Refund? I don't think so...

[culanoff]

So after several years of being a member of Taxi (for country music) and having everything I sent in for a full year returned, I decided that enough was enough. I have about 6 months left on my membership so I wrote asking for a refund of the remainder of the membership fee from now until July. This is the response I got:

"TAXI offers a full one year guarantee of satisfaction. Your first year of membership was in 3/27/06 - 3/27/07 and the membership was subsequently renewed twice. Your request does not fall within the guidelines of the One-Year Money Back Guarantee. A copy of the guarantee is included for your reference.

I'm sorry I am unable to grant your request for a refund.

Kind regards,"
(name and title withheld by me to not take this over the top)


For as long as this post stays up, for anyone who gave TAXI the benefit of the doubt and renewed their membership, you will not be entitled to a refund specifically because you gave TAXI the benefit of the doubt. Nice. Very nice.

Bye bye, folks.

Claire

[crs7string]

Claire,

TAXI's response is exactly the one I would expect. The logic that you should be able to quit anytime you want and get a refund makes absolutely no business sense from TAXI's perspective.

If I went to a restaurant and had a bad meal and the management "comped" my meal would I expect the same treatment on my second visit. Of course not, I most likely would not go back to the restaurant.

If I did return for a second visit it would be at my own "risk". I already knew that the restaurant was not a fit for me. (ie. I didn't like the service or the food)

You've returned to the TAXI "restaurant" several times knowing it was an "iffy" proposition for country writers.

I appreciate how hard the country writers have it with TAXI, but I agree with their policy and response to your request.

Chuck

[matto]

Claire,

I'm surprised you would interpret "money back guarantee" as "I can quit any time I like, even after years of membership, and get the "unused portion" of my current membership fee refunded".

Anytime I've encountered money back guarantees they have worked the way Taxi's does...basically as a "risk free trial".
Once you decide you like a service enough to renew, the "honeymoon is over", so to speak, and the money back guarantee no longer applies.

Sorry for your disappointment...

matto

[fusilierb]

Really, three and half years in and you want a refund? Seems like a bit much to hope for.

[mazz]

Bye bye, folks.

Claire

Bye Bye

[wta]

Michael and Taxi do not deserve this kind of "slap in the face" Clair, this is not a school yard. The details where clearly defined in the original agreement, they showed you that in a polite and timely fashion and you post this publically? I promise you won't have to worry about working with any industry professionals who frequents this board.

"The problem with the music industry? It's filled with musicians..." WTA

[cardell]

Michael and Taxi do not deserve this kind of "slap in the face" Clair, this is not a school yard.

Yes, that's right!

Stuart

[guscave]

Three years as a member and "now" you want you're money back! Dude, if Taxi was to do that for everyone they'd be a "donation distribution center" instead of a business.

[davewalton]

"The problem with the music industry? It's filled with musicians..." WTA

Yesterday I felt like leading a one-man revolt against a production company that sometimes jerks around the musician/composers in a way like we have nothing else to do but sit and wait for them to say "Jump!". I've been doing stuff for them for several years so whatever I experience as I voluntarily enter into new projects, I know ahead of time what I might expect. I also know that I might expect some great placements (which I've received).

On a recent project I felt like dropping out and not doing it. My most-times wise and insightful companion Ann (who some of your met at the Rally), she pointed out that would be like me drinking the poison and waiting for the other person to die or get sick. *Somebody* is going to get the deal and what do I gain by ignoring the opportunity thereby making sure I'm *not* the one to get that deal?

From a business sense... expecting a "trial membership" refund after more than three years with Taxi is, well, the start of a one-woman revolt. Emotionally neutral... since you can and have made it past those nasty high-bar Country Taxi screeners (several times... and that's something worth admiring)) it seems like submitting to the listings that fit your music for the duration of your membership would make the most sense... maximize your membership by selecting those submissions carefully. It would be different if you simply didn't have the stuff but that's not true. Or... you could skip the listings and not submit for the duration of your membership but *somebody* Claire, is going to get the deal. I can drink the poison but the other person probably isn't going to die or even get sick.

[jazzstan]

For me - I participate in Taxi for the education (and motivation), from screeners, from Michael, the Rally and from my peers here on the forum. The forwards are the evidence that the education is working.