Despite the fact that I think concert ticket prices have gone way, way beyond where they should be, I can’t help myself, and like to see a couple of big name concerts each year. Fans are pretty much limited to using Ticketmaster to satisfy their desire to see Bruce or Elton or Jon; Carrie or Tim or (don’t tease me!) Garth.
I bought tickets to a very popular concert via TicketMaster online, congratulating myself on my “score.” Much to my consternation, when the tickets arrived in the mail, they were marked, “Restricted View,” a detail that wasn’t disclosed when I clicked “buy now.” I immediately called Ticketmaster and told them that while I understood their “No Exchanges, No Refunds” language, I never would have purchased the tickets in the first place had they been upfront about the restricted view. It took asking to speak to a supervisor, keeping a civil tongue in my head, and just politely stating my case, but ultimately, I was able to return the tickets and received a full refund.
I’ve also gotten a refund from Priceline when a hotel I was assigned made the Bates Motel look like the Taj Mahal and managed to return an electronics purchase to a “big box” because it was missing the owner’s manual and they insisted I couldn’t return the item because I didn’t have the manual (no I’m not making that one up).
What’s the common denominator? In each of these “I’m stuck” consumer situations, I stayed firm but polite, refused to take no for an answer and came across as reasonable and (relatively) sane. It may have taken some serious deep cleansing breaths to stop myself from Crossing the Line, but in the end, the merchants came over to my side.
Have any similar consumer triumphs to share? I’d love to hear them.
Until Next Time,
Joan
(c) Joan McCue 2008 All Rights Reserved
I wholeheartedly agree. I always start with a smile and polite convesation and you’d be amazed at the things I’ve returned with and without receipts. Lots of time once you engage in conversation you hit a point in common (i.e., “Oh your son grows so fast the pajamas don’t fit by the time you get them home, too?!”
Beyond successful returns, however, the benefit to keeping your cool and engaging salespeople is a necessary though often overlooked reminder that they are people too; people we should be connecting with not just blinding bypassing throughout our day.
There was a somewhat crabby salesperson at Expect one day and just to see if I could make her day a little better, I said something along the lines of, “Tough day?” Her whole face changed from a stony blank, you could actually see it soften. She went on to tell me how she was having stomach issues but she couldn’t leave work because she couldn’t afford to forego the pay and that she was going to have tests in the hospital the following week. I sympathized and told her I hope all turned out well. Wasn’t time consuming or earth-shattering but it was a connection and I believe the world would be a better place if we all made a few more of them.
Comment by Susan Kuziak — October 8, 2008 @ 11:33 am |