Verizon IS Clueless: Can You Hear Me?
I hate to rant, but this is an excellent story on the critical importance of properly implementing an integrated multi-channel marketing program and customer service.
For the record, I am an avid Blackberry user and have all my company cell phones (about 20) through US Cellular. I currently use the model 8830 world edition.
As you may know, Blackberry just launched the “Storm” to compete with the i-phone. It is the first true touch pad smart phone designed for business users. For now, you can only get the phone if you have or sign up for service with Verizon. Maybe this new phone would convince me to switch my service to Verizon.
So, two weeks ago I get a direct mail piece (a self-mailer) from Verizon. It invites me to an exclusive seminar where I can learn about the phone, its features and it will be an exclusive event. I could not attend the location or the date/time of the session that was imaged on the piece. No problem. The website that I was directed to gave me a drop down menu with various other times and locations as alternatives.
I chose a location close to my home, on a Tuesday (11/25/08) at 8am. I was excited to get there, try the phone and have a lot of time with the sales rep from Verizon to learn all about the device uninterrupted and more or less one-on-one.
I arrive at 7:55, doors locked, no one there. Hmmm… I stop for a quick coffee, go back and the three people there reluctantly let me in. I tell them I am there for the exclusive event and they all stare at me as if I have the Asian Bird Flu. “We have no idea what you’re talking about,” they tell me. “The event was last week.” I explain about the invitation, website, drop down menu and the like and they still act like I’m lost in space (or at least Franklin, Wisconsin).
Moral: What did the campaign cost, how often can you pick up a 20 phone plan with little effort and how often do campaigns like this go astray? I’d suggest they hire my firm (but I’m not to get promotional here), or at least a firm who has the details down. Thank you Verizon. I will stay with my current provider. Your marketing and customer service are reasons why so many campaigns nowadays fail. They are executed very, very poorly.
