Dear Dr. Per Cap:
Last night my family went out to eat and everything was dreadful. Horrible food, lousy service, and overpriced. I complained to the manager who pretty much blew me off. I’m still really ticked off but don’t know if it’s worth fussing over anymore. What should I do?
Signed, Disgruntled Diner
Dear Disgruntled
I think we’ve all been in your situation and it’s so frustrating. Sometimes we can blow off a bad customer service experience but other times it nags like the loose spring poking out of the seat back in my uncle’s old pick up. Whenever I’m in a situation like this I try not to take it too personally before deciding exactly what I want to happen and how far I’m willing to go to get it.
Coincidentally I just had something kind of similar happen. I parked my car in an airport covered parking facility before taking a one night trip to Oklahoma. When I returned the next evening the whole back section and rear glass were covered with a thick layer of dark heavy dust. It ticked me off same as your restaurant ordeal. Not a horrific experience obviously but I didn’t pay extra for covered parking so my car could look like I went joyriding in a cow pasture. Before leaving I took a few pictures and asked the parking lot attendant how to lodge a complaint.
The next day I left a courteous but firm voicemail briefly explaining my issue and my ask – a refund or voucher so I could wash my car. Two days later after no call back I sent a detailed email to the airport’s customer service department attaching photos of my filthy windows. A few days later a guy from the airport called to apologize while explaining that he didn’t know how my car had gotten so dusty. Not quite the answer I was looking for so I double downed by saying that’s not what I expected from covered parking and asked again for a discount or voucher. He hemmed and hawed before replying in an unconvincing tone that he didn’t have the authority but would check on it. I thanked him and wrote down his name. Two hours later he called back and said management had agreed to mail me a voucher for two days of free covered parking. That worked for me!
My advice is to document your bad restaurant experience thoroughly. Include details like the date and time of your visit, names of employees, and what exactly made the situation intolerable. Reach out to management first either in person or by phone while being firm but respectful. You can always tempt more bees with honey. Tell them exactly what you want: a refund, a discount on a future meal, or just a heartfelt apology. If they continue to blow you off, ramp up your tone. Bottom line – make sure they know you are going to hold them accountable until they fix the problem.
If you hit a brick wall don’t hesitate to slam the business publicly on its Facebook page or with a scathing Google or Yelp review. Nowadays businesses can’t afford negative attention online and many will reach out quickly to please dissatisfied customers. Social media offers consumers enormous leverage, especially when dealing with large corporations. It definitely beats the old school approach of calling a customer service line and waiting on hold for thirty minutes with the hope that someone will listen to your complaint. Hope this helps and your next meal out is gooder than better!
Ask Dr. Per Cap is a program funded by First Nations Development Institute with assistance from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. For more information, visit www.firstnations.org. To send a question to Dr. Per Cap, email askdrpercap@firstnations.org.