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How would someone mail you from a postal code?

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  • How would someone mail you from a postal code?

    At our store we are asking customers for their postal code because apparently we need it to see where people are coming from in order to build another store for our company. Every week that we don't get enough of the Postal codes they make us do the survey again for another week until it's over which I don't understand because I can't figure out why they can't find an area in the city and place one that's furthest away from the other stores

    Well anyways my gripe is why would people think that we are giving them junk mail just from a postal code I mean is it just as dumb a notion as asking for gas in a clothing store ? Why do people react like an obvious asshole just from me following protocol and asking for Postal codes instead of a simple no I mean c'mon?

    I ask one guy once for the postal code like the following

    Me: We're doing a survey so we are asking people for their postal code
    Bike Riding Dumbass: Have you ever heard of the {(province name)} privacy act? It gives you the right to not give out information that's confidential.
    Me: absolutely

    I only asked once for the postal code I'm not harassing you for it and by any means if I do constantly ask you for it then bloody well state this notion not when I'm in a peon position following comany regulations you friggin idiot!!!
    Providing Excellent customer service and Filtering out nonsense people.

  • #2
    Hugs?

    Apparently asking for zip codes is exactly the same as asking for someones social security number, or their phone number, or blood samples, or something, to hear our customers bitch.
    you are = you're. not "your".

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    • #3
      Trouble about the whole zip-code thing is, they CAN send promotion mail to every address in a given zip code.

      The information is valuable promotional stuff that marketers use to do such mailings, and withe the zip code information they can more effectively target certain areas where people are likely to purchase their product.

      Not that it excuses people from being jerks about it mind you. I tend to simply say no, or ask if the store is offering a discount on my bill in exchange for it.


      Eric the Grey
      In memory of Dena - Don't Drink and Drive

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      • #4
        I once had to do the whole zip code thing for a job(maybe the same company??) and if they said no I just put in my hometown zip code for giggles. It's not like they really followed up on my dozens of wyo zip codes.
        "Failure is not an option. It comes bundled with your software."

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        • #5
          Quoth Eric the Grey View Post
          Trouble about the whole zip-code thing is, they CAN send promotion mail to every address in a given zip code.

          The information is valuable promotional stuff that marketers use to do such mailings, and withe the zip code information they can more effectively target certain areas where people are likely to purchase their product
          awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww and I thought SC's were really that dumb when they ask that. I ask around at work about why people would say if we are sending them stuff and I get an expected stern NO. Do department stores ever do promos where they can send mail?
          Last edited by Ree; 10-04-2008, 01:05 PM. Reason: Excessive quoting
          Providing Excellent customer service and Filtering out nonsense people.

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          • #6
            Quoth HALFHUMANHALFZOMBIE View Post
            I ask around at work about why people would say if we are sending them stuff and I get an expected stern NO. Do department stores ever do promos where they can send mail?
            In truth, it's probably not the stores themselves sending this stuff out. Instead, they sell the information to marketing firms. If they didn't do anything with this information, they wouldn't collect it. It slows down the productivity of the checkers, as they add it in. I read an article on this a long time ago. Unfortunately I don't remember where.

            And really, do you think that local management, or even district really knows what this data is used for?


            Eric the Grey
            Last edited by Ree; 10-04-2008, 01:06 PM. Reason: Excessive quoting
            In memory of Dena - Don't Drink and Drive

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            • #7
              Some people have said that they don't want to have to play 20 questions with the cashier, they want to go in, get what they want, pay for it, and get out. And I can understand that. Not that it excuses them getting pissy with you, of course.

              Still, like you said, it's not like you can spam them simply by having their zip code. It's not like having their phone number, which I will politely refuse to give out if I'm asked.
              Sometimes life is altered.
              Break from the ropes your hands are tied.
              Uneasy with confrontation.
              Won't turn out right. Can't turn out right

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              • #8
                My zip+4 (granted, the +4 is required) can be used to reach me as I'm the only person in the country with that combination.

                But for many people, it's more of a reason of "why do you want to know?" Sadly.... if you have their name, and their zip, you can get their telephone number, address, and depending on how much a company pays for the info -- your income, your job, etc (it's all available on online sites and in books places - or used to be at least); or at the least someone's info that matches it..

                Zip by itself (with no +4, no name, etc) is harmless -- but in the world today... people are overly paranoid. Shame that some people get angry over being asked for it.

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                • #9
                  I've seen asking for the zip code being used for both purposes - the purpose of finding a place for a new location as well as for the purpose of mailing out sales fliers and coupons. I used to work for a restaurant that was growing their chain. Very good Italian joint....mmmmm....anyway, they did the zip code thing for both purposes.
                  "I'm still walking, so I'm sure that I can dance!" from Saint of Circumstance - Grateful Dead

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                  • #10
                    im naughty

                    when im asked for my zipcode I tell them im not living here

                    having a NZ accent in both Canada and the UK is helpful sometimes

                    same goes for extended warrenties or credit card offers cuts them off dead (and they cant get in trouble for not asking the 287933 times they have to)
                    I wasnt put on this earth to make you feel like a man ~ Mary Bertone

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                    • #11
                      I use a fake phone number and zip code for such situations
                      "If we refund your money, give you a free replacement and shoot the manager, then will you be happy?" - sign seen in a restaurant

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                      • #12
                        Back in the dark ages (1980-ish), the jewelry store I managed tried building up a mailing list by asking customers for their mailing address. We were honest with why we were asking, and we graciously took "no" for an answer. I don't think we ever did mail anything out.
                        Everything will be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end.

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                        • #13
                          eh. when i feel like being a jerk for those postal-code things, i just use one that's no where near the store i'm in.... like one from another state, or halfway around the world.

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                          • #14
                            I'll give my zip code, but there's no way I'm giving a phone number. I don't trust corporate -- anybody's! -- with that bit of information.

                            Besides, it's not like the chain stores are going to build where I live. For all sorts of reasons, some reasonable, some completely stupid, it ain't gonna happen. Honest.

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                            • #15
                              The store I recently quit from, does the zip code thing once a year. They do it purely for internal marketing/advertising whatever. One of the district guys explained to me that the company wants the information (they ask zip and if your shopping for business or personnal) so they know percentages of what kind of customers, and where the customers come from but they don't want to hassle the customers every time they come in. So one day a year they ask the questions and still people get annoyed.

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