Death to giveaways!!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

See, that is not fair to you. Unless asshole boss is on the frontline having to deal with the fallout from this, it's not fair to make you all do it.

[Ironclad Alibi]

So now we have to get a Spanish Inquisition every time we want a game? Didn't expect that.

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

1. Rewards card
2. Free PC Tune-up
...

I have that rewards card. It has saved me a few dollars.

But what's with the Free PC Tune-up? I get a coupon for one every time I buy something there. Besides not wanting anyone else to touch my finely tuned computer, I am not going to crawl around behind and under the table to disconnect and reconnect all those wires again.

[Midorikawa]

But what's with the Free PC Tune-up? I get a coupon for one every time I buy something there. Besides not wanting anyone else to touch my finely tuned computer, I am not going to crawl around behind and under the table to disconnect and reconnect all those wires again.

Exactly. I make sure to let corporate know when they start with the verbal spammage...or the manager if there's no corporate. I've handed my linux laptop over before to a manager of a mom and pop shop who wouldn't leave me alone about a pc tuneup when I went in for a pack of DVD-RWs. Even logged him in as my user, and showed him my zsh prompt (no gui, lappy was all command line back then) and offered to let him have at it. Funny enough, he didn't appreciate my cooperation, but left me alone next I was in there.

[elsporko]

Pen of the month? Is that like a club where you get a new pen every month? Who is going to join that?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

At the swamp we're not much better. At checkout the cashiers have to talk up the following:

1. Did you find everything you were looking for? (If customer says no, send them back to the department they want and page for customer assistance there)
2. Do you have our loyalty card? (If no, do you want to sign up and save $XXX?)
3. If buying jewelry, furniture or electronics--We offer an extended protection plan on that for $XXX, would you be interested in that?
4. If buying furniture, TVs or game systems--We offer delivery and/or assembly and/or setup through Zip for $XXX, would you be interested in that?
5. Your total is $XXX
6. To take a survey on your experience today go to (website that has the survey on it). You could win a $250 shopping spree.

[trailerparkmedic]

As a customer, I really, really hate being asked 20 questions just so I can buy something. It's one of the reasons I shop online so much.

The last promotion we did we had like a 5% turnaround rate on the cards which means that across the 500 or so we gave away, only 25 people actually bothered to try it.

I don't think that's a terrible response rate. Granted, you've got a targeted audience so the response rate should be high but for things like direct mail (junk mail), people consider a 1% response rate to be pretty good, and that's with a somewhat targeted list.

Not that it makes anyone besides corporate feel any better about the whole situation.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Pen of the month? Is that like a club where you get a new pen every month? Who is going to join that?

It is a special club for SCs. They get sent to a different pen every month.

[jerseyguy]

Giveaway pain

I have actually had customers complain to me when the cashier put a free sample in their bag. "I didn't buy that! I want you to take that off of my bill right now! What kind of scam are you people trying to pull?"

Me: "It's a free sample, ma'am. I assure you that you were not charged for the item. See? It doesn't have a bar code."

SC: "It's still deceptive."

Deceptive? Oh, yeah...I'm fooling you into accepting free stuff.

On a personal note: I'm brand stinking new to the site, and I have about a bajillion horror stories to share. I cannot reveal my current employer, but let's just say that I work for a giraffe, and that screaming, spoiled children are my daily hell.

[zombiequeen]

On a personal note: I'm brand stinking new to the site, and I have about a bajillion horror stories to share. I cannot reveal my current employer, but let's just say that I work for a giraffe, and that screaming, spoiled children are my daily hell.

You work in the giraffe exhibit at a zoo! Oh my gosh, do you get to ride the giraffes around?
Sorry, I know where that is, and my husband and I are not allowed there because we would hit the kids.