Anybody have a magic formula for dealing with the dissatisfaction of a product you have purchased ? I know there is an 'art' to it....and I would welcome any tips or pointers.
Threats. Use threats. Here's a sample letter...
This is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to American company
> Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets
> rolling after the first paragraph. It's PC Magazine's 2007 editors'
> choice for best webmail-award-winning letter.
>
> Dear Mr. Thatcher,
>
> I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and
> I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core or
> Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa
> dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach
> in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your
> revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough
> to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't
> tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little
> F-16 in my pants.
>
> Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from
> the curse'? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is
> starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces
> violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body
> will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call
> 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.' Isn't the human body amazing?
>
> As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen
> quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers
> monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the
> bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood
> swings, crying, jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize
> it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend
> Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into
> a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's
> Anatomy wa s written by drunken chimps. Crazy!
>
> The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just
> crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants... Which brings me to the
> reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so
> painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I
> opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing,
> were these words: 'Have a Happy Period.'
>
> Are you fu*ing kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny
> middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing
> happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned
> above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless
> you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything
> 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and
> Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to
> the local Walgreen's armed with a huntin g rifle and a sketchy plan to
> end your life in a blaze of glory.
>
> For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you just have to slap a
> moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say
> something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or
> 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong', or are you just picking on us?
>
> Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective
> immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have
> chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will
> certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your
> brand of condescending bull sh*t. And that's a promise I will keep.
> Always.
>
> Best,
> Wendi Aarons
> Austin , TX
>
P.C. wrote:
Anybody have a magic formula for dealing with the dissatisfaction of a product you have purchased ? I know there is an 'art' to it....and I would welcome any tips or pointers.
Well it depends so much on the manager you have to deal with ...
... I always start out peaches and cream --- "there seems to be a problem with your product ..."
see how far that gets you ...
then I tend to slowly rachet it up ... mention to them that you could tell 100 friends in the industry that you recieved very poor service from this store.
Mention that your company does xyz dollars of business at this store last year ... (you can make all this up if you need to)
Once at Home Depot I got really pissy with the jerk of a manager ... there was yelling and spitting ... I got my refund - it wasn't pretty though...
Good luck
Lil Me....that is without a doubt...THE best letter I've ever written....errr....read. If only my problem were with a feminine protection product....I'd plagurize it.
Van guy....I agree. Start out slow and steady...non critical. But at what point do you kick it up. I'm not dealing with a store....I'm going straight to the company. (the store has already excused themselves from any responsibility for taking all our money and delivering us crap). I want to sound passive/assertive....but when do I move to the aggressive mode.
*I'm busting blood vessels just anticipating this process.
Van guy....I agree. Start out slow and steady...non critical. But at what point do you kick it up. I'm not dealing with a store....I'm going straight to the company. (the store has already excused themselves from any responsibility for taking all our money and delivering us crap). I want to sound passive/assertive....but when do I move to the aggressive mode.
*I'm busting blood vessels just anticipating this process.
Well -I guess you kick it up a notch everytime you come to a standstill.
I'm guessing you want a refund ...so if they say "I'm sorry it's not our policy to refund blah bla h blah" - you kick it up one notch ... when they say - "there's no reason to be rude" - you kick it up 2 notches ... don't be afraid to ask for the next manager higher - often times ytou can get satisfaction from a regional rep but not the local rep.... I usually find that the calm - relaxed - relentless tone works better than the yelling ranting tone.
I think so too. I don't plan on ranting....yet I don't want to come across with a letter that won't be taken seriously. It seems like a fine line.
I just want them to give us a new TV !!!!!!!! [img style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick=url(this.src); src="vny!://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/boese/a020.gif" border=0]
P.C. wrote:
I think so too. I don't plan on ranting....yet I don't want to come across with a letter that won't be taken seriously. It seems like a fine line.
I just want them to give us a new TV !!!!!!!! [img style="cursor: pointer;" onclick="url(this.src);" src="vny!://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/boese/a020.gif[/img]
Ahhhhhhh.... you know I wouldn't write a letter - I'd call them.
It's really easy to say no to a piece of paper - it's much harder to say no to a person. I would call them - they must have a 1-800 number ??
I always add a postscript informing them that a copy of this letter has gone to my solicitor. It has always worked.
How about starting with, "Dear Corporate a**holes"? (//vny!://discoverseattle.net/forums/richedit/smileys/Happy/12.gif)
That sounds like a great idea Gophie....but I think I might save that for stage 2.
Lise....I like your style....that one I'll save for stage 3.
Michel....they actually DO say 'have a happy period' on their tv ads. It takes great restraint to not put my foot through the TV every time I hear it, but as we are running out of TV's, I find that hyphenated swearing works well too.
Definatley depends on the company. I write letters too. No expert at them mind you.
If I get bad service at a restaurant, I write a simple letter. I got everything from a free supper, to a "sorry" reply.
I prefer the letter over talking to someone on the phone. I get to think and rethink what I want to say without the danger of any temper rearing it's nasty face. Not to mention, I find it difficult to talk to the right person on the phone...I have trouble enough when I owe THEM money...let alone when asking them for something. Plus I have a tendancy to get tongue-tied.
I wonder if sending the letter 'registered' would be enough to imply that it may be the prelude to taking this all the way....or do you think that's too threatening ?
I usually write the manager, but put a CC on the higher ups that go above the manager. Clearly putting the CC list on the letter. It seems to work wonders. CC as many higher ups as you can.
I'd mention the fact that my complaint is the one voiced but it really represents at least 20 other customers who didn't bother to complain.
P.C. wrote:
I just want them to give us a new TV !!!!!!!! [img style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick=url(this.src); src="vny!://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/boese/a020.gif" border=0][/DIV]
I hope its not a Sony TV. After my recent experience I wrote the VP of Customer Service in response to his survey request that I was never going to buy another Sony product again.........and recommend same for all my friends.
Long story short.......I'd purchased a 60" TV online last year and registered the product with Sony on delivery. The TV went out after 30 days. Called Sony, they gave me a service file number and directed me to call the contracted local certified TV repair service......... after two months and two home visits and at third visit where the TV was taken back to the shop to be worked on, Sony Service decided to replace the TV. Found out shortly they were going to give me a rebuilt/reconditioned TV instead of a new one (said so as their right in fine print in the Sony warranty). After several heated phone conversations, it came down to whether to accept the rebuilt TV or purchase a different model with a credit from the Sony junk I purchased........AND GET THIS!!! ....the credit was based on my purchase price minus a percentage for DEPRECIATION
Decided on a newer model after talking with the nice lady who ran the Sony certified repair shop, who told me that they were doing more than average service calls on the model I'd purchased.
THATS WHY I LOVE COSTCO AND HOME DEPOT
I'm sure there's a website which is dedicated to this purpose i.e. a place where you can name and shame inefficient service, crappy goods and what you will.
I'll wait on that one until after I see how they handle this situation.
Sorry, I misposted.
PC - Do you know what their company's motto is? Do they have a website that states what their belief is? If so, I would take that motto apart and dissect every word to bits and explain why they have failed to live up to the motto/standards. Use quotes if necessary to help you in your letter.
When negotiating, I sometimes say (depending on the situation) "What would you tell your daughter/son to do if they brought a defective products at this store and they refused to do xyz?" I guess this tactic may work face-to-face. But I have used this a few times and it gets the Manager thinking and then I end up getting the refund.
You could also start off your letter with something positive. ie. I see that your company really prides itself with being the best at giving low prices/great customer service, (whatever it is) and then gently go in with the kill...
hope that helps.