When I started out blogging back in January I did not know what to expect. I thought perhaps my blog might be a kind of journal. Recording what we get up to as a family and something my parents and Sister might occupationally dip into.
When I set it up, I didn't really think too much about the name, the direction it might go or even about followers. I didn't even read any other blogs before doing it myself. I certainly didn't expect to meet so many like-minded people, make new friends or that I would get to meet them at a big event called Cybermummy! This year has been truly amazing.
I definitely didn't realise how my blog would give me a voice, the power it would offer to make me heard.
Let me show you what I mean.
Two weeks ago we had some new furniture delivered. Unfortunately it was not up to the standard we were expecting. We contacted the company - Oak Furniture Land and after several phone calls we decided to take a full refund. However, we were left feeling very unsatisfied with the situation. We felt as though we had been let down by the company and were still without the furniture we had saved so hard for.
Then I wrote a blog post. You can read it here. I sent a link to it to the Company and thought nothing more of it. I didn't write the post for a response. I wrote it because I had various feelings that I need to vent anger, frustration, disappointment etc. I thought the company should also know about our dealings with their Customer Services team.
A few days later I had a message on Twitter and my blog post saying that someone would be in touch. Sure enough they were. The Customer Services Manager rang to say that they were aware of the blog post and deeply unhappy that we were feeling the way we were and of our situation. He told me that he needed a few days but that he and the Head of Sales were going to look at the furniture we had received and would get back to me with a solution.
Two days later he rang back as promised and agreed with everything I said. He told me that they had seen the furniture and that it was definitely not to the right standard. They had discovered a faulty batch and that it was on the way back to the factory with a full report. He also told me that he recognised a training need within Customer Services and that he would put this right.
I am very happy with the way our situation has been dealt with since and would like to thank the Company for that. I managed to speak to someone sensible that has apologised for the furniture and the way we were treated. He has now put aside some new furniture which both he and the Head of Sales have physically seen and inspected for themselves and guarantee it is of the right standard. We have also kindly been given a discount for our inconvenience. We are now just waiting for a new delivery date.
However, without my blog this would not have happened. We would still be without furniture and the company would not have been aware of the faulty batch or the need for training.
This experience has shown me what a fantastic platform my blog is for making myself heard..... I never expected that!
Karen x
