Columnist Muriel Stevens: Questionnaire raises some questions

Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001 | 9:05 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' shopping column appears Wednesdays. Her dining column appears Fridays. Reach her 259-4080 or muriel@lasvegassun.com.

"To Serve You Better," says the heading on a questionnaire being offered at all Al Phillips the Cleaner stores. But the reader who sent a copy to me was disturbed by the number of "demographic" questions, even though answering them is "optional." He also minded that the name of the company is nowhere on the questionnaire. And he had other concerns. So to make his points, he faxed me a copy.

After reading the questionnaire I called the Al Phillips branch our reader uses and spoke to store manager Maxine Wyatt. Wyatt has been with the cleaners for 19 years, beginning with the original owners, Mel and Phil Shapiro. The Al Phillips stores have been sold a few times. They are now owned by DCI, a company with 350 dry cleaning shops nationally. Said Wyatt when I asked about the questionnaire, "The company is trying to give the same level of service in all of their stores, to standardize."

Seems innocuous enough, but not to our reader. His take was that the questionnaire was more than just a marketing ploy to gain insight on service. He had no problem with such basic questions as "How would you rate ...?" service, quality, store personnel, value and other service-related questions. Yet he was bothered by the invasive nature of the "optional" questions, this in spite of not having to give your name or address.

His major concern was that the information might be sold to other companies, just as some other lists are sold. But without a name or address I doubt this information could be of value except for the purpose Wyatt said it was intended.

Consumer follow-up: Consumers should continue to be wary of the kind of treatment many of us have recently experienced from Wards. I'm still trying to resolve my problem. I've done what I had to to have a credit issued for the merchandise not received, and now I have to wait and see if the credit-card bank does what it's supposed to.

The bank did send me (and I'm sure thousands of other card holders) a lengthy letter advising me that I can still make charges on my Wards card. How ridiculous. As if anybody in their right mind would ever again use that card for anything!

Walgreen's: Walgreen's has called me a number of times in an attempt to explain the "minimum price" policy. I paid the same price for one pill that I would have paid for a full prescription. Unfortunately there is only person that is authorized to explain this policy.

We've been playing phone tag and have yet to speak directly. He has sent me messages via his staff, but not an explanation. Seems strange that only one person has an answer that makes any sense. Of course, I'm not certain that his answer will make sense.

I haven't had any response from any of the other pharmacies. They all charge a minimum fee. Sounds to me suspiciously like price fixing, but I'm trying to reserve judgement until I hear what Walgreen's has to say.

The learning game: Did you know that if a credit card is stolen and used the card holder is only responsible for $50?

Not so with a debit card. Stolen or lost, if it's used the loss is yours alone.