I am constantly bewildered by a lot of consumer business practices among some of the larger companies in our country (Cable, Airlines, Automakers). But it feels good in the rare scenario, when you truly feel that someone or some company went the extra mile to truly earn your business. Today I encountered one of those rare scenarios.
In January of 2007 I inquired about a partial season ticket plan for the A’s. I was going to buy good tickets for 10-15 games and was seeing what kind of benefits came from buying 22 games of tickets which was classified as a partial season bundle tickets package. Upon filling out a web form, a lady emailed me and tried to sell me on the value of getting the official plan. I ended up opting to just stay with individual tickets.
As the A’s fell apart in mid-late summer I found myself selling and even giving away tickets for some of the games. In the end I went to maybe 60% of the games I bought tickets for and some of them felt like burdens considering my work schedule which was ramping up. I didn’t have the time or the energy. The Real World and the A’s mediocrity in 2007 affectively killed my enthusiasm.
So leading up to the 2008 season, the same lady kept checking in with me, trying to sell me on something…anything. I was usually prompt with my refusals but flirted with some interesting offers that the team doesn’t advertise.
In particular about 2 months back she let me know about 1/2 off 18 person luxury boxes for Monday Night games. It was a good deal, a tempting one. A deal fit for a birthday party as I never do anythign for my birthday. Was this finally the year, I actually took the time to plan an event and indulge in something to celebrate me?
But my birthday wasn’t on a Monday. Monday is a work night too. It didn’t make sense. I politely declined but told the A’s lady that there was a Friday Night game on my birthday. If the same offer could be extended for that game, I would most likely take it.
I came back to my house on Friday to find a letter from the Oakland A’s. It was from the A’s lady who I had been in contact with letting me know that she had recieved approval to get me that discount for my birthday.
While that is mildly impressive, what is more impressive is that she lost all my phone and email contact information when I switched jobs. She couldn’t call me or email me. Instead she found my address via past ticket order done online. I imagine getting this info was not too hard, but required some effort and dilligence. Upon getting that information, she hand wrote a very nice letter telling me she knew I changed jobs and didn’t have my current info but the offer I solicted from her was on now on the table.
I was quite impressed. Someone I have never met, and had denied 6-10x, had now delivered what I asked from her. And when she finally made an arrangement she knew I was interested in, I was nowhere to be found.
While the A’s sometimes test my patience and make some odd moves ( seriously why did all the portopotties in the parking lot dissapear? Yeah its probably cheaper, but you got people pissing all over the damn place now) the persistence in common sense to do everything possible to make a sale paid off in this case. It’s great to see hard work and determination payoff, and I replied back to my ticket representative letting her know I will take her up on the offer.
Hopefully I can strike a deal on a keg now too!
