Eat this

This was originally going to be a post about how I'm starting Ani Phyo's 15-day raw, vegan cleanse. You know, the kind where I tell you what I'm doing so that a) I have “accountability” and b) you might choose to join me. What fun we could have, being hungry together (I joke. One is not supposed to be hungry, though I do find myself missing chewing a bit).

Anyway, today is my official Day One, but that's not what I'm writing about. What I'm writing about is Customer Service. Perhaps Apple has spoiled us all, but it seems to me like there are companies who get it, and those who don't. Unfortunately Vitamix, the company who makes my 30-day-old, very overpriced blender, does not.

I've gone through a lot of inexpensive blenders. I make smoothies almost daily and after a year or two the cheaper blender's motors just burn out. This time, after much nail biting, I decided to pony up for a blender that was reputed to hold up. Honestly, I debated between Vitamix and Blendtec, but the fact that the Vitamix was less loud (they're both loud) was what sold me.

So, after a month of successful smoothie making, I was ready to embark on a dietary journey. Fifteen days of raw, vegan food, largely blended (solely for the first 3 days). I read the recipes, I shopped for my produce. I timed it for when David would be traveling, as it's easier to do this sort of thing when I don't have to watch someone else get to chew their food.

And then, out of nowhere, my brand new Vitamix died.

Did I freak out? Perhaps, but only briefly. Then I called Vitamix. And I called again. And I called a third time, which was when I got to speak to someone who had the ability to help me. What I wanted was for her to say she'd ship out a replacement tomorrow. That she felt my pain. Instead she said I'd have to send the broken one to them (they'd pay for Ground shipping, but I'd have to pay myself for Express). She'd send a return label which had to be printed on a color printer, or it'd be considered a fake. She did say they'd expedite the repair and would express it back to me. If all went well, I'd have my old one back in a week. But I didn't want my old one back. An expensive blender with a 5-year warranty shouldn't die one month out, and I wanted her to acknowledge that.

I made it clear that I was not happy with this solution, but she was adamant that that was the best that could be done.

Still with me? Almost there.

Then I called Amazon (through whom I bought the blender). I spoke to a happy-sounding woman named Stephanie, who listened to my whole sob story and then said “Can I just make you really happy?” Um, yes please?  Then she told me she was overnighting me a new blender. And she said the return label for the old one could be printed in black & white. I offered to marry her.

So yes, I am doing the 15-day Fat Blast (unfortunate name). I wish I wasn't having to depend on a Vitamix (go for the Blendtec) but I couldn't be happier with Amazon's service. Nice to know there are still some companies who get it.