Tuesday, July 9, 2002
Are we really in a computerized society?
Posted by Jason Dunn in "THOUGHT" @ 09:45 AM
I need to rant here for a minute - bear with me.
I was at Chapters last night (a big book store chain we have in Canada) doing some research for a book I'm possibly writing, and my wife and I decided to pick up a couple of books. I'm a member of their "Chapters Club", which gets me 10% discounts on most purchases, but I never carry the card with me because I usually order online. Incredibly, when I went up to the till, they had no way to look my account up. They have no method to look up a customer account unless that customer has the card with them! They have no connection to their own web site for customer data. Further, when I shop online I get $5 rebate coupons - and these coupons can only be used in the store, not online (oh the humanity of it all!).
It amazes me that in 2002 we're still shackled to bar codes and magnetic strips for our identities and claiming vendor promotions - we still need to carry little "2 for 1" coupons in our wallets or purses. Why is that? Beyond the basic reason of disparate systems that can't communicate easily with each other, there's a more sinister element at play here in some organizations: those dang marketing people. Because I forgot my Chapters Club card, and, shucks, they have no way to look up my information, I lose my 10% discount. Bottom line? The company makes 10% more from my purchase.
Another great example: Blockbuster has a program that you join for $10 a year, and it gives you a $2-off coupon every month. But instead of digitally tying those coupons to your account, making it automatic, they're betting that out of those twelve coupons, the average customer will only use some of them because they'll forget to carry them into the store. Yet another example: I saw two CDs I wanted to buy in a local music store, but opted to walk to the other end of the shopping mall to the store that was charging $2 more per CD, just to get two stamps on my "Buy 10 get 1 free" card. Guess what? They discontinued the program and have no replacement.
Why was I being loyal to that company again?
Sometimes corporate greed frustrates me. There's nothing wrong with making money, but don't do it at the expense of your customers. If you're going to create systems to reward your customers for shopping there, REWARD them! Don't make it difficult for them to benefit from your programs, and don't give them a reason to get frustrated and shop elsewhere. Rant done. I feel better. Been frustrated by something similar recently?
I was at Chapters last night (a big book store chain we have in Canada) doing some research for a book I'm possibly writing, and my wife and I decided to pick up a couple of books. I'm a member of their "Chapters Club", which gets me 10% discounts on most purchases, but I never carry the card with me because I usually order online. Incredibly, when I went up to the till, they had no way to look my account up. They have no method to look up a customer account unless that customer has the card with them! They have no connection to their own web site for customer data. Further, when I shop online I get $5 rebate coupons - and these coupons can only be used in the store, not online (oh the humanity of it all!).
It amazes me that in 2002 we're still shackled to bar codes and magnetic strips for our identities and claiming vendor promotions - we still need to carry little "2 for 1" coupons in our wallets or purses. Why is that? Beyond the basic reason of disparate systems that can't communicate easily with each other, there's a more sinister element at play here in some organizations: those dang marketing people. Because I forgot my Chapters Club card, and, shucks, they have no way to look up my information, I lose my 10% discount. Bottom line? The company makes 10% more from my purchase.
Another great example: Blockbuster has a program that you join for $10 a year, and it gives you a $2-off coupon every month. But instead of digitally tying those coupons to your account, making it automatic, they're betting that out of those twelve coupons, the average customer will only use some of them because they'll forget to carry them into the store. Yet another example: I saw two CDs I wanted to buy in a local music store, but opted to walk to the other end of the shopping mall to the store that was charging $2 more per CD, just to get two stamps on my "Buy 10 get 1 free" card. Guess what? They discontinued the program and have no replacement.
Why was I being loyal to that company again?Sometimes corporate greed frustrates me. There's nothing wrong with making money, but don't do it at the expense of your customers. If you're going to create systems to reward your customers for shopping there, REWARD them! Don't make it difficult for them to benefit from your programs, and don't give them a reason to get frustrated and shop elsewhere. Rant done. I feel better. Been frustrated by something similar recently?
