Surviving the Blogstorm

Here's a great article on how businesses need to make themselves aware of how bad publicity on blogs can adversely impact them.

I Haven't Forgotten You, Ashley Furniture

It's been a while since I last blogged about Ashley Furniture (Franklin store), and for good reason. The mere thought makes my blood boil. I recently got my new store card in the mail. When I get around to it, I plan to do a video blog here of me shreading the thing. The only way you could get me into an Ashley Furniture store would be to give me store credit. I might be able to suck it up long enough to pick out some free decorations off the show room floor.

I will never again buy anything that requires shipping. Once Ashley has your money, they've got you by the short hairs. I can't tell you how many times I've heard stories about bad furniture deliveries, only to spoil the ending by asking if they ordered from Ashley Furniture. Better yet, most of the stories involve the Franklin store. Only after our year-long ordeal did I check the Better Business Bureau. The results are embarassing. Note the number of customer service and delivery complaints. These were people who were hacked off enough to report it. We haven't filed a report, mostly because I've just felt so defeated by the whole process that I don't want to think about it anymore.

The furniture we have now still isn't right. The color match is tolerable, but noticably off. We settled for what we have because every time the technitians touch it they make it worse! The stain is supposed to be a very deep red (it's called "merlot"). Whenever the techs patch up our furniture they paint it black. We've received no discount for accepting a floor model after three shipments that didn't match, and they haven't been apologetic at all.

Kelly and I were thinking that Ashley would be a good name if we have a daughter. Then, I realized that the poor child might develop a complex because of all the times we look into our dining room (or see a commercial) and cuss at the furniture.