marketing campaigns
How many of us have experienced marketing campaigns that have gone awry? Do you typically take the time to report the boo-boos to the organizations in question?
For the past two weeks, I have been receiving telemarketing calls from a national charity whose local office I have supported in the past. The first time I answered the telephone, the automated female voice message said she was sorry that she missed me and would call back another time. That’s weird, I thought. All I said was, “Hello,” and the system must have thought I was a voicemail message.
The following few times the call display showed the same number, I avoided answering it. Then, finally I picked up the phone again and innocently answered, “Hello.” Again, the same automated female voice said the same automated message! Hello! I am a human being here. Talk to me!
Well, instead of blocking that number, or avoiding the telephone when it showed up on call display, I decided to report the error.
It took less than one minute to find the charity online and locate its phone number. When I called, the receptionist was very nice and sent my call through to the director of development. When he didn’t pick up, she returned to say she didn’t want me to go to voicemail so she’d pass me on to Leslie, the staff person who’s in charge of the campaign.
Leslie was very sweet and expressed her sincere appreciation for my call. We chatted for a bit and she said she would contact the telemarketing supplier to report the error. She said she was especially pleased that I called because the organization is about to make a decision on its telemarketing supplier.
Apparently, I was the first person who called to report this glitch. It’s unapparent if anyone else had experienced the same thing.
I felt good that I took the time to call the organization. It does good charitable work and shouldn’t have to lose donors and supporters because of a technological issue with its supplier.
So, if you experience any marketing boo-boos by organizations or businesses that you patronize, take the time to advise them of any errors. You’ll be doing them a big favor and they should shower you with appreciation.
Imagine if you were in their situation - you’d want to know, right?
