Letters to Richard Fain

[smeyer418]

I must tell you I disagree with the original poster. Most CEO offices have people to respond to issues just like these. I do agree if it is relatively minor you should try the CSR first but if you run up against a brick wall, then there is no reason why you have to try to figure out who is responsible in the chain of command. If the cruise lines posted an email address for someone to contact when they had an issue which couldn't be handled by the CSR's

that is one thing but since they don't I have no problem contacting the CEO when I have an unresolved issue.

and I have contacted Colin Veitch and had a problem resolved that the CSR's were wrong about it.

(it had to do with a cruise reward credit)....

 

I recently had a problem with the Post office. I contacted the Post master General in DC....boy did that get resolved...I figured out his email address by seeing what the Post office protocol for employees was.

 

Just so you know the problem with the post office was I took two packages to be mailed. Before I went down I had used their on line costing tool and it was x amount. When I got there I was charged y(about 25% more than on the website), when I got back home I checked using the weight and info that was in the receipt and got x, the same pricing as I originally got. So I called their CSR's who frankly are clueless- they said did you use the website's print out forms(you can only use the website to do that for priority mail- this wasn't priority mail)...so I wrote the Post master general. the next day I get a call from the Brooklyn Post Master general customer service person-not the local one but the Post Master general for all of Brooklyn. Could I send her the paper work(sure I scanned the receipt)...it turns out there was a glitch in the post office's computer and everyone was being overcharged. They sent me a postal money order for the difference back. Do you think I would have gotten any response with a letter to god knows who??

[jeannejj]

I agree with the OP. Good post and a pleasure to read.

[cot427]

The original poster has a great point. Thats like if you buy a dell computer, and it doesn't work, itstead of taking it to the store or calling tech support or customer service, you write a lette to Michael Dell, the CEO and founder.

 

Or if you went to the supermarket and bought a Kraft product, such as cheese, and it was bad. You went straight to Irene Rosenfeld, the CEO.

 

It is ridiculous. That's why they have Customer service, so that they can service the customer, and the CEO or whomever is in charge, and do their job.

 

Why bother Richard Fain, he was better things to do than hear somebody crying.

[RetireeWannabee]

Thank you for this post. Sometimes, a reality injection is very helpful. It was great that you could deliver that without being mean or super-critical. Very good job.

[bilyclub]

Perhaps its time to rate threads and posts, sort of like fatwallet.com . Green for good, red for bad.... lets the masses decide what they like..

[WinterEscape]

I must agree with many of you. Writing to the CEO will likely not help. I have found that taking concerns to different people on the ship often lead to results. For instance, the wait staff on my last cruise was terrible. We complained to the head waiter as it seemed he would most likely be able to relay the message.

.

[glgolfer]

As most anyone who has worked in Corporate America can tell you, when that letter to Mr. Fain gets shipped down to the appropriate person accompanied by a note from the Chairman's office telling him or her to deal with the problem, it will get very prompt attention and probably quicker attention than if that same complaint were sent directly to that same person. It is unfortunate but that is often the way things work. :rolleyes:

 

Bill - I was just saying that it would be more appropriate to go to Mr. Goldstein first as he's the president of Royal Caribbean International. He should be the one to resolve problems with the Royal Caribbean line and ships. On the very few occasions I've emailed Mr. Goldstein's office, I've received either a phone call or an email response in a relatively short time.

 

If the problem is not resolved at that level, then go to the CEO of the overall company.

[negc]

Bill - I was just saying that it would be more appropriate to go to Mr. Goldstein first as he's the president of Royal Caribbean International. He should be the one to resolve problems with the Royal Caribbean line and ships. On the very few occasions I've emailed Mr. Goldstein's office, I've received either a phone call or an email response in a relatively short time.

 

If the problem is not resolved at that level, then go to the CEO of the overall company.

Sorry Paul. I wasn't really responding to your post as much as I was to the others who felt it wrong to direct complaints to the head of a company instead of directing them to the customer service department. I agree with you and when I had a serious problem with Celebrity, I first addressed my complaint to Dan Hanrahan and only copied Richard Fain when my initial letter went unanswered for an unreasonable period of time.

[jaxon41]

Bill - I was just saying that it would be more appropriate to go to Mr. Goldstein first as he's the president of Royal Caribbean International. He should be the one to resolve problems with the Royal Caribbean line and ships. On the very few occasions I've emailed Mr. Goldstein's office, I've received either a phone call or an email response in a relatively short time.

 

If the problem is not resolved at that level, then go to the CEO of the overall company.

 

good to know

[squeeks]

i dont even really like the lobster, just put me on a boat and let me float around for a week and im happy:)

[jaxon41]

I must tell you I disagree with the original poster. Most CEO offices have people to respond to issues just like these. I do agree if it is relatively minor you should try the CSR first but if you run up against a brick wall, then there is no reason why you have to try to figure out who is responsible in the chain of command. If the cruise lines posted an email address for someone to contact when they had an issue which couldn't be handled by the CSR's

that is one thing but since they don't I have no problem contacting the CEO when I have an unresolved issue.

and I have contacted Colin Veitch and had a problem resolved that the CSR's were wrong about it.

(it had to do with a cruise reward credit)....

 

I recently had a problem with the Post office. I contacted the Post master General in DC....boy did that get resolved...I figured out his email address by seeing what the Post office protocol for employees was.

 

Just so you know the problem with the post office was I took two packages to be mailed. Before I went down I had used their on line costing tool and it was x amount. When I got there I was charged y(about 25% more than on the website), when I got back home I checked using the weight and info that was in the receipt and got x, the same pricing as I originally got. So I called their CSR's who frankly are clueless- they said did you use the website's print out forms(you can only use the website to do that for priority mail- this wasn't priority mail)...so I wrote the Post master general. the next day I get a call from the Brooklyn Post Master general customer service person-not the local one but the Post Master general for all of Brooklyn. Could I send her the paper work(sure I scanned the receipt)...it turns out there was a glitch in the post office's computer and everyone was being overcharged. They sent me a postal money order for the difference back. Do you think I would have gotten any response with a letter to god knows who??

 

Sounds like you have a good post master in Brooklyn. My nephew lives there, so a recent article here, in Ill, caught my eye as their was a mail carrier stealing mail. Just have to share my story about the Chicago post master and my small town post office.

 

Some years ago, now, I had a small incendiary device, ie a bomb, in my mail box. At the time I had a fairly high community profile as a citizen advocate and elected official. The first call I made was to our local post office as I feared there could be more devices in other mail boxes and someone could get hurt. They could have cared less!! The second call was to the sheriff. Although prints were supposedly lifted, no one was ever apprehended and the incident didn't repeat with anyone else's mail box. Several months later, I was at the abuting town's post office -- very nice people -- and the clerk/friend got told the story. He went ballistic and told me to get in contact with the post master general of Chicago, who I wrote. Never did hear a thing. A few years later, when that kid was blowing up people and mailboxes in Iowa soon after 9/11, our local paper actually carried a story, and mentioned that we had had an incident in our community (mine) in the late 1990's.

[smeyer418]

Sounds like you have a good post master in Brooklyn. My nephew lives there, so a recent article here, in Ill, caught my eye as their was a mail carrier stealing mail. Just have to share my story about the Chicago post master and my small town post office.

 

Some years ago, now, I had a small incendiary device, ie a bomb, in my mail box. At the time I had a fairly high community profile as a citizen advocate and elected official. The first call I made was to our local post office as I feared there could be more devices in other mail boxes and someone could get hurt. They could have cared less!! The second call was to the sheriff. Although prints were supposedly lifted, no one was ever apprehended and the incident didn't repeat with anyone else's mail box. Several months later, I was at the abuting town's post office -- very nice people -- and the clerk/friend got told the story. He went ballistic and told me to get in contact with the post master general of Chicago, who I wrote. Never did hear a thing. A few years later, when that kid was blowing up people and mailboxes in Iowa soon after 9/11, our local paper actually carried a story, and mentioned that we had had an incident in our community (mine) in the late 1990's.

 

Two words Postal Inspectors! They would have taken this seriously. When I worked at a hospital we had a fake bomb delivered by a youth opportunity worker from our cracker jack mail room(a hint it said BOMB on it)... We contacted the postal inspectors and they caught the guy(they actually knew him well)....but sometimes you really do need to go to the top...so far it sounds to me that there are a lot of lemmings on this thread....

[pmshirl]

Sounds like you have a good post master in Brooklyn. My nephew lives there, so a recent article here, in Ill, caught my eye as their was a mail carrier stealing mail. Just have to share my story about the Chicago post master and my small town post office.

 

Do you really think the complaint went to the Postmaster General in Washington DC? I highly doubt it. First of all there is ONLY ONE PM General in the entire United States. Each seperate community has a Postmaster in their town. When a complaint is filed with the Postal Service (whether it is through the USPS website or in a phone call, that complaint is then directed back to the Postmaster of that community to follow up on within 24 hrs. The CSR are the in between people and at times have no clue as to how to resolve the issues! In this matter the complaint gets forwarded from the middle-man (CSR) to the proper person in command!

 

I would like to add, when applying postage from the website, you have to remember , since the rate increase in May 2007, the SIZE, not only the weight of a package determines what postage is required! You can have a 1 ounce piece and depending on the size of that 1 ounce piece, there are 3 different charges for that piece. I don't want to get into a Postal Rate lesson, I just want you to know, there are Companies out there that have complaints handled by individuals in charge, which are higher up levels!

[hermang]

There really should not be a need to contactuper management IF they were doing their job - namely empowering their employees to solve the problem on the spot. We have a store in Ct knows as Stew Leonards - world's largest dairy store. There is a rock in front of each store which says Rule 1 - The customer is always right and Rule 2 If the customer is wrong refer to rule 1 - or something like that.

 

Point is that every employee is empowered to make the customer experience a good one. Buy bad meat ( not likely) - bring it back - you don't need a manager or supervisor to ok the return. Forget an item - the cashier will either call for a runner or go her self to get it for you.

 

We had an incident this summer on X with a shore excursion. Complained to the Shore ex department - they claimed they had to go to Miami for resolution. took 4 days but they gave us 50% refund which was what we wanted in the first place - but the waiting was what got us po'd. Shorex manager should have been able to resolve the issue on the spot and then deal with corporate with the customer being involved IMHO

[xpcdoojk]

Two words Postal Inspectors! They would have taken this seriously. When I worked at a hospital we had a fake bomb delivered by a youth opportunity worker from our cracker jack mail room(a hint it said BOMB on it)... We contacted the postal inspectors and they caught the guy(they actually knew him well)....but sometimes you really do need to go to the top...so far it sounds to me that there are a lot of lemmings on this thread....

 

Gee Syd

 

lemmings..... :rolleyes:

 

On the bright side you two have a great deal in common.

 

Your friend Sean:D

 

jc

[jaxon41]

Sounds like you have a good post master in Brooklyn. My nephew lives there, so a recent article here, in Ill, caught my eye as their was a mail carrier stealing mail. Just have to share my story about the Chicago post master and my small town post office.

 

Do you really think the complaint went to the Postmaster General in Washington DC? I highly doubt it. First of all there is ONLY ONE PM General in the entire United States. Each seperate community has a Postmaster in their town. When a complaint is filed with the Postal Service (whether it is through the USPS website or in a phone call, that complaint is then directed back to the Postmaster of that community to follow up on within 24 hrs. The CSR are the in between people and at times have no clue as to how to resolve the issues! In this matter the complaint gets forwarded from the middle-man (CSR) to the proper person in command!

 

I would like to add, when applying postage from the website, you have to remember , since the rate increase in May 2007, the SIZE, not only the weight of a package determines what postage is required! You can have a 1 ounce piece and depending on the size of that 1 ounce piece, there are 3 different charges for that piece. I don't want to get into a Postal Rate lesson, I just want you to know, there are Companies out there that have complaints handled by individuals in charge, which are higher up levels!

 

Not sure if this was to me, or to ms meyer, but it has been so long ago, that I am not sure if I sent it to the inspectors in Chicago or the post master in Chicago -- I know I was instructed to send it to Chicago, and I never heard anything. Didn't know there is only one pm General. The local

neighboring post office gave me an address.

[smeyer418]

pmshirl

 

 

Hey you must work for the post office. It was a parcel I measured and put into the engine. I spoke with a csr at their 800 number who didn't have a clue. When the postal people contacted me they said it had come down from the Post master general HIMSELF and that she was required to let him know how it was resolved. I don't need a lesson from you on postal rates. It does matter sometimes when you need to contact the person in charge. The point is that you should try the regular way first, if that doesn't work you and I have every right to contact the person in charge. You can be foolish when you want to be if you don't like the example ignore but don't be ignorant in saying what happened because you don't know,...in fact you haven't a clue. ...

 

and I can even tell you why the PM General got involved....

 

also obviously you don't know how to post correctly either

[smeyer418]

There really should not be a need to contactuper management IF they were doing their job - namely empowering their employees to solve the problem on the spot. We have a store in Ct knows as Stew Leonards - world's largest dairy store. There is a rock in front of each store which says Rule 1 - The customer is always right and Rule 2 If the customer is wrong refer to rule 1 - or something like that.

 

Point is that every employee is empowered to make the customer experience a good one. Buy bad meat ( not likely) - bring it back - you don't need a manager or supervisor to ok the return. Forget an item - the cashier will either call for a runner or go her self to get it for you.

 

We had an incident this summer on X with a shore excursion. Complained to the Shore ex department - they claimed they had to go to Miami for resolution. took 4 days but they gave us 50% refund which was what we wanted in the first place - but the waiting was what got us po'd. Shorex manager should have been able to resolve the issue on the spot and then deal with corporate with the customer being involved IMHO

 

was this before or after Stew went to jail ?

 

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june02/ethics_6-26.html

[Arizona Laura]

I got caught up in Firefighterhoop's thread in May 07 about being banned from RCCL. I sent Mr Goldstein an e-mail telling him how many postings and views there were relating to his thread. At 11pm that same night I got a response from him saying he would look into it.

A few months ago I had a very rude RCCL vacation planner. I won't get into the story. Well I e-mailed Mr Goldstein and within 1-2 days I got a call from someone in his office inquiring about my e-mail and later with a follow up note apologizing for the incident and that the CVP incident was being handled.

I believe Mr Goldstein personally answered my e-mail so quickly about the firefighter issue because he is aware of CC. I was completely satisfied that he turned my other e-mail over to his assistant to handle.

Right or wrong in anyone's eyes I e-mailed him.

I learned from these e-mailings that CC is influential and that Mr Goldstein follows through with his e-mails.

Laura

[jaxon41]

I got caught up in Firefighterhoop's thread in May 07 about being banned from RCCL. I sent Mr Goldstein an e-mail telling him how many postings and views there were relating to his thread. At 11pm that same night I got a response from him saying he would look into it.

A few months ago I had a very rude RCCL vacation planner. I won't get into the story. Well I e-mailed Mr Goldstein and within 1-2 days I got a call from someone in his office inquiring about my e-mail and later with a follow up note apologizing for the incident and that the CVP incident was being handled.

I believe Mr Goldstein personally answered my e-mail so quickly about the firefighter issue because he is aware of CC. I was completely satisfied that he turned my other e-mail over to his assistant to handle.

Right or wrong in anyone's eyes I e-mailed him.

I learned from these e-mailings that CC is influential and that Mr Goldstein follows through with his e-mails.

Laura

 

This is good to know. I am so curious -- what was the firefighterhoop's thread and being banned from RCI?

[amybear912]

I agree with the OP and well said...

 

just to add though... I highly doubt that Mr. Fain "personally" responds to many of the actual emails that carry his name... it may be his office, but I just don't see the man sitting around reading complaint letters and taking the time to respond...

[realtreebar]

well I emailed RCCL about a problem i had with my reservation. after 2 weeks no reply so i mailed a letter to them after 4 weeks still no reply. so 6 total weeks in all! i emailed Mr Goldstien and got a phone reply in 25 minutes and all was resolved. so i tried the traditional way and ended at the top! whats a person to do?

[time4me2fly]

Great post java, no flaming here.

I learned that if you treat others the way you want them to treat you, then you will live a much happier life. We all have good days and bad. We all make mistakes. I don't think any employee on a cruise line would put out a dirty spoon on purpose. Mistakes happen. I'd blame the dishwasher (machine not person) before I blame a waiter. Some days we are full of energy and other days we move a little slower. After all we are all human. We should treat each other with respect. I'm amazed at some of the hurtful messages that are typed on this forum. Before anyone hits "submit reply", please read what you typed and ask yourself how you would feel if someone said this to you. Just my opinion. I'm not here to hurt anyones feeling, just here to learn all there is to cruising!

[hazz24]

I sent an email to Mr Goldstein about a week ago detailing the wonderful service we had and a few suggestions. How much longer do you think it will take to receive a response. I'm not expecting anything but just a acknowledgement. Should I send It again?

[drewski1]

Finally someone with a little common sense.. i have read so many reports of people with nothing else to complain about than , my coffee was not hot enough, it's ridiculus. And for the people that say ,i will not cruise on RCL again, good, i don't want you on my cruise anyway. stay home