Many of you will be traveling by airplane this summer, and I hope you don’t get into the mess that my friend did. Here’s what happened. Eleanor and her husband booked two roundtrip tickets to Portland at different times, so they each had their own confirmation number. The day before the flight, Eleanor received an email confirming her trip but not her husband’s. Read more

We’re all complaining about problems we’re having in the service sector since the pandemic wreaked havoc on all types of businesses. Have you spent 90 minutes on hold with a utility to clear up an incorrect bill like I have? If you’ve ordered new furniture, you may have been told the wait time is four to six months due to supply chain issues. And if you’ve been out to eat, you’ve probably experienced slower service (due to staffing issues) and higher prices. Read more

We’ve all been hearing about examples of consumer outrage and it has me worried. Are we taking out our frustrations about the pandemic, divisive politics and life in general on whoever can’t solve our problem at a given moment? I’ve heard stories about people melting down because a store has run out of their favorite cheese. It’s obviously not just about the cheese—there’s a lot more going on. Read more

It’s amazing how some consumer complaints can easily be resolved when a responsive provider does something a little extra and unexpected. That was my experience on our first family vacation since the pandemic began. Read more

I was so delighted when, after complaining to a grocery delivery service online, I received an email response within 30 minutes. I’d been unable to use a discount code on the website even though I tried three times. I placed the order anyway because I needed groceries. The customer service rep apologized in her email, acknowledged having other complaints and offered to manually apply the discount code for me. 

Most consumers have higher expectations for companies that are operating during the pandemic. In fact, a recent study surveying more than 1,000 consumers in different age groups (conducted by Hiver, a customer solution company) found that people want customer service to be not only more responsive but also more empathetic. Read more

At the end of a recent road trip, my husband and I turned in our rental car without taking a close look at the final bill. Yes, we were distracted because we were running late and didn’t want to miss our flight. The attendant handed me a printed receipt and I stuffed it into my handbag.

A couple of days later, I cleaned out my purse and read the receipt more carefully. I found an unexpected $50 charge on top of the expected $50 drop-off fee. I had extended my rental by a few days and remembered being quoted a different total. Fortunately, the rental car agency responded quickly, reviewed the records and agreed they had made a mistake. Read more

I recently received an unexpected voicemail from a company representing a rental car agency. The caller said he was following up with me to collect on a damage claim for a vehicle I had rented at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona for my niece’s wedding in February. He said I hadn’t reported roof damage upon returning it and was responsible for $749.13 in parts and labor for repairs.

At first, I thought this had to be a scam call and wasn’t going to respond. But my husband convinced me to call back, ask more questions and request photos of the damage. The representative promptly sent an itemized list of repairs and pictures showing a half-dozen roof dents. Read more