Are you sick of stroppy shop assistants, automated answering services and hanging on the phone for hours on end?
Well disgruntled customers in Plymouth can now vent their frustration and get paid for it thanks to the new website www.yoursaypays.co.uk.
The website, which has been set up by customer satisfaction specialists, The Leadership Factor, pays visitors to take part in market research which is used to assess UK customer service across a variety of sectors including retail, telecommunications and local authorities.
The Leadership Factor is one of the world's leading specialists in the measurement of customer and employee satisfaction. Its services are predominantly focused on measuring and improving satisfaction levels of customers and employees of its large and growing number of blue chip clients.
After registering online, customer service panellists are rewarded between 50p and £2 per completed survey, which they can choose to keep or donate to charity.
Somehow I think the website might crash with people eager to share their experiences - especially with complaints about banks, mobile phone companies and other organisations which use mass call centre operations.
In fact, it's worth asking... Q. What's worse than calling a call centre? A. Calling a call centre and getting through to a maze-like automated service which requires you to be Ethan Hunt to navigate through. Grr.
Anyhow, Nigel Hill, founder of The Leadership Factor says of the new service: "Customers in Plymouth shouldn't have to tolerate poor service but complaining can be time consuming and stressful.
"Similarly to encourage excellent customer service we should highlight those companies whose customers are very happy.
"The Your Say Pays site makes it easy for customers to get their views noted, whilst rewarding them for their time.
"The site is interactive, featuring advice and real-life articles on customer service issues and a blog for consumers to share experiences."
Members of the panel will receive short questionnaires via email every few weeks. Panellists don't have to take part in every survey they are sent, and all information and opinions are strictly confidential.
Mr Hill adds: "It is now the norm for consumers to stand up for their rights and Your Say Pays provides the perfect platform. Businesses benefit from knowing their customers' opinions so they can make positive changes to improve levels of customer service."
For more information log on to www.yoursaypays.co.uk.
Rewards can be donated to the following charities; Red Cross, Age Concern, Cancer Research, Royal National Institute for the Blind or the World Wildlife Fund.
Meanwhile....
Customers at a top British restaurant can now listen to iPods while tucking into their food. Chef Heston Blumenthal says the Apple music players will help heighten the flavour of a new dish called Sound of the Sea.
Diners at his three Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant in Bray, Berkshire, will listen to a recording of breaking waves while they eat.
The sound of the sea dish is made of seafood and edible seaweed served on a sand-like tapioca mixture.
I'm sure the restaurant will be awash with bookings. (Soz)
Oh and news just in... Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has announced that PSP (PlayStationPortable) would enjoy a new, lower price point in the UK £129.99, with the new price effective from Friday (4th May).
In addition to the new price of PSP, five new Platinum titles will be launched concurrently with a new, lower price for all PSP Platinum titles of £14.99.
The new Platinum titles are: Ridge Racer 2, Tekken, Killzone, Loco Roco, and Moto GP.
Anyways, those nice people at Sierra Games UK and Sony have showered my desk with the latest games to review.
Here's the best on the desk.
Title: F.E.A.R.
Platform: Sony PS3
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5
You aren't a soldier. You are a weapon. A mysterious paramilitary force infiltrates a multi-billion dollar aerospace compound, taking hostages but issuing no demands. A Special Forces team is sent in by the government to contain the situation, but contact is severed as an eerie signal interrupts radio communications. When the interference subsides moments later, the team has been obliterated. Live footage of the massacre shows an inexplicable wave of destruction tearing the soldiers apart before they can even react. In light of the desperate situation the F.E.A.R. team is assembled. As part of this elite classified strike force created to deal with the most unusual and shocking of threats, your mission is simple: Eliminate the intruders at any cost. Determine the origin of the signal and contain this crisis before it spirals out of control. At last a title begins to make the most of the advanced capabilities of the new Sony PlayStation 3.
Title: God of War 2
Platform: Sony PS2
RRP: £34.99
Hit count: 3/5
The story picks up where players last left off with Kratos. Sitting atop his throne on Olympus, Kratos, the once mortal warrior has become a threat far worse than his predecessor Ares, had ever been. Kratos is a ruthless God, whose wrath strikes down anyone who crosses his path or the path of his beloved Sparta. The Ghost of Sparta sets out to alter that which no mortal, or god has ever changed, his fate. Kratos' journey brings him to the very edge of the Earth, facing countless beasts, monsters, and horrors from his previous life, all bent on preventing him from reaching his goal. But this is Kratos, and his defiance is filled with such arrogance and contempt that all of the Ancient World still trembles at his name: Kratos, the God of War.
Thursday 26 April 2007
Thursday 12 April 2007
April 12
Ding ding... Round two. What's worse than the microphone going in your mobile phone handset so no-one can hear you talking...? Why having insurance with Lloyds TSB Bank's Lifestyle Services Group of course.
Not content with having four days off at Easter, the insurance department at the UK's super bank have decided (it seems) to take a little longer off thus avoiding picking up my claim form and subsequently fixing my phone.
It's now been 17 days since they received the claim form - and about that time since I last made a call.
While I don't mind missing the occasional 'I haven't seen you in ages, you don't care about us anymore' (mum) call or indeed the 'you're due for an upgrade on your bank account' call (Lloyds), it is possibly the most annoying thing I've experienced in a while.
Example: "ring ring... ring ring (in fact like most others who like to personalise their phone it my doesn't actually ring anymore - it actually plays Sweet Home Alabama, um anyways...) "hello...", "hi, it's Tristan here...", "hello...", "hello...?" Annoying.
This problem is not a new one for me though. Ask any of my mates and they'll tell you that I have the WORST luck with mobile phones.
There was the LG flip phone a couple of years ago which decided it didn't want to be a phone anymore and was more happy being used as a calculator (again a microphone problem), then there was the Motorola E1000, which again wanted a career change. (Again, a microphone problem).
After those two I decided to return to the trusty Nokia handset. "Oh, they never break," friends liked to tell me. "You could drown it, throw it against a wall and let it spend six nights in the Falklands and it would still work as good as new," they add.
Our survey says... "Eeh ehhh!!!" The Nokia N91 might look the part and act the part but when it comes down to the principle reason why it is in existence (i.e. to be a phone) it fails.
Sigh, how I dream of just owning one of the old bricks which never failed.
Anyway, I know I'm not the only one. One can only hope that Lloyds soon remember that I pay for the privilege of having mobile phone insurance and get in contact (although hopefully on a landline).
Anyhow that aside, who decided to fork out a small fortune and buy a PS3? Anyone? I'll bet not as many as Sony first thought.
Sales have been ok but knowhere near the amount they expected. I, like many others, have decided to wait for the smaller unit to come out to save... well, hundreds of pounds.
Here's the greatest of the latest games:
Title: Brian Lara Cricket 2007
Platform: PS2
RRP: ?39.99
Hit count: 5/5
Review: Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 expands the series' trademark fluid, dynamic gameplay mechanics to deliver a thoroughly entertaining and competitive game that captures all the tension, skill and intensity of world-class international cricket.
Thanks to the official ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 content, Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 features licensed players, including world cricket stars Andrew Flintoff, Ricky Ponting, Mahendra Dhoni, Muttiah Muralitharan and of course, Brian Lara himself.
In addition to players, the game leads with a dedicated ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 mode featuring all the official teams, stadia, kits and equipment of the tournament. Further modes include a fully licensed ICC Champions' Trophy competition and exhibition matches including One Day Games, Test Matches and exciting 20-over run fests.
Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 adds extra depth to the series' complete batting, bowling and fielding experience whilst retaining its trademark accessible playability.
The acclaimed batting play sees the introduction of subtle edges, sweepshots and the ability to use your feet to dance down wicket and smash the ball over the boundary for six. Bowling sees a much-improved set of delivery types, thanks to changes in the way the ball swings in the air and reacts off the pitch, showcasing Shane Warne's huge variation of spinning deliveries and Steve Harmison?s raw pace and even reverse swing as the ball degrades.
In Fielding, there's a new reflex-testing slip catch system and players can now be run out at both ends and be stumped by alert wicket keepers.
A striking advancement is the photo-realistic visuals; with hundreds of real player likenesses being modelled in high detail, complete with animated facial expressions to capture the intensity and emotion of international cricket.
Stadia, including all eight official World Cup venues, have also been created with a new level of textured detail and they make use of proprietary shader technology for realistic, subtle and changing lighting effects, such as time of day and weather.
Title: Medal of Honor: Vanguard
Platform: PS2
RRP: ?39.99
Hit count: 5/5
Review: Medal of Honor: Vanguard is the latest video game from EA's acclaimed Medal of Honor franchise, credited with pioneering the WWII first-person shooter genre after its debut in 1999.
Join the ranks of the elite 82nd Airborne Division as Corporal Frank Keegan in Medal of Honor: Vanguard.
From Operation Husky on the shores of Sicily to your Operation Varsity airdrop inside Nazi Germany, you'll jump behind enemy lines to fight the epic WWII battles that turned America's first paratroopers into heroes of WWII.
Choose from a variety of authentic, customizable weapons at your disposal, each with distinct characteristics.
Featuring spectacular graphics and all-out combat intensity, Medal of Honor Vanguard makes you the driving force in the struggle to liberate Europe.
The Medal of Honor: Vanguard development team continues to ensure that the ideals and integrity of the prestigious congressional Medal of Honor are accurately reflected in the game.
The producers sought counsel from numerous expert sources to make certain the game is historically accurate and as true to the WWII experience as possible.
Title: Samurai Warriors 2: Empires
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: ?29.99
Hit count: 2/5
Review: The Empires games have long been regarded as the deepest most tactical installment in the Warriors' series.
Samurai Warriors 2 Empires takes these strategic foundations even further with more choices and opportunities for the player to shape policies and build an army capable of uniting all of the warring states within Japan under one ruler.
This game balances the political and tactical machinations of preparing an army for battle with the spectacular battlefield action that the Warriors games are renowned for to provide an incredibly involving tactical action experience. Samurai Warriors 2 Empires combines the most exciting aspects of Action, Fighting and Strategy games.
Japan is divided into 25 warring states and it is up to you to resurrect a nation using equal amounts of strategy and strength! Before each battle, you will meet with their war council to discuss military and political affairs; then it's time for combat.
Samurai Warriors 2 Empires is a tantalizing blend of strategy and true warrior action.
With a stylized recreation of Japan's Sengoku or Warring States era, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires is sure to captivate anyone fascinated by Samurai culture. Special events in the game chronicle major turning points in Japan's history including The HonnMji Incident where the powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga, met his demise, and The Battle of Kawanakajima, considered the largest and most prolonged encounter of the Warring States era.
In addition to the game's main Empire Mode, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires includes a Free Mode, which allows you to choose any stage and fight through it using any officer in the game.
The game's Archives offers an extensive gallery overflowing with rare artwork, CG sequences, and detailed information on tactics and formations, as well as visual and voice samples of all officers and troops within the game.
Not content with having four days off at Easter, the insurance department at the UK's super bank have decided (it seems) to take a little longer off thus avoiding picking up my claim form and subsequently fixing my phone.
It's now been 17 days since they received the claim form - and about that time since I last made a call.
While I don't mind missing the occasional 'I haven't seen you in ages, you don't care about us anymore' (mum) call or indeed the 'you're due for an upgrade on your bank account' call (Lloyds), it is possibly the most annoying thing I've experienced in a while.
Example: "ring ring... ring ring (in fact like most others who like to personalise their phone it my doesn't actually ring anymore - it actually plays Sweet Home Alabama, um anyways...) "hello...", "hi, it's Tristan here...", "hello...", "hello...?" Annoying.
This problem is not a new one for me though. Ask any of my mates and they'll tell you that I have the WORST luck with mobile phones.
There was the LG flip phone a couple of years ago which decided it didn't want to be a phone anymore and was more happy being used as a calculator (again a microphone problem), then there was the Motorola E1000, which again wanted a career change. (Again, a microphone problem).
After those two I decided to return to the trusty Nokia handset. "Oh, they never break," friends liked to tell me. "You could drown it, throw it against a wall and let it spend six nights in the Falklands and it would still work as good as new," they add.
Our survey says... "Eeh ehhh!!!" The Nokia N91 might look the part and act the part but when it comes down to the principle reason why it is in existence (i.e. to be a phone) it fails.
Sigh, how I dream of just owning one of the old bricks which never failed.
Anyway, I know I'm not the only one. One can only hope that Lloyds soon remember that I pay for the privilege of having mobile phone insurance and get in contact (although hopefully on a landline).
Anyhow that aside, who decided to fork out a small fortune and buy a PS3? Anyone? I'll bet not as many as Sony first thought.
Sales have been ok but knowhere near the amount they expected. I, like many others, have decided to wait for the smaller unit to come out to save... well, hundreds of pounds.
Here's the greatest of the latest games:
Title: Brian Lara Cricket 2007
Platform: PS2
RRP: ?39.99
Hit count: 5/5
Review: Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 expands the series' trademark fluid, dynamic gameplay mechanics to deliver a thoroughly entertaining and competitive game that captures all the tension, skill and intensity of world-class international cricket.
Thanks to the official ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 content, Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 features licensed players, including world cricket stars Andrew Flintoff, Ricky Ponting, Mahendra Dhoni, Muttiah Muralitharan and of course, Brian Lara himself.
In addition to players, the game leads with a dedicated ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 mode featuring all the official teams, stadia, kits and equipment of the tournament. Further modes include a fully licensed ICC Champions' Trophy competition and exhibition matches including One Day Games, Test Matches and exciting 20-over run fests.
Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 adds extra depth to the series' complete batting, bowling and fielding experience whilst retaining its trademark accessible playability.
The acclaimed batting play sees the introduction of subtle edges, sweepshots and the ability to use your feet to dance down wicket and smash the ball over the boundary for six. Bowling sees a much-improved set of delivery types, thanks to changes in the way the ball swings in the air and reacts off the pitch, showcasing Shane Warne's huge variation of spinning deliveries and Steve Harmison?s raw pace and even reverse swing as the ball degrades.
In Fielding, there's a new reflex-testing slip catch system and players can now be run out at both ends and be stumped by alert wicket keepers.
A striking advancement is the photo-realistic visuals; with hundreds of real player likenesses being modelled in high detail, complete with animated facial expressions to capture the intensity and emotion of international cricket.
Stadia, including all eight official World Cup venues, have also been created with a new level of textured detail and they make use of proprietary shader technology for realistic, subtle and changing lighting effects, such as time of day and weather.
Title: Medal of Honor: Vanguard
Platform: PS2
RRP: ?39.99
Hit count: 5/5
Review: Medal of Honor: Vanguard is the latest video game from EA's acclaimed Medal of Honor franchise, credited with pioneering the WWII first-person shooter genre after its debut in 1999.
Join the ranks of the elite 82nd Airborne Division as Corporal Frank Keegan in Medal of Honor: Vanguard.
From Operation Husky on the shores of Sicily to your Operation Varsity airdrop inside Nazi Germany, you'll jump behind enemy lines to fight the epic WWII battles that turned America's first paratroopers into heroes of WWII.
Choose from a variety of authentic, customizable weapons at your disposal, each with distinct characteristics.
Featuring spectacular graphics and all-out combat intensity, Medal of Honor Vanguard makes you the driving force in the struggle to liberate Europe.
The Medal of Honor: Vanguard development team continues to ensure that the ideals and integrity of the prestigious congressional Medal of Honor are accurately reflected in the game.
The producers sought counsel from numerous expert sources to make certain the game is historically accurate and as true to the WWII experience as possible.
Title: Samurai Warriors 2: Empires
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: ?29.99
Hit count: 2/5
Review: The Empires games have long been regarded as the deepest most tactical installment in the Warriors' series.
Samurai Warriors 2 Empires takes these strategic foundations even further with more choices and opportunities for the player to shape policies and build an army capable of uniting all of the warring states within Japan under one ruler.
This game balances the political and tactical machinations of preparing an army for battle with the spectacular battlefield action that the Warriors games are renowned for to provide an incredibly involving tactical action experience. Samurai Warriors 2 Empires combines the most exciting aspects of Action, Fighting and Strategy games.
Japan is divided into 25 warring states and it is up to you to resurrect a nation using equal amounts of strategy and strength! Before each battle, you will meet with their war council to discuss military and political affairs; then it's time for combat.
Samurai Warriors 2 Empires is a tantalizing blend of strategy and true warrior action.
With a stylized recreation of Japan's Sengoku or Warring States era, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires is sure to captivate anyone fascinated by Samurai culture. Special events in the game chronicle major turning points in Japan's history including The HonnMji Incident where the powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga, met his demise, and The Battle of Kawanakajima, considered the largest and most prolonged encounter of the Warring States era.
In addition to the game's main Empire Mode, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires includes a Free Mode, which allows you to choose any stage and fight through it using any officer in the game.
The game's Archives offers an extensive gallery overflowing with rare artwork, CG sequences, and detailed information on tactics and formations, as well as visual and voice samples of all officers and troops within the game.
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