In trying to create goodwill by offering food vouchers, some companies often fail to realise that they are achieving just the opposite.
I came across a recent example of what a promotion should not be when my four-year-old Samsung fridge broke down last Friday and I had to purchase a new one, even though the compressor of the old one was still under warranty.
I decided on a new fridge as it would have taken too long to replace the compressor plus the fact that the Samsung man who came to examine it, had warned my wife that there could be other things wrong as well. It meant that there was the possibility that I might have to pay for other repairs.
But what sealed our fate was that Friday -- the day the fridge decided to take a break -- was marketing day and my wife was left with no place to store her perishables.
The long Vesak Day holiday weekend did not help. Even though we had purchased the new fridge that same evening, delivery could only take place the following Tuesday.
However, everything went smoothly with the delivery, and the subsequent removal of the broken-down fridge.
Then something else got me a little flustered -- I had to do a lot of nitty-gritty stuff to redeem a $100 food voucher which Samsung was offering to customers under what it claims is a "super deal" promotion.
Apart from having to give my personal details, I had to submit the delivery address, purchased product details -- model number, serial number, store of purchase, date of purchase, purchase amount and invoice number -- plus attachments to show proof of purchase including the original tax invoice and cut-out serial number.
It is obvious that many of such details are known to the dealer from whom I had purchased the fridge or Samsung company itself. Question is, why are they not collating all of these themselves?
Why put their customers through such a hassle for a food voucher worth only $100? Surely they must realise that there are some who may not know how to provide what they are asking for. Are they going to deprive these people of the $100 voucher.
I must say this is definitely a promotion gone wrong.
