[Loudoll]

Originally Posted by 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.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by Loudoll

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

Thank you for your understanding!

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by 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.

And thank you too for your understanding! While it is a pleasure to deal with�and be supportive of�a mom-and-pop business, there are major corporate businesses who practice "good business" as well. I could not agree more that "Customer service is the most crucial part of any business [emphasis mine]."

[graciegirl]

[QUOTE=Quixote;1043112]And thank you too for your understanding! While it is a pleasure to deal with—and be supportive of—a mom-and-pop business, there are major corporate businesses who practice "good business" as well. I could not agree more that "Customer service is the most crucial part of any business [emphasis mine]."[/QUOTE]

THAT is very true. And diplomacy and patience is part of customer service. As the person who represented this charity the OP did not show those qualities. A charity is a business. Using the word "Beware" is unfair. It would have been better to praise the one who gave you space then tell that another newer business inconvenienced your charity, because that is what they did.

No one owes anybody anything when it comes to charity. Beggars can't be choosers. It would have been better to not say anything negative about the one who disappointed you, and praise the person who helped you and then give a connection to your charity so those inclined would drop a check in the mail.

Least said, soonest mended.

[gomoho]

Gracie - how many times can she explain she was promised a service by a district manager and wasn't even given the courtesy of a phone call. Of course we all realize a business has the right to do with business as they choose (unless they are applying Christian values), but this business went back on a promise. I don't know that BEWARE was strong enough.

[Bogie Shooter]

This seems to be going nowhere...........................

[KayakerNC]

Originally Posted by gomoho;10***30

Gracie - how many times can she explain she was promised a service by a district manager and wasn't even given the courtesy of a phone call. Of course we all realize a business has the right to do with business as they choose (unless they are applying Christian values), but this business went back on a promise. I don't know that BEWARE was strong enough.

BEWARE was definitely overkill.
And revenge shaming by a "charity" is certainly not Christian.

[Steve9930]

I guess I'll give my two cents for what it is worth. First point get it in writing. Second point get it in writing, and last get it in writing. While I agree a business has every right to say who and what they will donate too, they also have an obligation as good business practice to communicate well with the would be customer. The only thing the business did here is not communicate in a timely fashion the fact that they changed their mind. Not a mortal sin.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by gomoho;10***30

Gracie - how many times can she explain she was promised a service by a district manager and wasn't even given the courtesy of a phone call. Of course we all realize a business has the right to do with business as they choose (unless they are applying Christian values), but this business went back on a promise. I don't know that BEWARE was strong enough.

You can not expect a high level of people experience from certain positions in this world. Everyone needs a job, and thank heavens there are those jobs available that are NOT brain surgery, or international diplomacy, because not everyone can be that skilled. This clerk apparently screwed up, but that is all that happened. I still would use the business if I needed the space, just as soon as I would use the business who gave them the space so kindly. I don't need compassion and understanding, when I seek spaces to rent to store stuff.


In this world, some folks will give you more than you expect, and some will give you less. BUT...You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. AND THAT goes both ways. In fact, that goes ALL ways.

[CFrance]

Clerk? A district manager of a national company is not a clerk. Without knowing the OP, I would think one should accept his/her explanation as being truthful. You can defend a business all you want, but the lack of a courtesy phone call is indicative of how proper communication has fallen to the wayside in the past decade or so.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by CFrance;10***55

Clerk? A district manager of a national company is not a clerk. Without knowing the OP, I would think one should accept his/her explanation as being truthful. You can defend a business all you want, but the lack of a courtesy phone call is indicative of how proper communication has fallen to the wayside in the past decade or so.

You are absolutely right. But I would be less skeptical if the OP hadn't used the word "BEWARE".

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by graciegirl;10***61

You are absolutely right. But I would be less skeptical if the OP hadn't used the word "BEWARE".

That's true; an unfortunate choice of words. Still, I tend not to discount the whole story... sometimes one's outrage overtakes a better sense of how to put something.

Have we not all done that to some extent? Replied OH STOP! Or something like that. I'm guilty.

[Steve9930]

So what have we accomplished with this post?

[sunnyatlast]

I would not count on a regional manager making verbal commitments giving away inventory that the local franchisee/owner/manager knows availability on and has to pay for.

How does anyone know whether the regional manager even gave the message to the local franchisee/owner/manager or not?

And when no call back came on Tues., Wed, Thurs etc., maybe the local owner/manager could not get the regional manager to respond! And maybe that regional manager was making promises the local owner/manager could not meet or afford.

Without a contract signed by both the local storage facility and the tenant, I wouldn't count on anything from them.

And as for the mom and pop shop doing better, maybe it went better because for one thing, THEY, THE OWNERS --who know their inventory and ability to float the costs of a free rental--were contacted directly! They were in a position to speak for themselves, whereas the local franchisee of the first company was not.

[manaboutown]

With regard to real estate if it is not in writing and signed by the parties it is not binding. Period! There is no contract.

Why did you not ask to sign a comped lease for a particular unit while you were there? You would have had a done deal.

Where did you speak to the "regional manager", at the facility? Did he or she happen to be there? Within the self storage industry a regional manager employed by a corporate entity is normally a person overseeing perhaps 10 - 20 facilities individually managed by site managers. On the site managers' days off relief managers are used. Might you have spoken to a relief manager, not a regional manager?

It is too bad you feel you were verbally promised a unit and never received one but based solely upon your statements I would chalk it up to the person you talked to not having the authority to make you such a promise, if a promise was indeed made. Are you certain a promise was actually made? Or were you under an impression a promise was made? Most likely the fault lies with the person to whom you spoke not being clear, not the company. Miscommunications, misunderstandings happen all the time!

I have been involved in the self storage industry for over 40 years. I cannot begin to count how many times people/companies/organizations call or come in and tell us they want a unit. They tell us they are going to rent it so hold it for them. Then...guess what...surprise, surprise...They are no-shows! This happens daily, sometimes multiple times in a day at each site. Yes, even on an occasional complimentary unit to a charity. They, too, change their minds, can't get their act together or whatever and are no-shows for a unit we could have rented for real money to a real customer.

The way my managers handle it is when a customer shows up, signs a lease and pays the unit is theirs, and not before. Same for a comped unit. We still require a rental agreement to cover the legalities.