Lying to Your Customers is Bad Customer Service
One of the worst trends in customer service is lying to your customers about information you gather on them.
Retailers often use the point-of-sale to gather demographic information on their customers, linking zip codes, addresses, names, even social security numbers to purchases to help them determine how to sell more with targeted advertising.
I understand this - and if I want to join the Best Buy Rewards program or get a Macy's credit card, I know I have to fork over that information.
Privacy statements don't make me feel better, considering I've received three letters this year alone stating laptops wit hmy information were stolen from employees of these companies, but there's not much I can do about it if I want access to credit.
At the same time, when a company asks for my phone number or address or e-mail or any of the other bits of information they need, I don't feel it's my duty to give them accurate information. Especially when they lie.
There are at least two retailers I know of with false information on their privacy statements. Linens and Things and SteinMart both request your phone number at the counter when you make a purchase. It doesn't matter if you're purchasing with cash, credit or check - sales associates are trained to ask for your phone number to enter into the computer.
When you ask why, these sales associates point you to a sign that gives several reasons why they need your phone number. One of those reasons, is to be able to send you sales and new announcements.
Every time I see that sign, I get angry. It would take a very great fool of a marketing director to make a sign that says these stores will send me information if I give them my phone number. The intention is clear - they want you to feel like giving them your phone number will help you get a deal - but no deal is coming - it's a useless piece of information that can only harm you, and I'm astounded that Linens and Things and Steinmart, and many other retailers, think their customers are so stupid they won't figure it out.
Customer Service 101 - Don't tell lies to your customers.
Retailers often use the point-of-sale to gather demographic information on their customers, linking zip codes, addresses, names, even social security numbers to purchases to help them determine how to sell more with targeted advertising.
I understand this - and if I want to join the Best Buy Rewards program or get a Macy's credit card, I know I have to fork over that information.
Privacy statements don't make me feel better, considering I've received three letters this year alone stating laptops wit hmy information were stolen from employees of these companies, but there's not much I can do about it if I want access to credit.
At the same time, when a company asks for my phone number or address or e-mail or any of the other bits of information they need, I don't feel it's my duty to give them accurate information. Especially when they lie.
There are at least two retailers I know of with false information on their privacy statements. Linens and Things and SteinMart both request your phone number at the counter when you make a purchase. It doesn't matter if you're purchasing with cash, credit or check - sales associates are trained to ask for your phone number to enter into the computer.
When you ask why, these sales associates point you to a sign that gives several reasons why they need your phone number. One of those reasons, is to be able to send you sales and new announcements.
Every time I see that sign, I get angry. It would take a very great fool of a marketing director to make a sign that says these stores will send me information if I give them my phone number. The intention is clear - they want you to feel like giving them your phone number will help you get a deal - but no deal is coming - it's a useless piece of information that can only harm you, and I'm astounded that Linens and Things and Steinmart, and many other retailers, think their customers are so stupid they won't figure it out.
Customer Service 101 - Don't tell lies to your customers.
posted by James Durbin @ 4:03 PM PERMALINK
2 Comments:
Didn't follow this post. Maybe you can explain "the lie" more clearly?
The lie is they tell you the reason they ask for your phone number is to send you information on sales.
They don't ask for your address or e-mail address.
The only two ways that is not a lie if is they are texting you (they are not), or if they are using a reverse look-up to track your address (which is even worse that they don't tell you).
At each register, signs proudly display why they ask for your information. You would think they would be honest if they were going to go to the effort.
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