On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 21:57:47 -0800, "william_b_noble"
wrote:

Within 3 days I had a letter from the
senior manager saying: "I really wish you hadn't written that letter ....."
with a replacement allen wrench attached.

I would have sent that letter right back to the president of Sears.
When you get in trouble, you write an apology. You don't complain
about having gotten in trouble for the first place.

I tend to go right above a local manager's head as well if I have a
problem with a company. It scares them into actually fixing the
problem rather than just satisfying a single customer.
The locals on the floor don't normally care - they just want to get
rid of you (and any problem you have). I bought a Sears 3-1/4"
electric plane once - got it home and evidently it had been assembled
incorrectly at the factory as you *could not* retract the blade far
enough to keep it from taking about 1/8" off the wood. Rather than
fixing it myself (which I sometimes just go ahead and do), I decided
to return it to the store for a replacement. The replacement was fine
and the blades could be retracted until they would not even touch the
wood (as it should be) - and told the salesman that the unit I was
returning should be sent back as it was manufactured wrong - and could
not be used - demonstrating the problem so he would understand.
Also letting him know that if it got sold to another customer, that it
would "bounce back" to him again due to this problem.
"OK - I'll take care of it" says he. - - - Several days later, I was
in the store - sure enough - there sat the planer on the shelf,
waiting to be sold again.... sheeeessszzzz -- why bother?
Ken.