|
|
Post by mnjrutherford on Sept 17, 2012 7:40:45 GMT -5
How to phrase it "nicely" Lynn:
Dear Baker's Creek:
I ordered SEED, not FERTILIZER!
Very truly yours,
Lynn
|
|
|
|
Post by flowerpower on Sept 17, 2012 11:33:49 GMT -5
Fertilizer is not the "F" word I was thinking about.  |
|
|
|
Post by atash on Sept 17, 2012 13:56:00 GMT -5
Some hints on how to influence and persuade, from an amateur hypnotist:
Don't express negative emotions, especially not strong ones. They'll assume that you never want to buy from them again, and that will kill their incentive to make good.
The general form of a reprimand that works is to state what happened, what the consequences were in terms that are emotionally compelling (to fix the problem not to write it off as hopeless), then move quickly to a suggestion of the solution, and a suggestion that the recipient will act on it to produce a much better outcome, in terms that are compelling in a positive, motivating way. Embed commands inside of questions or statements that sound like observation of facts (eg, "Can I ask you to...?" "I'd appreciate...", etc). Use tag questions ("don't you think so too?" "isn't that right?") to solicit agreement.
If I can get them on the phone I can work them better than a letter, but even a letter can benefit from the right overall strategy.
|
|
|
|
Post by 12540dumont on Sept 17, 2012 21:14:56 GMT -5
Atash is scarey. Don't you think so? I think we should let him write all our letters of complaint, because we might actually get a response, don't you agree? Atash, you can start right away writing to Blue Shield, my health insurance company. They give me the name of a doctor, and then refuse to pay because "he's not in the network", but none of the "network" doctors are taking new patients. When you get them to give me my money, you can start on the county, state and federal government, reminding them that I'm a farmer, not a revenue source for their incompetence. Now doesn't that sound right? |
|
|
|
Post by steev on Sept 17, 2012 22:07:08 GMT -5
I always start a "complaint" letter as plaintively as possible: "having used your products so many years, I just don't know what happened, but this last purchase failed inexplicably; have you any idea what I can do to fix it?" In any item costing nmt two figures, it's usually good for total replacement. The bad news is that sending out a replacement is what passes for quality-control, these days, so much more cost-effective than actually controlling quality, since most people won't put in a complaint when what they've bought turns out to be crap.
|
|
|
|
Post by castanea on Sept 17, 2012 22:27:27 GMT -5
Atash is scarey. Don't you think so? I think we should let him write all our letters of complaint, because we might actually get a response, don't you agree? Atash, you can start right away writing to Blue Shield, my health insurance company. They give me the name of a doctor, and then refuse to pay because "he's not in the network", but none of the "network" doctors are taking new patients. When you get them to give me my money, you can start on the county, state and federal government, reminding them that I'm a farmer, not a revenue source for their incompetence. Now doesn't that sound right? Atash is smart. But many people are not really looking for a solution. They just want to exhibit anger toward the perceived wrongdoer and sometimes get more emotional return from that act than from receiving a refund. |
|
|
|
Post by flowerpower on Sept 18, 2012 7:16:30 GMT -5
Some hints on how to influence and persuade, from an amateur hypnotist: Don't express negative emotions, especially not strong ones. They'll assume that you never want to buy from them again, and that will kill their incentive to make good. You gave me some ideas on how to be nice about it.  It's not that I want a refund or replacement. I would be happy to hear that they are looking into the cross pollination issues. I'm sure they are well aware of the problem. They plant back their own seed, don't they? I will compose an email after I get back fom the barn. |
|
|
|
Post by bunkie on Sept 18, 2012 9:07:51 GMT -5
i had a packet of banana squash that had no germination from BC. i told them about it and they immediately replaced it.
same happened with some bean seeds from Seeds of Italy, and they promptly replaced them.
one time i had a packet from Seeds of Change and they weren't the seeds they were supposed to be. they responded saying they haad several complaints aand sent me more seed.
i think it's important to let them know if there's a problem.
|
|
|
|
Post by steev on Sept 18, 2012 22:30:18 GMT -5
Quite so. To assume that they're just jerks is unfair; they need a chance to respond to what may be a problem.
|
|
|
|
Post by flowerpower on Sept 19, 2012 6:57:00 GMT -5
Here is the email I just sent BC. ''Dear Baker Creek, I would like to bring to your attention an issue I have with my 2012 seed. I ordered the Carnevale di Venezia Morning Glory (Lot #22FG). As they have bloomed, I see there are solid white flowers and some ''half white/half striped'' flowers in the batch. Over 25% of the plants do not look the way they should. Is this a cross pollination issue? Solid colors are not mentioned in the catalog listing. I understand that mistakes occur. But I am concerned about the purity of the seeds, as this is the second time it has happened. In 2010 the Marina di Chioggia Winter Squash Lot #319/I contained 2 distinct fruit shapes. One met the varietal standards. The other was an oversized ''apple'' shape. There is a pic of this on your FB page from the Wethersfield store. It was very cool looking, but not what it should have been.  '' |
|
|
|
Post by bluelacedredhead on Sept 19, 2012 8:21:19 GMT -5
i had a packet of banana squash that had no germination from BC. i told them about it and they immediately replaced it. i think it's important to let them know if there's a problem. You had to order banana squash? Jumbo pink?? Why didn't you say something? I could have repaid you ..... FP, All you can do is write them. If no one tells them that there is a problem, then how will they know? Although that Marina in the pic was a little st range ,  |
|
|
|
Post by blueadzuki on Sept 28, 2012 14:25:21 GMT -5
A little credit to a company where I feel credit is due.
About 2 weeks ago I placed an order to Solana Seeds for 2 seed packets, 1 of Tinda/ Tidora squash(a species used in India for curries) and one of Michael Pollan Tomato (sort of like Green zebra, but different shapes) about a week ago I got an message in my inbox that I had had some money refunded from Solana. Expceting it to be along the lines of "we are out of this" I opened the email, to find that, because the Michael Pollan seed had not made the gremination cutoff, they were sending it to me for free. Now, while one could argue that charging nothing for seed that might not grow isn't all that much of a laudatory action, I think it is nice they decided to take that route as opposed to 1. Keeping quiet about it unless and until someone complained or 2. Simply removing it from the orders (after all, the paper envelope and label on the packet do cost them something and it's not like they made a profit on the shipping (since the tomato seed weighed so little compared to the squash, I don't think it added anything to the postage). Seed arrived today, and the tomato was indeed in there (which tempered a little my discovery that based on seed appearance Tidora squash (which I was lookign for for quite a long time) is actually the same thing as the "Squash Melons" I grew 5-6 years ago).
|
|
|
|
Post by wolfcub on Sept 28, 2012 19:59:10 GMT -5
I too had a problen with Baker Creek I planted a whole pack of Wade's giant indian corn. Germination was great but not one cob of corn. They argued with me that I hadn't ordered it from them. And they had never heard of this happenning. Then I get an email saying they found my order and they had sent a replacement pack. Now I got an email asking did I get the free seed if not to let them know and they will send it out. So far no sigh of the replacement.
|
|
|
|
Post by castanea on Sept 28, 2012 22:17:54 GMT -5
I too had a problen with Baker Creek I planted a whole pack of Wade's giant indian corn. Germination was great but not one cob of corn. They argued with me that I hadn't ordered it from them. And they had never heard of this happenning. Then I get an email saying they found my order and they had sent a replacement pack. Now I got an email asking did I get the free seed if not to let them know and they will send it out. So far no sigh of the replacement. Interesting. Wade's is one of many corn varieties I'm growing this year but I haven't paid any attention to what it's doing. I'll check on it tomorrow. |
|
|
|
Post by bunkie on Sept 29, 2012 12:45:10 GMT -5
we grew Wades Giant from BC last year for the first time and it did very well...tall and large ears.
|
|
It's not that I want a refund or replacement. I would be happy to hear that they are looking into the cross pollination issues. I'm sure they are well aware of the problem. They plant back their own seed, don't they? I will compose an email after I get back fom the barn.
''
