Harvard Business School professor reacts to $4 restaurant overcharge

[madoka]

If I were a student at Harvard Business School, I'd be wondering, "I'm paying $100K per year to attend and get to learn how to negotiate from this guy!?!?!"

Here is one student's (Jon Staff) response:

“Clearly HBS hasn’t had the greatest reputation. There’s this idea that people here care only about themselves and their own advancement. We know that perception exists, and even before yesterday we all spent a lot of time defending HBS,” Staff told Boston.com.

Staff said the overall perception is wrong, and that current students are upset by the extent to which his actions make the job of defending HBS that much harder.

“It’s an upsetting article. People here are really amazing and smart and supportive and humble. What Edelman did makes it much harder to make the case that this is an institution full of good people. This one action doesn’t define who we are as a community. Or it shouldn’t.”

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

If I were a student at Harvard Business School, I'd be wondering, "I'm paying $100K per year to attend and get to learn how to negotiate from this guy!?!?!"

No, you're paying $100K per year to rub shoulders with other people paying $100K per year.

 

[Capt Caveman]

The Professor has apologized and more articles here on the front page:

http://www.boston.com/

 

[madoka]

The Professor has apologized and more articles here on the front page:

http://www.boston.com/

$10 says that someone from Harvard told him to apologize immediately or you're fired.

Personally, I would never piss off a restaurant unless I had no plans of ever going back. I'm afraid to even modify my fast food orders for fear of retaliation.

 

[Drako]

What a jackass that Edelman guy is. Now he's "apologizing" because everyone sees what a dick he is.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

What a jackass that Edelman guy is. Now he's "apologizing" because everyone sees what a dick he is.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt given how disconnected and clueless most University professors are about the real world.

 

[Drako]

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt given how disconnected and clueless most University professors are about the real world.

Did you read the email chain? I'm going to guess not.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Did you read the email chain? I'm going to guess not.

I'm talking about the apology not the self entitled pedantic rant.

 

[Gooberlx2]

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt given how disconnected and clueless most University professors are about the real world.

Yeah, I bet he really thought he was doing the restaurant guy a service...just doesn't get it's in the same sort of stickler demeanor as a hall monitor.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Yeah, I bet he really thought he was doing the restaurant guy a service...just doesn't get it's in the same sort of stickler demeanor as a hall monitor.

Some folks can't resist exercising their egos. Of course, ATOT is above such boorishness.

 

[amdhunter]

I agree with the guy. Whenever I order takeout to be delivered, I always have to correct them on their prices, and spell out the prices for each individual item on the menu.

Seriously, I've been overcharged on every order every time. F them.

Bravo for this guy. I'm going to Google NY law now to see if something similar exists.

 

[SamQuint]

Don't all websites say "prices subject to change without notice"

 

[Ns1]

That professor is such a dick.

 

[Drako]

99% of lawyers make the other 1% look bad. :|

 

[Hugo Drax]

What exactly was he trying to accomplish, Did he think he was going to get a pat on the back?

 

[Ns1]

Hollow apology posted

http://www.benedelman.org/news/121014-1.html

 

[Humpy]

I have little patience for careless, nickle-dick businesses that will hide behind BS like "mom & pop" and "oh, our website is out of date". Fuck you.

The restaurant managers first reply of offering a partial refund earned him what followed. He's a dumbass. The first response should have been "your card has been refunded the $4 (or the full amount), sorry for the inconvenience, hope you enjoyed your meal, see you next time".

The restaurant's shortsightedness is thoroughly eclipsed by the massive douchebaggery of Ben Edelman though. All I can conclude is that, as usual, the world is chock full of fucktards.

 

[Blanky]

Not popular my stance but despite him being a douche he was probably right and the half assed response from the restaurant would be irritating.

 

[Hugo Drax]

I have little patience for careless, nickle-dick businesses that will hide behind BS like "mom & pop" and "oh, our website is out of date". Fuck you.

The restaurant managers first reply of offering a partial refund earned him what followed. He's a dumbass. The first response should have been "your card has been refunded the $4 (or the full amount), sorry for the inconvenience, hope you enjoyed your meal, see you next time".

The restaurant's shortsightedness is thoroughly eclipsed by the massive douchebaggery of Ben Edelman though. All I can conclude is that, as usual, the world is chock full of fucktards.

What I dont get is why did he not ask for the total before providing the credit card info. I always ask for the total and confirm what the bill is and what I ordered before providing the credit card info.

Simple dialog, I would like to order the XXX,XXX,XXX and XXX. The lady would repeat what you say, you then ask what would the total be I would like to pay with my credit card.

Lady would provide the total, you should already know what the total should be, and if it matches then you provide the info.

ie: thank you, my credit card number is ####, expiration #### etc..

if there is a discrepancy in the total, you would simply say. Thats strange, the total should be XX I noticed its 4 dollars more from what the web menu pricing total would have been.

The lady might say, oh yes, sorry the menu pricing is out of date.

At this point you can either continue with your order, or cancel your order, or they might correct the price for you.


None of this requires a Harvard degree.

 

[raildogg]

After reading some of the emails, the professor seems to throw away common sense let alone decency and kindness because of the legality of the circumstances. He references laws as to make his arguments.

A wise and truly advanced society would need no such laws. In the meantime, we humans will continue to live with hundreds of thousands of pages filled of laws created by men such as the professor. All the while thinking that we are a wise and advanced society.

 

[Slew Foot]

Lawyer acts like an asshole, news at 11

 

[Humpy]

Hugo Drax, that all makes good sense. I make close to $30K of purchases per month at work and check everyone to make sure everything matches.

For my common personal purchases I use one credit card for everything and very rarely check receipts, if I even take them, or pay much attention to the total. I'm just not going to take the time to do the addition. I accept that there will occasionally be small errors and only quickly scan monthly statements to look for big errors.

 

[bradley]

Regarding the pricing error, I would have confronted management regarding it like a reasonable gentleman. If the small business owner's explanation was unacceptable or not within the law's breadth and scope, I would have contacted consumer protection.... and gone no further.

However this owner's explanation and reaction was not only amazingly articulate, his remediation of this petty bully's aggressive stance was more than fair. I especially appreciated this part of their exchange...

Our restaurant prides itself on quality food and we work hard to deliver that standard. We are a mom and pop restaurant; we work hard to make a honest living and we do not rip people off. We do not have a proper budget for media, website updates/all the bells that most chain and high end restaurants have.

I have told you exactly how I am going to resolve this situation and have already acted by fixing our website and by honoring the website prices; unfortunately, that wasn't good enough and you notified the authorities so this is out of my hands now. I can only wait for them to see how we can get this resolved.

Like I said, I apologize for the confusion, you seem like a smart man, But is this really worth your time?

Just a little update..... glad that social media forced this arrogant nonsensical blowhard to tone down his inappropriateness/rhetoric and apologize.

Ben Edelman: ‘I Am Sorry’
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...arousel_lead_linklist&p1=related_article_page

“Many people have seen my emails with Ran Duan of Sichuan Garden restaurant in Brookline. Having reflected on my interaction with Ran, including what I said and how I said it, it’s clear that I was very much out of line. I aspire to act with great respect and humility in dealing with others, no matter what the situation. Clearly I failed to do so. I am sorry, and I intend to do better in the future. I have reached out to Ran and will apologize to him personally as well.”

 

[raildogg]

Social media? LOL.

Who cares for his apology. It's not going to be sincere just like most apologies. Why even do it? Oh right, got to maintain a decent public image.

And we will continue looking up to men like this professor and other people in our society we deem to be "high ranking." History will repeat itself with no one learning from it.

 

[highland145]

Social media? LOL.

Who cares for his apology. It's not going to be sincere just like most apologies. Why even do it? Oh right, got to maintain a decent public image.

And we will continue looking up to men like this professor and other people in our society we deem to be "high ranking." History will repeat itself with no one learning from it.

Like this one. She's right. The offended......whatever.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/12/10/college-president-sorry-for-saying-all-lives-matter/


The bolded...not.