Service Care Blog

Christmas memories 2009

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:14:00 +0000

All the decorations are down (of course), but I thought I would post this picture of all the postcards we received from family & friends (which includes customers and vendors, of course).

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I'm just glad I got to spend so much time with my extended family.

Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos- State of the City address

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:04:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter -

HOOVER — Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos gave a State of the City address at the Hoover Chamber luncheon Dec. 17, speaking about advances the city has made in the past year and goals for the year to come.

One of the first things he spoke about was the quest to get a hospital located within Hoover.

“A year ago, we were working hard to get a hospital in the city of Hoover,” he said. “We are still working towards that.”

Read the entire article here.

Pelham High School Siblings in Macy's Parade

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:39:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter:

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade has been a family tradition for the Burnside family for many years.

The family watches the parade on television each year, but this year they will have a much closer view this Thanksgiving as daughter Kaitlyn, a Pelham High School senior, has been chosen as the first-ever student drum major, while brother Andrew, a PHS freshman, will also march in the parade.

“I’m ecstatic,” said father Jeff, who is the PHS band director and will serve as a parent chaperone alongside wife Katy, who is also a teacher at PHS.

Read the entire article here.

Small business get a break? (Hope so).

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:04:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter

Don't get too excited, there are restrictions. But it's our hope that this will filter out to all Alabama small businesses and help keep our state growing and reduce unemployment.

Read the entire article here.

Spain Park graduate joins Alabama golf program.

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:59:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter

University of Alabama women's golf coach Mic Potter announced the signing of Spain Park High School senior Hannah Collier to a national letter-of-intent on Friday.

Collier won the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A individual championship in 2009.

Read the rest of the article here.

Delicious way to help cure cancer? Yep.

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:24:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter:

Robin Howell at La Reunion Coffee in Helena can’t bake her giant cream cheese frosted cinnamon rolls fast enough this week.

La Reunion and a long list of other restaurants have banded together with the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center for the Sweet on a Cure fundraiser.

Through Nov. 15, participating restaurants will provide 100 percent of their proceeds from select desserts cancer research.

Read the entire article here.

Shelby county kids take wing Nov. 14

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:30:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter:

Area youth will get a chance to take to the skies for free Nov. 14, as pilots at the Shelby County Airport will be volunteering their aircraft to share the flight experience.

Pilots will be taking children ages 8-17 into the air from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. as part of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles program.

“It’s definitely a fun deal,” said Johnny Ward, the local EAA chairman. “We just do this to introduce young people to aviation.”

---------

Sounds pretty cool to me. I imagine this might inspire a few of the young aviators to pursue a career in the skies, or at least dream about it.

Read the rest of the article here.

Service should make you smile

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:02:00 +0000

When you allow a servicer into your home to repair your appliances or televisions, you are probably hoping that the servicer will be nice, won't damage your home, and will do what is required to repair your appliance or television at a fair price.

I think you should expect more.

I believe the service should leave you with a smile on your face, happy that you chose that particular repair technician to take care of your problem. It shouldn't just be a checkmark on a list of to-do items, it should lead you to think "I'm really glad that I called that company for service, it was a great experience."

Some of the things that make me smile are when the technician goes above and beyond regular service, and really shows that he cares about my problems by his actions (not just his words).

At a bare minimum, you want to feel comfortable with the technician in your home.

But wouldn't it be much nicer if you felt like that technician was a welcome guest in your home, somebody that you were happy to have in there?

I think so, and I'm sure you do, too.

What are the little (or BIG) things that a technician or servicer has done that has put a smile on your face? I'd really like to know, because I'd really like our technicians to do those things that put smiles on people's faces.

Feel free to comment, and tell us what a service man can do to make you smile.

Berry (Hoover) teacher wins Milken National Educator award

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:42:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter:

HOOVER — Berry Middle School Teacher Dilhani Uswatte found herself pleasantly surprised Wednesday morning by a schoolwide assembly in her honor.

The Milken Family Foundation named the eighth–grade math teacher a Milken National Educator and awarded here with a $25,000 check.

Principal Kathleen Wheaton said Unswatte works to ensure her students understand math, not just memorize it.

Read the entire article here.

It's not just little old ladies they try to scam... Part 2

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:21:00 +0000

See Part 1, or you will be a little lost as to what I'm talking about:

Okay, at last post, I had replied to our possible business contact (or scammer) and we were wondering if he would give us more information.

Here is the reply:

-----Original Message-----
>From: Terry Lane 
>Sent: Oct 2, 2009 12:27 AM
>To: Toxey McDavid 
>Subject: Re: Appliance Refrigerator repair inquiry
>
>Hello Toxey,
>Thanks for your mail, well this are what needed to be done on each appliance
>below:
>
> REFRIGERATOR:
>
>Not as cold as usual
>Not cold at all
>Frozen in the freezer side
>and warming up in the fridge side
>Frosting up?
>Pooling water or ice on the floor
>Whistling, warbling, chirping, clicking, buzzing or making other funny
>noises
>
>
>IS YOUR DRYER:
>
>Too hot
>Not as hot as it should be
>Not heating at all
>Getting warm, but just not drying as well as it used to? Or not drying at
>all
>Not doing anything
>Rumbling, rattling, squeaking, clacking,
>or making grinding or other noises
>
>WASHER:
>
>Not spinning
>Not draining
>Not agitating, or agitating weakly
>Not filling, or filling too slowly
>Not doing anything
>Leaking water or oil
>Overflowing
>Leaving your clothes too wet at the end of the cycle
>Vibrating uncontrollably
>Spinning and agitating at the same time
>Screeching, squeaking, clattering, knocking, buzzing,
>or making grinding or other strange noises
>Do you smell smoke when your washer is running
>
>
>WASHING MACHINE:
>Not draining
>Not filling
>Not doing anything
>Stopping in mid-cycle
>Buzzing or making grinding or other strange noises
>Spotting dishes? Or even etching dishes
>
>I want you to email me the total quote for repair service for the appliance
>and also i will like to confirm you accept credit card by mode of payment.
>
>Thanks
>Terry Lane

As you can see, he did not answer the pertinent questions, but he did seek to clarify what was wrong with each unit... or did he?

There was something suspicious about the complaints he had listed, so I copied a few and google them to see what I could find.

Bingo.

A quick search of google shows that these complaints are taken, word for word, from various online appliance repair websites.

Okay, there is no longer any doubt. This person is not legitimate.

Basically, I have a few options:

1) Stop replying and ignore this scammer, and forget about it. (What fun is that?)
2) Send him a nasty-gram, and tell him he's been spotted. (Like he cares.)
3) Reply as if he is legitimate, and press him for information and see what I can do with it. See where this goes and what happens (without giving him any money, of course).

I'm choosing 3, for better or worse, because I don't like scammers. This kind of preying, cowardly thievery really gets my goat. So to speak.

So, here's my reply (bear in mind that these estimates, as I explain in the reply, are basically worthless and made up off the top of my head):

Hello Terry,

Based on this unusual set of complaints, I can give you general estimates
for these repairs. These are only guesses, as it is impossible to determine
what the real cost of a repair will be until the diagnosis is complete.

Refrigerators: $150-300
Dryers: $100-175
Washers: $100-200
Washing Machines: $100-200

I do not normally accept out-of-state credit cards, but I might be able to
make an exception for such a large set of repairs.

I'm still curious to know a little more about who I am dealing with. What
is the name of your company, and where do you operate your business?

Thanks again,

Toxey McDavid

Let's see what happens.

Will the scammer read our blog and run away? Will he reveal the location of his secret lair? Will the Penguin triumph over a caped duo?

Tune in for Part 3 to find out... if you're really bored, of course.

It's not just little old ladies they try to scam... Part 1

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Just a cautionary note to other appliance and television servicers.

We have been contacted by a person, possibly originating out of Port Lavaca, Texas (but who knows, really?) who was interested in getting service on 20 units.

From the beginning, I was suspicious about this contact, but I thought I would play it out and see what happened.

Here's the original contact:

"Greetings, I got your contact On Google.com and i was just
checking if you will be available to repair some Appliance
(5) Refridgerator. Get back to me for more details if you'll
be available as soon as possible. Thanks, Kind Regards. Terry Lane"

This was from a gmail account, which is automatically suspicious if this is supposed to be a legitimate business. But I responded courteously, because you never know.

My response:

Hello Terry,

Thanks for contacting Service Care.

We are available for any appliance repair, and we've also been repairing
televisions for over two decades.

As of this minute, I have several calls available tomorrow, and many more
available Friday. If this sounds good to you, can you provide more information
about the refrigerator and also about the location where the repair will need
to take place.

Thanks again for your contact,

Toxey McDavid

Service Care, Inc.
Toxey McDavid
2812 5th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35210

** Save Money! Sign up for our free, do-it-yourself **
** maintenance reminders on www.servicecare.net **

Pretty soon, I get this reponse back:

-----Original Message-----
>From: Terry Lane 
>Sent: Oct 1, 2009 12:54 AM
>To: Toxey McDavid 
>Subject: Re: Appliance Refrigerator repair inquiry
>
>Hello Toxey,
>Thanks for your mail, below are the appliance i will like to repair:
>
> 5. Refrigerators
>5. Washers
>5. Dryers
>5.Washing Machines
>
>Those are what i will like to repair and i will handle the shipment of the
>appliance my self, and my shipper will bring down the appliance down to your
>place. However,get back to me with your last price for the 20 appliances.  I
>await your urgent response so that i can put the arrangement in order. And
>also i will like to know if you accept credit card for mode of payment.
>
>Regard
>Terry Lane

#1 Why the increase in appliances from original request. Why 5 each?

#2 What legitimate business person thinks you can quote a price to repair these appliances with no complaint, no models or brand names, nothing.

#3 Credit cards from out-of-state (or country) strangers are bad, bad news.

#4 Most of all... 5 each of washers and 5 each of washing machines? Does he (or she) not know that these are the same product type? **Klaxon bells, red flashing lights, a voice saying Warning! Warning! **

My powers of suspicion on high alert now, I send the following response:

Hello Terry,

I will do the necessary research to get you an estimate of what
these 20 appliances would cost to repair. This will be a very
general estimate as I do not know the models of the appliances,
nor do I know the problems and symptoms associated with each appliance.

By the way, which company are you with and where will you be
shipping the appliances from?

Toxey

At the end, I ask direct questions... What company are you with? Where are the appliances coming from?

Can you guess if I will get an answer to these questions?

Stay tuned to find out how this continues in Part 2 (unless of course this person reads this blog avidly).

Shoal Creek golfer first alternate in PGA tournament

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Eric Williamson, director of Shoal Creek Golf Club, finished fourth overall and the first alternate for a national tournament Thursday at the Dixie PGA Professional Championship at Limestone Springs Golf Club in Oneonta.

Read the entire Shelby County Reporter article here.

If you're going to slow cook in a crock pot, read this.

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:41:00 +0000

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline encourages Americans to take the necessary steps this winter to ensure proper food safety when preparing meals in a slow cooker.

While many people long for the inviting smells of classics like beef stew and casseroles, there is a vast collection of recipes for everything from ethnic to vegetarian dinners. While slow cooking is a great way to prepare a home-cooked meal, don’t take any food safety shortcuts in the process.

Read the entire Shelby County Reporter article here.

Thompson High-Schoolers return after 20 years

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:38:00 +0000

ALABASTER — Though some had not returned to Shelby County for nearly 20 years, a group of about 90 Thompson High School alumni Oct. 2 cheered as if they had not been gone a day.

The Thompson High School class of 1989 celebrated their 20th reunion by gathering and cheering at what some alumni described as the “Iron Bowl of high school football.

Read the entire article here.

Helena to start curbside recycling soon

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter:

HELENA — Helena residents could have curbside recycling available by Dec. 1, after a year-and-a-half long process is drawing to a close.

Helena Mayor Sonny Penhale is this week signing a contract with Allied Waste for twice-monthly curbside recycling for the city.

Councilmember Cris Nelson said the recycling service, which will be optional for residents, would cost $6.79 per household monthly.

Read the whole article here.

Helena looks at Lincoln

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:55:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter:

HELENA — Helena's Jane B. Holmes Public Library will take a historical turn starting Oct. 6, when the library will begin showing an exhibit of 10 iconic Abraham Lincoln portraits.

The free exhibit, which came courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian Institution, is intended to mark the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth in 1809.

Library director Daniel Dearing said the Jane B. Holmes Library is one of only 10 in the state to receive these exhibits.

Read the whole article here.

Shelby County cracking down on teen drinking and drug abuse

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:50:00 +0000

From the Shelby County Reporter:

A Shelby County organization is partnering with county schools and law enforcement officials to crack down on teen drinking and drug abuse.

The Shelby County Drug Free Coalition is seeking to publicize existing county drug and alcohol tip lines to combat illegal teen behavior and adults who sanction it.

The Shelby County Drug Free Coalition is distributing posters like this to schools, libraries and senior centers throughout the county.

“Many people within the coalition didn’t realize that there were already tip lines available through the sheriff’s office and schools,” said Carol Williams, the coalition’s project coordinator. “The coalition then partnered (with the schools and sheriff’s office) to promote those available resources more thoroughly.”

Read the rest of the article.

Chelsea COPs on the job

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:13:00 +0000

In Shelby County, the city of Chelsea has a neat program where the provide a vehicle and radio to pairs of local citizens and have them patrol residential and commercial areas looking for criminal activity. This is known as the Citizen Observer Patrol, and this group of volunteers provide more eyes and ears on the street to help keep Chelsea safe.

They're not armed, nor will they pursue criminals, as they are only patrolling to observe and report. But that's very, very useful for the prevention and detection of crime. As volunteers, they reduce the greatest expenditure of patrolling city streets... personnel. Of course, you still have to have a qualified police force to respond to their reports.

I like the idea, and I hope it spreads to other communities.

Read more about it here: Chelsea Citizen Observer Patrol

Shelby County Offering Blood Money

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:56:00 +0000

What a provocative title, eh?

It's actually much nicer than that title makes it sound.

This weekend and next month, the American Red Cross is holding blood drives at four locations in Alabaster and Columbiana. The fun part is, in a show of thanks for donors, there will be prizes given away to a few lucky donors.

They are pretty good prizes, and you can read about them here:

Red Cross to offer prizes to blood donors

The Risk of Burglary in Pelham

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:15:00 +0000

From the Pelham Reporter:

"Two suspects have been arrested in a string of burglaries after a female suspect unexpectedly broke in to an off-duty Pelham Police officer’s home in the Wild Timber subdivision."

Oh dear. Wow.

Well, that wasn't the plan, I'm sure. If there was a plan.

Read more about Suspects arrested after breaking into off-duty officer’s home

Chelsea: submit your recipes to historical book

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:36:00 +0000

As part of the "Celebrate Chelsea" campaign (part of the bigger Alabama celebration of its home towns) the city of Chelsea is inviting local residents to submit recipes for inclusion in a cookbook to be released during Chelsea's homecoming weekend of 2010.

To find out more about the book or to submit your own Chelsea recipe, visit Chelsea plans historical cookbook

Eat your way to better Shelby County schools

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:17:00 +0000

Yep, it's the "Taste of Shelby County" event raising money for schools by feeding you delicious foods. Actually, it sounds really good. Mmmmm.

Read more here: Get a taste of county, support schools

Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos to be roasted

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:14:00 +0000

I've never been a huge fan of roasts, but I'm sure this will be a fun evening.

Read more here: Hoover mayor to be roasted

Missing Alabaster Veteran

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:58:00 +0000

From the Alabaster Reporter:

"Family members of a missing Alabaster veteran are seeking the public’s help in locating their loved one.

Howard Stanford, a 38-year-old Iraq veteran, has been missing from his Alabaster home since Sept. 1. Stanford’s friends, family members and local and state law enforcement officials have been searching in and around Oak Mountain State Park since the man’s vehicle was found abandoned near the park."

I'm sure they could use some local help, read about it here: Missing man’s family seeking public help

Service Care launches a free service for customers

service@servicecare.net (Service Care) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:43:00 +0000

Service Care, as a service to our customers, has launched a free newsletter that will remind subscribers when it's time to perform maintenance on their appliances and electronics.

This will be a very low quantity of emails per year, the majority of which will be seasonal notices that will remind you to do the little things that you can do yourself to save yourself money, increase the life of your appliances, and help to avoid unnecessary service calls.

Of course, we are happy to perform all of these services, but many people will want to do this themselves to save money (especially in light of the current economic troubles).

We're hoping that many people will subscribe, and we assure that their personal information is very safe (see our Privacy Policy).