Are you a bad customer?

[Deja Q]

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/ConsumerActionGuide/AreYouABadCustomer.aspx

:eyes:

Abuse is one thing and should be avoided, but keeping in mind how Sprint terminated soldiers' accounts for using 'roaming' features too much, one has to wonder... (google the term if need be, there are a lot of stories on this. Who's supporting the troops? Not Sprint...)

Excerpt:
Some other examples of how companies treat customers differently include:

* Parceling out the perks. Airlines know exactly who their most-profitable customers are: They're elite frequent fliers, particularly the ones who buy lots of expensive first- and business-class tickets. These folks get to use separate, shorter lines through security at many airports, as well as numerous other benefits. (For more, see "How to get luxury perks for your travel buck.") But airlines also keep computerized notes on their frequent fliers, says travel expert Joel Widzer, and those known to be too demanding or obnoxious may get fewer free upgrades and less-accommodating agents.

* Booting out bargain hunters. Filene's Basement, an off-price clothing retailer, made headlines when it banned two sisters for returning too much stuff and complaining too often -- behaviors the company said tied up too much staff time. Electronics retailing giant Best Buy has attracted attention with corporate policies designed by profitability guru Selden to lure big-spending customers while discouraging those who cost the company money. Among the tactics: taking money-losing patrons off mailing lists for sales and other promotions.

* Restricting returns. Some retailers, including Staples and The Sports Authority, use technology supplied by The Return Exchange, an Irvine, Calif., company, to identify and refuse shoppers who abuse store return policies. A customer who wants to return an item is first asked to hand his or her driver's license to the clerk, who swipes it through The Return Exchange's Verify-1 device. The device records the consumer's name, address and age, as well as details of the transaction, and sends it to The Return Exchange's database, where the information is aggregated. If the transaction is deemed suspicious, the clerk can refuse to complete the transaction. The company says its technology is meant to halt shoplifters and price-tag switchers, among other fraudsters. But some consumer advocates worry about privacy invasions and the potential embarrassment for legitimate customers who could be turned away.

Article has more.

[onethatcares]

1. thanx for the heads up on the driver licence swipe

fark em, time to cart em.

[Beelzebud]

2. One time I was warned about using my "unlimited internet access" too much.

I was downloading lots of DVD's at the time, but fuck them. They say "unlimited", so I use it that way.

[pitohui]

3. i've only been fired as a customer by casinos, but by rather a lot of them

i used to work for a blackjack team so, yeah, i've been fired as a customer a time or twelve, can't really blame them, if i was allowed to keep playing uninterrupted i'd have several million dollars right now and as it was i had some nice earnings in the previous century :-)

one of my buddies once got fired as a customer by AAA for needing too many tows, well, he has the last laugh, because he turned his life around and these days drives a mercedes and never needs a tow -- they could have had years of his dues w.out having to give any tows if they'd been a little more patient during his time of getting established in his life

i think everyone who flies often should think hard about giving all/most of their business to one airline or alliance because the benefits really make a tremendous difference in your flying experience -- and i do love jumping to the head of a long, long security line -- somehow it's just more fun that way, esp. if some non elite person is bitching under their breath about the preferential treatment you get -- also the upgrades are probably worth thousands of dollars a year if you add it up -- of course if you don't fly much anyway this wouldn't be worth much to you

[aikoaiko]

4. I get "cut off" at all you can eat buffets -- wtf is up with that.

[pitohui]

5. oh how did i forget this story?

you will never be cut off at a casino "all you can eat" buffet but some co-workers of my husband, some BIG men who work in a blue collar job which involves a lot of physical labor, have been cut off from buffets owned by mom and pops

one time, the owner told them that this lunch was on the house but please not to ever come back

so they were 86d nicely at least

[Coyote_Bandit]

6. I most definitely am a bad customer

I don't buy crap unless I need it. I have trained myself to be advertising resistant. I do however read ads and shop loss leaders. I return stuff if it isn't what I reasonably expected. I ask questions. I complain if I believe it is warranted - although I make an effort to be nice to workers who are not responsible for creating the issue at hand. I scope out goods at brick and mortar stores knowing that I will likely make my purchase online. I like factory outlet, consignment and resale shops. I often travel to a nearby state (for unrelated reasons) where grocery items are not taxed. I buy nonperishable items there and realize an instant savings of nearly ten percent.

I do not make any special effort to support my local community or its economy. I don't like the local politics and I recognize that there is an exodus of talented folks from this area. I know that eventually (hopefully in the not too distant future) I too will relocate elsewhere. I prefer to support the economic growth in my intended future community. I do however try to avoid mega stores and national chains including restaurants in favor of small independent businesses (the only real exception is if I am shopping for loss leader items).

Corporate Amerika doesn't give a fuck about me. And the feeling is mutual.

edit for spelling.

[Donnachaidh]

7. now how the HELL can they figure out how to do this --

from the article --

"Taking up an employee's time with questions about a product while knowing you're going to buy it elsewhere."

Someone explain to me how they do this? I've asked for information on products many times, without anyone asking for ID or whatever they would need to keep track of it.

Heck, at Christmas I just listen in on other people asking questions, and then go to a cheaper store to buy the same product. I'd love to know who is doing this - to boycott their store. :grr:

[Berry Cool]

8. I'm a very bad customer, yes.

I refuse to get loyalty cards or apply for a store credit card. As a result of my refusal to get loyalty cards, I pay more for what I buy than people who get and use them.