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I think I did the right thing, but opinions are most welcome.
My college bookstore has a student discount program with a well known computer manufacturer, and I ordered a desktop tower on September 2. I was told that it would ship in about 2 weeks. Unbeknownst, trouble looms.
[Background] This was intended as a replacement for my current desktop, which recently went BSOD one time too many and on to the silicon graveyard. I have a laptop, so there was really no inconvenience in not having a desktop. Also, I'm an online student, and don't make it to the campus very often. [/Background]
Two weeks later, Sept. 16, no call yet from the bookstore. I waited until Monday the 21st, and then called. The employee who checked for it said, "It's not in yet." Okay. I call again on Wednesday, and Friday. Still no package for Dytch.
Monday, I call again, same answer. This time I say, "Wow, it's been almost a month." The employee says, "I'll check into it and get back to you."
Tuesday I go in person. The employee I speak to says, "Oh yes, you called yesterday." Dytch thinks to himself, and you said you'd check into it and get back to me. What happened to that? But I merely said, "Yes." The employee then says, "Let me tell the manager about this, he's the one who handles this kind of thing." You mean you didn't tell him yesterday?
I overhear only part of their conversation, which ends with him saying, "He ordered it WHEN? Why didn't anybody tell me about this?"
The manager goes online to tracking system of (blue-and-red shipping firm that marooned Tom Hanks, cookies for reference!) and soon learns that my package shipped on Sept. 14, reached the blue-and-red depot in Georgia on the 17th, and from there disappeared. Perhaps it fell off the truck and sank into the swamps of Georgia. Or maybe someone boosted it into the back of a pickup and carried it off to a nearby flea market.
Anyhoo, the manfacturer is rebuilding the tower, and will ship it next day rates. It should arrive on Oct. 5. Blue-and-red is paying for the new tower and the improved shipping rate.
I've since related the story to several people (none of whom work in the service sector) and they all said, "You should have demanded a discount for your trouble. And you should have yelled at those bookstore people for inconveniencing you."
Since I have the laptop, I don't think I experienced any inconvenience, just some minor frustration at the delay. Yes, I was mildly peeved at the employee because I had to physically appear at the bookstore to get answers. I wish someone had taken the initiative to let the manager know my delivery was overdue, but then again I didn't request it over the phone either. Finally, any discount would ultimately have to come from the computer manufacturer, who did nothing wrong. In the end, I thanked the manager for his efforts, and went home.
So, woddaya think? Should I have demanded a discount? Or would that make me an SC?
My college bookstore has a student discount program with a well known computer manufacturer, and I ordered a desktop tower on September 2. I was told that it would ship in about 2 weeks. Unbeknownst, trouble looms.
[Background] This was intended as a replacement for my current desktop, which recently went BSOD one time too many and on to the silicon graveyard. I have a laptop, so there was really no inconvenience in not having a desktop. Also, I'm an online student, and don't make it to the campus very often. [/Background]
Two weeks later, Sept. 16, no call yet from the bookstore. I waited until Monday the 21st, and then called. The employee who checked for it said, "It's not in yet." Okay. I call again on Wednesday, and Friday. Still no package for Dytch.
Monday, I call again, same answer. This time I say, "Wow, it's been almost a month." The employee says, "I'll check into it and get back to you."
Tuesday I go in person. The employee I speak to says, "Oh yes, you called yesterday." Dytch thinks to himself, and you said you'd check into it and get back to me. What happened to that? But I merely said, "Yes." The employee then says, "Let me tell the manager about this, he's the one who handles this kind of thing." You mean you didn't tell him yesterday?
I overhear only part of their conversation, which ends with him saying, "He ordered it WHEN? Why didn't anybody tell me about this?"
The manager goes online to tracking system of (blue-and-red shipping firm that marooned Tom Hanks, cookies for reference!) and soon learns that my package shipped on Sept. 14, reached the blue-and-red depot in Georgia on the 17th, and from there disappeared. Perhaps it fell off the truck and sank into the swamps of Georgia. Or maybe someone boosted it into the back of a pickup and carried it off to a nearby flea market.
Anyhoo, the manfacturer is rebuilding the tower, and will ship it next day rates. It should arrive on Oct. 5. Blue-and-red is paying for the new tower and the improved shipping rate.
I've since related the story to several people (none of whom work in the service sector) and they all said, "You should have demanded a discount for your trouble. And you should have yelled at those bookstore people for inconveniencing you."
Since I have the laptop, I don't think I experienced any inconvenience, just some minor frustration at the delay. Yes, I was mildly peeved at the employee because I had to physically appear at the bookstore to get answers. I wish someone had taken the initiative to let the manager know my delivery was overdue, but then again I didn't request it over the phone either. Finally, any discount would ultimately have to come from the computer manufacturer, who did nothing wrong. In the end, I thanked the manager for his efforts, and went home.
So, woddaya think? Should I have demanded a discount? Or would that make me an SC?
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