I got an email from Dan Blomgren, owner of Cork & Barrel, this morning. He asked me to call him at my earliest convenience. I called him as soon as I got the email.
When he picked up, he was in the middle of re-reading my letter, and he was "appalled."
In short, Blomgren apologized and wrote me a check for $50 -- the cost of the deposit of the keg. He dropped the check in the mail and told me not to worry about returning the keg shell, it's mine to keep for all the trouble I went through with his two stores.
The longer version is this: Blomgren was horrified by the treatment I received at his stores. He said he was amazed that he had this many jackasses working for him... that he hoped his employees don't think he'd treat people like that because the service I received is not the service he wants to be reflected of himself... that he was going to use my letter as a training tool of what not to do... that he was going to have his employees read the letter and count up the different mistakes that happened, he guessed there were at least a dozen... he went on, but he used the words "I'm appalled" and "I'm sorry" multiple times. I thanked him for returning my $50, and told him I would be throwing away my letter to the Better Business Bureau.
I'm happy that Blomgren cared enough to reach out to me and settle this situation. I'm really happy to be getting my $50 back, too. I don't like getting ripped off.
41 cents well spent.
11 comments:
Congratulations! That's exactly the reaction that anyone who read your letter should've had.
Now, will you wait a respectable amount of time before trying them again, or just never patronize them again?
Way to go Jonesey! I worked for Dan for several years at the old Cork & Barrell on Kasold and he really doesn't tolerate that kind of crap. I'm glad that he addressed the situation with you. Congrats for getting you $50 back.
Good follow-up.
On a lark, I went to C&B on 23rd a couple weeks back (they do have a strong beer selection, and I was feeling adventurous) prepared to deal with the uncaring, nearly hostile workers there. Surprisingly, they were all friendly and talkative, and seemed interested in their customers. Not sure if the two are related, but it was a change I noticed. May just try them out again.
Jason -- I think I'll stay away from them for a while... and after a while, if it is convenient, I'll stop in there and shop again.
In the meanwhile I'm buying my kegs from Alvin's(?) next door to the Merc at 9th and Iowa. So far, so good.
Shelly -- I got a good impression of Dan, seemed like he really cared about what went on. He's fine in my book... he has some problem children there though, but the same can be said of just about any business in Lawrence.
Neuty -- Just because you needed your raspberry girly beer does not give you permission to break the boycott and go shopping there! But it's OK now... you've got the green light. Enjoy your Zima.
That's a good return on your investment, let's see, 41 cents into 50 dollars, that's like a cagillion percent increase. Glad to see the owner did the right thing for the customer, sadly, it sometimes takes pointing out the problem to get solutions. Good work sir!
Not to be the Dark Cloud, but...
Think about what was given, though:
The $50 that Jones had already spent and was, indeed, OWED.
And that's it. If the service improves as a result, fine, but Jones is still out his time, the frustration, the piece of paper, envelope AND the change. Total four bits and smoke-breathing frustration. Nothing really to his positive other than the apology, but still, it's the little things that count.
The owner recognizing the frustration should have offered him at LEAST 10% off of something if he wanted Jones' business back.
I always ask for the guest to give us 'another try' so we can prove we know what we're doing. Being the only game in the center of campus helps, but we do strive for excellence.
Thank goodness you got your money back. I feel badly for the owner though. Sounds like he was genuinely shocked by the treatment. I think you should go back in to the store and see how it goes. Wear a hat and your fake wizard beard to disguise yourself, just in case they remember you!
Re: what Jason said... the only 'make good' I was offered was he told me not to bother bringing the keg shell back, which at least saves me a trip back in there... but it also shows you how ridiculous the deposit is in the first place... I'm sure they'd lose a ton of kegs if they didn't ask for deposits, and I know even the distributors charge a deposit these days (Rick of Rick's Place was griping to me a while back that they make him pay a $30 deposit on every keg). But a keg shell doesn't really show me anything as a customer... I can't really enjoy a keg shell and say, "Ok, it's all cool."
At one point, something he said made me believe he might be buying me my next keg, but then went a different direction.
If I were the owner and wanted my business back, I probably would have said, "Are you a wine drinker?" And then offered a free bottle, something I personally liked but nothing too expensive, to the customer, as my mea culpa. (I'm not a wine drinker, btw)
I'm loving the conversation this has stirred... I think I'll post a survey to see what people think.
I'm going to give my neighbor, Jeff Jensen, a shout here. Jeff owns and operates Jensen Liquor off 9th Street (next to the old Joe's Bakery). He's probably one of the nicest guys you could meet. He knows his stuff too, especially wine. His store is kind of small but it has a cool neighborhood feel to it.
And I think that's where the win is, having a keg that is worth 50 bucks, I'm betting. Yes, you got your money back, so you're even there, but you came out with a keg shell that you'll never have to lay a deposit down on again. So I'd say that was the "benefit" from the whole experience.
Continue boycotting? I'd say that I wouldn't go back to them again as my #1 place. But I wouldn't picket in front of their establishment and throw paint on the owner or anything.
I love Jensen Liquor! It's my favorite LIQ and it's close to my house. I like his crew that's working in there... they're all hippies and laid-back. Sadly, Jensen doesn't sell kegs, or I would have started out there.
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