Retailer’s seasonal marketing campaigns

[Chamby]

I won’t name names, but having received marketing e-mails from several retailers over the holiday season, I decided to take one of them up on their tempting offerings.

 

I dislike ordering online, preferring to speak to someone, so I called said retailer during normal trading hours and was put on hold... “we are busy right now, but one of our team will be with you in a few moments”.  Cue bland Muzak.  But after what seemed like several minutes, I was automatically transferred to an answering machine.  

 

OK, perhaps they are busy so I’ll call back later.  But the same thing happened on five consecutive occasions over two days.  So I eventually checked their opening hours online and lo, they were operating significantly reduced opening hours over the holiday period.

 

Two requests to retailers, please:

 

When you are closed for business during normal trading hours, that’s fine but please amend your answering technology to say so - and don’t keep customers hanging on the line, telling them that you will attend to them shortly, when you have absolutely no intention of doing so.

 

And please don’t send out your marketing campaigns at a time when you are not going to be open to handle those of us who take the bait.  That’s just poor marketing.

 

Thank you in anticipation.