United Breaks Guitars

[Taco John]

This is pretty hilarious... Gotta love the Internet!



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Full Story: http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/story... - In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didnt deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say no to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world. United: Song 1 is the first of those songs. United: Song 2 has been written and video production is underway. United: Song 3 is coming. I promise.

[Taco John]

I love this as an example of true power to the people. This guy's guitar got hosed. Rather than call his congressman, he mustered up his skills and took his complaint to the Internet.

You want to see reform? Keep your eye on United. You'll see reform.

All without a single force of government.

It turns out that in modern times, the invisible hand isn't so invisible. It's us.

[googlegoogle]

good song.

[BucEyedPea]

I love this as an example of true power to the people. This guy's guitar got hosed. Rather than call his congressman, he mustered up his skills and took his complaint to the Internet.

You want to see reform? Keep your eye on United. You'll see reform.

All without a single force of government.

It turns out that in modern times, the invisible hand isn't so invisible. It's us.
From a wiki entry on this event:

Soon after the video's success, United contacted Carroll and said they hoped to settle the matter soon. In an interview with the CBC, Carroll said United mentioned they may change their customer service policy as a result of the incident. United also claimed they wanted to use the video and song as a "training aid" for baggage handling.

Baggage handlers were tossing guitars around resulting in the damage. The band, SofM complained but were passed from person to person at United saying they weren't responsible. So no resolution happened.

[patteeu]

Good video.

Years ago, I remember listening to a liberal radio talk host, Tom Leykis, ranting hilariously about a failure of customer service from a well known company. I can't remember the details, but it was the same kind of deal as this video where he promised the company that he was going to spread the word about his dissatisfaction if they didn't make things right and when they didn't, he did. I don't know if it caused the company to make any changes, but it was a funny rant.

[Earthling]

Taylor guitar...cool. Im in a bluegrass band with the son, or grandson, of the Taylor that made and started that guitar brand. His dad made him a special guitar and it has the bear claw marks that were in the grain of the tree they used to make his. I'll get a pic sometime soon to post. (My guitar is a Martin D-21 s btw)

[Brock]

I doubt United will care about this. Airlines are the worst customer service businesses in the world. All of them.

[headsnap]

I doubt United will care about this. Airlines are the worst customer service businesses in the world. All of them.

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[BucEyedPea]

I doubt United will care about this. Airlines are the worst customer service businesses in the world. All of them.

I sat on some grease that was on the back of a seat on US Air once. It ruined a new outfit I bought for that trip. I wrote and complained high-up ( going over heads to the top guy does help.) and they sent me a free ticket to compensate me for the loss of the outfit. I was happy with the remedy and accepted it although I loved the outfit which was no longer available in stores.

Maybe, today they are worse which wouldn't surprise me since the govt controls them more and more.

[Brock]

I recently went around and around with United, where they would email me a phone number with the hours that I could call, and when I called, a recording told me it wasn't a working phone number. I would email and complain about that, then I would get a phone message left at 3 in the morning and the person who left the message acted huffy that I didn't answer the phone. This happened a few times over the course of a couple of weeks, and then I did exactly what they wanted me to do, and what their system is designed to make you do. I capitulated. But, like cell phone companies, it isn't unique to this one company, they're all like that.

[Chief Faithful]

I stopped flying United 10 years ago because they are the most indifferent airline towards their customers of all airlines in America. I love seeing this band strike back. No airline deserves this treatment more than United.

[BucEyedPea]

I recently went around and around with United, where they would email me a phone number with the hours that I could call, and when I called, a recording told me it wasn't a working phone number. I would email and complain about that, then I would get a phone message left at 3 in the morning and the person who left the message acted huffy that I didn't answer the phone. This happened a few times over the course of a couple of weeks, and then I did exactly what they wanted me to do, and what their system is designed to make you do. I capitulated. But, like cell phone companies, it isn't unique to this one company, they're all like that.

I'd say a lot of that, which I've encountered with some firms, was the end of personal customer service and the beginning of self-serve automated service. The old kind of customer service began to end in the 90's.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Thanks for posting that TJ. It was actually a really good song. I love it. So now, not only will I boycott United (I'm a guitar lover too) but I've discovered a new band that I'd heard of, but never heard. They're great.

[Stewie]

I'm in the aerospace industry and spent one week at the United hub in San Fran helping them with some issues they were having. All I can say is those people were the laziest "workers" I've ever been around. They'd come into work at 8 am and read the paper. Around 9:00 they'd do about 15 minutes of work and then spend an hour BSing with coworkers... mostly talking about how United was screwing them (they were union). Then it was lunch and they've leave early, come back late, and BS some more. They'd do 15 minutes of work and then wait for the end of the day. The workers hated United as much as the customers, but at least the customers paid for something, the workers were paid for nothing.

http://www.untied.com/

[googlegoogle]

is the guitar case sturdy enough for someone to walk on it?

[BucEyedPea]

Thanks for posting that TJ. It was actually a really good song. I love it. So now, not only will I boycott United (I'm a guitar lover too) but I've discovered a new band that I'd heard of, but never heard. They're great.

Yeah me too. I love 'em!