There are few things more aggravating than trying to get decent customer service. From navigating through an automated maze of numbers and pound signs to being put on hold while reluctantly listen to Enya's entire first album, just reaching a living, breathing human can be a task of epic proportions. Next time you're in need of customer service, follow these helpful guidelines to maximize the chance of talking to a live representative and to get the most out of your conversation.

Shop at places that are known for great customer service.
It would be one thing if IBM's ultra-intelligent computer, Watson, was manning the phone lines, but sadly he's too busy dominating on Jeopardy. Rather than struggling with run of the mill automated systems, make purchases at companies that use real people. Certain retailers like Nordstrom, Zappos, Urban Outfitters, Amazon, and more are known for their exceptional customer service. That's reason enough to shop there first.

5 Companies with Great

Its about time you put foolish things aside and do whatever it takes to make it .Leave your haters alone they just will not believe its you taking throne so be strong Crys

Sure candy and costumes are fun, but Halloween just isn't complete until you trick out your house with some truly frightening decorations. But where to find 6-foot spiders or a lawn full of ghosts? Don't fret, little ghouls. This Old House has scoured the shops to bring you these truly terrifying decorations that'll make your Halloween haunt the scariest on the block. -Karen Ziga, This Old House online

See all our Halloween decoration picks at thisoldhouse.com!


1. Skeleton Yard Flamingos
And you thought ordinary plastic pink flamingos were scary! These molded black Skel-A-Mingos are sure to get you a few double-takes this Halloween.
See where to get them here.

MORE: Black Crow Welcome Mat


2. Creepy Kitchen Brushes

Even the mundane chore of dishwashing deserves a ghoulish touch when the spirits are out. Clean up after your Halloween party with one of these festive helpers-which are both cute and durable enough to last long after All Hallow's Eve.
See where to get them here.

MORE:

Conergy AG is one of the world's largest solar energy manufacturers, having produced and sold more than 1.5 Gigawatts of clean solar power. "To have OPEL Solar tracking systems selected by such a premiere force in the solar industry is a testament to the advanced engineering behind our solar tracking systems," said Leon M. Pierhal, CEO of OPEL Solar. "We are pleased to say that adding our TF-800 to Conergy's P 235W PV modules results in an increase of more than 20% in energy production when compared with fixed PV panel mounting. We look forward to developing a long-standing relationship in growing the solar energy industry," Pierhal added.

"Conergy chose OPEL trackers for this project because of their combination of cost efficiency and quality," said Conergy's David Vincent, Project Development Manager. Read More>>>

Plants bring life and color into the home and require little in the way of maintenance. Follow these simple tips and your plants should thrive.

1. Position plants carefully
Look for the best place in the house for each plant, and don't be afraid to try different locations until you find the best spot.

2. Re-create a forest floor
If a room seems too dark to sustain a healthy plant, don't be fooled. Most indoor plants originate in tropical and subtropical regions, in particular equatorial forests, and they thrive in dim environments and filtered light. The ideal spot is in front of a large window facing east or west, filtered if necessary through a net scrim curtain.

3. Sun-lovers face north
If you have a plant that thrives on lots of sun, place it on a windowsill facing north or north-east. Check soil moisture levels regularly and inspect the leaves to check they are not being burned. At the slightest sign of withering, move the plant towards the middle of the room.

PLUS: 11

Although stars are usually portrayed as beautiful people with charmed lives, there are some who have the same problems as millions of other people. They're the wrong height or weight. They've been addicted to drugs or have a debilitating disease. Here are ten stars who show they've got the courage and resilience to deal with those devastating problems.

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By Forbes Staff
If you're reading this article instead of calling a client or crunching a spreadsheet, chances are you could be more focused at work. You're not alone.

According to a recent survey by Salary.com, the average employee admits to wasting about two hours of each eight-hour workday, not including
lunch or scheduled breaks.

The Internet doesn't help. Like the college roommate who keeps asking us to hang out when we know we have to study, the Web (and e-mail) provide so much distraction on a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour basis that we can find it nearly impossible to give our full attention to higher-level tasks. And with few defined edges to many projects, we end up living in an endless jumble of work and life. We can book a trip to Turkey while participating in a conference call; we can send work e-mails from a towel on the beach in Cancun.

As the economy ebbs along with our focus, we have more to do and less time to do it. Enter the productivity experts. Their guru is

Cheap and Fun Halloween CostumesBy: Juliana Weiss-Roessler

Halloween is one of those holidays that everyone can enjoy. In fact, I'll bet there are a lot of adults out there who like it even more than the kids walking around neighborhoods hoarding candy. I mean, who doesn't like getting dressed up in a crazy costume and going to a party… or three?

Unfortunately, Halloween has become such big business that buying a costume at Target or one of those costume warehouses that pop up this time of year can take a huge chunk out of your wallet.

But you don't have to make Halloween an exorbitant expense. Step away from the assembly line costumes of sexy nurses, sexy vampires and sexy pirates (hmm, I'm sensing a trend), and vow to put together your own costume this year!

And please note that I said "put together," not "make" - no sewing involved in these costumes, just ingenuity. And there are lots of ways and places where you can find this ingenuity, like…

The Thrift Store.

Find some shabby, ill-fitting clothes and go as