The Vent and Rant Thread

[orlok]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

Okay, but now you all know how petty I can be when I'm upset!

Spoiler:

"I've been an Ikea Family member since the
first day it became available here in Atlanta -- July 18. Since that
time I've come to Ikea once every couple of weeks to push my mother
through in her wheelchair, shop a little, then eat in the restaurant.
I've always gotten the "free tea" with my Ikea Family card -- no
questions asked, ever. Tonight, though, I was upset and embarrassed
when the cashier in the restaurant told me that the free tea was only
hot tea, not iced tea, and that whoever had been giving it to me
before was only doing it as a courtesy to me instead of telling me
that it really only meant hot tea. When I told her it must be
something new she made a big point of taking the charge off of my
bill but made sure I knew it was only because I made a big deal about
it. Really? If the intent was to only give away hot tea (which I
didn't even know they HAD -- where is it??) then they should have
made that clear and researched their market a little better, because
here in Atlanta, "tea" is iced tea, not hot tea. Furthermore, I
shouldn't have been given tea all those other times to just set me up
for an embarrassing confrontation tonight. If the free item is just
hot tea, say so and stick to it, but don't pretend that has been the
policy all along. I'm sorry for the rant, but I was so upset, not by
the prospect of buying my drink but by the situation at the checkout,
that it pretty much ruined my dinner and my evening. Please clarify
it for me. Thanks for your help."

The restaurant manager told me, by the way, that indeed in Atlanta most people think of "tea" as iced tea, and that the store manager had established from the beginning that in this store only, they would include free iced tea as well as hot tea for Ikea Family members, upon request. Apparently the checker I dealt with was new and didn't know the local policy.

Thanks bj - it's comforting to see that someone else gets wound up about the pettiness of certain people in the service industries. I so often get home fuming, and promise myself I'll write a letter of complaint, but never do. So well done for following through.

[covingtoncat73]

I went to Renfaire today and that was fun but, when I went up to the pub to get a glass of wine, I saw a poster saying that some horrible person had killed the beautiful barbary falcon named Annubis who was in the birds of prey show and there was a reward for info. I had seen him in the show for years and actually started crying in the pub. People suck, deepest circle of Hell, etc.

[The Terminator]

How about having internet capped and cut off at 14g with no extensions?

[The Terminator]

This didn't happen of course. But to much usage and it will.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by orlok

Thanks bj - it's comforting to see that someone else gets wound up about the pettiness of certain people in the service industries. I so often get home fuming, and promise myself I'll write a letter of complaint, but never do. So well done for following through.

About 35 years ago I had a product marketed as 'The Complaint Kit.' It was letter-sized booklet with pre-printed form letters; blocks for sender's information, 'to whom' information,' 'What happened,' and 'What I would like done about it.' There may have been a few more but I don't remember. Each block was separated by bold lines so the entire form was very easy to understand quickly. The pages were arranged to be folded and mailed like the old style airmail flimsys, but with pre-printed lines on the out side, 1st Contact, 2nd Contact for Resolution, 3rd Attempt at Problem Resolution, and 'Appeal to Third Party for Problem Resolution.'

The booklet was printed in a special way... Sets of four forms with a carbon between each sheet. The first of the three was printed on plain white paper with normal black printing. The second was topped with a header that read "SECOND ATTEMPT AT RESOLUTION" or something like that, with a line below saying that there had been no response to the first letter. Of course, with it's carbon copy already showing, there was another block for adding more requests. The third sheet was printed in red ink, showed the carbon from the first two attempts, was topped with the header "THIRD ATTEMPT AT RESOLUTION" and had another box for adding information. But the kicker was the fourth sheet. It was marked "FOR THIRD PARTY RESOLUTION" an was to be sent to a different level of the company.

Each level of the set allowed the receiver to see what/when etc., had been sent before. It got remarkable results, and only once did I have to send the fourth letter. With today's remarkably poor customer service, I wish I still had that kit!


Stitchawl

[orlok]

^ like it I guess in this day and age it would be fairly simple to create a computerised version .

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by orlok

^ like it I guess in this day and age it would be fairly simple to create a computerised version .

I did a net search and found two archived newspaper articles about it, both dated 1972. I don't think an e-mail version would work as well... There is something defining about having a tangible item in hand, printed with bold red letters, calling attention to the fact that "HEY!!! YOU'VE BEEN AVOIDING DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM! that everyone in the office can see...

But it would certainly be easy enough to do a computer print-out of the same sort of forms. It was the 'professionalism' of it all that seemed to have the power. It wasn't just some crank writing a letter.


Stitchawl

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I did a net search and found two archived newspaper articles about it, both dated 1972. I don't think an e-mail version would work as well... There is something defining about having a tangible item in hand, printed with bold red letters, calling attention to the fact that "HEY!!! YOU'VE BEEN AVOIDING DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM! that everyone in the office can see...

But it would certainly be easy enough to do a computer print-out of the same sort of forms. It was the 'professionalism' of it all that seemed to have the power. It wasn't just some crank writing a letter.


Stitchawl

Huh. Having lived in both carbon paper/snail mail days and the email age, I've found email to be much more effective. Skillful use of cc's and forwarding of emails leaves an information trail that's hard to erase or lose under that pizza box on the desk.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

Huh. Having lived in both carbon paper/snail mail days and the email age, I've found email to be much more effective. Skillful use of cc's and forwarding of emails leaves an information trail that's hard to erase or lose under that pizza box on the desk.

Perhaps... But I've found that all too often e-mails get ignored and ignored and ignored... right up until you add the phrase 'my next message get's cc'd to every Usenet group, Internet Discussion Forum, and YouTube.' For some reason, that seems to work pretty well.

But all joking (perhaps) aside, I just encountered another problem with e-mail complaints last week.

I found a wonderful 'information manager' program to replace the old Windows 3.1 'Cardfile' that I kept importing from one Windows upgrade to the next. I've been using it ever since 3.1 but it really is quite limited.

Then I found this new program. It's called AzzCardfile and it really does work very well for my needs. None of the limitations of the old Cardfile, plus a whole lot of very convenient additions.

I'd been test driving it for a while and decided to buy it. Looking at the website I noticed that if I made a link to it on my website, the company would give me the license for free. I made the link, even added a page with my comments about the program, and sent word to the company... and sent word to the company... and sent word to the company... and sent word to the company

After several tries, I researched another address for the software and wrote to that address a few times. Finally, I got a response from the creator of the program, apologizing for the fact that the person who maintains the website is no longer with the company... He had no idea that e-mail was even building up. He did immediately send the license information, but it was only luck that he was doing a 'fly-by' of one of his sites and noticed the problem. A big envelope marked URGENT in red letters would have gotten noticed a lot sooner.


Stitchawl

[wannabee]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Perhaps... A big envelope marked URGENT in red letters would have gotten noticed a lot sooner.


Stitchawl

Some companies have twitter, youtube, and Facebook as well as various email accounts all opened by individuals in their own names. But when they leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .hello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .hello . . . . . . . ... .. . .. . . .hello

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by wannabee

Some companies have twitter, youtube, and Facebook as well as various email accounts all opened by individuals in their own names. But when they leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .hello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .hello . . . . . . . ... .. . .. . . .hello

That's why I really like Skype. I don't mind calling a company, getting shunted around from office to office until I get some satisfaction. It only costs a few cents, even internationally. If I'm not getting the sort of help I want, I just say 'please let me speak to your supervisor.' Eventually you reach the top. The owner or president DOES care about every single customer, and has no need to make power plays showing customers how important he is, the way department heads so often feel the need to do.


Stitchawl

[wannabee]

Skype.....
Now isn't that what the really bad phone calls from direct marketers in India use that sound like they are talking down a pipe from the bottom of the ocean and decide that every third word is not needed?

[wannabee]

Oh oh and just to add....... You don't mind getting shunted from office to orifice. (sorry.... Office) arrrrrrghhh!

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by wannabee

Skype.....
Now isn't that what the really bad phone calls from direct marketers in India use that sound like they are talking down a pipe from the bottom of the ocean and decide that every third word is not needed?

I doubt it. My calls with Skype sound better than via the regular telephone, and only cost me a few cents a minute Japan to US.

Originally Posted by wannabee

Oh oh and just to add....... You don't mind getting shunted from office to orifice. (sorry.... Office) arrrrrrghhh!

Nah... That's the joy of a good multi-tasking computer. I can be doing several other things at the same time. Even being put on hold doesn't bother me. I just smile, ask for the supervisor, and keep on keeping on!


Stitchawl

[HomeInMyShoes]

Ugh...this thread needs to die as well as all threads that inevitably become legal semantics pissing matches. It was about Switzerland deciding to take their head out of the sand when it comes to consumer rights, but now it's the legal semantics of the word steal and theft. Here's a tip, no one gives a dingo's kidneys whatever you want to rationalize so you can sleep with a clear conscience at night.