So, I didn’t take a full lunch break today (and let’s be honest I never do) in part to write some very well deserved nasty grams. Now I’m a firm believer in the rights of the consumer when being thwarted by big business, but I’m not much of a complainer, really I’m not. I don’t like to send things back in restaurants and I abhor people that complain seemingly for the purpose of getting something for free. (Although I did get a free month of internet service from Charter because of the power of the blog… but I digress.)
I believe it isn’t fair being mad at someone and not telling them why and I believe this to be equally true when dealing with giant corporate monsters too. You don’t get to have a beef if you aren’t willing on giving someone some opportunity to do the right thing, and honestly, if I were a business owner I would like to know if there were a complaint. I like to take care of the little guy. This time the little guy is my grandmother. I’ll let this nastygram speak for itself.
Dear Customer Service Representative,
This is a general complaint regarding a television purchased by my grandmother in May of 2007 (receipt attached.) This summer (around July of 2008) the television started turning itself on in the middle of the night. She could no longer control the volume even when attempting to do so manually on the set. Shortly thereafter the television up and died, and at a time that was just past the expiration of its warranty.
This was a moderately priced unit at around one hundred and seventy-five ($175.00) dollars from, presumably, a reputable manufacturer. It was not by far the least expensive item available at this particular retailer and it should have certainly lasted her longer than one year. Unfortunately in the world we live in today it would cost more to repair this television set rather than to replace it so we will probably recycle the defective machine and my grandmother has since purchased a new set which is, obviously, not an RCA product.
I believed it to be the right thing to do to report this issue in some way. I will not be buying and/or recommending the purchase of your RCA products in the future to any friends or family.
Thank you for your time.
Ok. Now for the nasty gram to the publisher of my favorite crafting magazine (sent via email) also on this date. (I’m a little bit more proud of this one, probably because it was my experience but whatever.)
Dear Craft Magazine Staff,
Yesterday I was ecstatic to pluck the newest issue of craft from my mailbox. To my horror I found when I flipped it over, underneath the pristine plastic outer casing there was a mangled copy inside.
The bottom corners from about page 137 and onward are smeared and ripped and a chunk is missing. It is as if some large metal beast took a bite out of my beloved Craft. This is probably something that occurred during the printing and production at the time that the pages were bound or collated, but still, it is mangled. I worry for other Craft subscribers that may be dealing with a certain level of disappointment that mirrors mine.
I am saddened. I so look forward to each quarterly issue and if I wanted my copies mangled, I’d let my friend with a two-year-old and a proclivity for reading while in a bubble bath borrow my magazine. But I don’t. She has no such privilege as I keep every immaculate copy on my book case with all my other books on crafting. I frowned as I quickly peeked at the damage to determine whether I could live without the directions for those final projects or if I could simply “figure it out” but no, of course I would be most interested in the holiday card ornament on page… ??? Um. Mangled.
I am a sad, sad crafter now. At $35 for an annual quarterly subscription this is an expensive magazine, a little luxury I am afforded due to the fact that this is a gifted subscription from my mother. I would really appreciate an undamaged copy.
Please advise as to how I should proceed and thank you for your time.
I’ll let you all know if I receive any responses. Super Spazz! Fighting for the consumer, the little guy and little old ladies every where!
