Recently I bought some bread from the grocery store that was made by a local artisinal bread company who is known in the area for really high quality bread. When I got the bread home it was raw dough in the center. So I wrote a note to them via the website and complained, nicely, about my experience.

I received a nice reply back and was asked for my address so they could send a “care package”. I received several loaves of bread, dinner rolls, etc….even a t-shirt. I will definitely buy from them again because this was a class act.

I never expected anything from them. I just wanted to let them know about the experience. Maybe a larger business wouldn’t have been so generous but that is beside the point. If something is wrong you have to speak up. If you don’t how are they supposed to know something was wrong?

PS: the bread was incredible. The Parker House rolls were simply unbelievable.

Businesses DO love to get feedback. I would highly recommend that people complain to the person who can actually FIX the problem though. Going straight to the president, VP, or district manager can engender hard feelings at the store level. Start at the bottom, and then work your way up if you just “can’t get no satisfaction.” (my apologies to The Stones!)

My sister-in-law will call the 800 numbers on the package all the time to complain. She always gets free samples. I think she has too much time on her hands, but it seems to work.

So there I was: damaged goods due to accident. Not good.

Out of desperation I phoned the store. I happened to get the manager. I explained the problem. I told him I hadn’t knocked it over “that hard” and explained my situation in terms of needing something urgently. He said he the procedure would be to send the drive to the manufacturer where they would say within three weeks if it was a warrantee item. (e.g. assess physical damage).

I explained that this would be no good for me as I needed to get the data back in order to leave across the country by the weekend, when my flats rent term would be ended. He said he would get back to me to try and get their permission to speed the deal, but it was the best he could do.
Later on he called back and asked me when I bought the item. When I told him he got excited “You only had the drive three days” he said. It turned out that they had a back-to-base special on all items running and, hearing my story, at the store manager, he reasoned that I should return the item to the store and simply replace it… even though I had admitted the fault was caused by physical accident.

Maybe it was the prayers I’d had over the phone with my mother at the time. Maybe it was because I stayed relatively level-headed explaining my woes (I didn’t yell or swear lots). Suffice to say, I was very relieved. When I go back to that area in a few weeks I think I’ll pop in and give him a sample of my reel to show him what his action recovered and to say thank you.

When I worked in retail for a while, we would always treat the guy who was mellow and understood the situation over a guy who was insane and just wanted to vent his anger on others.

I was frustrated because I’d picked clementines over another fruit to that week’s lunchbox fruit and now was out the money for the spoiled fruit and our lunchboxes were going to be sparse that week. I went online, made a comment to the store, and got called within a few days as well. The store manager apologized and gave me a $25 gift card – way more than what I paid for the fruit. I appreciated it and was glad that my complaint was heard. Oh, and I didn’t buy more clementines with the gift card.

http://blogs.rbc.com/rbcp2p/2008/03/speak_up_and_save_a_little.html

I’ll be sure to check out your personal blog, as you seem to write about the same types of things we want to address at RBCp2p.

Nick

There is also another reason why it’s important to complain- it’s good for you.

The other day I was so upset when one of my favourite sweets(candies) was changed, for some reason I felt I had to let someone know. So I rang the customer care line and vented my views for about 20 minutes. The woman taking my call was really empathic and when I finished she gave me lots of information about the product change and passed on my comments to the marketing department.

A few days later I received a letter of apology and a cheque (check). I have no idea if my feedback will make any difference, however, what I do know is I am not sitting in those unhealthy emotions. SO go on complain it might be the bedt thing you’ve ever done.