$18 bottled water -- fixed

Well, the Coca-Cola vending machine representative showed up at my office today, with a $20,00 bill. Putting a human face on the problem and solution, he said when I receive the $25 or so in merchandise coupons, I could donate them to my son's hockey team. A simple courtesy, but by putting a human solution to the story, he saved Coke's brand.

Obviously, my complaint and the resulting energy and time spent to resolve the situation cost Coca-Cola some money, but when you think of the millions of dollars in advertising and marketing, a little customer service and respect really go a long way. I think a better solution would be to have well calibrated machines with sufficient electronic information so that the veracity of potential problems can be reported and solved right away -- with arrangements, where required for someone nearby (convenience store or whatever) to be able to issue cash or merchandise refunds right on the spot. But, regardless, this file is closed and Coke ultimately got it right.