"X" - XM Radio Xperiences

I mentioned yesterday that we listen all the time to XM satellite radio. Dad especially loves his
XM radio, well most of the time. For several years now the kids have extended his subscription every gift-giving occasion. If fact we have never had to pay for either XM at home or in the car.

Last year on Father's Day, Randy and family sent Don a card with a XM gift card inside. This he had purchased on the internet, and it was mailed directly from the XM radio offices. The directions on the card said to call a certain number and activate the card. Don did this, but was
told that this gift card had expired. To this Don replied that his son had just purchased the card, and it had been mailed directly from their offices. Now, you need to know that he was probably talking to a call center, and the person was not too fluent in English. The person on the phone said that they would "escalate" his request to a higher office. The next higher up person promised that the card would be activiated right away.

A couple of weeks later Don received a bill stating that he must pay or lose his service. Don
called the "escalated" office, and explained that he had never gotten credit for his gift card as they had promised to do. This person said they would "escalate" his request to the next higher office. The next higher office said that they would take care of the problem. Again, Don received
a bill saying that he was about to lose his service. He was not a happy radio listener, and he was
a tiny bit prickly when he made the next call. This person sensed Don's unhappiness, and immediately forwarded his call to the Vice President in Charge of Marketing. Whoa, Nellie!

Well, this smooth talker promised Don that there was no problem. He said just to forget that gift card, that someone in the office must have sent it out mistakenly. So he would send a new gift card immediately. NO PROBLEM.

When we received the new card, just guess what it said to do? Yes, you are right. It said that
we must call and activiate the card. Now, guess what they told Don when he called to activate the card that THE VICE PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF MARKETING had sent him. They said,
(in broken English) "We are sorry, Sir, but that card has expired."

Don replied, "Would you transfer me to the Vice President in Charge of Marketing?" I don't believe he used those words exactly, because the call was forwarded in record time. The
VPICOM (that smooth talker) promised immediately to take care of the matter. He should have stopped right there, but then he said, "Mr. Smith, for just another $200.00, I can give
you a life subscription."

"Thank you, Mr. Vice President, but no thanks. All this stress has probably shortened my life so much, I wouldn't get my money's worth."

Father's Day is coming soon, and our gift subscriptions have just expired.