When customer service becomes customer frustration

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.

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