(But at least they fixed it by the end of it all) Very angry today... even for a Monday morning. So I ordered a sheet of uncut bills (thread here) the other day, and while I was at it, I got one of the new "American Innovators" proof coins. The coin came first, then about a week later, the uncut sheet arrived. The sheet was damaged, so I called and they said they could either replace it or refund me. I said "replace". They sent a pre-paid label. All seemed right in the world. This morning, I get an email saying, "Here's your refund." I call. US Mint employee tells me that they don't DO replacements. I'm like: So I say, "Fine. Send me a pre-paid return label for the coin and refund my original shipping; I'm done with it." She says they can't do that either. I ask for a supervisor. Supervisor tells me that they DO in fact do replacements. In the end, she offers to waive shipping if I order the same uncut sheet again. Long, drawn out story that took waaaay longer than it should have, but at least (I hope) with a happy ending.
This is why people have supervisors, to make decisions on unusual situations. I understand the frustration, but sounds like they're righting the wrong in the end.
I didn't get the paper the other day. (Bad weather). I call for a replacement, that doesn't come. I call and speak to a woman, who assures me it's out for delivery. The next day I call the same woman and ask to have yesterday's paper sent. She swears up and down there are no copies left. (When they deliver the paper to stores, they pick up the unsold copies. So I know they have copies. And, they have an archive, a library of old papers.) She refuses to budge on her position. I email a worker higher up in the food chain that I met, and he arranged to have a paper delivered to me along with my regular paper the next day, and sure enough it came as he said it would. Was she lying to me? Did she really believe there wasn't 1 single copy of that paper in the entire city? Are the extra copies incinerated? Was she just trying to get rid of me? Always go further and further up the chain to get something done. When I was in business I would always go to the top man (person) and avoid all the grunts.