[Quixote]

As a local charity we made a presentation to the regional manager of the new self-storage facility that recently opened near the Charter Schools, explaining exactly who we were and the nature of the persons with disabilities whom we service, gave them considerable print material, and they promised us a unit.

We were told that we would be called on a Monday morning with a unit number, just to bring a lock for it. We spent the weekend loading up three vans of stuff to store to be put out at a later garage sale (which will be held next week, April 17-18; see posting under "Garage Sales").

Monday came, no call. We called and left a message, without the courtesy of a callback. Tuesday still no callback. Called again and left a message again, and still no courtesy of a callback. Even contacted corporate headquarters, to no avail.

We were unable to use our vehicles which were loaded to the gills with stuff to go into storage in preparation for the sale.

Finally got a call a week later. "We've changed our minds. We're not interested in having you in our facility." No explanation, no apology, no courtesy, no interest in our community and our charity, no nothing. Apparently this is what it's like dealing with a large corporate entity with zero commitment to our community.

On the other hand—and for the opposite experience—please see the posting about mom-and-pop owned Oxford Self-Storage on US Hwy 301 just south of CR 466. What a world of difference!!!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Quixote

As a local charity we made a presentation to the regional manager of the new self-storage facility that recently opened near the Charter Schools, explaining exactly who we were and the nature of the persons with disabilities whom we service, gave them considerable print material, and they promised us a unit.

We were told that we would be called on a Monday morning with a unit number, just to bring a lock for it. We spent the weekend loading up three vans of stuff to store to be put out at a later garage sale (which will be held next week, April 17-18; see posting under "Garage Sales").

Monday came, no call. We called and left a message, without the courtesy of a callback. Tuesday still no callback. Called again and left a message again, and still no courtesy of a callback. Even contacted corporate headquarters, to no avail.

We were unable to use our vehicles which were loaded to the gills with stuff to go into storage in preparation for the sale.

Finally got a call a week later. "We've changed our minds. We're not interested in having you in our facility." No explanation, no apology, no courtesy, no interest in our community and our charity, no nothing. Apparently this is what it's like dealing with a large corporate entity with zero commitment to our community.

On the other hand—and for the opposite experience—please see the posting about mom-and-pop owned Oxford Self-Storage on US Hwy 301 just south of CR 466. What a world of difference!!!

In all due respect to your fine charity, people and businesses have a right to choose whether to contribute to a noble cause or not and I think the word "beware" in your title is unfair given the situation.

I think it unfairly demeans the business.

People and businesses can choose to whom they contribute.

If other businesses think they would be publicly criticized for not helping your charity or changing their minds about helping your charity, it won't be a good selling point in getting further contributions from other business or those who identify with business owners.

I think what might have happened is that a person who had not enough authority to say you could have space said they could give you space. And someone with higher authority nixed the deal. In fairness to businesses, they are deluged with requests for charitable contributions and assists.

When your charity was refused help... then the charity continues on and in an emergency rents the space they need and takes the rent out of operating expenses or downloads the stuff to their own garages? Or finds another willing place to help you which you did, but it doesn't help to complain about who didn't help you. Charity is a gift, not a responsibility and people can choose to give or not and to whom to give or not.

Here is a link to your charity in case anyone wants to contribute .

http://mariontherapeuticridingassociation.org/

[missypie]

Excellent reply Gracie. Every single point you made was spot on.

[Cobh521]

I think you are wrong in trying to speak bad about a business that did not give you something for free. As stated above, it is their choice. I realize that you were caused an inconvenience which may have been a communication problem, but it is not fair to speak badly of them. You are a charity doing good for others yet you discredit someone who does not do what you wanted?

[OBXNana]

You had to be extremely upset that you went to so much work thinking you had a storage unit and finding out, due to a communication breakdown, the unit was no longer available to your organization for free. How fortunate to have found another one so quickly.

For business purposes, I hope those reading this forum can overlook the negative review of the company initially contacted to supply a free storage unit. They have not been given an opportunity to explain their side.

[PJUCTH]

People using the point??? I got one am so tired of the rudeness of people just because they can. Doesn't take much to pick up the phone and inform the charity you changed your mind. Free or not. Bad business.

[KayakerNC]

BEWARE?
Because of inadequate communication?

I have to agree with graciegirl on this one.

[kstew43]

In support of the OP I do think that she was dupped and put in a lot of effort for no outcome...

.....But as Judy Judy always says....GET IT IN WRITING.....

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by PJUCTH

People using the point??? I got one am so tired of the rudeness of people just because they can. Doesn't take much to pick up the phone and inform the charity you changed your mind. Free or not. Bad business.

This is EXACTLY the point I meant to make. If I wasn't clear, I apologize. The regional manager (who said that he had the authority) made a commitment, knowing (as I had explained) that we would be preparing vehicles over the weekend to unload as soon as we received the call with a unit number on a Monday, as I had been told would happen, and to bring a lock for it.

Absolutely businesses can choose what charitable causes they wish to support or, for that matter, can choose not to support ANY charitable causes. But once a commitment is made, the least that could have been done, having been told that we were preparing to utilize the unit starting immediately on that Monday, was to let us know rather than leave us hanging for more than a week with filled vehicles that as a result could not be used for other purposes.

Fortunately it worked out well, as can be seen in the "BRAVO" posting. I agree with PJUCTH (quoted above) that operating this way is, in her or his words, "rude" and "bad business." We are a community that deserves better, and sharing the experience is one of the purposes of this forum. We are not just being negative; we also praise highly when that is appropriate....

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by Cobh521

I think you are wrong in trying to speak bad about a business that did not give you something for free. As stated above, it is their choice. I realize that you were caused an inconvenience which may have been a communication problem, but it is not fair to speak badly of them. You are a charity doing good for others yet you discredit someone who does not do what you wanted?

Evidently I was not clear, because Cobh521 missed my point completely. It was not that they "did not give [us] something for free." I would never mention the names of two other self-storage facilities that said outright that they simply could not do it. It is that it was promised and the promise subsequently broken without the courtesy of a phone call for more than a week. Forget that this is a charity; to use the words of the other poster, it was "rude" and "bad business."

[sunnyatlast]

The entitled attitude of the o.p. makes me want to call and rent a unit from them right now.

We've rented units many times while moving ourselves or our college kids. I would never load a truck without first having the lease signed and in my hand and keys for the unit which I've already opened and know I can get into.

No business owes a "charity" anything. Charity is a gift and business owners have to be very budget conscious of revenue compared to expenses.

With so many volunteer groups in TV, they probably get 10 requests per week for free storage! They have bills to pay and the construction and startup of commercial real estate in a location like that costs a fortune.

Of course somebody should have called back, but when they didn't, it's the customer who needs to call elsewhere. "Beware" as though they're a rip off is poisonous.

[PennBF]

I believe the significant point is being missed here and it defaults to the most obvious that a business has the right to decide how it will spend their revenue, use their space, etc,etc. Of course they do. But there is an old
saying, "it is not what you say, it is the way that you say it". Since the people requesting the help felt abused then either they did not want to accept the rejection or the communications were poor. I would probably vote for the second as most people are receptive when they are treated with some dignity and with respect. The key word being respect.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by kstew43

In support of the OP I do think that she was dupped and put in a lot of effort for no outcome...

.....But as Judy Judy always says....GET IT IN WRITING.....

Originally Posted by sunnyatlast

The entitled attitude of the o.p. makes me want to call and rent a unit from them right now.

We've rented units many times while moving ourselves or our college kids. I would never load a truck without first having the lease signed and in my hand and keys for the unit which I've already opened and know I can get into.

No business owes a "charity" anything. Charity is a gift and business owners have to be very budget conscious of revenue compared to expenses.

With so many volunteer groups in TV, they probably get 10 requests per week for free storage! They have bills to pay and the construction and startup of commercial real estate in a location like that costs a fortune.

Of course somebody should have called back, but when they didn't, it's the customer who needs to call elsewhere. "Beware" as though they're a rip off is poisonous.

Originally Posted by PennBF

I believe the significant point is being missed here and it defaults to the most obvious that a business has the right to decide how it will spend their revenue, use their space, etc,etc. Of course they do. But there is an old
saying, "it is not what you say, it is the way that you say it". Since the people requesting the help felt abused then either they did not want to accept the rejection or the communications were poor. I would probably vote for the second as most people are receptive when they are treated with some dignity and with respect. The key word being respect.

I don't know how to make it any clearer that the issue was not the rejection but the way it was done—initially promised and not being told for more than a week of the breaking of the commitment.

I guess gone are the days when a handshake meant something, and ignoring that we're a charity, being treated "with some dignity and with respect. The key word being respect" is pretty relevant in terms of silence for over a week in spite of several messages being left while we were left hanging. It makes me feel really old. Then again, I am really old!

Would there have been more "dignity" and "respect" had we been a paying customer who showed up and was then told, "Oh, we rented the unit to someone else"? I don't know....

I cannot help but notice that we offered high praise to a different self-storage unit in another thread—to which only one person responded, at least the last time I looked.

P.S. "Of course somebody should have called back, but when they didn't, it's the customer who needs to call elsewhere." The "when they didn't" call back sounds as though we should find this kind of business behavior acceptable and that the responsibility lies solely with the customer. Sorry, there is no way I can agree with this. But as I said, I'm pretty old and perhaps come from a different time (and also perhaps a different place) than other posters. And as pointed out in our "BRAVO" thread, of course we called elsewhere and were treated very differently. Gratefully!

[Loudoll]

Originally Posted by Quixote

I don't know how to make it any clearer that the issue was not the rejection but the way it was done—initially promised and not being told for more than a week of the breaking of the commitment.

I guess gone are the days when a handshake meant something, and ignoring that we're a charity, being treated "with some dignity and with respect. The key word being respect" is pretty relevant in terms of silence for over a week in spite of several messages being left while we were left hanging. It makes me feel really old. Then again, I am really old!

Would there have been more "dignity" and "respect" had we been a paying customer who showed up and was then told, "Oh, we rented the unit to someone else"? I don't know....

I cannot help but notice that we offered high praise to a different self-storage unit in another thread—to which only one person responded, at least the last time I looked.

I'm on your side. I "get" it.

[Indydealmaker]

People these days (seniors, in particular) are far too willing to reward businesses that have poor business ethics. I do not care for the live and let live attitude.

Customer service is the most critical part of any business. I can promise those generous souls on here that are criticizing the OP, any business that exhibits the poor communications skills and "soft" ethics of this one, will do so repeatedly. You may be fine as long as you have no unique needs, but why fool with it?

There are many mom n pop facilities who will bend over backwards to just plain help you because that is good business.