Borders, redux.

Cut for length.

( Email chain. )

And it continues.

"Dear [Peregrine],

Thank you for contacting Borders Customer Care with your comments.

Initially, I would like to apologize for any frustration you have experienced. We do, however appreciate the time you have taken to bring your comments to our attention. Feedback from valued customers like you is essential to us as it allows us to keep in touch with areas where we can improve our services. Your suggestion will be included in our regular reporting to our various departments and in information presented to the executives at Borders. While I cannot guarantee that a change will be made, we appreciate your sending us your ideas.

Thanks again for taking the time to write to us. If you should have any other thoughts on how we can improve the shopping experience at Borders stores, please do not hesitate to share these with us.

Sincerely,

Ashley
Borders Customer Care
http://www.borders.com"

And the response:
"Dear Ashley,
The canned responses I have received in response to my emails has further alienated me as a customer. They neither acknowledge nor validate the issues brought up in either of my two emails to Customer Care, and the fact that other customers are receiving - word for word - these exact same canned responses has cemented my opinion that Borders Corporate Office no longer cares about their customers. It does nothing to reassure me that a real, live human being has so much as seen my emails and I have no faith that my opinion of this alienating and disturbing new policy will be taken into consideration at all.

Please remove this email address from any mailing lists Borders or any company affiliated with Borders maintains, and please cancel my Borders Rewards membership. I would like to receive confirmation within 24 hours that this account has been removed and the Rewards membership canceled.

Thank you.
-[Peregrine]"

And yes, I fully intend to respond to each and every email from "Ashley". Either they'll: a) put a human being on the line, or b) run out of canned responses.

Aww, Ashley doesn't love me anymore!

Cancellation Confirmation

Borders Rewards Card Number: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thank you for being a Borders Rewards member. At your request, we have cancelled your Borders Rewards card.

Your account and unused rewards will be cancelled. You will also be unsubscribed from all emails you currently receive from Borders and/or Waldenbooks.

If this is a mistake, please contact Borders Rewards Customer Care at 800.443.7359.

At least they acceded to my request promptly, gotta give 'em that. Borders would apparently rather lose customers than answer their emails. Good to know.

[edit] OH HAY - someone not Ashley.

"Dear [Peregrine],

Thank you for contacting us about Borders Rewards.

I am sorry to hear that you feel we did not properly address your feedback. I assure you, that we do read all e-mails from our customers. We certainly hope you will change your mind and continue to shop at our stores. We appreciate each and every customer we have and would never want you to feel like we dismiss or disregard your feedback. At your request, we have canceled your Borders Rewards card. Your card and unused rewards will be canceled, and you will also be un-subscribed from all e-mails you currently receive from Borders and/or Waldenbooks.

If this cancellation was made in error, please do not hesitate to contact us for further assistance.

Sincerely,

Makayla
Borders Rewards Customer Care
www.bordersrewards.com"

My reply:
"Dear Makalya,

Might I suggest that, if Borders indeed does not want customers to feel as though their feedback is disregarded, perhaps sending out real replies instead of form letters to complaints would be in order?

The Rewards cancellation is not a mistake, it was at my request. I am so upset by the new policies in place and the canned responses to my emails about same that I have decided to take my business elsewhere.

Thank you for your time and your response.
-[Peregrine]"

And the final reply, which I am not going to respond to:
"Dear [Peregrine],

Thank you for contacting Borders.

I completely understand your frustration. All the feedback you have provided has been forwarded. We like to review feedback from our customers. It helps us provide better service. If you ever decide to shop with us again, we would be very thankful.

If there is anything else I can do for you, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Makayla
Borders Customer Care
www.Borders.com"

Clearly, they cannot get past the form letters. No, I won't be shopping with them again.