I felt the need to help spread the word about Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology, since I was shocked at their truly bad customer service with regard to a penalty that they charged which was related to my late mother-in-law's illness. My wife dealt with them again today, which resulted in the following that she wrote. I think it's more powerful and compelling in her words:
"These guys took $50 from us for a "missed appointment." It was unfair, and they boldly refused to return it, clearly indicating they didn't care about losing our future business or the business of anyone who happens to read this, even after I explained that this would likely appear in many places online. After looking at the current reviews, I guess I can understand that they don't really mind one more bad one floating around out there.
Here's the story: My mother injured herself severely in March of 2007. She stayed in bed quite a bit, barely able to get to dialysis to keep herself alive. Because of a household mishap, she injured herself even worse in August of '07. That's when I took her to the hospital for surgery. She was on a lot of painkillers for her constant, excruciating pain, which made her delirious. By October of '07, she was so delirious, she needed to be hospitalized, because everyone thought she had had a stroke!
Unfortunately, during this time, she missed an appointment at Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology. Nobody knew where her calendar was, or that she had an appointment, so we had no chance of making it to the appointment. They charged us a $50 no-show fee, which my grandmother paid, because she didn't want to fight them. I held on to their letter, however, because I didn't think it was just.
I realize that waiting a long time to ask for a refund is inconvenient for businesses. However, this is a special case, in my opinion. My mother was delirious; she did get better later, but the painkillers had a terrible effect on her. Also, during the time between now and then, I have been occupied taking care of my mom, my three kids, my own illness, and my then-unborn child. Another reason I'm trying to collect this right now is that I'm now the executor of my mom's estate.
My mother was victimized by many people during her final days, and I thought that Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology would see that they had not treated us rightly, and try to rectify the situation. They did not. Their statement was that "It's only fifty dollars," but if it's such a small amount, then why not return it? When doing business with them, please ensure that you do not overpay, and that you watch how much you really need to pay them, or the same thing may happen to you.
They were willing to make life-long enemies of our family over fifty dollars, which is a small sum to them, by their statement. They hung up on me today, (twice). That is how much they value their customers. Do they not understand that, in today's economy, $50 is a significant sum to some families?"
As you can clearly see, this clinic showed no mercy with regard to this situation, which strikes me as particularly ironic considering their line of work. The sites I looked at today are filled with bad reviews for them (particularly the Yellow Pages online), so I guess we'll throw another one on the fire, so to speak.
I don't often use this platform for truly negative content, but if I can prevent them from harming others, it is well worth it. Clearly, we won't extrapolate any further than necessary, as I want to stick to the truth of our own experience.
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One of our agents listed a terrific home for sale in the Stone Canyon subdivision this week. It has some phenomenal landscaping in the back yard, along with a terrific floorplan from David Weekley Homes.
Some of the highlights:
4 Bedrooms (Master downstairs, and 3 bedrooms up)
3.5 Bathrooms
4 Living Areas (including Study/Office)
2 Dining (Breakfast & Formal)
3589 square feet per tax records
Built in 2000
Front & Back Porches
Fully Updated, Loaded w/ upgrades
Tandem 3 Car Garage
Granite Counters
Custom Cabinets
Double Ovens
5 Burner Gas Cooktop
Wood Floors
Lush Carpet
Recent Interior & Exterior Paint
Sprinkler & Security Systems
OnQ Network Wiring System
Exemplary,Blue Ribbon, Fern Bluff Elementary School
Over the past few days, I have been reading tons of updates from my friends who are attending the NAR conference in San Diego. Of course, I expected this, since I probably know several hundred of the attendees by now. I came within a hair of attending myself, then I decided that I didn't want to leave my wife alone with four kids for a week.
However, I do want to attend some conferences and events in 2010, in order to bring my social media efforts to "real life" meetings. During my time blogging and interacting online via the mainstays of new media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.), it seems like I get invited to an event every few weeks.
Here's what I have in mind for 2010 at this point:
I will be attending the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in mid-March - it's local, so that seems easy enough. I'll probably go ahead and splurge and attend some of the Film part, too, since it just seems just plain cool to me. I would do the music part, but as I am approaching 40, I have come to realize that live music isn't really my thing anymore, unless it's a big-name band that I have loved for years (think U2) or something more mellow (think acoustic).
Many of my friends will be attending the RE TechSouth event in the Atlanta area in late March, including Ken Cook (my radio co-host) and Jeremy Blanton. Since they have both become good friends, I would like to meet them in person and I have heard great things about this conference from several sources. I plan to be there.
I am strongly considering going to the NAR mid-year conference in May in Washington, DC. Even if I don't attend the event, I think we will make a trip to that area as a family. I have never been, nor have my kids. There are a number of things I would like to see, most notably the Smithsonian, so we are likely going. My wife is already excited about this one.
Lastly, since next year's big NAR conference is in New Orleans, this is a no-brainer for me. I have been to New Orleans several times, though it's been about 20 years since my last visit, if memory serves. That is an easy drive - I will be there, too.
I have a feeling that someone will be organizing at least one RE Barcamp in Texas in 2010 - if so, count me in. I don't know that I have time to be the primary organizer, but I would love to attend, and I would be happy to help promote it, too. :-)
I hope to have the chance to meet many of you in the upcoming year. One of my friends told me awhile back that I am a "super-networker". If this is indeed true, the time has come for me to put those skills to use!
Thanks for reading, as always.
Photo credit: Jeff Turner (I'm in the picture - can you find me?)
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Recently, I bought a handful of social media books via Amazon. Since I have been doing some consulting and teaching on the side, I thought this would be a worthy investment. I intend to review each of them here on my blog. First up is "Crush It!" by Gary Vaynerchuk. If you're not familiar with Gary, he started WineLibrary.tv, which is his video blog wherein he gives his (very) honest opinion about various wines. This may sound boring to you, but I would urge you to check it out. You can feel Gary's enthusiasm coming off of the screen.
Using this tool, Gary took his family-owned liquor store from $4 million to over $60 million per year in sales. Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. He is @garyvee on Twitter, where he has amassed a simply huge entourage, with over 850,000 followers as of this writing.
Why? Well, there are a number of reasons:
Frankly, people want to know how to make a lot of money like he did
He has an engaging personality
He actually makes an attempt to respond to others on Twitter, unlike most "celebrities"
His passion for wine has taken him to a number of appearances on national television, including one very notable segment with Conan O'Brien where he managed to get Conan to eat a cigar and dirt while explaining wine flavors.
When I received "Crush It!" via UPS on my front porch,I was a little dismayed that it wasn't thicker (i.e. more pages). My concern was soon allayed as I waded in and started reading.
Much like watching Gary speak, this book has an energetic tone that you don't find in most business-related books. In fact, I'm not sure if I would categorize this strictly as business. It's a morale builder.
In essence, the thesis of Gary's book is this: It takes a LOT of hard work to make a LOT of money. With that in mind, why not work doing something you really are passionate about?
Gary also emphasizes the importance of loving your family above the work, which I certainly appreciate as a father of four and husband of nearly 17 years.
Upon finishing, I was happy to conclude/realize that in many ways I have already been on the right track with my social media efforts over the past couple of years, although reading this book and a few others has led me to start working on a couple of outside projects/sites, too. My guess is that this book will have a tremendous impact on people who are languishing in jobs they hate.
The book is a relatively quick read, and you will find the story to be a compelling one. Raised in New York in a Russian immigrant family, Gary's tale is a modern, web-based version of the American Dream.
Thanks for channeling your passion into this book, Gary. I hope to crush it myself starting....now.
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One of our agents listed a unit in the Spring Condominiums yesterday. This luxury high-rise condo in downtown Austin features some phenomenal upgrades and a beautiful and relaxing view of the hill country.
Features:
One bedroom, one bath
565 square feet per tax records
Complete Bosch kitchen appliance package
16th Floor unit with Premium SW views overlooking the hill country & Lady Bird Lake
Gas range/cooktop
Hardwood and tile flooring
Granite Counters
Glass tile backsplash
Quick access to downtown for work or play
Building features rooftop pool
Very near Sixth Street entertainment district & lots of live music!
Don't miss this opportunity to live in the heart of the action, near the hike and bike trail, State Capitol, and the party district, too!
If you are interested in setting up an appointment to view this particular unit, please call Matthew Layman at 512-771-0754 (cell).
I just listed a home in Georgetown yesterday that I hope to sell very quickly. It's a quaint cottage located just 2-3 blocks from the town square. It's walking distance to several restaurants, a coffee shop, the Palace Theater, banks, and several stores.
The tax records indicate that it was built in 1890, although the owners think it was probably the 1930's.
Some of the key features:
2 Bedrooms, 2 Full Bathrooms
1379 square feet per WCAD
Original long leaf pine flooring in some rooms
Lots of built-ins
Wall of bookshelves with rolling ladder, just like in the movies!
Large formal dining room
High ceilings
Nice-sized kitchen with modern appliances
Utility room
Sun porch was enclosed to create more living space
Shaded backyard
Huge front porch perfect for relaxing or entertaining
If you are considering a move to the Austin/Georgetown area, you might be interested in reading my online relocation package here: Austin Texas Relocation Package
When I was a kid, I used to spend a lot of time at my grandparents' house. They lived nearby, and I later realized what a blessing this was for me, since I really got to know them. When I was over there, I had a different set of friends from my own house. They were a little rougher around the edges than the kids in my own neighborhood, frankly.
Rather than delving into stories about them (and believe me, there are stories), I wanted to talk a bit about one of our favorite activities when I was 10-12 years old: Exploring the Creek.
Believe me, it was even less sophisticated than it sounds. In fact, we didn't even name it. We just spent a good portion of the day walking along the creek as far as we dared to venture before turning around and heading home. Sometimes, the creek was quite full, and we would dread returning home with mud up to our waists. Other days, it was more dry and we would go to the pond part and skip rocks. I am still a champion rock skipper, in case you were curious. It's an acquired skill. :)
Rarely did we encounter anything truly dangerous during our excursions, and these memories are almost all happy ones for me, except for the time my friend Marc Newman shot me with a BB gun in the leg for no apparent reason.
Where am I headed with this?
Well, my own social media journey started right here on ActiveRain in 2007. Since then, I have developed an almost academic interest in this topic. My friends here have led me to lots of other sites, each of which has been productive to varying degrees. Some of them are certainly more "social" than "media", I suppose, but that's okay. Some "gurus" will tell you to concentrate on finding and befriending others in your industry or your local area, which is sound advice, but I don't think there's any reason to limit yourself. In my business, everyone has the ability to refer a buyer or seller to me, right?
If you are just finding your blogging legs, so to speak, I applaud you for making the jump into an unfamiliar landscape. If you are a seasoned veteran, this post may not speak to you as much.
I would encourage you to "explore the creek" from time to time when it comes to social media. There are a lot of different paths, and most of them will provide some measure of fun and learning. You will find your own favorite spots as you dive in. You can stick to the well-worn path, of course, but I assure you that a bit of courage will go a long way.
After all, you probably won't even end up covered in mud, unless you choose to do so.
Last year, I wrote about our outing to see "Carmen" at the Long Center for the Performing Arts, which is located on the southern edge of downtown Austin. As a result, we ended up getting season tickets for this year. Last night, I took my son to see "La Boheme". My wife would have gone, but it's a little trickier when you have a seven-month old baby who doesn't yet take a bottle.
We had a great time, and I have to re-state that I think the Austin Lyric Opera puts on an absolutely top-notch show. The Long Center itself is a beautiful facility with a dramatic view of the downtown skyline. Outside, they have a large, open, rounded patio with a smaller underlit section that's fun for photos and just for playing. It reminds me a little bit of the disco floor from "Saturday Night Fever".
I hadn't seen this show before, so I had to read up on it ahead of time in the program to make sure I knew the basic story line. That being said, one of my favorite things about seeing a foreign-language opera at the Long Center is.........the subtitles. It sure makes it a lot easier to track what's happening when you can read the English version. :) You can probably see the small screen above the stage here:
I dressed up for the first time in a long while (see photo). I made my wife take a quick picture to prove that I still knew how to wear a tie. After seeing this picture, I am halfway motivated to wear a jacket more often.
Overall, it was a really fun time with my kid, and I look forward to the next one, which is in early January.
I hope you enjoy the pics! I didn't have a camera, so these were taken with my iPhone.
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Yes, I realize that it's been a week and a half since Halloween.
Sorry it took me so long to get around to sharing the picture below. My son was dressed as Mario, and my oldest daughter is a mermaid. Our three-year old is Sleeping Beauty, and our 6-month old (seven months old today!) is dressed as some sort of flower fairy. I am dressed as a real estate broker. Clever, huh?
Couple of highlights:
We went to see my wife's grandmother in the assisted living place, and the people there thought that my son was dressed as a train conductor: "Hey, train man!" Needless to say, he didn't know they were talking to him.
The older kids' stamina seems to get a bit longer each year, although now we have to balance that will two smaller kids, which means our new double stroller is a must.
My three-year old daughter got a huge haul of candy, largely by lingering near the door while multiple rounds of kids approached and left. We didn't figure this out until later, but I think she got several "doses" at some doors. :)
Every Halloween since 2003, I am reminded of when my oldest daughter first went trick or treating - she caught on very quickly, and her catch phrase was simple and to the point: "Gimme.....candy."
I think next year, I may dress up again, since I will be 40 then and I will have even less shame than now.
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Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
2010 at this point:
, frankly. 
;)
;)
