http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/ConsumerActionGuide/AreYouABadCustomer.aspx:eyes:
Abuse is one thing and should be avoided, but keeping in mind how
Sprint terminated soldiers' accounts for using 'roaming' features too much, one has to wonder... (google the term if need be, there are a lot of stories on this. Who's supporting the troops?
Not Sprint...)
Excerpt:
Some other examples of how companies treat customers differently include:
* Parceling out the perks. Airlines know exactly who their most-profitable customers are: They're elite frequent fliers, particularly the ones who buy lots of expensive first- and business-class tickets. These folks get to use separate, shorter lines through security at many airports, as well as numerous other benefits. (For more, see "How to get luxury perks for your travel buck.") But airlines also keep computerized notes on their frequent fliers, says travel expert Joel Widzer, and those known to be too demanding or obnoxious may get fewer free upgrades and less-accommodating agents.
* Booting out bargain hunters. Filene's Basement, an off-price clothing retailer, made headlines when it banned two sisters for returning too much stuff and complaining too often -- behaviors the company said tied up too much staff time. Electronics retailing giant Best Buy has attracted attention with corporate policies designed by profitability guru Selden to lure big-spending customers while discouraging those who cost the company money. Among the tactics: taking money-losing patrons off mailing lists for sales and other promotions.
* Restricting returns. Some retailers, including Staples and The Sports Authority, use technology supplied by The Return Exchange, an Irvine, Calif., company, to identify and refuse shoppers who abuse store return policies. A customer who wants to return an item is first asked to hand his or her driver's license to the clerk, who swipes it through The Return Exchange's Verify-1 device. The device records the consumer's name, address and age, as well as details of the transaction, and sends it to The Return Exchange's database, where the information is aggregated. If the transaction is deemed suspicious, the clerk can refuse to complete the transaction. The company says its technology is meant to halt shoplifters and price-tag switchers, among other fraudsters. But some consumer advocates worry about privacy invasions and the potential embarrassment for legitimate customers who could be turned away.Article has more.