When customer service becomes customer frustration

Thank you Bunny for the reminder/advice that is just as well to lower my expectations, then maybe I won't become quite so stressed out.

Old_Guy said:

I would like some ideas on how to deal with the frustration, anger, and breakdown of executive functioning

I use Amazon a lot, including for monthly deliveries via their Subscribe & Save service.

I've come to accept that, unless I'm buying something with Prime next day delivery, any other delivery dates that I choose or am advised of should be treated, at best, as just a general expectation or rough idea.

For example, I ordered something in last week's Prime Day sales. I chose delayed delivery for today, Monday (they even offered a small discount for choosing a later date, to help manage peak demand during the sales). I actually chose the later date because I didn't want my order to arrive heat damaged. But they delivered it early anyway, on Friday. 

The various different items that are included in my Subscribe & Save order have often arrived across several different days, even when they're not supposed to. I used to get much more upset about this than I do now that I've changed my expectations.

It's not a major practical problem for me, either, as I'm almost always here. But I do wonder how others cope with this ongoing, random guessing game - especially those who work or have other commitments away from home, and might not have "safe spaces" that they can designate for leaving parcels when they're not in.  

Of course, there can also be genuine, unavoidable reasons why things arrive late - such as van breakdowns, or staff illness. So it's good to keep that in mind, too.

Thank you for the advice. Fortunately it has now all been resolved and the item has been delivered. 

I've noticed amazon having problems, or probably more likely the internet is overloaded, I find it particularly bad at weekends and mid afternoon, I think this is due to congestion at the physical junctions and boxes, more crap infrastructure.

It's worth trying again at a different time of day

Unfortunately I could not get past the automated bit, Expecto_Patronum. The typing area was there but unresponsive. I wonder if this is a new strategy...

Yes, great advice Cinnabar_wing, I will try that next time—it's inevitable there will be a next time unfortunately. 

Thank you TheCatWoman for the advice. Unfortunately the chat bot options.apeared to be the l only ones on offer; the area in which to type was visible but unresponsive. 

I've used the chat bot thingy and told it I need to speak to a human, it has to have a good long think about it, but it do let me and when I've actually got through to a human they've been quite good. I think you just need to type into the chat bot window, 'can I speak to a human please'.

I've actually found amazon to be one of the easier ones to deal with, I've had a battle with one recently who couldn't comprehend that I have no smart phone to take to the post office so as they can scan a QR code or a printer. I think customer service os mostly a thing of the past now, you get customer disservice instead.

Being thrown out of whack by deliveries is a complete pain, maybe if you can focus on something that makes you feel better, like saying to yourself, I am going to watch/read/do something and then after that I will do shopping. Giving yourself something to make you feel more balanced might help to get you back into a better headspace?  

Usually if the automated bit in the chat doesn't give me an answer, they then put me through to a person who can help. Did you try going through the steps of the automated chat to see if this option was given?