Canceling my Tribune subscription: If only getting laid off were this hard
Indeed, I tried and tried when I cancelled my Chicago Tribune subscription to explain to the customer service representative that my reasons for doing so were exceptional: I had been laid off Wednesday after 16 years at the paper, even while blogging about my recession woes through a blog called “The Recession Diaries.”
But this fellow, God love him, would not give up. He offered me discount deals not once but twice. When he asked me for an answer, I replied that I knew of a good source to help me pay to keep the subscription going, if he could help me access it : the $13.3 million in bonuses the Tribune hopes to give to its hard-working executives. (Or did I mean “hardly working”?)
Anyhow, I very quickly turned the whole thing into a video, in a nimble display of those new-media chops I believe the Tribune is paying its consultants a zillion dollars an hour to locate. And you can see it below:
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Who knows? Maybe I can get a gig as a videographer at Sam Zell’s next motorcycle roundup.
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Just watched the video Lou. It made me smile. How are you? You know, don’t you, that you were the last Tribune person I saw on my last day at the Tribune.
Oh Lou! I’m sorry to hear about your job, but this call made me laugh (kind of in that way I laugh when the doctor hurts me). It is so many things gone wrong rolled into one concise phone call.
I sort of feel bad for the call center dude, but a prank now and then keeps things lively. Well, it wasn’t really a prank. I DID lose my job and I WOULD use money from the executive bonus pool if Call Center Dude could’ve found it!
Being laid off is a strange, surreal experience and I welcomed the opp to have a laugh. But the rest of the time, there’s some existential desert to trudge through, an oasis here and there, and the ever-present hope of better things. In God’s grip, this I know…
Lou
In response to another comment. See in context »[...] So far, Lou’s been able to handle his job loss with a sense of humor — although I do feel sorry for the circulation guy he tangled with when Lou tried to cancel his Trib subscription. [...]
You haven’t heard the last of them, Lou. I cancelled after I left last August and a week later–the calls came. At night and early in the morning. I was polite for a day or two. Then I had to get mean. They finally stopped.
Lou!!
You realize the guy you were talking to had no idea what you were talking about.
You realize that guy probably wasn’t even in your town?
You realize he probably was speaking to you from New Dehli?
I want to know what you are doing to find a NEW job. Can I help in anyway?
Hi Diane: Yes, indeedy, you raise three good points. I’m a mischievous little bugger, though.
I will say this in my defense: It never occurred to me to tape the call until the call center dude kept badgering me to keep my subscription. This went on for five minutes (none of which I taped) before it finally dawned on me to whip out the Olympus DS-60 and record the call … and have a little fun with the guy.
I’m working really hard on the job leads and things are going mighty fine; this includes some book stuff that’s heated up of late. But if you have leads of any sort, I’m all ears and laptop: feedbacker@aol.com.
And I promise, I won’t try to sell you any subscriptions to anything. Enjoying your stuff on T/S!!!
Best, Lou
In response to another comment. See in context »Did you tell him you taped him? Because, you know, you don’t want to end up in the same jail as Linda Tripp.
In response to another comment. See in context »I don’t want to end up in the same ANYTHING as Linda Tripp!
In response to another comment. See in context »But this fellow, God love him, would not give up.
Probably because he himself is under threat of termination if retentions fall below a certain level.
You may very well have put this fella one step closer to a coronary.
Way to hit back at the corporate fat cats!
HILARIOUS! Lou, I laughed out loud throughout the piece, especially when you asked if the refund could be attached to your severance check! Too funny. Thanks for making my day.