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Consumerist

Asking the Boston Symphony Orchestra For Donation Information Apparently Commits You To A $25 Pledge [Charity]

Reader Ian told a Boston Symphony Orchestra representative to mail him information about donating. The orchestra somehow mistook his request for a $25 pledge, and is now accusing Ian of making a "fraudulent pledge" and demanding that he immediately pay up.

Ian writes:

About a year and a half ago, I got a phone call on my cell phone from an unlisted number. I was busy doing something, but like an idiot I answered anyway. It was a solicitor from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, asking me to donate. I'd taken my fiancee to a concert of theirs about a month prior, and I had purchased the tickets online. I guess they thought just paying for my tickets wasn't enough. I told him I was busy and to send me something in the mail, and that was that.

A few weeks later I got what looked like a bill from the BSO, saying I had agreed to donate $25, and please pay up. I was pretty annoyed about getting a collection notice for a donation I never actually agreed to, so I tore up the letter and forgot about it. Over the next year, I received a copy of that same notice once every couple of months. Each time, I remembered the sleaziness of the circumstances under which they got my "pledge", so I just threw it out.

A couple of weeks ago, an unrecognized number appeared on my phone. Since this one wasn't blocked, I answered. On the other end was an unbelievably rude woman who immediately accused me of making a fraudulent pledge to the BSO because they never received my $25. Then she goes, "So would you please give me a credit card number so we can take care of this?" I was at a loss for words. I explained to her that giving my credit card information to a random person who called my cell phone would be incredibly stupid. She said, "Oh, I assure you I'm calling from the BSO," and went on to describe the tickets for my outing a year and a half ago—the date, the seats, the cost, etc. At this point I just wanted to get off the phone, so I told her she wasn't getting my credit card, and to please send me something in the mail. "Impossible," she said. "When is a good time to call back?" I said the first thing that came to my mind, which was "May", and she hung up abruptly.

About a week later, I got another letter in the mail asking me to pay up, and last night that familiar number appeared in my caller ID. This time though, I didn't answer it. I wonder if the BSO realizes it's telemarketers are acting like financial bounty hunters?

Anyway, I'd advise Consumerist readers to think twice before making a BSO ticket purchase online...

We have a mini-subscription to the New York Philharmonic and used to constantly receive solicitation calls from the "Friends of the New York Philharmonic." They had our Grandcentral number, and each time they called, we'd ask to be taken us off their lists before blocking the number. Those sneaky audiophiles, they'd call back from a different number and pretend we'd never requested anything other than another call. We must have received well over ten calls before they finally realized they were talking to a stingy blogger.

The experience was annoying enough to keep us from ever being friends with the New York Philharmonic, even if they give us their Cool Ranch Doritos and invite us over to play Grand Theft Auto. No, they blew that chance. Take note, symphony orchestras, your pushy tactics won't win you any friends.

The broader lesson is to be very careful when donating to any organization. Donating is the fastest way to put your name, number, and address on a slew of annoying solicitation lists. If you choose to give, give anonymously.

(Photo: Getty )

read more Boston Symphony Orchestra Charity Collections Concerts Customer Service Donating Music orchestra Pledges Readers Sun, 18 May 2008 13:04:14 EDT Carey

Thanks, Northwest, For Flying Me To Chicago Because I Asked Nicely! [Travel]

Contrary to published rumors , I did not spend last weekend trafficking Canadian drugs or performing "community service." No, I enjoyed a gluttonous weekend in Chicago thanks to Northwest's generosity. In the age or rising fees, reduced frequent flier miles, and general travel hell, it's still possible to extract favors from airlines, if you know which levers to push...

My friend had an unused electronic credit voucher that he had no hope of using from a botched trip. Not wanting to waste the voucher, we decided to transfer the voucher to me, something clearly prohibited by Northwest's policies:

Can I give my Electronic Credit Voucher to someone else to use?
Electronic Credit Vouchers are non-transferable...

First, my friend called and asked to transfer the voucher. They said no. We called back, escalated, begged and pleaded, but rules are rules, they said—our request would not be accommodated. After exhausting the normal customer service channels, we loaded up and fired the mighty and fearsome Executive Email Carpet Bomb. Here's what we wrote:

Mr. Steenland,

On April 17, 2007 I purchased a ticket to Rhinelander, WI from your website (NWA Confirmation Number: XXXXX, E-ticket number: XXXXXXXXXX). I unfortunately never took that trip, but was repeatedly reassured by your agents before canceling that I would not lose the money I had invested in the ticket, and that I would be able to use the remaining balance however I wished towards future Northwest travel.

I am now trying to use the balance, as I was expressly told I would be allowed, to purchase a ticket from New York to Chicago for a friend. Your agents insist that this is not possible and that the credit from my unused ticket will expire in May if I do not fly myself. My considerable travel expenses are currently handled exclusively by my employer. It will be impossible for me to use the remaining balance for myself in the foreseeable future.

I would be most appreciative if you would allow me to use my balance to purchase a ticket for my friend, as I was told I could do. I am a frequent traveler and have a choice of airlines when flying and would very much like to tell my colleagues that you graciously accommodated my reasonable request. Please let me know by the end of the week how this can be arranged.

Best regards,

Carey's Friend

We summarized the problem, requested a resolution, and specified a timeframe for their response, all while remaining professional and polite. Northwest Executive Communications Representative Jodee Gruebele quickly responded and agreed to transfer the voucher to me. Great!

Except the voucher was going to expire before I could get to yummy, yummy pizza hiding in the midwest. I called Northwest's customer service line and asked them to extend the voucher by an extra week. They laughed and refused. Time for another EECB!

Dear Ms. Gruebele,

I write in the hope you can remove the remaining barrier to redeeming [my friend's] voucher. The absolute earliest I am able to travel is May 9-13. I have unfortunately been informed by your customer service representatives that my travel must commence by May 4, a mere 5 days earlier than my schedule allows. They have also told me that it is impossible to redeem the ticket online, forcing me to pay not a $10 operator assistance fee, but a $15 rebooking fee. This is in addition to fees costing $56 already associated with the ticket. I would be willing to pay the fees, provided I can begin my travel on May 9. Please let me know at your earliest convenience how this reasonable request can be accommodated.

Most appreciative,

Carey Greenberg-Berger

Four days later, Northwest wrote back and extended the voucher for an extra month.

Northwest had every right to say no. We weren't filing a complaint or referencing a violated policy. They made a business decision to help us out, one that I certainly appreciate.

You might be thinking, "But Carey, you unethical rodent, they gave you the tickets because you write for The Consumerist and might say mean things about them next to cat photos if they didn't acquiesce." The first EECB containing the big request to transfer the voucher was sent by my friend without mentioning me or the site, and the second one was sent from my personal account.

Executive Email Carpet Bombs are effective because you're speaking to people who are able to use their independent judgment to come to a reasonable solution. More importantly, anyone can launch an EECB without much effort. Nothing we requested was outlandish. We asked for a favor, and Northwest graciously acceded, gaining an appreciative customer, giving Chris the chance to write a weekend of great posts, and giving me the chance to finally taste Chicago's ambrosial stuffed-crust pizza. Win-win-win.

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