When I’m mad about something petty, I think of how to relieve that stress in the best way. Last month, I got back close to $200 worth of rebates and credits by applying myself for no more than five minutes. Last week I rented a car at LAX for three days. The total came out to $119 — not a bad deal for a major city. Upon driving the car that evening, I detected the odor of cigarettes. I could live with it, but I don’t have to. I look at my online reservation confirmation and notice there is a spot where I can leave comments. So I expressed my concern that I was a valued, preferred client, and they gave me a car that stinks. I hate it, and just want to let them know I was upset. Within 24 hours, I receive a nice courtesy apology email along with a $50 voucher for my next rental. When I get home, I found an additional survey they sent me, asking about my rental experience. I filled it out. The next day, I am credited another $30 to the Amex card that I used for the reservation. That’s $80 (two-thirds what I paid) that I get back for using Avis. All I did was use a pen for two minutes.
— From “LD-at-Large” by Nook Schoenfeld, PLSN, March 2014
