Ace Hardware Customer Service

Pretty lame to own a franchise and not be up to date on what local mailings are being put out by the corporation, advertising the franchise you bought into.

I won't eat at a few restaurants, because those particular ones didn't participate in franchise deals.

Ace has always been more than good to me. Free hotdogs in the summer, for no reason, other than to sell grilles and make customers happy. Free popcorn... Hell, they even sell some sodas I can't get at the grocery store next door for cheap.

I'd contact the owner of the store, if you're really concerned. I think it's because they are locally owned that every one I've been into have been very helpful.

If you're cool about it and you get ahold of the owner or upper management of that branch, you might be surprised what you can get out of the deal, even if it's not what you were after.

The disclaimer removes legal obligations on the ad, if it's there. If there isn't a participation disclaimer on the ad, bring it in and show it to them. I would, even if there is.

Ask questions like "Can you tell me which stores are participating in this sale?" Be sure you tell them that the ad was sent to your zip code, nearby, if it's not the exact one that the store has.

Usually, if you point out the dynamic that formulates bad customer service, a franchise owner will go out of their way to make it right for you, as not to lose credibility by word of mouth.

I got terrible service at one of my favorite restaurants, a month ago, or so. Partly because my order was wrong and a homeless guy was hassling me and Amy, done up to the nines.

I went in and talked to the owner and she only charged me 20% of my bill, because we had to leave from the cops and hobo, giving us crap.

I'll go back there. Sometimes, businesses have uncontrollable things happen to them.

You may want to bring the email and the ad to the manager just so they are aware of it and that you may not have been the only one that they lost business to.