'My Secret to Super Customer Service'

From a free lawnmower replacement and swankier hotel room to a coveted seat on another flight after a cancellation, these consumers have mastered the art of getting what they want from customer service reps.

It never hurts to ask

Name: Danny Kofke, 36
Occupation: Special education teacher and author
Location: Hoschton, Ga.

Courtesy: Danny Kofke

I subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket on DirecTV. I saw an ad offering the extra SuperFan feature, which gets you games in high-definition for free if you sign up for Sunday Ticket. But current subscribers have to pay $99.

I called and said I'd like it for free too, because I'm a loyal customer. The rep told me the promotion was for new subscribers only, so I said I'd gladly cancel. After 15 minutes on hold, I got it for free, too. It never hurts to ask.

Shift blame away from the customer reps

Courtesy: Terry Mingle

Name: Terry Mingle, 46
Occupation: University administrative assistant
Location: Cortland, NY

I usually start off by saying something like, 'I know this is not your fault, however...' and end with '...I'd like to get this resolved as quickly and painlessly as possible for both of us.'

It's not usually the person you're calling for help who has caused the problem, but you want them to be on your side to help you figure it out. They're just doing their jobs.

Take your complaint to the top

Courtesy: Ric Franchetti

Name: Ric Franchetti, 58
Occupation: Finance consultant
Location: Plano, Texas

When the battery on my electric lawnmower from the Home Depot stopped holding a charge a year after I bought it, I expected Home Depot to honor the extended warranty I'd purchased. But the store claimed batteries were not covered because they were expendable.

So I Googled the name of Home Depot's CEO and sent him a polite letter explaining my plight. Six days later, the local Home Depot manager was at my door to replace the battery. When it didn't fit, he gave me a new lawnmower. He even took my old one away!

Share constructive criticism

Courtesy: Terry Price

Name: Terry Price, 57
Occupation: Service delivery manager
Location: Independence, Iowa

I had trouble with a used guitar I'd ordered online. I was billed for it and got a confirmed delivery date, but that day came and went. When I called, they led me to believe the guitar was coming -- but it never did.

I emailed the site with my story and made suggestions for the future, including that they do a postmortem on what happened. I also said they weren't going to lose me as a customer. I knew everyone made mistakes.

They wrote to say they appreciated the feedback and offered me a brand new $800 guitar at the same price as the used one -- $400.

Take careful notes and stay calm

Courtesy: Pam Lee

Name: Pam Lee, 51
Occupation: Business analysis manager
Location: San Francisco

I needed three calls to fix a problem with a Virgin Mobile broadband device. The first time I was told it could be fixed remotely and that I didn't need to leave contact information. Second time I was told it couldn't be fixed because they had no contact information.

After incorrectly saying it was a network problem, the third agent said he couldn't do anything more for me. I asked for his manager and calmly explained what I wanted. The manager came up with an innovative solution. During this entire set of calls, I kept track of who I spoke to and what they promised, asked for ticket and case numbers, and stayed factual.

See the full list of secrets to customer service.

This article is part of a series related to being Financially Fit