has anyone complainded in order to get free stuff

EverEvolving

I wouldn’t complain just for the sake of it unless it was worth it, I complain in restaurants when food or service is substandard – but I’ve worked in the sector so I’m not so quick to complain unless it’s pretty dire.

In college we were set a project to find out something different about a group of companies. We wanted to do it on companies that offered you your money back if you weren’t satisfied with the product. We discussed it with the lecturer and she said it would probably take them too long to get back to us and we wouldn’t have it finished in time. Pity, as it would have been interesting to see how they uphold their promise.

I wouldn’t have the patience to do it in my own time but I might try a few just to see how they handle it. Hmm actually that’s now my new project!

dr gonzo

Biggins wrote: »

I had a genuine complaint about some bad chocolate I got from Cadbury's once.
Wrote off politely and explained about a possible bad batch they might have made.
I got back a huge box of various stuff from them in fairness.
That was years ago however and I suspect we won't be seeing them doing that today sadly.

That was a huge scam in my year in school, there was a period of a few weeks when people kept swindling boxes of few stuff out of Cadburys but in fairness they always brought it in a shared it around. mmm Illicit chocolate.

As for myself ive never complained for free stuff unless there was something wrong in which case i wouldnt complain so much as point it out. One time however when i was a kid i was sending my Dad's Cross pen set away to be fixed and in true Irish fashion just plain asked them for a pen at the end of the letter. Few weeks later a package arrives back with my Dad's refurbished set and a completely separate box with a brand new pen in it, probably worth a few quid. I still remember the letter to this day i was so gobsmacked, it basically said they never do that but seeing as it was the season of good will that one time they would include a gift. I reiterate that nothing was wrong, i was due nothing, it was literally out of the goodness of their hearts. Pretty cool thing for a kid to get and it just goes to show that small gestures can mean a lot to people.

Vodkat

I had a genuine complaint recently to Manhatten popcorn and I received 36 small bags of popcorn in the post, I was delighted!! Its called good customer service

upandcumming

I've been terribly unlucky in comparison! Chicago Town, Nestle x2, Meteor, Pat the Baker.
I got about a tenner in each, and €90 in credit from Meteor. The Pat the Baker man unloaded the van into the kitchen! I was totally sound about the Pat the Baker thing, and he said I wouldn't have got a thing if I was a dick.

Kimia

Complainded?

Jimmy Garlic

upandcumming wrote: »

I've been terribly unlucky in comparison! Chicago Town, Nestle x2, Meteor, Pat the Baker.
I got about a tenner in each, and €90 in credit from Meteor. The Pat the Baker man unloaded the van into the kitchen! I was totally sound about the Pat the Baker thing, and he said I wouldn't have got a thing if I was a dick.

So Pat himself turned up and gave you a shedload of bread?. If he did most of it would be well mouldy before you got a chance to eat it. Id say you were feeding the ducks for about a month.

Faith+1

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

So Pat himself turned up and gave you a shedload of bread?. If he did most of it would be well mouldy before you got a chance to eat it. Id say you were feeding the ducks for about a month.

Pat the baker, So fresh it's famous!!

Big Nasty

No shortage of sammiches in your gaff that week! :pac::pac::pac:

Jesus Wept

A few times.

Last time was to Cadbury's Trebor Bassett regarding Screaming Jelly babies.
Letter back was quite funny, must dig it out.

bonzodog2

I got a voucher for something after finding some polypropylene string in some marmalade years back, and a basketful of product after I complained about spam texts from Unilever. A friend used to collect the badly shredded bits from rollup tobacco and send them back.

easyeason3

I can see a lot of companies getting complaints tomorrow.

prinz

Got refunded the price of a couple of cinema tickets at the Savoy on O'Connell St after bitching to the manager. Film had been ruined by a group of skangers and a few people had gone out to complain during the film and they wouldn't throw them out. They were throwing stuff about the film, verbally abusing people in the cinema etc. Didn't even ask for a refund, manager offered so I said yeah please, I'll take the refund.

Irish Guitarist

I don't even complain when I have the right to. About a year and a half ago I almost broke my teeth while eating some Bombay mix. I pulled whatever I had just bitten out of my mouth and discovered it was a stone. I probably should have complained but I didn't.

wmpdd3

bought a box of ownbrand foil sachet cat food in a supermarket last year. i buy about 2 boxes a week and half the time its the own brand stuff. in one box there was a sealed sachet. nothing in it. not even air. ive never had that happen. so i went to the supermarket, showed em the receipt and the closed empty sachet. they said post it to HQ - i did. so i got a cheque for a tenner. thats 2 boxes of catfood right there (with 2 euro to spare) it was really odd though!

That happens the whole time, usually the supermarket own brand thats packed in North Co. Dublin, I think. They are always fine though in handing out money as comp.

I have to read the complaint letters in work.... they all sound the same:


It was my poor sick little 10 year old boys birthday,
He was just out of hospital... as was my mother,

I was mortified
I was so disappointed
especially from an Irish company
waste of my time
was ridiculous

blah blah blah
fly in my chocolate

You scan over the letter, chance your arm with 50% lower than you think they'll take and sound genuinely concerned (that you will be late for tea-break) for the welfare of the complainer.

Case closed.... next.

fabbydabby

I complained to Nestlé that I recieved a Kit-Kat without any wafer in it.

If I has wished a solid chocolate, waferless snack, I would have purchased a Wispa, Yorkie, Galaxy or similar. The wafer was a pivotal factor in my choice of chocolatey treat, it was the 'USP' as our simpleton friends in marketing would put it.

Quite simply, I had a penchant for chocolate wafer - orientated mid afternoon snacking that only a Kit-Kat could satisfy.

I send the errant item back to Nestlé together with a written communiqué to this effect, advising them in stern terms of my disapproval of their production facility's quality controls and their manufacturing system's inherent variability. I also requested that the recipient of the letter establish who the line engineer was on the day when the product was manufactured (wrapper included) and that they suggest to him or her to pick up a copy of Maynard's Industrial Engineering Handbook, which deals extensively with a probabilistic mathematical approach to production processes which yeild sub standard output.

I received the grand sum of four pounds for my troubles, in lieu of the offending article and my suggestions. And a letter of thanks for my valuable input and apology for making a balls of what I presume is a fully automated process.... and not ONE fucking Kit Kat

I couldnt bring myself to cash the postal orders. I think I still have them.

Storminateacup

I will complain about everything if it isn't up to standards. Its not so much for "free stuff", but its because I'm (over)paying for a product. For example. Finding a hair in a lunch in the carvery at a local hotel? I took it out of the food, held it up, walked through the packed seating area, holding it up in the air. Stood at the counter, whilst everybody else was paying for their food, and asked to speak to a manager.

I felt a little bad after that, because the poor girl looked like she was going to faint from the mortification.

The worst is the jumped up cashier arguing with you.

I ordered a bagel one lunch time in the cafe across from my college. I found a hair in it, half way thru the bagel. It was clearly a hair, not very long, but it shouldn't matter. I put it on a napkin, brought it up to her and said i had just found it IN my bagel. I mean, it wasnt on top of anything, it was IN the dough part, i had to pull it out.

She turned around and said to me that it was fibre off my navy uniform cardigan. OMG I seen all shades of red! Cheek!! And I after pulling it out of the bagel. FFS.

Another pet hate -- cold dinners that you pay 13.50 for being bunged in the microwave. Chips are VILE heated up. Cold turnip? I dont think there is anything nastier.

wmpdd3

Tip: leave hair in item... for proof.

Adyx

I was in Supermacs a couple of years ago (yeah, I know) and sat down after placing my order. 20 minutes later I went up to see if the food was actually coming. Wasn't even complaining - I was very polite and understanding about it. Ended up getting my money back.

Ruu_Old

Complained to various airlines over the years. Most recently American Airlines, got a bunch of miles credited to my AAdvantage account.

tonydude

Found a big mushed up lump of tayto crisp in a bag once, sent a letter to them about my disgust and received a big box of allsorts from them .ie crisps and popcorn

Was in a restaurant and a fly was doing the back stroke in my glass of wine, i got another glass when i complained but then it dawned on me when the new glass was given was he in the 1/2 pint jug that i ordered at the start.Hmmmm i wonder didnt bother me though ive done worse eating a jawbreaker which my cat didnt like and dropped out of his mouth onto the ground ( i was young)

Another time i had a table booked at rossini's in cork, Herself and i arrived, i told them i had a reservation. We were left standing at the door for min 15 minutes, in the mean time a group of 4 arrived behind us. 30 minutes later we were still at the door and there was a free 2seater right in front of us. I eventually snapped and went straight to the counter and asked what the hell were they doing ( wasnt as polite as that im afraid) and how long we have been waiting. Manager said sorry and sent a waiter to sort out the table. What happened next was priceless they only joined the 2 seater in front of us to another and put the group of 4 in before us. 5 minutes later we got our seat and all we got for the hassle was a free bottom of wine. Oh it was the same restaurant from the above story and ill never be stepping in there again

Xyo

I complained to just-eat.ie over an order error and got 20 credit on their site.

General General

I found myself born in a crappy village in Afghanistan, I wrote a letter of complaint to God & got moved to Galway... I am writing to Christopher Hitchens next to see if he can get me an apartment in New York.

Shlippery

fabbydabby wrote: »

I complained to Nestlé that I recieved a Kit-Kat without any wafer in it.

If I has wished a solid chocolate, waferless snack, I would have purchased a Wispa, Yorkie, Galaxy or similar. The wafer was a pivotal factor in my choice of chocolatey treat, it was the 'USP' as our simpleton friends in marketing would put it.

Quite simply, I had a penchant for chocolate wafer - orientated mid afternoon snacking that only a Kit-Kat could satisfy.

I send the errant item back to Nestlé together with a written communiqué to this effect, advising them in stern terms of my disapproval of their production facility's quality controls and their manufacturing system's inherent variability. I also requested that the recipient of the letter establish who the line engineer was on the day when the product was manufactured (wrapper included) and that they suggest to him or her to pick up a copy of Maynard's Industrial Engineering Handbook, which deals extensively with a probabilistic mathematical approach to production processes which yeild sub standard output.

I received the grand sum of four pounds for my troubles, in lieu of the offending article and my suggestions. And a letter of thanks for my valuable input and apology for making a balls of what I presume is a fully automated process.... and not ONE fucking Kit Kat

I couldnt bring myself to cash the postal orders. I think I still have them.

Ha, I vaguely remember doing the same as a child, and by the same I mean complained to Nestlé.

The aul pair bought one of those funsize-packs of mint Aero's one week as a treat. To my "horror" , I opened one and it looked like there was a bite taken out of it, but more realistically, it was probably just broken in the assembly line or something and I only got half a bar.

Either way, I got it into my head that I should complain and I wrote some sort of letter to Nestlé (with the bar in the letter), no clue what I wrote with it, I wasn't sure what to expect! Few weeks later, I get a letter in the post from Nestlé, apologising and a postal order for £4. A strange figure really...the exact same amount they gave you fabby!