Never use these five cringeworthy phrases when you ask for help
Was it something you said? Is that the reason a company is ignoring your otherwise reasonable request for assistance? If you have to ask, the answer is probably “yes.”
Our Celebrity cruise sailed without us — 3 hours early!
Donna Klemond’s Celebrity Cruises ship departs three hours early – just as she arrives at the port of embarkation. Neither Celebrity, her travel insurance company nor her travel agent will help compensate her for the cost of the cruise. Can our advocates get them to weigh anchor on issuing her a refund?
I asked you for help, but your story made me look bad
“My honesty, integrity and character — not to mention my intelligence — is being publicly questioned and attacked,” Suzan French complained after we published a story about her dispute with AT&T. “That is unacceptable.”
It’s the end of advocacy as you know it (and that’s no bluff)
It happened again yesterday. Another threat of a lawsuit, this time from a reader for whom I’d secured a ticket refund in 2015. Even though she’d filled out a form explicitly authorizing me to publish her details, and even though her story had been online for more than two years, she insisted that I redact her name immediately.
Here’s your holiday gift. Go on, open it.
Carol Broaddus got an early Christmas present this year. Her new KitchenAid mixer, purchased on Black Friday, wasn’t delivered in time for the holiday baking season. Our advocates saved the day by contacting JCPenney on her behalf.
What have I done for you lately?
Forget Bitcoin. If you want a sure thing, invest in the consumer advocacy on this site.
Don’t let these glory days pass you by. Do something now.
Do you remember what being a customer used to be like? When employees were courteous and helpful? Do you remember when we were treated like “kings”? Remember flying?
Your advocacy family needs you now. Here’s how you can help.
These aren’t the best of times for American consumers. Net neutrality has just been repealed. The Federal Trade Commission is refusing to end the deceptive practice of mandatory hotel resort fees. And the Department of Transportation appears to be done enforcing its consumer protections for airline passengers.
This is war! Whose side are you on?
Unless you read the federal register for fun, you probably missed the Oct. 2 regulatory review by the Department of Transportation. It invites comments from the public as the agency considers “existing regulations and other agency actions” to evaluate their continued necessity, determine whether they are crafted effectively to solve current problems, and evaluate whether they potentially burden the development or use of domestically produced energy resources.
Sounds pretty innocent, right?
How you can save consumer advocacy
From all outward appearances, the consumer advocacy site I run with my team of volunteers may look like a runaway success.
Here’s an easy way to help consumers in 2018
I’ve always been skeptical of awards, so when a friend suggested that I start one, I reflexively said “no.” “It’s not about you,” he countered. “It’s about your readers.”
Could you help us get a refund for our trip to Puerto Rico?
Edward Epstein books a bundled vacation package to Puerto Rico through Expedia but, in the wake of Hurricane Maria’s wrath, he’s forced to cancel his trip to the beleaguered island. While Expedia willingly refunds his hotel expense, American Airlines offers only credit for the airfare portion of the package. Can our advocates convince American to fork over a full refund?
Delta’s spontaneous goodwill gesture is a welcome act of kindness
James Hager and his wife are looking forward to a relaxing trip to Arizona after she finishes her treatment for a brain tumor. Unfortunately, before they can leave, they receive the troubling news that she needs further treatment. Can Delta provide some relief?
At hotels, ‘for your convenience’ rarely is
Look out — the hotel “convenience” wave is spreading.
Yes, American Airlines, you can hate your customers and be loved by your shareholders. Or can you?
This just in: Reader complaints surged 24 percent last month from a year ago. Can you guess which company topped the list?
You did it!
Late last week, we crossed the $25,000 mark, capping another successful fundraiser.
Thank you!
Help! Choice Hotels canceled our reservation to see the eclipse
More than a year in advance, Nancy Barnby secures her lodging inside the direct path of the August 21, 2017, solar eclipse viewing area in Oregon. Now she needs our help because that hotel has changed hands and her reservation has been summarily discarded by the new owner. With just weeks left before the eclipse, is there any way to save her celestial experience?
Why you matter — and why I’m giving away Southwest Airlines tickets
We live in interesting times.
Did you know?
If you’re a regular reader of this site, you probably think you know a lot about the advocacy work we do here every day.
Who will protect you?
These are challenging times to be a customer.
What if they pulled the plug on this site?
What if they pulled the plug on this site? What if the stories you read here every day vanished? What if I stopped holding companies’ feet to the fire in the pages of the Washington Post, USA Today and in my syndicated columns?
We would love to help, but what’s the problem?
Wendy Mettger made two hotel reservations for her upcoming trip to Sicily and ended up canceling both. She contacted us for help obtaining confirmation of these cancellation transactions. But when we searched through her meticulous paper trail, we found that she already had a firm cancellation for the reservation that she was concerned about.
So where was the problem?
Thinking of “decluttering”? Read this first
If you’re considering downsizing, decluttering or housecleaning, you need to know about Egemen Yilmaz.
If your congresswoman can’t help you, we probably can’t either
Is a consumer advocate more influential than a member of Congress?
Vueling Airlines lost my bag and refuses to help me find it
Vueling Airlines lost Nelson Schaefer’s bag on a trip to Europe, and when he calls to ask about it, Vueling’s agents give him rude, curt brush-offs.
Why won’t Hotels.com refund my room? And why can’t you help me?
Why won’t Hotels.com help Margarita Plaks? Why won’t I help her?
We paid for Economy Comfort seats on KLM but we’ll have to climb over passengers
When Maria Huang and her husband learned that they’d been assigned economy class seats on their 12-hour flight home on KLM from their Viking cruise, they were concerned.