1. A grovelling request for their senior manager to reconsider due to extenuating circumstances frequently results in the desired outcome.
2. Fall-back position being a request for a credit towards the next journey within (say) 12 months. The beauty of this is that it doesn't "cost" them anything. Their train will run irrespective of whether the complainant is on it.
3. If No.2 fails, then let rip. And that example is a classic.
I received a gift card with a bit of 'plastic' stuck on it.
When I eventually got around to using it and peeled it off the backing card I found that according to the conditions printed on the back it had 'expired'. My polite, I hope, letter was rewarded by two new cards and an admonition 'not to do it again'. I have usually found politeness pays.
The sensible organisation gives the customer the benefit of the doubt and indeed should welcome 'complaints' as this is real feedback from real customers about real difficulties, not the pointless customer survey tripe.
Some organisations aren't that smart. I did write to one major company to tell them that it would be nice in these days of computerised mail if the customer number and the contact information could be printed bang in the middle of the letter with lots of white space, instead of in small type, split over two lines and on different parts of the page. The response was that 'customer surveys' showed that 99% of people were satisfied.
It's always a Trade-off.
ReplyDelete1. A grovelling request for their senior manager to reconsider due to extenuating circumstances frequently results in the desired outcome.
2. Fall-back position being a request for a credit towards the next journey within (say) 12 months. The beauty of this is that it doesn't "cost" them anything. Their train will run irrespective of whether the complainant is on it.
3. If No.2 fails, then let rip. And that example is a classic.
Excellent retort to mindless bureaucracy.
ReplyDeleteSometimes though, its much better for the soul (if not the wallet) to skip straight to No. 3.
;-)
I presume the exasperated sender sent it directly to the PR department!
ReplyDeleteI received a gift card with a bit of 'plastic' stuck on it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I eventually got around to using it and peeled it off the backing card I found that according to the conditions printed on the back it had 'expired'. My polite, I hope, letter was rewarded by two new cards and an admonition 'not to do it again'. I have usually found politeness pays.
The sensible organisation gives the customer the benefit of the doubt and indeed should welcome 'complaints' as this is real feedback from real customers about real difficulties, not the pointless customer survey tripe.
Some organisations aren't that smart. I did write to one major company to tell them that it would be nice in these days of computerised mail if the customer number and the contact information could be printed bang in the middle of the letter with lots of white space, instead of in small type, split over two lines and on different parts of the page. The response was that 'customer surveys' showed that 99% of people were satisfied.
I don't know the story behind the letter Joe so a grovelling letter may have been sent and rejected.
ReplyDeleteIndeed pa_broon. I'm about to do a No 3 to my old mobile contractors. Just getting my daunder up. :)
ReplyDeleteI do hope so Clarinda. :)
ReplyDeleteI think when you realise you've lost the battle then the above is appropriate JimS. But in many circumstances, such as yours, politeness pays.
ReplyDelete