Comments on: It pays to complain

By: Mom Taxi Julie

Mom Taxi Julie — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:47:39 +0000

I’ve never heard of keeping the lights on for kids. I thought that’s what the ones on the floor are for?

We once went to a movie that wasn’t cut right and you could see all the microphones on the top of the screen. It was really bizarre. They gave everyone a refund at the end of the movie.

By: Jenna Z

Jenna Z — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:01:02 +0000

Wow, just wow. The sense of entitlement some people feel is just amazing. I hate the parents that requested the lights be left on. Then again, I hate most parents. Except my own.

By: Caro

Caro — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:27:54 +0000

They have Mommy Movie times at some places around here too, but it’s always at a special time and there are big signs on the doors and they warn you when you buy tickets. I think they are great, but it’s a totally different experience. And actually, they are advertised through the autistic orgs as well, but unlike the NY poster, these are usually specific movies and times and are well marked as such. Sometimes the theater isn’t even open for other movies at that point, so it’s hard to confuse.

Doesn’t sound like your place was any good at communication…on many levels.

One of the things I learned is that it often pays to write a letter when something goes wrong in a way that is unexpected. For example, when I was breastfeeding I purchased a special bag for the pump I used. On my first trip using it, the lining of the bag ripped. Now, I purchased it online from some no-name type internet store, but it was a name brand pump product. I looked up the owner (in this case, CEO) listed in the BBB listing for the company and sent him a letter letting him know how much I liked their products in general, but how disappointed I was with this one. I didn’t ask for anything, but gave them all the info I could and said that I wanted them to know so that they could check into quality control where my bag was made.

I never did get a letter back, but I got a big box in the mail a few weeks later that was filled with stuff from that company, including a replacement bag. It was about $200 worth of stuff to make up for a $40 bag.

So yeah, that sold me on writing letters. Nice, polite, constructive letters. I think telling them what I did like along with what I didn’t helped too.

By: caryn

caryn — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:16:44 +0000

Years ago we ended up at Outback for dinner on Valentine’s Day. We did their call ahead seating but when we got there, they were missing a whole page of the wait list. So we got pushed to the bottom. We know they were missing a whole page because they were numbered and we were not the only unhappy people there now at the end of the line.

We waited FOUR hours. Understandable that its one of the busiest days of the year but considering the call ahead… To top it off we ended up outside where it was really cold and the heat lamp things didn’t reach to where we were. Our food was not hot when we got it.

I sent a long letter to the manager understanding that its a busy day and suggested that maybe call ahead on holidays wasn’t a good idea. I complimented those members of the staff that tried to be really helpful in a really awful situation. A mixed bag letter if you will. Said what was bad, and some that was ok.

He called me personally and thanked me for the letter. He apparently got hundreds of complaint letters after that day. Mine was the only one that apparently wasn’t nasty. It was to the point, offered suggestions to fix the situation and did point out those of the staff that stood out as trying to make the best of the situation.

We were invited to come in, meet the manager and then he gave us a $100 gift card.

They don’t do call ahead seating anymore on holidays.

I agree about standing up for things. We pay too much for services and goods these days to get something… pardon the pun for where I’m posting… half assed.

By: Simone

Simone — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:23:20 +0000

That was a great post. Where I live (Brooklyn), I don’t think that they would’ve been so nice. At least they are nice to you!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:26:35 +0000

I had a similar experience once. Except instead of lights it was two teenagers having sex in the last row and somehow the free movie passes just couldn’t make up for it.

By: nancy

nancy — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:20:02 +0000

Not to put a damper on things, but the first five minutes of the Blind Side were actually pretty much fraught with back story.

By: rae

rae — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:29:29 +0000

Good for you on this issue. I love the ‘grow a backbone’ bit.

RE The 16yo manager chatting with her friends? When I do something similar I consider it my honour to become that person’s dinner conversation :)

By: BB

BB — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:44:59 +0000

I had the same problem with the lights not long ago. Actually first the movie didn’t start. About 10 of us just sat looking at each other until one lady got up to complain that after the previews nothing was happening. (I was just about to get up when she beat me to it) But, like you, the movie started but the lights stayed on and I agree how very annoying it can be. I jumped up first and they fixed the problem right away. That is terrible that they left the lights on during the whole movie for you and your friend. Being assertive is a good thing. I would call the county health dept to complain about the restaurant too.

By: BridgetJones

BridgetJones — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:36:29 +0000

I love the picture you included with the story. Pure genius! Do we all suffer from chronic weakness? Sometimes I think “we” do — since women are trained to think that anyone who stands up for themselves is a female dog.