How do you (not) get to Carnegie Hall?

I wasn't sure what I was going to write about today, but then Carnegie Hall stepped in with an answer. This post is about how arrogant institutions lose their support. Here's the text of an email I sent them today:

"Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a first-time subscriber to the Orchestra of St Luke’s. I assume that, having landed me, you would like to keep me. You would probably be happy if I were to subscribe to even more events.

I also bought a single ticket to tonight's So Percussion concert in Zankel. You then changed the time from 7:30 to 9:30. I called the Box Office, where I was given a hard time. I was told a letter went out; I never received one, likely because I bought a single ticket at the box office. I was told I could donate the ticket. I was finally told --after being put on hold several times -- that I needed to call back tonight after 9:30.

Here's the deal: we entered into a contract; I gave you $37 for a 7:30pm concert. You then reneged on the terms of the contract by changing the time. I deserve my money back. Instead, you hassled me.

And you want me to renew?”

_______________________

I’ll be sure to let you know what, if anything, I hear back from them. Let me be very clear on one point: I fully understand that sometimes concerts have to be rescheduled; these things happen. I’m sorry I can’t go to a New York concert that late, but I am not angry about it; I am angry with the way I was treated by the box office.

I’ve been to several concerts there this year that were sold out, or close to it. But I’ve also been there when there were LOTS of empty seats. And they want to treat subscribers badly? Maybe it’s time they took lessons from another Carnegie; that would be Dale Carnegie, author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”