Finding the Rhythm
One of the biggest things that’s changed in my life since my financial turnaround and subsequent career changes is that I’m constantly involved in a lot more self-evaluation than I used to be. I’m constantly looking at how I do things, looking for ways to improve the quality and value of how I spend my time and energy and money.
Something I’ve noticed quite a lot lately is how much of my life seems to move along with a particular rhythm. I don’t necessarily mean that things are the same day-in and day-out, because they’re not. What I mean is that I go through periods of heightened efficiency and mindfulness. I get ahead on my work. I write lots of posts. I find lots of quality time to spend with my family and for my other hobbies.
How do I fall out of these periods? Usually, it’s a series of unexpected events that triggers a change. One of our kids is sick during the night. I go on a lengthy trip of some kind (more than a few days). Something breaks in our home and I have to repair it. There’s a serious illness or death to someone close to me.
And, boom, the rhythm is interrupted. I feel tired and my mind is cloudy. I have a harder time working. I’m not as mindful of my spending and I make a few awful spending decisions. I get upset with myself – and with others – much easier than before. I’m less productive and less energetic – and it shows in every aspect of my life.
I have a lot of techniques for finding my rhythm again. Usually, it involves spending a couple of days resetting everything. I get my organizing system back in order. I go to bed early a few nights and don’t set the alarm, allowing my body to wake up naturally when it’s rested. I play with my kids a lot. I clean the house. I spend some time with my friends. I directly address any things that are causing ongoing stress, like a relationship that’s not as strong as I’d like it to be.
And, gradually, I get back into the rhythm of things. My productivity and energy go back up. I begin to feel more fulfilled about everything in my life. My spending discipline is stronger than ever. I feel like I’m doing better work in every aspect of my life.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had some conversations with a lot of people in my own life and several readers about this phenomenon – and I’ve found that most people feel the same way, although they don’t articulate it as well. They have a “rhythm” in their life that they’re sometimes in touch with and sometimes out of touch with. The amount of “rhythm” seems to vary from person to person quite a lot, though – some people seem to find it a bit of a rarity, while others seem to rarely find it.
I will say this much: one universal thing that everyone has said is that the times in their life when they’ve found their rhythm are much richer than times where they’re off of their rhythm.
Obviously, I’d like to move in a direction where I’m in touch with my rhythm more than I used to be. I’ve found several techniques for doing this that really seem to work.
Know some sure signs that your rhythm is out of whack. For me, the biggest signs are that my office is messy, my GTD inbox has a buildup of stuff in it, my “article buffer” (articles I have written in advance) is low or depleted, and that I feel tired in the middle of the day. When I see two of these things, I usually take it as a sign that my rhythm is out of whack.
If you see any sign of falling out of your rhythm, stop and recharge as soon as you can. You might not be able to do it immediately, but you should do it as soon as you can. I find that when I force myself to do things when I’m out of sync, I make many more mistakes and am much slower about things than when I’m in a good rhythm. In other words, the time I spend keeping myself in sync pays great dividends over time.
If you don’t feel that you’ve had your rhythm, or have severe difficulty reclaiming it, get a medical checkup. There are a lot of little things that can hold us back from feeling great and knocking it out of the park. Many of them are very simple – a vitamin deficiency or something like that. I have an underactive (bordering on inactive) thyroid and if I miss out on my daily thyroid medication, I can quickly get out of rhythm.
Certain routine activities help me maintain my rhythm. For me, a daily walk of about three miles, a daily 20 minute meditation session (where I try to empty my mind for a while in the quietest room in the house), and a daily gaming session help me keep in my rhythm. I try really hard to accomplish these things every day. A piano practice session seems to be creeping into the picture here, as well.
If you’re out of rhythm, put off buying decisions. I find that, time and time again, my judgment when it comes to purchasing decisions is out of whack when I’m out of rhythm. If I put the decision off until I’m in a better frame of mind, not only do I end up making a better decision over the long haul, I usually have created some additional incentive to focus on what I need to do to get back in the swing of things.
Good luck!
Continue reading Finding the Rhythm …
From The Simple Dollar.
My Kmart double coupon picks
Kmart in Monroe, Mich., is running a double coupon special this week. I told you about that in the sales and deals posts a few days ago. Given the rules of up to five coupons doubled, and the doubling is up to $1 in a city where some other stores double up to 50 cents [...]
Continue reading My Kmart double coupon picks …
From Monroe on a Budget.
My Kmart double coupon picks
Kmart in Monroe, Mich., is running a double coupon special this week. I told you about that in the sales and deals posts a few days ago. Given the rules of up to five coupons doubled, and the doubling is up to $1 in a city where some other stores double up to 50 cents [...]
Continue reading My Kmart double coupon picks …
From Monroe on a Budget.
The “How America Pays for College” report
Sallie Mae and Gallup released today the results of the third annual How America Pays for College report. I was given a heads up a few days ago that the study would be issued, and I asked to be on the media list when it was released. The research was done this spring with college-age [...]
Continue reading The “How America Pays for College” report …
From Monroe on a Budget.
Frugality, Usability, and Phone Shopping
About a year ago, I decided to get a low-end smartphone, mostly so I could check and make sure The Simple Dollar was still up and running from the road and perhaps tweet on occasion. I wound up with a low-end Blackberry that I got for just a few dollars and got the low-end data plan from our cell phone provider (because I didn’t intend to use it too heavily).
I chose that Blackberry sight unseen, mostly because I’d read reviews of it and it seemed like a ridiculously good deal. And it was – I could resell the thing right now for roughly what I paid for it.
There was a huge problem, though, one that I should have known about in this situation.
My fingers are huge (I wear a size fifteen ring and I can make a normal can of soda actually disappear within my cupped hand). The buttons on a low-end Blackberry are tiny. Whenever I would attempt to do anything on the device, my fingers would hit two buttons almost every time. Dialing a number – let alone anything else – was virtually impossible for me.
Within three months, I was pretty much avoiding using the phone (to the annoyance of my wife and to people who would text me or call me). I’d use it when I had to, but the usage was really frustrating.
So, over the last few months, I’ve been carefully looking for a low-end phone compatible with my cell network (mostly talking to friends who seem to be great at finding electronics deals) with the caveat that it must have reasonably large buttons and, a few days ago, I switched to a phone that I can actually use – a Samsung Acclaim (no, not an iPhone or a Motorola Droid X or some other over-the-top overly expensive phone).
This whole escapade taught me a few lessons.
First, know exactly what you’re buying before you buy it. If you can, use it as much as possible first. Fifteen minutes of using that phone would have told me that it wouldn’t work for me, and it was due to a feature that would have only been covered in a very thorough review of the phone. Which brings us to…
Second, look for thorough reviews and read them carefully. A thorough review would have been very clear about the button size on the phone rather than simply talking about the user interface and information straight from the press release. If you’re looking at an item you’re going to rely on and use frequently, trusted and detailed reviews are vital. I usually start with Consumer Reports and move on from there.
These two tactics alone would have gone a long way towards ensuring that I made a wiser purchasing decision with my initial phone. However, there are a few more useful things to mention about all of this.
I used my social network as a shopping buddy. I have a few friends who do things like buying and selling new and used electronics on eBay and other such sites. Whenever I need electronics, I usually shoot them an email, as well as emails to anyone I know who has recently purchased a similar item, just to see what bargains they found in their search. Almost always, they find something for me that I would have never stumbled upon on my own.
Whenever you’re about to make a purchase, don’t be afraid to email your friends and colleagues about it. Mention what you’re buying, why you’re buying it, what features you’re looking for, and ask them what suggestions they have or deals they’ve found recently. You’ll be shocked at how much useful information you’ll get back.
Of course, the flip side is true. Whenever a friend emails me with such questions, I do my best to give them an answer with as much information as I have. It’s through this exchange of value that relationships are built – and it’s also through this exchange that I can ensure that the next time I have some sort of purchase in mind, I’ll have plenty of people willing to give me a useful response.
I thought carefully about the features I needed. Mostly, I needed larger buttons and the ability to check The Simple Dollar from the road with enough richness that I can be sure all of the features of the site are working. I don’t have much need for a lot of the flashiness that other phones have. The phone I wound up with actually is a bit more feature-rich than I actually need, but I couldn’t argue at all with the price.
At the same time, I didn’t need to spend money on extra features. By being up front about the features I needed, the search process for the right phone at the right price became much easier. I wasn’t “amazed” or “taken in” by some of the features of higher-end phones. I simply looked for the best price on the features I wanted, which turned out to actually be very cheap, indeed. Any “extras” I happen to get beyond those key features – for free – are just a bonus.
Continue reading Frugality, Usability, and Phone Shopping …
From The Simple Dollar.
Aldi’s One Week Challenge Campaign
Aldi grocery stores have announced a One Week Challenge Campaign. The press release that was sent to The Monroe Evening News a few days ago says this: Families who shop us for a year can save two grand. Too much commitment? Start with a week. Take the ALDI “one week challenge.” Shop us. Shop the [...]
Continue reading Aldi’s One Week Challenge Campaign …
From Monroe on a Budget.
Fewer Trips To The Grocery Store – Frugal Challenge
I started a little “summer re-run” series for our daily posts and have gotten some very positive response. It seems not everyone has time to scroll around into the archives to find interesting challenges or topics.
Yes, there are several items from the archives that should be brought forward again so you busy folks can have a chance to take a look. Here is one that is a very simple idea that can save A LOT of money at the grocery store. I hope you’ll find today’s challenge timely and useful. Here it is:
photocredit: kozumel
Let me quickly explain the logic behind this week’s challenge. No matter how disciplined we are, each time we head to the store we are bound to buy some extra “stuff” that we don’t really need.
This week, we’re not going to let that happen. The challenge is to only shop once this week. (Or if you’re already doing this..go for 2 weeks or even the whole month). This will do two things.
1) It will force you to plan ahead for the week to make sure you have everything you need and enough food to make 7 breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
2) It will keep you from any extra purchases you may have made that 2nd and 3rd trip to the store.
Let’s talk about how to plan for this once a week shopping trip. I usually start by making a list of all the meals we will have that week. It’s called Menu Planning and once you get the hang of it, it won’t take you more than a few minutes and will make your life so much easier the rest of the week.
Make sure you include items that perish quickly (fresh produce, herbs etc.) early in your meal plan. When you get back from the store, put meat you will need during the first 2 days in the fridge and freeze everything else.
That’s about it… give it a try and enjoy all the extra time you’ll have by not having to go to the store every few days.
Continue reading Fewer Trips To The Grocery Store – Frugal Challenge …
From Hillbilly Housewife Blog.
How to Lodge a Consumer Complaint: Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc.
In the past on The Simple Dollar, I’ve talked about how to lodge a complaint against a company if you’re truly dissatisfied with a product. I’ve always wanted to do a case study of such a complaint, but I’ve never had an experience severe enough to cause me to get involved.
Until now.
Pictured above on the right is a bottle of Spring Grove Lemon Sour soda, made by the Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc. of Spring Grove, MN. It is a small company which only sells their beverages within a 100 mile radius of Spring Grove, MN.
Spring Grove Lemon Sour is, without a doubt, my single favorite soda in the world. It has a sublime fizzy taste that mixes the sour of a ripe lemon with just a hint of sweetness. It is the only kind of soda I drink with any consistency. Every three months or so, when we visit family within the Spring Grove Soda distribution area, we stock up, buying several packs to take home with us.
Over the past weekend, we were driving home from a wedding in Wisconsin when we stopped at an IGA in La Crescent, MN for diaper changes and bathroom breaks. While there, we decided to stock up on the Lemon Sour, but when we found it, the Lemon Sour had drastically changed.
Let’s see that photo again.
On the right is a bottle of the Lemon Sour I’ve known and loved for years. Notice the white color. On the left is what we purchased in La Crescent, MN a few days ago. Notice the yellow color.
It wasn’t the color change that was the problem, though. The flavor of the one soda in the world I really enjoyed had completely changed. It went from a sublime fizzy lemony sour flavor with just a hint of sweetness to something that tasted like watered-down Mountain Dew.
Needless to say, I was extremely unhappy with my purchase. I gave bottles of the “new” Lemon Sour to a few people in the area who had yet to try it and the reaction was universally negative. What happened to a wonderfully distinct local brand?
I decided this was the perfect opportunity to put everything I had learned about registering consumer complaints to the test.
Call The Company
I placed a phone call to their customer support line at (507) 498-3424 (found on the contact us page of their website). I simply stated that I was unhappy with the change in formulation. The kind lady I talked to said I was not the first person to call about this and that they were fully aware of some unhappy customers, which bodes well for some type of resolution.
Why do this? It’s a direct and immediate way to let the company know what you think of the product. It only takes a few minutes and can be done from virtually anywhere.
Mail (and/or Fax) a Letter
I wrote a letter to Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc. Here is the text of that letter.
Dear sir or madam,
I have been a long time fan of your Lemon Sour soda beverage. It is the only soda that I happily drink with any regularity and it is a constant part of my pantry. Although I do not live in your distribution area, I visit several times a year and each time pick up multiple cases of Lemon Sour.
On June 26, 2010, I visited an IGA in La Crescent, MN to purchase an allotment of Lemon Sour to take home with me. I discovered that Lemon Sour had been reformulated. It now had a yellowish color (compared to the original white color). When I tasted it, I was very disappointed. I discovered that the wonderful fizzy sour (with a touch of sweet) flavor I had come to love over the years had been replaced with an overly sweet imitation of Mountain Dew.
I do understand why you may be selling the new beverage as its sweetness may be more attractive to some soda drinkers. However, I implore you to bring back the original flavor of Lemon Sour. I will not be buying the new formulation. I also have many friends and family members within your distribution area who are also disappointed with the change.
Perhaps you can continue making the new flavor and distribute it as well under a new name while bringing back the original Lemon Sour flavor and formulation.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
If you’d also like to write a letter, their mailing address is:
Spring Grove Soda Pop, Inc.
215 2nd Ave NW
PO Box 337
Spring Grove, MN 55974
and their fax number is (507) 498-3424.
I used some basic style points for writing this letter.
1. I kept my letter short and concise. There’s no reason to be excessively long. A short letter is much more likely to be read.
2. I made the facts clear and straightforward. I stated when and where I purchased the new formulation so that if it was merely a test run, that would be clear to the letter recipient.
3. I suggested a simple resolution. They could continue making the new beverage under a different name (a la New Coke becoming Coke II) and restore the original flavor.
4. I started out extremely positively, noting how much I’ve enjoyed their product in the past. I am a long time customer and I’ve always been happy with their Lemon Sour flavor.
5. I remained diplomatic and courteous and left out the sarcasm. They made a business decision that I’m unhappy with. There’s no reason to not be diplomatic about it.
Why do this? A handwritten letter can provide clear documentation for the company as to the desires of their customer base. Quite often, diplomatic handwritten letters from people who have never written before can get the serious attention of the company in question.
Start a Facebook Fan Page
I started a Facebook fan page entitled Bring Back the Original Spring Grove Lemon Sour! and encouraged people I know from that area on Facebook to join the group. I posted basic information about the change and will let people know anything I find out about reverting back to the original formula using that group. If the group picks up a lot of fans, I’ll send a link to the group to the folks at Spring Grove Soda as encouragement for reverting to the old formula.
One key is to use this type of platform to share methods of contacting the company, such as providing their phone number and their mailing address, to people who might also register a complaint.
Why do this? It allows a person to collect a list and a count of people who agree with the sentiment as well as distributing methods of giving the company feedback. If this page (with a number of fans attached to it) is sent to the marketing director of a company, raw numbers like this can make a convincing case that a lot of customers care about the product and want to see changes.
Write About It Publicly
Well, frankly, you’re reading it. I don’t have access to a much more public place than The Simple Dollar, with hundreds of thousands of readers. I’m almost positive that at least some readers out there have tried Spring Grove Lemon Sour in the past and, hopefully, are also disappointed in the change or are at least aware of it. Such information may encourage them to take action as well.
Why do this? It spreads the word in an extremely public fashion. While I am lucky enough to have a very public platform to use, almost everyone has access to at least some sort of platform to write publicly about it. Start a blog or write a guest entry for a blog like Consumerist. Use fan messageboards. You can start a Facebook fan page, as I did above, if you have no other platform available to you.
Will This Really Work?
My plan is to give it a month or so and see what happens with my various methods of lodging a complaint about this change. Let’s consider this a test case in how to lodge a consumer complaint. In a month, I’ll report back to you with notes on the success and failure of the various tactics tried.
If you’re upset by the change to Spring Grove Soda, please feel free to use any of the information above to contact Spring Grove Soda and express your unhappiness with this formula alteration. You can copy and paste anything from above, but I encourage you to alter it enough so that it can appear distinctive and reflect your own feelings on the matter.
Continue reading How to Lodge a Consumer Complaint: Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc. …
From The Simple Dollar.
How to Lodge a Consumer Complaint: Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc.
In the past on The Simple Dollar, I’ve talked about how to lodge a complaint against a company if you’re truly dissatisfied with a product. I’ve always wanted to do a case study of such a complaint, but I’ve never had an experience severe enough to cause me to get involved.
Until now.
Pictured above on the right is a bottle of Spring Grove Lemon Sour soda, made by the Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc. of Spring Grove, MN. It is a small company which only sells their beverages within a 100 mile radius of Spring Grove, MN.
Spring Grove Lemon Sour is, without a doubt, my single favorite soda in the world. It has a sublime fizzy taste that mixes the sour of a ripe lemon with just a hint of sweetness. It is the only kind of soda I drink with any consistency. Every three months or so, when we visit family within the Spring Grove Soda distribution area, we stock up, buying several packs to take home with us.
Over the past weekend, we were driving home from a wedding in Wisconsin when we stopped at an IGA in La Crescent, MN for diaper changes and bathroom breaks. While there, we decided to stock up on the Lemon Sour, but when we found it, the Lemon Sour had drastically changed.
Let’s see that photo again.
On the right is a bottle of the Lemon Sour I’ve known and loved for years. Notice the white color. On the left is what we purchased in La Crescent, MN a few days ago. Notice the yellow color.
It wasn’t the color change that was the problem, though. The flavor of the one soda in the world I really enjoyed had completely changed. It went from a sublime fizzy lemony sour flavor with just a hint of sweetness to something that tasted like watered-down Mountain Dew.
Needless to say, I was extremely unhappy with my purchase. I gave bottles of the “new” Lemon Sour to a few people in the area who had yet to try it and the reaction was universally negative. What happened to a wonderfully distinct local brand?
I decided this was the perfect opportunity to put everything I had learned about registering consumer complaints to the test.
Call The Company
I placed a phone call to their customer support line at (507) 498-3424 (found on the contact us page of their website). I simply stated that I was unhappy with the change in formulation. The kind lady I talked to said I was not the first person to call about this and that they were fully aware of some unhappy customers, which bodes well for some type of resolution.
Why do this? It’s a direct and immediate way to let the company know what you think of the product. It only takes a few minutes and can be done from virtually anywhere.
Mail (and/or Fax) a Letter
I wrote a letter to Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc. Here is the text of that letter.
Dear sir or madam,
I have been a long time fan of your Lemon Sour soda beverage. It is the only soda that I happily drink with any regularity and it is a constant part of my pantry. Although I do not live in your distribution area, I visit several times a year and each time pick up multiple cases of Lemon Sour.
On June 26, 2010, I visited an IGA in La Crescent, MN to purchase an allotment of Lemon Sour to take home with me. I discovered that Lemon Sour had been reformulated. It now had a yellowish color (compared to the original white color). When I tasted it, I was very disappointed. I discovered that the wonderful fizzy sour (with a touch of sweet) flavor I had come to love over the years had been replaced with an overly sweet imitation of Mountain Dew.
I do understand why you may be selling the new beverage as its sweetness may be more attractive to some soda drinkers. However, I implore you to bring back the original flavor of Lemon Sour. I will not be buying the new formulation. I also have many friends and family members within your distribution area who are also disappointed with the change.
Perhaps you can continue making the new flavor and distribute it as well under a new name while bringing back the original Lemon Sour flavor and formulation.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
If you’d also like to write a letter, their mailing address is:
Spring Grove Soda Pop, Inc.
215 2nd Ave NW
PO Box 337
Spring Grove, MN 55974
and their fax number is (507) 498-3424.
I used some basic style points for writing this letter.
1. I kept my letter short and concise. There’s no reason to be excessively long. A short letter is much more likely to be read.
2. I made the facts clear and straightforward. I stated when and where I purchased the new formulation so that if it was merely a test run, that would be clear to the letter recipient.
3. I suggested a simple resolution. They could continue making the new beverage under a different name (a la New Coke becoming Coke II) and restore the original flavor.
4. I started out extremely positively, noting how much I’ve enjoyed their product in the past. I am a long time customer and I’ve always been happy with their Lemon Sour flavor.
5. I remained diplomatic and courteous and left out the sarcasm. They made a business decision that I’m unhappy with. There’s no reason to not be diplomatic about it.
Why do this? A handwritten letter can provide clear documentation for the company as to the desires of their customer base. Quite often, diplomatic handwritten letters from people who have never written before can get the serious attention of the company in question.
Start a Facebook Fan Page
I started a Facebook fan page entitled Bring Back the Original Spring Grove Lemon Sour! and encouraged people I know from that area on Facebook to join the group. I posted basic information about the change and will let people know anything I find out about reverting back to the original formula using that group. If the group picks up a lot of fans, I’ll send a link to the group to the folks at Spring Grove Soda as encouragement for reverting to the old formula.
One key is to use this type of platform to share methods of contacting the company, such as providing their phone number and their mailing address, to people who might also register a complaint.
Why do this? It allows a person to collect a list and a count of people who agree with the sentiment as well as distributing methods of giving the company feedback. If this page (with a number of fans attached to it) is sent to the marketing director of a company, raw numbers like this can make a convincing case that a lot of customers care about the product and want to see changes.
Write About It Publicly
Well, frankly, you’re reading it. I don’t have access to a much more public place than The Simple Dollar, with hundreds of thousands of readers. I’m almost positive that at least some readers out there have tried Spring Grove Lemon Sour in the past and, hopefully, are also disappointed in the change or are at least aware of it. Such information may encourage them to take action as well.
Why do this? It spreads the word in an extremely public fashion. While I am lucky enough to have a very public platform to use, almost everyone has access to at least some sort of platform to write publicly about it. Start a blog or write a guest entry for a blog like Consumerist. Use fan messageboards. You can start a Facebook fan page, as I did above, if you have no other platform available to you.
Will This Really Work?
My plan is to give it a month or so and see what happens with my various methods of lodging a complaint about this change. Let’s consider this a test case in how to lodge a consumer complaint. In a month, I’ll report back to you with notes on the success and failure of the various tactics tried.
If you’re upset by the change to Spring Grove Soda, please feel free to use any of the information above to contact Spring Grove Soda and express your unhappiness with this formula alteration. You can copy and paste anything from above, but I encourage you to alter it enough so that it can appear distinctive and reflect your own feelings on the matter.
Continue reading How to Lodge a Consumer Complaint: Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc. …
From The Simple Dollar.
How to Lodge a Consumer Complaint: Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc.
In the past on The Simple Dollar, I’ve talked about how to lodge a complaint against a company if you’re truly dissatisfied with a product. I’ve always wanted to do a case study of such a complaint, but I’ve never had an experience severe enough to cause me to get involved.
Until now.
Pictured above on the right is a bottle of Spring Grove Lemon Sour soda, made by the Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc. of Spring Grove, MN. It is a small company which only sells their beverages within a 100 mile radius of Spring Grove, MN.
Spring Grove Lemon Sour is, without a doubt, my single favorite soda in the world. It has a sublime fizzy taste that mixes the sour of a ripe lemon with just a hint of sweetness. It is the only kind of soda I drink with any consistency. Every three months or so, when we visit family within the Spring Grove Soda distribution area, we stock up, buying several packs to take home with us.
Over the past weekend, we were driving home from a wedding in Wisconsin when we stopped at an IGA in La Crescent, MN for diaper changes and bathroom breaks. While there, we decided to stock up on the Lemon Sour, but when we found it, the Lemon Sour had drastically changed.
Let’s see that photo again.
On the right is a bottle of the Lemon Sour I’ve known and loved for years. Notice the white color. On the left is what we purchased in La Crescent, MN a few days ago. Notice the yellow color.
It wasn’t the color change that was the problem, though. The flavor of the one soda in the world I really enjoyed had completely changed. It went from a sublime fizzy lemony sour flavor with just a hint of sweetness to something that tasted like watered-down Mountain Dew.
Needless to say, I was extremely unhappy with my purchase. I gave bottles of the “new” Lemon Sour to a few people in the area who had yet to try it and the reaction was universally negative. What happened to a wonderfully distinct local brand?
I decided this was the perfect opportunity to put everything I had learned about registering consumer complaints to the test.
Call The Company
I placed a phone call to their customer support line at (507) 498-3424 (found on the contact us page of their website). I simply stated that I was unhappy with the change in formulation. The kind lady I talked to said I was not the first person to call about this and that they were fully aware of some unhappy customers, which bodes well for some type of resolution.
Why do this? It’s a direct and immediate way to let the company know what you think of the product. It only takes a few minutes and can be done from virtually anywhere.
Mail (and/or Fax) a Letter
I wrote a letter to Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc. Here is the text of that letter.
Dear sir or madam,
I have been a long time fan of your Lemon Sour soda beverage. It is the only soda that I happily drink with any regularity and it is a constant part of my pantry. Although I do not live in your distribution area, I visit several times a year and each time pick up multiple cases of Lemon Sour.
On June 26, 2010, I visited an IGA in La Crescent, MN to purchase an allotment of Lemon Sour to take home with me. I discovered that Lemon Sour had been reformulated. It now had a yellowish color (compared to the original white color). When I tasted it, I was very disappointed. I discovered that the wonderful fizzy sour (with a touch of sweet) flavor I had come to love over the years had been replaced with an overly sweet imitation of Mountain Dew.
I do understand why you may be selling the new beverage as its sweetness may be more attractive to some soda drinkers. However, I implore you to bring back the original flavor of Lemon Sour. I will not be buying the new formulation. I also have many friends and family members within your distribution area who are also disappointed with the change.
Perhaps you can continue making the new flavor and distribute it as well under a new name while bringing back the original Lemon Sour flavor and formulation.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
If you’d also like to write a letter, their mailing address is:
Spring Grove Soda Pop, Inc.
215 2nd Ave NW
PO Box 337
Spring Grove, MN 55974
and their fax number is (507) 498-3424.
I used some basic style points for writing this letter.
1. I kept my letter short and concise. There’s no reason to be excessively long. A short letter is much more likely to be read.
2. I made the facts clear and straightforward. I stated when and where I purchased the new formulation so that if it was merely a test run, that would be clear to the letter recipient.
3. I suggested a simple resolution. They could continue making the new beverage under a different name (a la New Coke becoming Coke II) and restore the original flavor.
4. I started out extremely positively, noting how much I’ve enjoyed their product in the past. I am a long time customer and I’ve always been happy with their Lemon Sour flavor.
5. I remained diplomatic and courteous and left out the sarcasm. They made a business decision that I’m unhappy with. There’s no reason to not be diplomatic about it.
Why do this? A handwritten letter can provide clear documentation for the company as to the desires of their customer base. Quite often, diplomatic handwritten letters from people who have never written before can get the serious attention of the company in question.
Start a Facebook Fan Page
I started a Facebook fan page entitled Bring Back the Original Spring Grove Lemon Sour! and encouraged people I know from that area on Facebook to join the group. I posted basic information about the change and will let people know anything I find out about reverting back to the original formula using that group. If the group picks up a lot of fans, I’ll send a link to the group to the folks at Spring Grove Soda as encouragement for reverting to the old formula.
One key is to use this type of platform to share methods of contacting the company, such as providing their phone number and their mailing address, to people who might also register a complaint.
Why do this? It allows a person to collect a list and a count of people who agree with the sentiment as well as distributing methods of giving the company feedback. If this page (with a number of fans attached to it) is sent to the marketing director of a company, raw numbers like this can make a convincing case that a lot of customers care about the product and want to see changes.
Write About It Publicly
Well, frankly, you’re reading it. I don’t have access to a much more public place than The Simple Dollar, with hundreds of thousands of readers. I’m almost positive that at least some readers out there have tried Spring Grove Lemon Sour in the past and, hopefully, are also disappointed in the change or are at least aware of it. Such information may encourage them to take action as well.
Why do this? It spreads the word in an extremely public fashion. While I am lucky enough to have a very public platform to use, almost everyone has access to at least some sort of platform to write publicly about it. Start a blog or write a guest entry for a blog like Consumerist. Use fan messageboards. You can start a Facebook fan page, as I did above, if you have no other platform available to you.
Will This Really Work?
My plan is to give it a month or so and see what happens with my various methods of lodging a complaint about this change. Let’s consider this a test case in how to lodge a consumer complaint. In a month, I’ll report back to you with notes on the success and failure of the various tactics tried.
If you’re upset by the change to Spring Grove Soda, please feel free to use any of the information above to contact Spring Grove Soda and express your unhappiness with this formula alteration. You can copy and paste anything from above, but I encourage you to alter it enough so that it can appear distinctive and reflect your own feelings on the matter.
Continue reading How to Lodge a Consumer Complaint: Spring Grove Soda Pop Inc. …
From The Simple Dollar.