Some days I’m bummed I know anything about business development and customer service. Maybe I wouldn’t be so bothered.
Today my plan was to buy a Japanese Maple from a local nursery. I even had $30 of ‘merchant bucks’ to put toward the purchase. So I drove up this afternoon to get my tree.
I like this nursery. They have a great selection of healthy plants, a nice layout and staff that are knowledgeable and helpful. My wife and I already spent hundreds of dollars there when I reworked our front yard – thus the $30 of fake money to put toward our tree. Their trees also have a two year guarantee, which was another reason to get our Maple there.
After I had chosen my tree, loaded on a cart, wheeled in it, paid (with my credit card and the fake $30) and completed the transaction, I asked if the receipt was all I needed for the guarantee.
The cashier said that using the $30 credit money negated any guarantee. Two managers up the chain confirmed this and were not going to alter their policy. I had my card credited and left without the tree.
I had made a special trip, out of my way, to buy this tree. My wife and I had saved the $30 credit (which expires today) to put toward the tree. I had made the effort to inspect trees and pick one out and pay for it.
And, right at the end…breakdown.
There are three ways that they could have made it right.
First, the cashier could have reviewed the guarantee negation policy before the purchase, since she knew I was using the ‘merchant bucks’.
Second, since their lack of clarity put me in a bind, they could have made an exception, granted the sale and guarantee, and worked to revise the way the were dealing with this issue.
Third, they could have made some concession for goodwill. They could have given me a new set of $30 credits, which I would have spent there anyway.
Unfortunately, I left feeling ill served and without a tree.
But I do still have the $200+ I was ready to give them.
And they don’t.
