Tag Archives: customer service

Pasta Please, PLEASE! (8 weeks/4 days)

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  Tired
Pasta Please, PLEASE!
I love me some Macaroni Grill!  Even if I have nobody to eat it with, I call it in for carryout, take it home and am one with my merry self!  It was a typical Saturday afternoon and Macaroni Grill kept whispering “eat me” in my ear.  At 12:15pm (the times will be important to note), I called Macaroni Grill to place a carryout order.  A guy answered the phone and took my “Create Your Own Pasta” order.  He said it would be 15-20 minutes and I my stomach and I were excited!

I pulled up to Curbside Service at 12:37pm.  Usually someone inside sees your car and immediately comes out to help.  I waited.  Nobody.  I waited some more.  Nobody. After five minutes of waiting, I called Macaroni Grill.  A lady answers the phone and I tell her I’ve been sitting outside in my car and nobody has seemed to notice.  She puts me on hold.  While I’m still on hold listening to the elevator music she walks outside and says “I’m sorry, we got backed up in the kitchen and it’s going to be another 15 minutes.”  My response “So what you’re really telling me is that you haven’t processed my order yet!”  She hesitates and I say “I hope you’re not expecting me to pay full price for this service.”  She gives me a absent minded look and says she’ll look into the situation.

I wait into my car another 13 minutes and close to 1:00pm a guy comes out with my order.  He once again states that they were behind in the kitchen and tries to take $5 off my meal.  I ask him to look at the parking lot and notice how empty it is.  I remind him that I called in my order at 12:15pm, pulled up 22 minutes later, had to call THEM for service, and then they realized my order wasn’t placed and I had to wait about 15 minutes more for my food.  (you should never mess with a woman when she’s hungry!) I asked him if he was the manager – his response was “Um…… well I’m the manager, today’s my first day in training..”  I stated I needed to talk with a “real manager” because this is not the quality Macaroni Grill service I’m used to. He walks inside, walks back out, apologizes and says my meal is free.

I drive home, still hungry, more than far ready to eat my pasta.  Even though I got home an hour later, the pasta was oh so good!  Although I expect quality service, I will return there to eat again.  Everyone has to start somewhere.  Next time please just don’t do it with my noodles!

November 2011

One Expensive Colts Ticket

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One Expensive Colts Experience

Sept10-5I decided to be a nice girlfriend and do something special for my boyfriend.  He is a huge Indy Colts fan so I made it my plan to buy us two tickets to their season open versus the NY Giants (Manning vs Manning).  I went online to Ticketmaster and saw that the Colts tickets are pretty much sold out for the entire season.  However, they did offer a site where you could purchase tickets from season ticket holders that weren’t able to attend certain game.  Perfect! (or so I thought)

I went on the TicketExchange site and for several days we researched and watched the prices of various sections where we wanted to sit.  Some of the prices were mad high.  We found great Club Seats in the 200 level section on the 40 yard line.  I went online to purchase the tickets, entered my credit card information and then noticed that there was a rather high service charge fee.   So, I opened up another browser on my computer and randomly clicked on two more tickets to see if the service charge was the same.  I noticed the fee goes up with the price of each ticket.

I knew this was the only way we could attend the game, so I went back to my original screen, checked my total purchase price, clicked on the button that said “I agree to these charges” and pressed enter.  I was excited.  He was excited! – Until I received the confirmation email.  The email I received said that I purchased two tickets totaling $3224!!!!!  Yes, you read that correctly – three thousand two hundred and twenty four dollars.  I almost went in shock.

I immediately called Ticketmaster.  They said that because I opened the second screen to look at those tickets that those are the tickets I purchased.  I told them I only entered my credit card information on the first screen and even checked which screen I was on when I confirmed my order.  My response fell on deaf ear.  Nobody wanted to listen to me.  I talked to several supervisors.  I called my credit card company and tried to dispute.  Everyone thought it was unfair, but nobody was willing to help me.  So, I started calling every day and pleading my case.  I filed charges with the Better Business Bureau and had a demand letter sent on my behalf.  One supervisor said although it wasn’t my fault the tickets were purchased, it wasn’t their fault either so they couldn’t do anything.  Another supervisor said that Ticketmaster couldn’t afford to reimburse me $3000.  My response to that was, “So a multimillion dollar company can’t afford to lose $3000, but I can?!”

Two weeks of frustration went by.  I became more and more overwhelmed by the situation. It got to a point where it consumed many of my daily thoughts.  At my highest stress level, as I lay down to bed, I said a prayer to help right this situation so that I could move forward with my life. The next day I was sitting at my office desk and my cell phone rang.  I answered it and on the line was a lady from Ticketmaster.  She said they were able to re-create my online situation and realized that I honestly had no intent of purchasing the expensive tickets.  She said they were going to refund my ENTIRE amount!   I was ecstatic and overjoyed!

I realized that when I was at my worse that I had to put my faith in the situation in God’s hands.  It’s pretty amazing that as soon as I did just that, all of my problems were solved.  God does answer prayers.  They aren’t always answered overnight like this situation.  But, he can always help see you through.

M.Y. September 2010

Bad Attitude or Something More

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‘Bad Attitude or Something More?’

Apr09-3My washer recently started leaking so my friend took a photo of where the water was dripping and suggested I go to a home improvement store to try to fix it.

I then threw on some sweats, pulled my hair back in a ponytail and headed out the door.   I entered the store and was immediately greeted by two people.  One walked me back to the appliance section where I was introduced to Mike H.  When I told him the issue, he said that I would need to go to an appliance parts store.

I asked which ones he would suggest.  Mike said to look it up in the phonebook and find one close to where I lived.  Excuse me!  I stated that I live just around the corner and asked if he would write some down.  He then placed a piece of paper and pen in front of me.  Wow! I wrote one down and he said it was two city blocks south of I-264 on Newburg Rd.  I asked if that was near the School Board.  He rudely said, ‘I said two city blocks’.  I once again kindly reminded him that I live in the suburbs of Louisville and have no clue how far two city blocks are.

At this point I felt belittled and asked Mike H. if I were taking up his time and should instead find someone else that would better serve me.  An older female customer standing close asked me what my problem was and started talking to me.  She told me about her recent washer problems, made suggestions if I had to get a new one and helped me more than Mike H even attempted.

I pulled out my camera to show the other customer where the water was leaking at Mike looked at it.  He then said, ‘So, what part is that?’  Really!  My response was, ‘I am in education, if I knew what the part was then I wouldn’t have come to this section for assistance.’  I told him that my friend suggested possibly putting putty in to stop the leak.   He told me I would need to go to an automotive store to get that.

I walked out of the store hurt at my experience.  I felt some very disparaging remarks were made toward me and felt that nobody should be treated that way.  When I arrived home, I called to speak to a supervisor.  The next day, I also went into the store and talked with the store manager.  He was very disturbed with how I was treated and apologized.  We first walked all through the store to try to find Mike. After we couldn’t, I was introduced to Gary who gave me the type of service that one would expect.

You know, people talk about being discriminated against and I am not sure if this was one of those situations.  Yes, the employee (Mike H) did have a very nasty attitude – but was it racially motivated?  That I will never know.  I do know that he was just one employee and not a reflection of the entire store.  I actually went back to the same store several times that week because I did end up needing a new dryer.  Each of the other times I was treated wonderfully from the time I entered to the time I left.  Lesson learned: Don’t let people treat you less than you are worth and don’t assume that one person’s attitude is a reflection of those around them.

M.Y.  April 2009