out the customer survey. I’ve been looking for a meaningful hobby – might this be it? I could leave them on the “free” table in my seniors building with a happy face note. (Smile cookie note? No, that’s Tim Hortons.)
A friend of mine, who is also a senior, once told me, “There are four things you need to know about seniors.
1. They have lots of time on their hands,
2. they love to eat,
3. they are frugal, and
4. they love to complain.”
Perfect! I can hear it now…
1. “Wonder if there are any free cookies today? Let’s have a wander and take a look.”
2. “Cookies!”
3. “And they are free.”
4. “But they’re not as good as cookies used to be…”