It’s always enjoyable for me to let one of my readers relate how they’ve applied certain teachings in order to obtain more satisfaction, happiness and peace of mind.
I’ve known Cameron since she was a very young adult, when she worked for the owners of one of the client organizations I used to speak to many years ago. Since that time, and via the original book, she’s been a faithful student (and teacher!) of “Winning Without Intimidation.” Here’s a very recent story. I believe you’ll see why I’m so proud of her.
———-
Hi Bob!
“My sweetheart heard that one of my favorite bands was coming to town and purchased tickets over the internet from a large entertainment retailer. After completing the transaction, I recommended printing out the receipt until we got the tickets in the mail. Since he didn’t have a printer available, I scanned the confirmation page.
“It was then that I noticed he had mistakenly purchased tickets for the wrong date and venue (we wanted to go to the concert in San Diego, CA, not St. Louis, MO). We laughed for a minute and then proceeded to look up the return/refund policy on the website. It stated, ‘We give you 3 days to change your mind’ as well as ‘All tickets for events at participating venues are fully refundable for 72 hours after purchase, up until one week before the event.’
“I assured him it wouldn’t be a problem since we’d noticed it right away and thanked him for being so thoughtful in getting us tickets. He called Customer Service, but since it was Sunday evening they were closed. We wrote down the order number for when he’d call first thing in the morning and went ahead and purchased tickets for the correct date and venue.
“When he called early the next morning, he was immediately told that the tickets had already been printed and mailed and that all sales were final and could not be refunded.
“Unfortunately, since Mike had not yet been introduced to the wonders of Winning Without Intimidation, he did not know to ask the name of the person he was speaking to. So, after being put on hold for 10 minutes and then disconnected, he had to start all over.
“He and I were instant messaging one another throughout and I was trying to inject little tidbits such as, ‘Start with “I have a challenge I’m hoping you can help me with”; ask for the person’s name at the beginning so they don’t feel like you are only asking to complain about them; thank him for being so helpful as you ask to speak to a manager. But, if the manager can’t help you, ask HOW he and the representative could “solve” the challenge. Above all, conduct yourself in a way that makes him WANT to help you.’
“I could tell he was very frustrated and probably wasn’t using a very ‘tactful’ tone. He spoke to another person on the second call and was then told that the retailer would have to contact the promoter to see if a refund could be issued and to call back after 24 hours. Again, Mike was basically under the impression that despite what the website clearly stated, that he was out of luck in getting these tickets refunded.
“At this point, I stepped in and sent an email through their ‘Contact Us’ link ‘from’ Mike. I stated what had happened, referred to the policy and re-iterated that we had met all the ‘qualifications’ for the refund and requested that the retailer take appropriate action.
“Here is the email I sent:
“‘Good morning. I purchased tickets for Rascal Flatts last night at approx 9:30pm. As soon as I saw the receipt I realized that somehow I purchased tickets for St. Louis, MO rather than the intended San Diego, CA. I tried calling Customer Service immediately, but they were closed. I called this morning around 10am (less than 12 hours after purchasing tickets) but was told that the tickets could not be returned/refunded.
“‘According to your return policy (stated in multiple places on your website) “All tickets for events at participating venues are fully refundable for 72 hours after purchase, up until one week before the event.”
“‘The Maryland Heights venue IS a participating venue according to your 3-day Return Policy List and I am requesting a refund well before one week prior to the event (a full 12 days). Therefore, I would appreciate a full refund to be issued immediately and my order for the Missouri event canceled.
“‘I can’t imagine that the tickets have been printed and mailed before noon on the first business day following the initial order, but if they have been, please instruct me on whether you would like the tickets returned to you or destroyed. I have always been happy with purchasing event tickets through Livenation/Ticketmaster and I’m confident you will take care of this matter appropriately in order to keep a valuable customer.’
“Bob, within 8 hours we received the following response:
Hello Michael,
Your ticket order has been canceled and the money refunded! $XXX.XX was put back on your credit card on Monday, August 16, 2010. It should take about 3-10 business days for the bank to process the credit. If you need anything else, we’re always here for you – just hit reply and ask us or visit Ticketmaster.com.Thanks for being a fan!
Sincerely,
XXXXXX_Billy
Ticketmaster Fan Support
“But, even if we hadn’t received that positive response, I’m sure that had I been able to speak to a representative it would have ended with the same result. I liked being able to be the “hero” for my guy that day and it prompted him to post on Facebook:
“’I am blessed to be with an AMAZING woman who continues to impress me’
“Can’t beat that for making your day! Bob, I can’t wait until I get my book back from a friend (she’s reading it to improve her personal coaching interactions) so he can read it, too.
“I never realized how your principles have become second nature after all these years of ‘practicing’ them, but they sure are successful for me! Thank you AGAIN! — Cameron”
———-
Cameron, You ROCK, my friend. There are methods you applied from the book that I haven’t even blogged about yet, thus can’t link to them for now. But you have reminded me of some which I’ll now have to feature in future articles. Your emails to me throughout the years regarding your enjoyment of Winning Without Intimidation and seeing how you utilize the teachings for the good of everyone involved causes me to “Kvell with Nachas” (Yiddish for “Burst with Joy”). 😉 Thank you for being a shining light. I can practically guarantee you your letter will make a difference in the lives of many readers of this blog, including mine!
Enjoy this post? Receive an update when our next post is published by entering your best email address below and clicking Get Updates.
This is such a sweet story! What I appreciate most is the fact Cameron didn’t throw Mike under the bus when he didn’t approach the situation the way she thought he should. She supported & encouraged him, while enforcing the skills she is familiar with. That is a true picture of winning w/o intimidation!
As usual….you’re greatly appreciated!
g
I loved reading Cameron and Mike’s story. It’s pretty easy, when you are asked to push buttons to make a connection, to keep pushing them when a real person finally answers the phone.
Way to take the high road!
Thank you, Geneva. Great point about Cameron! And, that definitely describes her.
Debbi, thank you. Very insightful!