Are You A Good I-Rate Customer

[ummboutthat]

or Are you good at being an I-Rate customer to get what you want?
are you that customer that can go to a store and return an item + that looks used + without a receipt + get your money/credit back/ store credit + with Manager apologizes + and maybe a Free something?

as far as I can remember I was never an I-Rate customer until recently for the first time with a car rental agency. I didn't pick up the vehicle I reserved for two days. They charged my credit card on file for the two days. I called them up yelling cussing and holding to talk to the right person! My goal was to get the credit for the charge. and I did!

but if I was a regular I-Rate customer say for a few years or good at being I-Rate... I think I could have gotten more?

[Poppet]

Do you mean irate (as in angry)?

There's no such thing as a good irate customer. Only screaming jerks who make other people miserable.
Cussing and screaming and yelling is someone who's out of control. Don't strive to be an irate customer.

Strive to be firm, persistent, fair, and civilized the entire time.

[ummboutthat]

yea calm / polite / excuse me / ok I understand / no I apologize / yea I agree should have had a receipt
that's me
and every time or most of the time it sorry sir there is nothing I can do or
sir it's store policy that..... or
it's says right here on the receipt sir....

so for the first time angry!!!

[Poppet]

so for the first time angry!!!

Well, for starters, I don't try to return used items without a receipt and scream and yell until I get my way.

That's akin to thievery to me.

The example you used about the auto rental and the credit charge for two days, yeah, I'd be miffed, but a civilized phone call could probably set it straight.

I start getting a tone when I start getting passed to one CSR to another. By the third transfer and explanation, yeah, then I am irate.

but not right off the bat.

Maybe it's just me.

[formerexpat]

I've found you get the most done by not being irate. By being calm and explaining my issues in a way that has the representative sympathize with me, I've been able to get a lot more done.

I also don't see a reason to bite the head off the person who likely didn't make the mistake or caused the issue that I'm frustrated about.

[ummboutthat]

I used to work in a customer service field for three years. So this goes towards me always being nice. However there is no doubt in my mind that had I been nice I would have been told I would not be able to get a refund on the charge because the reservation was not canceled in time? or some crap like that!

guessing like a hotel reservation? if you call up and say oh cancel my reservation at a hotel the day of check in - you will be told nope can't do that you're gonna be charged 1 day!

[ummboutthat]

Enterprise Car Rental - I rental a car - don't inspect it before taking it (not that I would have noticed the damage anyway)

soon as I pull up to return it. The same guy that gave it to me came out and said its damaged! I finished parking and get out the car. he said I damaged the car and will have to pay for it! if the damage is more than my deductible it will go through insurance company! I said that was already there! I drove home and to work and here - didn't hit or run over anything! A chunk was missing from the rear wheel well - all I could think of was a person would have to take a pair of pliers to break it off?

He tells me doesn't matter cause I signed paperwork I took the car no damage and I can clearly see you are returning it with damage.

They charged me $300 to fix it! I didn't complain / fight / or argue - I saw his point!

NOW Enterprise at another location - AFTER I told people about their scam. A person I told called me up and said GUESS WHAT - Enterprise told me the same exact thing! I brought the car back with damage in the same place (rear rocker panel) she was given a rental from the Mercedes dealership. She yelled / cussed / and screamed at Enterprise telling them she ain't pay'n shit! one month later - she didn't pay a dime!

[whoisjohngalt]

I can and will be calm as long as we are having a reasonable conversation. I have no patience left for stupidity and arrogance anymore. So, if CS rep or whoever else starts proclaiming things that are either 100% incorrect or is not really answering my question bc they don't know the answer but too embarrassed to admit it - I stop talking to them and either call for a mgr or just hang up the phone. I very very rarely raise my voice in general and I am certainly not going to waste my energy on this kind of stuff.

Lena

[8 Bit WWBG]

I agree that calm and civilized have the highest success rate overall. But there are also points where "calm and civilized" = doormat, and you will just continue to get excuses.

At that point, you have to size up the situation. Do you have any kind of leverage? (ex. policies in writing that prove you correct)? Do you have witnesses in your favor? Is the person you are talking to even empowered to help you (if they have to choose between you and their job, you won't win) Is there a higher power who will most likely take your side?

I've had many diverse experiences. I've been stonewalled and failed when I was totally in the right. I've gotten the red carpet and freebies when I was totally in the wrong. I totally pwned one company who tried to play games with me. And I've had to let fights go because it would have cost more to battle than I stood to win.

Plus, as much as we all like to diss the immature tantrum throwing jerks, sometimes I think they have life better figured out. There are too many cases where that behavior makes others cave. Sometimes that has to weigh into the equation too.

[ummboutthat]

Feb 22, 2011 13:22:13 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

I agree that calm and civilized have the highest success rate overall. But there are also points where "calm and civilized" = doormat, and you will just continue to get excuses.

At that point, you have to size up the situation. Do you have any kind of leverage? (ex. policies in writing that prove you correct)? Do you have witnesses in your favor? Is the person you are talking to even empowered to help you (if they have to choose between you and their job, you won't win) Is there a higher power who will most likely take your side?

I've had many diverse experiences. I've been stonewalled and failed when I was totally in the right. I've gotten the red carpet and freebies when I was totally in the wrong. I totally pwned one company who tried to play games with me. And I've had to let fights go because it would have cost more to battle than I stood to win.

Plus, as much as we all like to diss the immature tantrum throwing jerks, sometimes I think they have life better figured out. There are too many cases where that behavior makes others cave. Sometimes that has to weigh into the equation too.

lets see
"calm and civilized = doormat, and you will just continue to get excuses."

There are too many cases where that angry behavior makes others cave. Sometimes that has to weigh into the equation too

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

No. I don't think I've ever yelled and cussed to get something I wanted in a business context.... especially when I may have been in the wrong. (That's just not my style or my ethics.)

[ummboutthat]

I JUST got off the phone with National Car Rental - OK!
I found a receipt in the rental SUV I had. The guy just before was charged $34.50 per day and I was charged $57.50!!

I said I think I was charged the wrong rate? I didn't receive the corporate discount?
National Rep said OH let me pull up the contract. I was charged the correct rate.
I said I'm sorry to put you on the spot but the person that had the SUV before me forgot his receipt in the vehicle and he was charged about $20 less than me.
He said well I charged you the correct Corporate rate. I don't know about the other receipt. There are other reasons that the other person was charged less.
I said ok I was going to keep it for two days but I'll return it today.
He said ok I'll pick up keys tonight.

this is what happens being nice / polite / oh I understand!
had I been a professional I-Rate customer!! this situation would have gone a whole lot different - I bet

[patchwork150]

I'm not willing to compromise what I think is right and wrong for extras I don't deserve. Getting my $ back though, that's a whole 'nother ball game. I would not be rude or yell or anything though. I worked part-time behind the counter (20-35 hours/week) after my normal 40-50 hour office job. I know how it feels. Be nice to the cashier. She or he is human. She or he is not at fault because YOU are in a rush. She or he should not be the object of your rants/screaming/swearing because you don't like the POSTED store policies. It's time for (un)common politieness to return to society.

And by the way- the person you yell at often is not the person that screwed up whatever your problem is. Explain calmly what went wrong. It's not their fault!

[ummboutthat]

Feb 22, 2011 17:56:32 GMT -5 patchwork150 said:

She or he is not at fault because YOU are in a rush. She or he should not be the object of your rants/screaming/swearing because you don't like the POSTED store policies. It's time for (un)common politieness to return to society.

And by the way- the person you yell at often is not the person that screwed up whatever your problem is. Explain calmly what went wrong. It's not their fault!

I 100% agree and that's why I'm always polite. As a mater of fact I forgot another example! on the way returning the car rental I had I stopped at the gas station. asked for $10 cash. the pump stops at $8.23 - I tell the attendant "that ok the tank is full" jerk-ass still tries to put in $10!!! he gets to $8.60!!!

Walks up to the window and said TEN DOLLARS! I gave him a $20 bill he gives me $10 change. I pull off!!!

It's hard...difficult to believe everyone posted here are nice - and we all agree it's best to be nice.

BUT I've seen so many times customers being I-Rate and get the world handed to them. I HAD a friend who's mom used to write to companies a complaint and the company sent her mom free samples.

[ummboutthat]

WAIT...no I don't agree it's best to be nice!
I wish I had that...I don't know...skill? of being I-Rate!
right now I have TWO store credits for places I normally DON'T shop at.
the computer place I purchased a mother-board for my new PC my friend built for me. Well turns out the board is bad. BUT I didn't know! not until it really started to fuck up 3 months later! I purchased a new mother board at a local store that worked far better than the one that went bad. I returned the board back to the company or business and the rep said "oh yea - that board is bad" ok so I want a refund - he said no I can only give you store credit cause it's after 30 days!
I was and I am MAD AS HELL!! BUT I didn't do or say anything! just more money gone because I'm a nice customer.

[ummboutthat]

right ...I remember now!
I was explaining ...talking to the guy
the board was getting worse, but not until 3 months later it got so bad I started asking questions about it performance, as soon as the board came out the computer I sent it back, I purchased a new board at a local store so (1) I don't need another board (2) I'm sending your board back in the case of the board I just purchased so you know I acted quickly in returning the board as soon as I knew it went bad. I think if my situation was explained to your manager I should receive a refund, because I was sold a bad mother board.

he puts me on hold and comes back no my manager said no refunds after 30 days

now had I been an I-Rate customer - I bet I would have gotten my money back!!

[Politically_Incorrect12]

Having worked in retail, I always hated the customers who would kick and scream. Most of the times they were the customers who were trying to scam the system. Sometimes they were upset and we'd do our best to remedy the situation, no matter if your were nice or not. I figured those people just had miserable lives and figured they had to try and make others lives miserable too.

[ummboutthat]

I was customer service at a airport freight company and I quickly learned do NOT tell the truth why we were not loading their trucks with their orders.