Thankful

First off, I have finally quit my former favorite thing to do. It's been 15 days, having stoppped on October 1 after having come home from Bora. Sometimes I still feel the urge and I don't feel free because I'm saying No to something I've done and loved for 7 years but after that initial pang of helplessness, I feel liberated because I'm not a slave to it anymore. And I thank God everyday for giving me the strength (and self-control) to carry on.

Everything is just really going well. God's favor is with me and I am utterly grateful for everything He's doing in my life. It's true, God works for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). He's just answering my every prayer. More importantly, I know that slowly but surely He is changing my heart, my mind, cutting away all the areas that are not pleasing to Him and increasing all that is good. Still a long way to go but with God's grace, I'll get there.

Hmmm... I also have to make kwento about what happened with my Wade shoes. Wednesday last week, I wore my fairly new black high-heeled sandals (bought from the department store). Kris and I went on a TV Tour that day and pag dating sa GMA, hindi na ako halos makalakad. I used to be a heels girl, even going as far as explaining to people that I'm flat footed and it hurts more to wear flats than heels (which was true in college) but somehow my feet have changed, what with the onslaught of fashionable tsinelas (read: Havainas) and multi-color strap bakyas (read: Happy Feet). Anyway, nowadays, even at events I would rather be in Havs, Happy Feet or good ol' sneakers (even Chucks hurt, that's how sensitive my feet have become).However, being employed in a fashion-forward company, I most of the time feel like I'm not making an effort to try to be a bit fasyon (not one of my stronger suits really) because I'm so scared of being uncomfortable. I thought, if these beautiful people can endure wearing stilletos everyday, hey, I probably can, too (in the name of style).

That proved to be wrong because that Wednesday I literally couldn't walk straight anymore. So, I limped over to Celine (to find no decent flat pair), limped again to VNC (to not find the particular pair I was looking for) and finally limping to Wade where I saw these gorgeous silver strappy flats. I don't know exactly what they're called (the style of shoe, I mean) but they look a bit like this but with a solid back part, more pointed shape and basta maganda siya ...
I was happy about the shoes, to say the least. I was determined to even buy the pink and the green. Believe me, I'm the type to buy all colors of something I really like. They were reasonably priced at P899, I thought, since I can use the shoes for a few years (flat shoes, in my experience, are definitely more durable than high-heeled ones).

Imagine my displeasure when during class last Wednesday (exactly seven days after I bought them), I found a strap broken. I was disappointed and was intent on having it fixed at Mr. Quickie the following day. When I got back to the office after my class, I examined what happened to the shoe and was shocked to see that the sole was split in half. I showed it to Kris and she said I should return it. Ako pa naman, as much as possible, I don't like complaining. It's energy-draining and sometimes I just let it be because it's too much of a hassle to get worked up (yes, I'm still at the stage na I still get worked up but someday sana I don't na). But I had the shoes for only 7 days and P899 is definitely not a reasonable price for something you're just going to use for a week. So, the very next day, I brought the shoes (still in its original box and bag) and the receipt and complained at the Wade store in Galleria. The girl whom I talked to was nice, asking me to come back because they would call the head office to report the incident, sabi pa niya baka nagkataon lang hindi maganda ang nabili kong pair and she apologized. Not even a hint of getting worked up, I was smiling from the second I went in until I left the store. The following day as I was browsing for (more) shoes at the department store, I received a text message from the girl at Wade, hindi na daw pwede palitan ang shoes kasi lampas na sa deadline. Mind you, I never demanded for a replacement. I brought the shoes to complain but I was well aware that it had been 8 days and that the receipt indicated that returns and exchanges can only be done within seven days of purchase. On the other hand, I was not expecting that nothing would be done about it. Surely there must be something they could do to appease the customer. So, I trudged over to Wade, quite upset. I asked for the number of the head office and the name of the owner which they refused to give (the name I mean) for security purposes, I suppose. As I was heading out, I saw two women at the sale rack and casually I tell them "Miss, wag kayo bibili dito. After 7 days, sira na ang sapatos," a fact. When I got back to the office, I realized that they hadn't returned my receipt so I went back. GH associate publisher Anna was there so I told her about my experience. She went ahead and bought the bag she was inteding to get. Point? No lost business. At least not yet.

So, when I got back to the office, I called their head office. I explained my plight to the first girl who answered. She excused herself, sandali lang daw, and forgetting to cover the mouthpiece said, "ikaw na nga, nakakairita eh." I was NOT even shouting, my voice was level, borderline friendly pa nga and that's what I, a customer, get. Nakakairita? So, she passes me to another woman, named Meryl. Meryl proceeded to tell me what I already knew, hindi pwede dahil lampas na sa 7 days. Sabi ko I understand that but I will not allow that nothing be done about my situation. At least, give me a partial refund or cover the cost of having the sandals repaired, because truth be told, I am so disappointed with the shoes and the experience that I never want to buy their shoes again. She said, "eh yun naman pala ma'am. Dapat sinabi niyo na ipagawa na lang. Kasi nireport na din namin ito sa boss namin, nagalit siya dahil nangharang kayo ng customer..." Ako, nangharang?? I told 3 people at the store, but if their shoes are indeed good quality, they shouldn't be worrying about those three people. That's what they failed to understand. One irate customer will tell ten of her friends, those ten friends will tell another ten, and so on. A happy customer, in fact, will probably tell few of her good purchase so appeasing one dissatisfied customer is worth more than a satisfied one. Yes, maybe nagkataon shoes ko lang yung ganon. Maybe mine was an isolated incident, shouldn't they then try to rectify this one situation? Because I sure won't take it sitting down. Kahit hassle, I was ready to write to the papers, to DTI, and email to everyone I know my experience. Sila pa ang galit sa akin and the girl Meryl said, kayo ang customer dapat kayo ang magsabi kung anong gusto niyong mangyari. I said, this is the first time I've ever complained about a purchase so I was expecting also to be given options. Apparently, ako pa ang may kasalanan ng lahat. So, I said after a useless 15 minutes of talking, never mind, I'll just go ahead and write to the authorities. She said, sige ho.

Now I understand that they are just doing their job but if I were in their place, instead of being boss-oriented, I would be more customer-oriented. My mom was at a conference where Sam Walton was a speaker last week. Sam Walton owns Wal-Mart. In the 1960s, a man bought a thermos from Wal-Mart. In 1983, with the thermos and receipt in tow, he asked for an exchange. The thermos, he said, was leaking. Indeed it was. Wal-Mart replaced the thermos. I checked out Wal-Mart's website and in their rules for building a business is "Rule 8:
Exceed your customers' expectations. If you do, they'll come back over and over. Give them what they want - and a little more. Let them know you appreciate them. Make good on all your mistakes, and don't make excuses - apologize. Stand behind everything you do. The two most important words I ever wrote were on that first Wal-Mart sign, "Satisfaction Guaranteed." They're still up there, and they have made all the difference." How I wish store owners in the Philippines train under Sam Walton.

Anyway, Kris got the Wade and F&H marketing person's number from fashion ed Donna. Mabait daw si Alan. True enough, the graciousness and understanding the three people I had talked to previously di not give was made up for by Alan. He assured me that he would notify the owners immediately. When I got back to my seat, our direct line rang, the owner of Wade was calling. She, too, was quite gracious, which I appreciate, She proceeded to tell me that even if I went to DTI, the rule states that after 7 days, they cannot make exchanges. They are just following the law. Again I went on to express my point. In the end, she agrees to having the shoes repaired and if it's impossible to repair (aha!) then they would replace the pair. And that she hoped we could still be friends. (I apologized for telling those three people about my 7day-sira-agad dilemma but hoped she understood why I did so) *sigh of relief* Natapos din... after 1 million years...

Alan again called and said that the other owner of Wade/F&H was informed of the situation already. He understoof I had already talked to Ms. L (the owner) and yes, I said that she said she would have the shoes repaired. Alan said No, he talked to them (the owners) to have the broken pair replaced. All's well that ends well.

From this experience, I have learned that we musn't settle for substandard. We have a right as consumers and we should get our money's worth. Complaining is tiring but if you have a point to make, it is important to go out of your way to make a point.

***