We’re all very familiar with what has become all-too-common in the modern world of business-customer relationships: endless fine print. Just take a look at any credit card application, insurance policy, banking disclosure form; each one is brimming with language that practically begs not to be read. Businesses contend that in a litigious society such as ours, they have no choice but to put an asterisk next to everything and explain in pain-staking detail what the limitations of any service or product might be. In a way, this is actually very helpful and perfectly legitimate; what better way to resolve disputes between parties than by going directly to an agreed-upon written document?
But of course the reality is often much different; most people don’t bother to read all the fine print…until they realize that clause 3(b)3, subsection q, paragraph 4 is precisely where their complaint is addressed. And naturally that fine print is favorable to the company, and unfavorable to the customer. At this point, you’re pretty much out of luck; it may be in the "fine print", but the point is, it’s in print.
There are a few ways to ensure that you don’t fall victim to these footnote technicalities. First and foremost…read the fine print! Yes, it’s annoying and can take some precious time out of your day…but in the long run, it’s worth the trouble. But don’t do it without focusing on what you’re reading; pay particular attention to items that you think might actually affect you. If you’re getting a credit card specifically because of its rewards program, pay extra attention to the reward terms…even if they’re not what most of the fine print is about. You’ll find that most credit card terms gloss over rewards limitations and focus instead on interest rates and fees…but if you’re planning to pay your balance on time each month and are getting this card to get miles or points, take the time to really focus on what the fine print says about those programs.
Secondly, while you’re trudging through this documentation, make sure to take note of anything that may actually be an issue for you…and most importantly, ask about it! Many customers will complain to a business, “How was I supposed to know that that’s what the fine print meant?” That’s because they didn’t bother to ask about items that may have seemed unclear in the fine print. If you can send an email to a company asking about particular points that you find confusing early on, you’ll have documented clarification…which can be very important down the road if there’s a conflict.
In 2007 I bought an iPod Classic from a wholesale club store; they had the best price by $10 and I had always heard about their superior customer service. But when I looked at the warranty documentation, it seemed very vague. It was unclear whether their typical take-anything-back-at-any-time return policy applied to this particular electronics item, or whether it was under the limited return policy. I asked an employee at the checkout line, and they said that the normal return policy would apply. But he seemed a bit hesitant, so I decided to wander over to the customer service desk and ask the manager. She explained that iPods had a 1-year return policy; I pressed her on why that seemed to contradict their special “electronics” return policy in the documentation I had been given with the iPod. I then asked a different manager, who told me that it was actually a 90-day return policy for iPods, unless they had a defect, in which case they could be exchanged within 1 year. But this had not been clearly spelled out in the policy. At this point, I went a step further…I insisted to the first manager that she spell out in writing for me that I could return this iPod within 1 year for any reason. After some back and forth (probably beyond what was actually called for in this situation), she agreed and a few days later faxed me a letter stating as much. My main reason for requesting this documentation wasn’t as much about my wanting or needing a 1-year return policy…although that was a strong factor in my decision to purchase it there. It was really more about wanting to protect myself for the future…who knows what manager will be working there in a year? And even if it’s the manager I spoke to, she probably won’t even remember me and, even if she does, she has no reason to remember what she told me about this particular purchase. Only by getting this policy in writing could I ensure that I'd be getting the “peace of mind” that the warranty was intended to create in the first place. [Sidenote: this store’s website now explicitly states that iPods have a 90-day return policy.]
Lastly, don’t be shy about using the fine print in your favor during a customer service issue. If you’ve done your due diligence, you can approach your issue with written documentation supporting your case. I’m not saying that your first point has to emphasize that you read the agreement very clearly and this one sentence means you’re right and the rep is wrong; if you begin that way, it’ll make the whole process far more difficult. Rather, be prepared to point out where in the terms you found a statement that backs up your case, and politely point it out if the rep disagrees with your original request. If you’re dealing with a good company that knows its own terms and conditions, you’ll never even need to get to this point. But since you’ve already gone to the trouble of actually reading the fine print, you might as well be ready to use it to your advantage.
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