Complaint will do

Recently, I had a run-in with a Japanese photo-imaging and product company.

I went to one of its shops at Causeway Point at basement to get my pictures printed. I wanted to print copies for my family, friends and colleagues as well and I ended up printing 210 copies of them.

It cost 35 cents per piece after you hit 31 pieces.

That comes up to $73.50.

When I was making payment for the pictures, I read this 'clause' at the counter, to the effect of 'No exchange or refund of merchandise', and I happen to see two sample prints - one was glossy and the other was matte.

I was curious and asked,"Why does this one (matte) look darker?" since my prints have always been uniform in their quality - what I see on camera is what I get on print.

The counter guy replied,"But it is sharper."

Oh, okay, I thought.

The next day when I picked up the photos, I was shocked as I looked through them at home.

Many of them have a heavy yellow tint on the subjects. My colleagues and family looked like they have yellow fever! And my darker-skinned colleagues looked unusually dark, with their eyes and mouths not visible to the naked eye!

I was very upset and didn't know what to do for a moment since the shop had clearly stated that no refund or exchange is possible - I now understand why. Then it struck me that I could lodge a complaint to the subsidiary company in Singapore. Even if I couldn't get a refund or reprint, it would be good to serve as feedback.

The response came promptly and promised to follow up on the case. However, one week passed and I still didn't get any satisfactory reply from the company. I emailed the company and told them that I would distribute the inferior pictures to my 'family, friends and colleagues' and let them judge for themselves the quality of the prints.

A reply email came prompt and good right after that, promising to give me a reprint at no extra charge.

So I went down to Causeway Point to another of its shop to get my pics reprinted.

I am glad to say that the prints are almost as good as, if not as good as, the digital imaging shop I have always preferred. And I realised that this shop offers a better price than the shop printing dark photos. I could have save about $11 printing the same number of photos at this shop!

When Coco knew about the run-in, she remarked,"Oh, so if you want to get something free, just complain and you will get it!"