The THREAT Of Social Media

We all hear about the downside of using social media. Privacy can be lost. Stupid adolescent postings can lose you a potential job. Bullying happens. We don't even have to mention the inappropriate rampaging of the current occupant of the West Wing. And rating systems can get out of hand. I well recall one criticizing Motel 6 for, frankly, not being a 5-star motel. (Hey, it's a two star, priced accordingly, and adequate for that, especially when you consider their pet policy. Get over yourself.)

But sometimes using the threat of negative comments on your social media platform can have beneficial effects for you, the consumer who's been screwed by the big bad company. Steve just found that out this morning.

Last Thanksgiving, give or take a couple days, Steve and I both gave each other an Ancestry.com test kit for an X-mas present. They were running a sale, and we had both been curious for years. The instructions are simple but precise. Don't eat or drink for a specified period of time ahead of taking the test, then spit into a tube until your saliva reaches a designated level, screw the cap on which releases a blue preservative into the tube, and shake to mix. A mailing box comes with the kit, and you wait perhaps 6 weeks for getting your results emailed to you. In color. And along with regular offers to take "advantage" of a plethora of other services they offer, for fees of course.

Mine was returned promptly. Steve waited. And waited. Finally a notification came through that they had been unable to process his sample, and a new kit arrived. Repeat process and wait, a couple weeks longer this time. Presumably the extra wait was due to the continuation of their sale and a whole lot of folks thinking that X-mas was a good time to either take or give the kit for testing.

Steve still waited, a tad less patiently this time. I had to remind him of when they had said this 2nd kit's results would be ready, and they weren't yet late. His mental clock was still ticking from the start of the whole process, understandably enough. Finally, late yesterday the e-mail arrived.

Deja vu: they still were unable to process his kit.

This morning he got on the phone 1st thing after getting out of bed. There was the typical voicemail maze, punch whichever number to get into the next menu, figure out which number they meant you to punch this time, and so on. And on. Finally, a human. Remarkably, one with English as their native language.

"Oh, you had this problem? Tsk tsk. We''ll be happy to send you out another kit, no extra charge.... Oh, we've already done that?... Are you sure you followed the instructions precisely? ... Well, we'll be happy to send you another one, again no charge.... That won't do? You want your money back?... OK, we can do that, minus $25 for our handling and testing, of course.

That's when Steve informed them that he would be willing to accept their offer. but they should understand that he would be posting very negative comments on social media about them.

After another brief hold, the company representative came back on the line and informed Steve that they would, of course, refund the whole amount!