Griping

I know in general that it's best to remain calm and pleasant in all situations, but I continually get contradictory results that lead me to believe that is NOT true.

Take today for example.

Let's back up for a minute and give a little context. Back in December I bought an HDDVD player because the man at Best Buy convinced me it was not risky to do so. For those of you not familiar with this battle (similar to beta versus VHS in the 80's) there were two competing HD DVD formats, HDDVD and blu ray. I have never been an early adopter of new technology. I was about 4 years later than everyone i knew getting a cell phone, 2 years out with the ipod, don't have a myspace page - you get the picture. So there I am in need of a DVD player and I am suckered into buying this HDDVD player. I am assured that this is going to be the format that wins the format war. whatever.

No more than 4 weeks later it is announced that blu ray has won and HDDVD is dead. No DVD's will be manufactured in that format any longer, and no more players made. Great. Now I have an obsolete player that is pretty much no better than the cheap-o Mintek player I have used for 6 years with no problems. Plus, it doesn't work well. It takes about 2 minutes just to turn on, and it behaves oddly. I consider returning it, but 1) I am lazy and 2) I just don't need an HD player anyway and 3) I HATE going to Best Buy.

Fast forward to last night when I go to put a disc in and the door just won't open. No amount of paper-clipping helps - no open.

Off I go to best buy. I bring it in to return it. I know that it's been 6 months, but they misled me into buying that piece of crap in the first place and it's broken. They don't make it anymore, so give me something else. So i talk to customer service, then i talk to repairs, basically the only option available is just sending it to get fixed. They don't seem to understand I don't want it anymore. take it back.

So I start griping a little bit. Not a lot, no raised voice, but I'm pretty clear that the solution of getting it repaired is not acceptable. So they send over a manager. He also explains since it's been so long they can't possibly take it back, only repair it. This goes on for a few minutes. So then I move into battle stance. Again, in a calm demeanor yet with biting words I just lay into the company and why I should absolutely be able to return it. I pull out all the stops and every single point I can possibly think of to help my argument and finally he says okay, we'll let you exchange it for something else.

So i wonder - why is it that I needed to full-on argue with this guy before he actually was willing to help me? Why is that necessary? Regardless, it is necessary, so to all of those polite, accepting people out there: know when to be strong and fight for what you believe because it will actually get your further if you do it in the right way. sad, but true.