Apple

Mr. Timothy D. Cook, CEO
Apple Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014

1/14/14

Dear Mr. Cook,

I am a long-time Apple product user and fan. I grew up using an Apple IIe and have more recently enjoyed products like my MacBook and iPod. I would consider myself a fan and supporter of Apple as a company, and of its products. It is with regret that I must inform you of my most recent experience with the company.

A few weeks ago, a colleague informed me that Apple had released its most recent operating system, OS X Mavericks, as a free upgrade. Excited by this news I immediately began to look into how I could go about upgrading to Mavericks and exploring its new features. I purchased and installed additional memory to meet the 2GB minimum, and I purchased the software package to upgrade to Snow Leopard.

Several weeks later, after everything was installed and upgraded, I set about to download Mavericks. To my dismay, the Mac App Store stopped me right there. My model number, you see, is MacBook3,1, and despite having the necessary system requirements, a 3,1 just is not good enough.

I find it bizarre and unfortunate that I am not allowed to use Mavericks because my MacBook is unfit in model name only. This is surprising because I have always heard that Apple is great about supporting older products. I see no reason why I cannot upgrade, except for the fact that Apple wants me to dish out a thousand dollars for a new computer because it has a different model name. I would love to oblige, however, I cannot afford it.

In retrospect, I spent $40+ on Apple products to upgrade this computer to Mavericks compatibility and am no better off than when I started. I am hoping that Apple can rectify this for me in some way. I have always had faith in the company and would hate to think that with the new leadership the company has abandoned its tradition of excellent customer service.

Sincerely,

Outback Steakhouse

Ms. Elizabeth Smith, CEO
Bloomin' Brands, Inc
2202 N. West Shore Blvd. Suite 500
Tampa, FL 33607

1/22/14

Dear Ms. Smith,

I am writing to you in regard to my recent experience at your Outback Steakhouse location at 25 McMurray Rd in Pittsburgh. My girlfriend received a $50 gift card to the Outback from her sister on Christmas and she was very excited to go, seeing as she had never dined in the Outback before. It is with regret that I report that she had a less than pleasant experience.

Everything started out well. We had an artichoke dip appetizer, which we were pleased with. However, after finishing the appetizer, my girlfriend accidentally knocked over a glass, covering ourselves and the entire table with water and ice. The waitress promised she’d be right over to help, but basically just threw some towels on the floor and we had to clean it up ourselves. It was another 20 minutes before we saw another server, and we had to specifically request new napkins, silverware and another glass of water. The wait staff all seemed to be fussing over a table of 10 or so, and seemed to ignore the rest of the restaurant.

Furthermore, when we received our meals, my girlfriend’s $14 shrimp and steak dinner appeared to be a few tiny scraps of meat on a large, empty plate. (See attached image.) Her garlic mashed potatoes were not brought out and we needed to, again, make a specific request to get them.

We did enjoy the food despite the small portions, but the service left much to be desired. I would have liked to visit the Outback again someday, but at this point it unfortunately looks like it is off of our list.

Sincerely,

Amazon.com (2)

CEO: Jeffrey P. Bezos

Amazon.com, Inc.

1200 12th Ave. South, Ste. 1200

Seattle, WA 98144-2734

Dear Mr. Bezos,

My name is ###### and I am a long time user of Amazon.com.  Recently I have encountered the phenomenon where, when switching between credit cards, this box (below) comes up.

I have used Amazon.com for years with relative ease, but now I find that I frequently have to get up and re-input the security code from my credit card.  I object to the fact that I have to enter the security code to begin with, but that is beside the point.  I shouldn’t have to put it in there every day.  I believe that it also comes up when I change the RECIPIENT.  The reason people like Amazon.com is because it is convenient.  This security feature is not.  Maybe next time I get up to get my wallet I’ll just hop in the car and drive straight to Best Buy.  Please express my distaste to your colleagues.

Sincerely, 

Farr Scale Co

Thomas Farr, Owner

Farr Scale Co

417 W Main St

Hummelstown, PA 17036

Dear Mr. Farr,

I recently tried to use your penny-smashing machine at the visitor’s center for the Lackawanna County Coal Mine Tour.  The penny was supposed to say “I Love You.”  Instead, all I got was a flat penny and a disappointed girlfriend.  I believe this machine is malfunctioning.  Please send a refund of 51 cents or a penny stamped “I Love You” to the address below.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Astellas Pharma US, Inc.

Masao Yoshida, CEO

Astellas Pharma US, Inc.

1 Astellas Way

Northbrook, IL 60062

Dear Mr. Yoshida,

In regard to your Protopic ointment, I have just been informed that, if I did not have insurance, I would have to pay $800 for one prescription.  Once my insurance was verified, the amount was reduced to $10.  Please do not misunderstand:  I have no love for insurance companies.  In fact, I actively despise the entire industry.  However, I think you and I both know that the amount you are charging them is obscene.  Is the secret ingredient mined on one of the moons of Jupiter?  $800 could feed a family of four for a year in a third world country, which is ironic because if I couldn’t afford this cream I’d look like I have leprosy.  “Look like” is the operative phrase here, though, because you produce an ointment that removes minor blemishes from the skin.  God help us if you found the cure to a serious condition.  A person might have to sell an organ in order to get it.

Best regards,

Comcast (2)

10/21/2013

Customer Support
Comcast Cable
1500 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Dear Comcast,

The modem I have is getting progressively sketchier and is always on the fritz.  Please send me a new one and a pre-paid envelope to mail the other one back in.  I will have no problem doing the self install and do not need a technician to come out.  I also request that you please do not call me via telephone.  My account # is  ######################################################################.

Sincerely,

Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium

Dr. Barbara Baker, President and CEO
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
1 Wild Place
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

7/27/13

I am writing to you in regard to my recent attempt to visit your
facilities. In my childhood, I have had many fond memories of the
Pittsburgh Zoo, and have always genuinely enjoyed its many fine
attributes. Among these, in particular, are the monkey exhibits and
the aquarium. I consider myself a fan and a life-long patron. However,
yesterday afternoon when my girlfriend and I tried to visit, we had
quite a different experience than we were expecting.

My girlfriend and I lead very busy lives and rarely have time off
together, so organizing outings of this sort are sometimes an ordeal.
We have, in the past, driven some distance to visit attractions
(Laurel Caverns), only to find them closed. As a result, we now
typically check the websites ahead of time to make sure we arrive
during operating hours. Yesterday, we checked the website and
determined that the Pittsburgh Zoo would admit patrons up until 4:30
p.m. and would then remain open until 6:00 p.m. Satisfied we had
enough time, she got changed and we hopped in the car to drive the 12
miles down to 1 Wild Place, anticipating a very, very good time.

When we arrived shortly before 4:00, we encountered a line of cars and
a teenager in Zoo attire who appeared to be having long, complicated
discussions with each person driving through. When it was our turn to
find out what instruction he was passing along, he told us the Zoo was
closed. My girlfriend, Adrian, unsurprisingly remarked, “But the
website says it is open until 6:00.” The gentleman replied, “It is,
every day but today.” We looked at each other, stupefied, waited in
line for about 20 minutes to exit the Zoo and drove the 12 miles back
home, unsatisfied.

Now, I am sure it is never a business's intention to turn away
patrons, but to unsuspectingly close in the middle of operating hours
is shocking and disappointing. I don't know what was going on in the
Zoo that day, but I certainly hope everyone who was allowed in had a
good time. I hope someday we, too, will have the opportunity to take
part in the fun at 1 Wild.

Sincerely,

Comcast

Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO
One Comcast Center
Philadelphia, PA 19103

8/11/13

Dear Mr. Roberts,


I am writing to you regarding my recent experience with Comcast's online webchat. First of all, I greatly enjoyed being able to do it this way rather than via the phone. The service representative I spoke with, Nirbhay Narayan, did an excellent job, and I am very grateful for this positive experience with Comcast.

However, the purpose of my web chat was to move service to a new address, since I am moving. At first, Nirbhay wanted to send out a technician. I have had bad experiences with technicians in the past and, since I only have Internet service, Nirbhay was able to waive this and allow me to just plug the modem into the wall, which is all that needs to be done. Again, I am grateful for this.

What I don't understand is that there is a $10.00 fee for me to a modem into the wall myself. I feel I am being charged for work I am doing myself, which is ridiculous. Nirbhay said he was unable to waive this fee, and I told him I would follow up with a letter. I don't blame the representative for this, because he is unable to waive the fee. However, I think Comcast can waive this one time fee for me, and I would find it most appropriate considering I am the one doing the installation. “Installation” being connecting the modem into the wall, a two second process.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter,

Target

Gregg W. Steinhafel, CEO
Target Corporation
1000 Nicollet Mall #2950
Minneapolis, MN 55403

6/9/13

Dear Mr. Steinhafel,

It is with dismay that I write to you about my recent visit to your store at 360 Waterfront Dr E in Homestead, PA. I am typically a big proponent of Target stores and have shopped at them for most of my life with my family. However, upon my recent visit, I can't help but feel that the chain has a sense of inherent disdain and disrespect for its customers.

My girlfriend and I were shopping at Francesca's earlier that day, and she bought a new dress. Francesca's didn't have a nice sweater/top that matched it, so we went over to Target to try to find one. Upon selecting a few things to try on, we took them back towards the dressing rooms. The woman manning the dressing area documented every item before allowing us in as if we were a couple of vagrants or teenagers.

This alone I found disrespectful, but if it is the company's policy, I don't resent her for doing her job. However, when we walked back towards one of the dressing rooms, the woman barked out toward me in an aggressive tone, “You aren't allowed back here, sir!” Now, give me a break. I can't stand outside a dressing room and look at my girlfriend's outfits after she tries each one on? What kind of con job does Target think we are running here? Somehow my presence outside the room to help her select an outfit is going to interfere with the item count the store already documented?

I don't know what Target thinks I am – a thief, an ogler, a teenager? – but it sure has hell doesn't think of me as a paying customer. If it were me alone in the store being treated like this, I would have thrown down all of the items and left. Luckily for you, my girlfriend wanted the outfits, and I'll admit they are nice, but I can't stomach shopping at a place that doesn't respect its own clientèle. I thought you were running a department store, not a bail bond agency. We are your livelihood. We deserve to be treated with respect. I hope for your sake that this is an isolated case of a store having to resort to these tactics because it's located in a relatively bad area. If this is an undercurrent running through the whole chain, I can't believe people continue to shop there.

With regret,

Walmart

Mike Duke, CEO
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
702 SW 8th St
Bentonville, AR 72716

6/9/13

Dear Mr. Duke,


It is with incredulity that I write to you about my recent visit to your store at 2351 Century Dr in West Mifflin, PA. I am typically a big fan of shopping at Walmart stores, but every now and then I am completely baffled by the bizarre way they are managed. I went to this Walmart store on a Thursday night at 11:00 p.m. to pick up a few things. At this time there were two cash registered being manned. One cashier was completely occupied by a woman running some kind of extreme couponing scam who had enough stuff in her cart to stock a bunker for the end times. The other line was populated by Everyone Else. After standing in the Armageddon line for about ten minutes, I figured out that I wasn't going anywhere. Either the cashier was taking her good old time, or was just flat out baffled by how to process all of these coupons.

I took a glance at the other line, where the last (and probably 15th) person in line had a full cart of groceries. As much as I wanted hand soap and dish washing liquid for a very affordable price, I decided I wasn't willing to spend 45 minutes in line to get it, and I left my items on an end cap display. I went over to CVS where I purchased the same thing in about two or three minutes, though for several more dollars.

Now, the ridiculousness of this scenario is accentuated by the fact that there were about a hundred employees in the store stocking shelves, some making jokes and dawdling around, while 15 people stand idling in line waiting to give you money. In general, though I like the convenience of Walmart stores, when I picture them I imagine boxes and abandoned items strewn all over the place. Maybe this is part of the reason why.

Incidentally, this is not the first time I have had to abandon my items and go elsewhere, as I have done so several times at the North Versailles Walmart. This West Mifflin store is usually better, but I hope you agree that one shopper with a large quantity of items shouldn't be enough to blow out the capacity of a store to function, even if it is at an odd hour of the night.

Sincerely,

wfwrrwbwrbw

The Young and the Restless

Michael Muhney
c/o The Young and the Restless
7800 Beverly Blvd Suite 3305
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Dear Mr. Muhney,

I have been watching Y&R with my grandmother since I was a little kid, and in the past few years that she's needed me around more to take care of her, I've gotten back to watching. My favorite characters are the tough business guys, and your portrayal of Adam Newman is one of my all-time favorites. I was writing to you in hopes that you might send an autographed photo. I received one from Eric Braeden last year and my grandmother really got a kick out of it. If you get the chance, this would mean a lot to me. Hope to see you on Y&R for years to come!

Sincerely,

Houlihans

Mr. Robert Hartnett, CEO, Houlihan's Restaurants, Inc
Corporate Office & Headquarters
8700 State Line Rd
Ste. 100 Leawood KS 66206

Dear Mr. Hartnett,

It has recently come to my attention that Houlihans Restaurants values customer feedback, so I thought I would write regarding my recent visit to your Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA location. First of all, the food was absolutely delicious, so you needn't worry. Secondly, I was using my free birthday meal card, which I am greatly appreciative of, so overall I found this a satisfying experience.

My one concern is that, upon arriving to the restaurant my date and I were told we would have quite an extensive wait. Thankfully, it didn't turn out to be more than five or ten minutes, so again, you needn't worry about that aspect of the experience. We spent these few minutes killing time at the bar. I ordered a Miller Light bottle. I wanted an IC Light, which the bar did not stock, but nobody is perfect. Once we were alerted to the fact that our table was ready, I settled up the tab for this beer so we could get on with our dinner. I paid with a $20 bill, and the bartender gave me a ten and a five in change and proceeded to dart across the bar to, undoubteduly, attend to the needs of another customer. Good service, no doubt.

My concern is that I was left with no choice but to drop a $5 bill to tip for this solitary bottle, or otherwise putz around for another five or ten minutes trying to get the bartender back to make change and look like a cheapskate in front of my date. I am not suggesting that this was done intentionally so the bartender could make extra money in tips, but it was just an awkward scenario and I ended up spending $9 for a bottle of beer I bought solely to kill time while waiting for my table.

I am not suggesting that there is any manner of recourse required for this, but just thought it was something the restaurant ought to consider. Or perhaps there should be a way to transfer the bill to the table or something like that, so the bartender can be tipped after the meal.

Thank you for your time. Again, the food was great as always.

Sincerely,

Citizens Bank

Ms. Ellen Alemany
Chairman and CEO, Citizens Financial Group
One Citizens Plaza
Providence, Rhode Island 02903

August 19, 2012

Dear Ms. Alemany,


I am writing because today I tried to deposit two postal money orders into a Citizens Bank ATM on Fort Couch Road in Bethel Park. It would not take them. This is one of those new-style no envelope ATMs, which, until now, I found useful. This would have never happened with the old envelope ATMs. Now I am forced to walk around with $2,000 worth of money orders until I can find an open bank, which I seldom can during non-work hours. This is extremely unsafe. Once again, the bank has implemented cost saving measures that have reduced the usefulness of the bank to its members. On top of the decision to refuse to send out paper statements without charging an outrageous fee, this is absolutely infuriating. I hope the bank will seriously take a look at its new measures and their impact on customer service as it continues its sharp turn, in my opinion, down hill. I have a lot of money in this bank and all I am getting back from it is the shaft.


Sincerely,

Comcast

7/28/2012

Mr. Neil Smit, President and Comcast Executive Care Team
Comcast Cable
1500 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Dear Comcast,

I recently canceled my television service because a channel I wanted was switched to a more advanced package without my knowledge. I have since returned the box and am writing because I am completely flabbergasted in trying to figure out what I actually owe for August.

Before canceling, I owed 74.49 (which was somehow unexpectedly $20 more than the previous month with the same packages, but that's neither here nor there). Simply deducting the costs of the XFINITY TV and associated fees, I should owe 37.44 (Internet, Modem Rental and Sales Tax).

The form I received from the center where I dropped off my box states “STMT BAL: 74.49, CUR BAL: 46.01.” I assume CUR BAL is what I owe. Not understanding where the extra ten dollars came from, I went online. There, I had a litany of credits and charges that not even a forensic accountant could sift through, culminating in the final line “Total Pending Charges $48.87.” This is ten dollars more than I actually owe, and $2.86 more than my receipt from the Comcast center says I owe. Nothing here jives at all. If anything, I should owe LESS than $37.44, since there are four days in July that I shouldn't have to pay for XFINITY TV and associated charges. I am not sure what sort of comedy of errors has ensued, but the base price of the Internet package is $29.95. How I get a bill for $20.00 more than that is absolutely silly. I trust you will aide me in resolving this.


Sincerely,

Half Price Books

6/3/2012

Sharon Anderson Wright, CEO
Half Price Books, Records, Magazines Inc.
5803 East Northwest Highway
Dallas, TX 75231

Dear Ms. Wright,

I have been a long-time customer of Half Price Books, buying and selling books and music for years. The chain has been a source of good, affordable enjoyment for me, my friends and my family. However, I am sad to say that recently the chain has taken a noticeable turn for the worse.

It used to be that budget used CDs would sell for $1.00. Now, it is more common to see them at $3.00, even though the value of CDs is actually decreasing. The regular-priced used discs are now showing up more frequently with prices in the $8.99-$10.99 range, a price I would expect to see for a brand new version of the disc at Best Buy. CD stores that sold discs new at these prices have closed everywhere. I mostly frequent the Bethel Park, PA location but have found similar situations at Robinson and McKnight Road.

Additionally, the offers for trade-in CDs are becoming more and more insulting. Yesterday at the Bethel Park location, I traded in about 22 CDs for $10.00. I paid more than that for each one of them. I couldn’t stomach the idea of purchasing anything after that low blow. In the future, I will donate my CDs to Good Will. I feel like too much of a sucker trading in at HPB anymore.

I thought the chain had this sort of indie, hipster feel but now it seems to operate like Bain Capital. I saw a used Blu-Ray copy of Farscape: The Complete Series the other day for $99.99. I checked after I got home and it sells for $81.99 brand new on Amazon.com. I guess it’s a good thing I can’t afford a Blu-Ray player because I can’t afford the used discs at HPB either.

Ms. Wright, I like your chain. I mean, I have liked it in the past, but I don’t like being a sucker, and that’s what I feel like shopping at Half Price Books.

Sincerely,

Comcast

5/26/2012

Mr. Neil Smit, President

Comcast Cable
1500 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Dear Mr. Smit,

It has recently come to my attention that my Comcast Cable and Internet has changed from $85.55 to $93.49 a month.  Mind you, I was not on any sort of deal where the service was cheaper for a certain number of months.  This was just a straight jack-up in price.

Now, I’m sure I accidentally tossed out some nondescript jargon-laced paperwork that explained what necessitated this change, and I’m not even going to spend any time arguing with your customer service reps about whether or not I received it.  I just want to let you know, I seriously feel I am continually getting less and less for my money with Comcast, and more and more I’m seeing it as something that I just flat out cannot afford to be wasting my money on.  In fact, I had already called to have my features downgraded because I couldn’t afford the previous price.  I was glad to see it down in the 80s range for a while, but here it is going up again, unexpectedly.

I am not a huge TV watcher and I no longer need the Internet for work, so what are my options at this point?  Should I cancel one and hang onto the other for a while until the price of one service alone gets jacked into the $90 range?  Which one of the two is cheaper?  I’m thinking TV will just have to go, unless there are any further downgrades I can ask for.  And at that point, is it even worth having?

Let’s be honest, with all this DVD and Blu-Ray and FIOS and all this other crap, the value of what I’m getting in a standard cable package is actually decreasing, and yet I am continually paying more and more for it.  It’s price I simply can’t afford.  I hope you can work with me on this somehow, but please do not contact me via telephone.  My account number is ###################.

Sincerely,

Gary Johnson

5/12/2012

Mr. Gary Johnson
731 E South Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah  84102

Dear Mr. Johnson,

Having watched your responses in one of the Republican debates you weren’t shafted out of, I’d have to say I describe myself as casually supportive but optimistic about your bid as Libertarian candidate for the presidency in 2012.  I have been a Ron Paul fan for some time, and being that the Pennsylvania primary is now history, becoming a full-fledged Johnson supporter seems like a logical next step.

Though I have my familiarity with your campaign is not extensive, I do, however, have a few concerns that I feel obligated to convey to you in the furtherance of your bid for the White House.  First of all, with all due respect to the hard-working staff who came up with these, shirts with slogans like “The Coolest President in History” and “The People’s President” strike me as closer to something out of Weekend at Bernie’s than a legitimate political campaign.  I honestly wanted to buy a Johnson shirt and spread the message but was stymied in this regard by the fact that your campaign merchandise seems less than serious.  I did find a nice Johnson shirt on another website, but the proceeds don’t go to the campaign so it felt like it didn’t make any sense to buy it.  I do want to note that the slogan “Live Free,” even though it immediately brings to mind the words “or Die Hard,” isn’t as bad as the others.

Furthermore, the correlation of your name and the word “marijuana” on your website and on Google, Ebay, et cetera, comes off as a cheap ploy to fool stoner college kids into one-issue voting for Johnson.  I realize that your stance on this subject is more substantive than this, but the casual observer will not, and again it makes your campaign come off as less serious than it ought to.

Again, I am not writing this out of animosity, but rather out of concern for how your campaign is being imaged.  I consider myself a Johnson supporter in the 2012 election, and I both hope and expect to see you finishing strong in November.

Sincerely,

Panera Bread

4/23/2012

Mr. Ronald M. Shaich, Founder, Chairman of the Board and co-CEO
Mr. William W. Moreton, President and co-CEO
Panera Bread Corporate Office
6710 Clayton Road
Saint Louis, MO 63117

Dear Messrs. Shaich and Moreton,

I have been a long-time patron and fan of Panera Bread. You offer unique and healthy menu items, all of which are very tasty and always fresh. The wait staff is almost always courteous and professional, and all locations I’ve visited have had a cleanly and positive atmosphere.

I was however distraught to learn that the price of your takeout portion of Chicken and Wild Rice soup was almost $6.00. I feel this is offensively high priced because 1) the takeout portion is significantly smaller than the dine-in portion and 2) $6.00 would be a high price for soup even if sold by the gallon.

I understand that Panera Bread considers itself a higher-class establishment, however I feel this price is prohibitively expensive to those of us struggling to get by. After taxes are taken out, that meager portion of soup is equivalent to more than an hour’s wage for many folks. If I ate Panera Bread Chicken and Rice soup for each meal, every day, the grand total would be $6,570.00 a year. And, barring a generously-sized baguette, I would starve.

I did not consume the soup myself, though I am certain that it was delicious. It was purchased for my 89-year-old grandmother, who, due to an esophageal motility condition, requires all her food to be pureed. Because of that, there isn’t much she is actually able to eat, and she weighs less than 90 pounds. She enjoyed your soup, but even with her small appetite, she found the portion lacking.

I would never take it upon myself to presume that I could run your business. Clearly, you do a very fine job and everything associated with Panera Bread is of the utmost quality. I did however feel that there was a serious discrepancy in the pricing for this portion, and being a longtime patron, I felt obligated to offer this observation to you for the sake of the Panera Bread brand. I seek nothing from you, only that you would take this into consideration for future endeavors.

Sincerely,