How to lose money

Databases get corrupted from time to time: no big issue with that, though when I pointed out an error to VSO I imagined that I might have received an acknowledgement, even if it only said "thanks". I made a donation nevertheless. Silence.

A month later I got two appeal letters from VSO, one of which repeated the error in my name I had pointed out earlier, so I scanned both letters and referred to my earlier email, saying that if they had taken action at that time they would not have made the duplication now. Silence.

So I wrote to VSO's Chief Executive, expressing with some warmth my disappointment at not having had any acknowledgement and threatening to cancel my monthly standing order if silence was their weapon of choice. Silence.

But what's this? A feeble email from VSO's Fundraising Dept. expressing the standard apology and how valuable supporters were blah-blah-blah, words obviously taken from the manual on "How to Deal with Irritating Supporters". Well, I replied, when I receive a proper reply (to my letter to the Chief Exec.) I will reconsider my decision to end my support.

Another email, this time from the Public Relations Head Honcho, asking what I meant by "a proper reply"; to which, in some amazement, I simply replied that I had taken the trouble to put pen to paper to the Chief Exec. but that VSO thought email responses were all that was required.

Having now got the bit between my teeth I wrote to the Chair of the Trustees, suggesting he might like to investigate what was (or wasn't) going on in VSO's Fundraising Dept. Silence (notice a pattern here?).

And finally, a letter from the Chief Exec! Too late, I'm afraid: if VSO had simply acknowledged my first email they would have retained my support.

By contrast a similar error at Traidcraft prompted an immediate email of thanks. Result: Traidcraft has improved their already high reputation in my eyes.

Moral: take care of supporters and they will take care of you.