He had read my email and called to apologize and explain that the computer glitch is something they just discovered and that the IT department is working on it.

He also wanted to make the situation right so he gave me 4 tickets to Alice in Wonderland on IMAX 3D with some popcorn vouchers.

I am happy!

Not only because I get to see the movie but because they cared enough to call and apologize and wanted to make me happy and I never get popcorn at a movie so it will be a real treat.

It is nice to be heard and responded to and it is over and above what I even expected.

Thank you Jordan Commons! I am a happy customer again and will return!

I bought tickets online for Alice in Wonderland 3D IMAX on March 12 for the show at 7pm that same night. I bought the last two seats on the top row of the bottom section that were together for me and my husband. I got a babysitter and was really looking forward to getting out and seeing this movie. I have been excited to see this movie since I saw a preview one year ago.

We arrived right as the lights turned off so we saw our two empty seats on the back row quickly sat down to watch the show. About 10 minutes in an usher started asking everyone on the back row to see their tickets. Apparently someone was in the wrong seats. It ended up being us. He let us know that our seats were not together but were two rows apart and asked us to get into our correct seats. I explained to them this could not be possible and that I had picked my seats and purchased them online. He asked us to step out while he looked at a computer showing the available seats. There were two empty seats in the upper section so I said “OK can we just sit in those?” He responded by telling us we had to go to the ticket counter if we wanted to change seats. I was frustrated with this because it didn’t make sense why he couldn’t go to the ticket counter and let us watch the movie.

At the ticket counter she was pleasant and said yes we can give you those seats but now the movie had been playing for 25 minutes and I was upset. I told her it was too late and that I wanted my money back. She told me she couldn’t do that but she could give me a gift card. I spent $28 dollars on these tickets and I told her that wasn’t acceptable and that I wanted my money back and I wanted a manager if she couldn’t do it. She brought the manager over and he explained to me that he would be able to give me those two seats. I couldn’t believe it! Did he really expect me to pay $28 for a movie I would only see ¾ of? He also wanted to give me a gift card but when I demanded my money back he explained that he would do it this time but that is not normal. I was visibly upset but remained relatively calm for how I was feeling. The manager was nice although I have issues with the way he handled it.

I write this letter to let you know that your customer service and training of employees is lacking. I realize that the Larry Miller theatres is a monopoly in Utah and you might not really care about giving good customer service because you think you are going to make money anyways but I believe that you could do better and make more money if people didn’t leave your theatres in tears because they didn’t get to see the movie they wanted because of computer glitches and poor customer service.

What makes me most upset is that those two boys running the IMAX theatre could have diffused the situation quickly by just giving us those seats. Do you train your employees to evaluate situations and think for themselves? Their reasoning was that someone could come and purchase those seats. Who is going to purchase $28 seats to a movie that has already been going for 20 minutes? Seriously?

What kind of manager wants to drill it in to customers that they are doing you a favor by refunding money and giving bad service? It was like he was warning me “We give bad service here and this is going to happen again so be prepared next time because you won’t give your money back”. He also explained that when buying tickets online if you are buying more than one it will automatically put the seats together. So he admitted that it was an error on the theatre’s part but then didn’t really want to make the situation right.

I realize this is a lengthy letter and if you have gotten this far I commend you. My final thought is that most people go to a movie for a date and a lot of people, like myself, get out to a movie maybe 4 times a year with their spouses because not only are we paying for a movie, a $28 one, but we are also paying for a babysitter. It is a big night! It is important to us! Our night was ruined! The last thing I heard was the cashier saying “It will take 5-10 business days for this to post to your account”. So, you are going to take my money immediately but you aren’t going to give it back right away. Thanks.

So I went home, let my babysitter go, and sat there in disbelief that it had all taken place. I left with nothing and I really don’t want to return. I wish that there was integrity with companies and that there was recognition of where all your money comes. Just writing this brings up that emotion and I am angry and sad I didn’t get to see that movie.I hope that someone gets this and something changes.
A customer should never leave unhappy or a little teary eyed. That should be your policy.

Sincerely,

Tammy

Surprisingly I stayed calm but firm. I wanted to spew out demeaning comments to them but I didn’t. I know that if you are nice you tend to get better service so I was determined to remain calm. It didn’t work though. I left with nothing and I am mad. I am just a magnet for this crap. I will let you know if I get a response.

Post Edit:  To see Jordan Commons reply click here

So all morning my brain had this continous playback:

How is a raven like a writing desk?  How is a raven like a writing desk?  How is a raven like a writing desk?  How is a raven like a writing desk?  How is a raven like a writing desk?  How is a raven like a writing desk?

It brought back the frustration I felt when I was little and heard this and new it didn’t make any sense and that a raven was in nowhere like a writing desk but I still wanted to know the answer!  And if you don’t already know the answer is never given because there is no answer which I confirmed because I googled it.


Lewis Carroll’s answer was “It is nevar put with the wrong end in front.”


I have found that I am not the only out there with this curious frustration and in my curiousity I stumbled upon this great column that explains it in more detail and giving Lewis Carroll’s answer so I share it with you now for all those Alice fans out there and in celebration of the new movie!

And seriously, Alan Rickman’s voice is amazing and one of my favorites. Remember the old Robin Hood with Kevin Costner? Yes I know it is pretty lame but worth watching because Alan Rickman is hilarious in it and steals the show to all the other actors who did a horrible job. Sorry Morgan but it wasn’t good.

Speaking of Robin Hood the new one coming out with Russell Crowe should be really good. He has his old Gladiator hair cut back which is a big plus already for the movie. Seriously that guy does not know how to do his own hair.

But back to Alan; If you need a good cry and you love Alan Rickman you should see Truly, Madly, Deeply. It is wonderfully heart wrenching.

And there you have it.

Being a working mom is not as glamorous as the movies make it look which is quite disappointing. Seriously, where is my intense music when I wake up an hour and a half late and I am trying to get me and a baby out the door; where is the sweet music when I kiss my baby goodbye and dash out the door like a mad women; where is my hero shot when I make it to work looking calm, collected and in an amazing outfit with amazing heels and where is the scene when I am offered tons of money and a huge promotion because I am so amazing at my job and I landed the big client that the company so badly needed?

Reality: no makeup today, no straightening iron today, no breakfast today (not even water), definitely no amazing outfit with heels, and to top it off I was stretching and I looked down to see my much too hairy armpits! I am in a cap sleeve shirt! Sick!! Note to self: Arms must stay glued to sides all day.

I must also note the guilt I feel because my mother-in-law has Eva today and over the weekend her basement flooded and her freezer broke so she is completely overwhelmed but she still took her. I think I will have to get off work early today. The guilt and the armpit hair are unbearable.