Complain and profit

**Crunchy** · 01-11-2004, 06:09 AM

Sometimes businesses get things wrong. Perfect example: I bought some canned salmon from a certain very reputable company, and found that the flesh of the salmon was very tough. They had a free call number and I 'phoned them. I let them know very politely how bad the product was and why, and also the batch numbers.

They were very concerned, because they do not want to lose market share, and very few people complain. They made sure I was not out of pocket. So for the $3+ that I spent on the salmon cans, and $0 that I spent on the 'phone call, they sent me $5 in a money order.

I really did well when I complained recently to another company about their supposedly mild sauce.

Talk about false labelling! They sent me a goodie pack of several other sauces to try, all normal size. They kept a customer (me), plus all the other people I tell that they have done the right thing by me. They have found out a (to them) serious problem, and hopefully it won't put off too many other customers before it is rectified.

Again, it was a free call number, which is usually on the label.

I have called one particular firm several times recently about a recurring problem with their tea bags exploding contents into the water. What would be the point of having tea bags if you end up with a mouthful of tea leaves?

I keep being sent $5 for the trouble I take. Considering the boxes of tea bags are usually around $2, this makes me very happy.

Okay, here's the formula:

1. Make sure it's a genuine, fixable problem.

2. Keep the box or other packaging, those little numbers and alphabets actually mean something.

3. Be polite. Sometimes, you actually have to remind the person who answers the 'phone that it has cost you in terms of bad product for you to be making this call.

4. They may ask you to return the product. Hopefully they will give you a postage paid address or a promise of remuneration for monies spent on postage. Usually, these days, unless you have been eating grubs with your stewed prunes, they won't ask you to hold on to the offending item.

5. Do complain, you are doing everyone a favour. Years ago, I complained about rice that had weevils in it. The company traced it back to the supermarket selling retail and that supermarket had to fix the problem, not the supplier. I still was given a refund, but by both supermarket and supplier. This was good.

6. The companies involved can usually afford to give you a refund more than you can afford to have bad food. And they can afford to give you a refund more than they can afford to lose a customer and possibly, statistically speaking, another 120 customers.

**Darlene** · 01-11-2004, 07:33 AM

Good advice Crunchy! Companies can't correct a problem if they don't know about it. I called (price chopper) because a light version of their mayo's consistancy was all wrong & looked unappitizing.They thanked me profusely and said they were going to pull that from their shelves and rework the recipe as I wasn't the only one calling to complain. I got a $5. coupon for my trouble.

You can also get rewarded for calling or e-mailing a company  and praising a product. Not often someone takes time out of their day to praise a product.

**guest2** · 01-11-2004, 05:08 PM

I just did this twice this week. I called one company because we found a second smaller can inside a can of corn (big name brand too). The company was very concerned about how this ahppened and is sending me a postage paid box to send the can back to them plus compensating me for the product. The other company I called because of a defective seal on a thermal carafe. They will send me a replacement carafe if I send it to them, but they did not offer to compensate me for my postage.

**mrscornbread** · 01-11-2004, 05:33 PM

I am testament that this type of stuff works, my dh is a master at it!

I dont remember who it was that got back money from clothing that was ruined as a result of spot remover I think, yes good advice it works.

**simplemom** · 01-11-2004, 08:29 PM

I've done this before too and have been refunded for certain things. The first time I was offered coupons for my call, I was so suprised! I was calling because I was really concerned and just wanted to let them know....so since then if I like a product I may call and if something is wrong I call or write.

It's very good that you mentioned this Margery. Maybe not everyone knows.

**simplemom** · 01-11-2004, 08:30 PM

I've done this before too and have been refunded for certain things. The first time I was offered coupons for my call, I was so suprised! I was calling because I was really concerned and just wanted to let them know....so since then if I like a product I may call and if something is wrong I call or write.

It's very good that you mentioned this. Maybe not everyone knows.

**gkp1031** · 01-11-2004, 09:18 PM

I've also done this and have been given coupons for free product, and they also pay postage if they want the defective product returned to them.

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 01-11-2004, 10:27 PM

I also call when I LIKE something a lot. I am not brand loyal EXCEPT for Stain STICK. I hate the spray on pretreater, but Stain Stick won me for life when it got blueberries out of a favorite almost new shirt. I called them and told them about it. I got coupons for free Stain Stick and some cents off coupons too.

This has happened with other products too. Right after I had DS#1, I (of course) had to use pads for awhile. The hospital gave out Always pads. I HATE pads, but these were wonderful! I called P&G and told them and again, I got a free coupon as well as cents off coupons. I even got goodies when I found an ancient pack of yeast in the refridgerator (my pre-bulk yeast days!). It was waaay past its due date, but I just doubled the amount of yeast needed and it worked fine! When I called them, they sent me some recipe books, coupons and a yeast thermometer. I am still using it, ten years LATER!

**summercat** · 01-12-2004, 01:09 PM

I have done this a few times over the years with the companies sending me free coupons as a result

**Crunchy** · 01-13-2004, 06:57 AM

Gee, Ladies, you put me to shame! We must have stingier companies here because I have never been rewarded for complimenting them, and sometimes I haven't had anything but a thankyou for telling them about a problem. C'est la guerre. At least they listened.