40 minutes ago, Ned said:

40 minutes ago, Ned said:
Buzzbait said:They acknowledged the issue, apologized and gave you credit. I don't see the problem since, as you already said, the product was great the first two times. Also, your wife was happy and the flowers looked nice on Valentines Day.
Now the credit resolution isn't acceptable because you "probably won't end up using your service after this fiasco." If it were me and I'd been happy two previous times AND they acknowledged the issue, apologized and gave me credit I'd be satifified.
I have to say, I'm amazed how some of you just let companies take advantage of you.
At this point, my fiance says to me that she kind of liked the pillow, so she'll just keep it instead of driving to the store and returning it. So I email Kohl's back and say that I'm going to keep the pillow they messed up sending me, but I'd still like the pillow I ordered, and I wouldn't mind a little discount since they had made a mistake. In my mind, I felt like they messed up and because of it, they got 2 sales instead of 1.
I know. It's crazy. I keep getting discounts from companies when they mess up. I'm loony!what's wrong with you?
yes that is what is happening here.I know. It's crazy. I keep getting discounts from companies when they mess up. I'm loony!
lmfaoAgain, I just don't understand why not give my credit and a small discount. I would guess that a new company would not want to lose customers. A small discount could have saved a customer, as well as not turned into me telling everyone I know not to use Bouqs.com. Am I still wrong for expecting some sort of small gesture for their error?
Here's where your theory falls apart. This is what I wanted and did not get.INTERNET HERO: hey you guys messed up
EVIL CORPORATION: oh very sorry sir, we'll fix that and here's something extra for your trouble
INTERNET HERO: lol that's not enough. give me way more than that
EVIL CORPORATION: ???
INTERNET HERO: I WONT SHOP WITH YOU ANYMORE
You know, there's this little mom and pop store that has been in our little town for probably 50 years. Always have great flowers and are the nicest people. But they recently trimmed their store hours down. Not sure why, but it made it hard to get to them with work hours. I think I may have to go back to them and just figure out a way to leave work early.Hey Shiek, just wanted to let you know that I bought my wife roses from Costco on 2/13. It's 6 days later and they look glorious. Honestly, outside of them spreading a bit (they were closed up when I got them), they look like they'll go another week no problem. You can do a little work with your legs next time and get them yourself and put them in a nice vase with the little plant food they give you and surprise her in the morning.![]()
No. I never said I wouldn't use them again because the flowers were bad. I said I would not use them now because of the total experience. When I emailed them to let them know about the flowers, if they would have said, "So sorry. We're sending new flowers as replacement and we'll give you 10% of your next order", I would have been completely satisfied. I just wanted a small gesture since they messed up. If you mess up, try to fix your error.So you had a terrible experience, so bad you said you'd likely never use them again, but you would allow yourself to be lured back in with a measly 10% discount.
Congrats on being a sucker. Saving $5 off your next order and only leaving them with $20 in profit instead of $25 is really showing them.
In the flower scenario, you did get it but it wasn't what you wanted because you didn't tell them and they weren't mind readers.Here's where your theory falls apart. This is what I wanted and did not get.
Again, no. He's saying that they offered to fix that AND give me something for my trouble. If they would have done that, I would have been happy. It's not about reading minds. Like I stated earlier, my current company tells the phone reps that if a customer is upset, offer them x% off their order. I forget if it's 10 or 15, but it's a nice offer. Most companies have this same policy. It's not about reading minds. It's simply about offering something small to keep a customer happy.In the flower scenario, you did get it but it wasn't what you wanted because you didn't tell them and they weren't mind readers.
there's no "theory" here. they made a mistake, tried to make it right, and it wasn't to your liking so now you're going to ruin their reputation with everyone you know (even though your first two experiences with them were great). seems reasonable.Here's where your theory falls apart. This is what I wanted and did not get.
Yeah, I get that. Some times things get lost in translation over a message board. I'll point out that even though I have quotes in things, those aren't the exact words or things said. I'm really just editing for space. But I'll try to give the quick break down here:Can you be a little more clear about what your main problem was with your scenario?
Was it that they didn't get back to you sooner after your first email? 24 hours might be kind of tough for a smaller company at their busiest time of the year.
Was it that they just gave you credit on a future order vs refund of the same amount on this one? Your polite email not asking for anything and noting you were a repeat (happy other than this time) customer might have lead them to believe you were likely to order from them again, so a future credit would be reasonable.
Or was it that the credit wasn't for enough money? I don't think you mentioned how much credit they gave you.
Would you really have been happy if they had simply given you 10% back rather than a future credit? Since you eventually asked for a full refund, it doesn't seem like 10% would have left you satisfied.
To me, when I don't ask for anything, I'm at least mildly impressed that I'm offered something. If I then let them know that I don't value what they gave me enough and would be happier with something better and they give me exactly what I ask for, I call that some pretty good customer service.
I don't think any (or at least many) of us are blaming you for asking for more. It's the complaining about them afterwards even though they pretty quickly gave you what you asked for that's questionable.
It is about reading minds. You previously stated you don't like asking for things. Your original post (on the flowers) said you just explained facts and didn't ask for anything. I understand your firm has a blanket standard response/offer to fix mistakes, but you have to acknowledge this simply isn't going to be a standard across the retail industry. Ordering things online are going to cause a myriad of different issues; timing, wrong product, defective product, on and on. Having a standard "this is what we offer to correct issues" isn't a one size fits all thing. I worked retail all through high school and college, I was on that end of customer service. While I am no longer in retail, I still deal with "customers" and problem resolution. Having the ability to work with a customer with some flexibility is far more preferred, from my point of view over some canned response.Again, no. He's saying that they offered to fix that AND give me something for my trouble. If they would have done that, I would have been happy. It's not about reading minds. Like I stated earlier, my current company tells the phone reps that if a customer is upset, offer them x% off their order. I forget if it's 10 or 15, but it's a nice offer. Most companies have this same policy. It's not about reading minds. It's simply about offering something small to keep a customer happy.
You don't have to bow out. I enjoy talking with you. I understand what you're saying, but if you are a company and you have an upset customer, you can't just sit back and hope they make an offer that fixes it. You need to go on the offensive. Who do you think loses out more here? Me or the upstart company? I can easily go get flowers elsewhere at no extra cost.It is about reading minds. You previously stated you don't like asking for things. Your original post (on the flowers) said you just explained facts and didn't ask for anything. I understand your firm has a blanket standard response/offer to fix mistakes, but you have to acknowledge this simply isn't going to be a standard across the retail industry. Ordering things online are going to cause a myriad of different issues; timing, wrong product, defective product, on and on. Having a standard "this is what we offer to correct issues" isn't a one size fits all thing. I worked retail all through high school and college, I was on that end of customer service. While I am no longer in retail, I still deal with "customers" and problem resolution. Having the ability to work with a customer with some flexibility is far more preferred, from my point of view over some canned response.
Regardless, I'll bow out of this conversation, because I simply don't understand myself what you are looking for here, but I do know that it is not my feedback. Good luck.![]()
I see what you mean, but personally, I'd prefer a full credit towards a future order over new flowers + small discount on future order (of course, full refund would be my #1 choice). They may just have info that the majority of people don't want the flowers resent - the thought being that most of the value of Valentines Day flowers are in the receiving and showing off that one day - so it's reasonable that what they offered would normally be more valued by the average customer than the offer you expected them to give you. I agree that being given an option would be awesome, though.Their solution was they gave me a credit of my full order. This meaning that my next order would be free, essentially. Problem was, that didn't rectify the dead flowers I already had. I eventually just had them change that credit to a refund to my card. To their credit, they did it without issue. Fast, too. But I was perplexed at why not offer to resend the flowers and give a discount on a future purchase? Not a huge discount. I'm not asking for the world. But a small gesture to acknowledge they messed up. As I've said before, it's much cheaper to do that and keep a customer, than it is to gain a new customer. This is why most companies go out of their way to keep customers.
Now if anyone wants to say it's my fault for not being specific, that's fine. But I can go elsewhere and get flowers. The onus isn't on me to keep me happy.
If people want to disagree with my thoughts here, I'm fine with that.
In general, I would prefer them competently acknowledging the problem, owning it and taking immediate action to remedy it above a discount or some other token of apology. If that happens then I usually will walk away still positive about the experience knowing that mistakes happen but I know that they will take care of me if one is made.To the people who think I'm asking too much, let me ask you this. Say you go out to dinner at a nice restaurant, have a few drinks, and when the meal comes your wife's meal is incorrect. Your meal is fine. They apologize, take back her dish and spend 20 minutes recooking her meal exactly the way you ordered the first time. Is that enough to make you happy? What if the manager apologized and offered to buy your next round of drinks and recook the meal?
I'm just trying to figure out where the line is where you're just OK with a redo. If your wedding photographer messes up, do you just want your money refunded? What's the line you guys draw?
While I agree that a business should make an offer to rectify the situation when a mistake is made, I believe that a customer has a responsibility to voice their preference of solution prior to the business' offer, if anything less than what the customer wants is going to result in an unhappy customer.You don't have to bow out. I enjoy talking with you. I understand what you're saying, but if you are a company and you have an upset customer, you can't just sit back and hope they make an offer that fixes it. You need to go on the offensive. Who do you think loses out more here? Me or the upstart company? I can easily go get flowers elsewhere at no extra cost.
So you can order flowers over the Internet, but calling a store during store hours is difficult?You know, there's this little mom and pop store that has been in our little town for probably 50 years. Always have great flowers and are the nicest people. But they recently trimmed their store hours down. Not sure why, but it made it hard to get to them with work hours. I think I may have to go back to them and just figure out a way to leave work early.
This situation here is more like the manager already gave you free drinks, but you are still upset because what you really wanted was desert which you failed to communicate.To the people who think I'm asking too much, let me ask you this. Say you go out to dinner at a nice restaurant, have a few drinks, and when the meal comes your wife's meal is incorrect. Your meal is fine. They apologize, take back her dish and spend 20 minutes recooking her meal exactly the way you ordered the first time. Is that enough to make you happy? What if the manager apologized and offered to buy your next round of drinks and recook the meal?
I'm just trying to figure out where the line is where you're just OK with a redo. If your wedding photographer messes up, do you just want your money refunded? What's the line you guys draw?
Either would have been fine, really. New flowers or the credit for a future order. No problem there.I see what you mean, but personally, I'd prefer a full credit towards a future order over new flowers + small discount on future order (of course, full refund would be my #1 choice). They may just have info that the majority of people don't want the flowers resent - the thought being that most of the value of Valentines Day flowers are in the receiving and showing off that one day - so it's reasonable that what they offered would normally be more valued by the average customer than the offer you expected them to give you. I agree that being given an option would be awesome, though.
So is the issue that you don't feel what was offered to fair OR is the issue that they didn't max out on what you believe that could have offered to keep you as a customer? Two completely different things.I guess here's what a lot of you are missing. Most companies will go out of their way to keep customers happy. Whether you think it's strange or not, it's the truth. If a customer complains, they will try to appease that customer. It's much easier to give a small gift then to lose customers. The cost of saving that customer is much cheaper than the cost of trying to gain new customers.
I've been given anything from small discounts on current purchases to completely free large ticket items. Dell once gave me a printer and old school PDA over a laptop order mix up. This is just how most businesses work. With that said, it's great that you think I'm being unreasonable or a curmudgeon about this, but the fact is most companies have a plan in place of how to appease upset customers.
If another flower delivery company has one of those plans in place, as I'm sure they probably do, then which company do you think will do better in the long run? This is why I think it's humorous that you guys think I'm asking for too much. Other companies out there will give me what I want. These two just happen not to. You go ahead and accept your refund and be happy with it. Those companies love you guys.
Now see, I don't want to be that guy. That's why I don't want to be the one making requests as to what will make me happy. That is 100% why I don't go in with a request of what I want to make me happy.While I agree that a business should make an offer to rectify the situation when a mistake is made, I believe that a customer has a responsibility to voice their preference of solution prior to the business' offer, if anything less than what the customer wants is going to result in an unhappy customer.
I'll also admit I am probably colored by personal experience. I still vividly remember a customer threatening to "pull my tie right through my neck" if I didn't give him what he was asking for to resolve his particular issue.
I have to pick them up at some point.So you can order flowers over the Internet, but calling a store during store hours is difficult?
No. Not at all. I've said multiple times in this thread that all I'm looking for is a token gesture saying they screwed up. This is the whole reason I don't go in saying, "I want my money refunded AND I want x, y and z. "So is the issue that you don't feel what was offered to fair OR is the issue that they didn't max out on what you believe that could have offered to keep you as a customer? Two completely different things.
I'm getting the feeling that it's the latter. Just because you can milk a situation doesn't mean you should . There have been times when I'm sure that I could have pushed and gotten more out of a situation but I also felt like what I was offered was fair. Just because I don't maximize an opportunity doesn't make me a sucker.
Not the small mom and pop place, no. They might within a certain area around their store, but not to where I live.They don't deliver?
Fair enough. You made a few comments that had me thinking you felt it necessary to maximize the situation. So, it really just comes down to what you think is fair. I think what they offered was reasonible enough and you don't.No. Not at all. I've said multiple times in this thread that all I'm looking for is a token gesture saying they screwed up. This is the whole reason I don't go in saying, "I want my money refunded AND I want x, y and z. "
I think this is the disconnect. They think what they offered you is fine, you dont. Yet, you didnt or wouldnt tell them what is fine.Now see, I don't want to be that guy. That's why I don't want to be the one making requests as to what will make me happy. That is 100% why I don't go in with a request of what I want to make me happy.
Either would have been fine, really. New flowers or the credit for a future order. No problem there.
Their solution was they gave me a credit of my full order. This meaning that my next order would be free, essentially. Problem was, that didn't rectify the dead flowers I already had. I eventually just had them change that credit to a refund to my card.
And that's fair. I've said from the get go that we all have different views on this.Fair enough. You made a few comments that had me thinking you felt it necessary to maximize the situation. So, it really just comes down to what you think is fair. I think what they offered was reasonible enough and you don't.
Here's something that happened to me just last night. I went to the grocery store and when I got home reaized one bag was missing. Of course it was the one with three big steaks :(. I went back to the store and apparently the bagger missed the steaks and the customer behind me got them. The other customer didn't discover it till she got home and then phoned the store. They told me to go pick out some replacement steaks. Now because I had to get in the car and make a trip back should I have expected something above having my steaks replaced? I'm betting you'd say yes because I was inconvenienced. For me, I'm good. Things happen and I'm not interested in constantly pushing the envelope to always get more to make a situation right. Sometimes s**t just happens.
My issue wasn't with the refund. Whether they refund my money or give me a credit, it's 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. I wanted my money back AND something for the inconvenience.Wait, now I'm confused again. Despite the confusing language of the email exchange, isn't that second option just what they offered?
This is the disconnect. But as I've said many times, this is not my job to make me happy. If you have a business and someone complains to you, you give them a refund. If they say, "That doesn't fix the problem", you would say either "How about this..." or "How could we fix the problem." To just let a customer walk because they didn't give a list of demands seems odd.I think this is the disconnect. They think what they offered you is fine, you dont. Yet, you didnt or wouldnt tell them what is fine.