Ob1Stogie

Here is the back story. I was flying back to Kali from Omaha. While in Iowa I stopped in at the Maytag blue cheese factory and picked up a two pound wheel to take home (it's killer stuff). I froze it prior to leaving OMA.

Just my luck, a MILE from OMA my cell phone goes crazy. It's Delta calling to say my flight is delayed 2hrs so I will miss my connection in SLC. PLUS I have to sit in SLC for FIVE HOURS because I will miss all the flights back to SAN except the last one. Lucky me.

So, I finally get to SLC and now my cheese has been "traveling" for several hours. I take it out of my carry on and tape my card to the box and put it in the fridge behind the CRC bar for the duration of my five hour "visit".

I forgot to get my cheese before I left.


Here is my question/observation. This all happened last Tuesday the 22nd. I didn't call yet because I wanted to see if someone from the SLC CRC would call me (remember the box has my card taped on the front). So far, no call.

Don't you think they would/should? The cheese is only worth $20 but I was hoping to be able to tell a great customer service story for the CRC in SLC; but maybe I that was wishful thinking.

I'll call Tuesday and see what they say. I'll keep you posted.

PHX777

I must say that I'm surprised no one has responded to this post because the subject "I lost my cheese..." is quite hilarious and I felt compelled to read it.

Ok, so I'm sorry for your loss, although it can always be worse, but I myself know what it's like to find that special cheese you like (mine is Black Diamond Cheddar, imported from Canada and only available at Costco!).

I think the CRC owes you a quick phone call or email. After all, it's not as if you made it difficult for them to track you down. If you left your business card that's easy! They would be stupid not to call you.

I am a little pessimistic, though, since it's been one week now. You would think they would see if you had placed it in their mini fridge behind the bar! Well, I would at least call them tomorrow. The real question is--if your cheese is still there--will Delta ship it to you? I mean, maybe it's a foolish question but who is going to pay the shipping for your cheese? Plus, it's perishable so it has to be shipped cold, no?

I assume that Delta knows that its guests in the CRC are not ordinary customers, but important people from a business perspective which means it would be a most appropriate and wise decision for them to contact you.

Keep us updated! I think this is one of the most interesting stories I've read on FT. Next time make sure the cheese "is in your possession at all times!" Get a back of ice from the bar and wrap it up!

Good luck! And don't forget to call the CRC tomorrow!

Khabibul35

I once got my cheese taken away at a security screening in Bergen, Norway when it was flagged as a liquid. It was a soft cheese... but I mean, would you call Brie(it had a similar form) a liquid?

Now that's a frighting customer service story.

Anyway, I was flustered and let them throw it away. I should have asked for a supervisor

youreadyfreddie

Hi OB1:

Just in case you don't receive your wayward cheese doesn't make it back to you, my mom in San Diego orders blue/bleu cheese directly from Maytag. It IS good stuff.

HeHateY

I once cut the cheese in an airline club that shall remain nameless!

gt_croz

Try this link: http://tinyurl.com/4qx6t

Akulashark

The reality is the customer service story you are looking for doesn't exist. The CRC is not the Airline, the Airline is not the CRC. They are separate companies.

The other thing to remember is that no one, I mean absolutely no one, at either company cares about your cheese. I am slowly finding out that all Delta cares about it getting your money and providing the absolute minimum to hold up their end.

RobertS975

With all due respect, I do not think you know about what you write. Because what you wrote above is incorrect.

Ob1Stogie

I have ordered it from them via mail too. It's just a lot more expensive. $32.00 for 2lbs vs $17.50 picked up.

I really don't care either way, it's only cheese, I am just curious how the CRC will/would have handled it.

I run a company that lives or dies on customer service and I KNOW how I would have handled the same situation.

silverthief2

Honestly, your waiting a week to test Delta has made it more likely that you'll never see the cheese again. Someone may have taken it, or it may have been thrown out by now. You should have called right away if you wanted to be certain you'd get it back. In response to your question, I don't really think they should have called you; if I left my laptop or something valuable in the CRC, then yes, I'd expect it. But it's cheese, and they have better things to do.

Flying_Duck

This story reminds me of an experience from my younger days where I was traveling coach from CPH-SEA and in the airport got a 10 pound wheel of what turned out to be supreme, ripe Danish cheese from a family member, just wrapped in a thin layer of paper. On board I put it in the overhead bin over row 40 or so - and then before taking off found out I had been upgraded and moved to C. I left the cheese overhead in row 40. 9.5 hours later, just before landing in SEA, I went back to retrieve the cheese carrying lots of plastic bags. When I got to row 35 I knew I was getting close!! At row 40, it smelled as if a there had been a farting contest in the back of the plane!! With tears in my eyes, I took the cheese out of the overhead bin with at least 10 people looking at me, with bewilderment, stone faced, and, I assume, ready to kill me!! No one said anything - but I honestly felt like the biggest jerk in the world as I wrapped it layers of platic bags and returned to BC.

Also, when people visiting us in SLC from Europe, we always ask them to bring good ripe European cheese - and lots of it. And when standing waiting for the luggage, even a blind person could pick out the suitcase as soon as it appeared at the end of the band to the carousell!!

Oh, how I love good cheese - unfortunately very difficult, if not impossible, to come about in my part of the country!!

MisterNice

My best the CRC called the TSA who called the local bomb squad and closed the airport in order to remove it. A 0.25 lb charge of C4 was attached to your cheese in a nearby field and detonated. You will be billed and possibly arrested.

MisterNice

xooz

I can only imagine how grateful Tony Bennett is that someone left their heart in SFO first...

bkkth

What I don't understand is this: Why are you spending time posting to Flyertalk? Wouldn't your time be better spent using your phone to call the CRC to see if they had your cheese?

Ob1Stogie

Some of you guys need to lighten up a little. I considered the cheese "lost" the second I got home to SAN and realized it was still in SLC. I was just more curious to see what the CRC would do with the situation. Could I have called Wed morning to arrange something? Yes I could have. But, I was really curious to see if someone would call.

My guess if I had left something like this at a Marriott, with my card attached, they would have called as soon as the maid found it. If the cheese is in the trash or someone in the CRC took it home; I really don't care. The whole situation was more of a curiosity than anything.

I don't think my posts here could be construed as a rant or a dig on the CRC. However, if I had paid $250-400 for membership to a club of any kind, I would expect exceptional service. I don't think one call to my 800# is exceptional service.

The reason I posted this was to spur a discussion on customer service, and provide a little levity, more than anything. With airfare's being fairly equal it all comes down to customer service and the perks we all enjoy by sticking with one company.