Have you recently received a consumer survey from a retail establishment to access your shopping experience? They are provided by almost every business today so as to measure everything from their level of customer service to “Value for your Dollar” on the goods and/or services they provide.
Yet very few if any consider how someone without the internet and a computer, Tablet or Smart Phone can rate them and take advantage of special offers, discounts or a chance at a Gift Certificate valued at $500 to $1,000.
Consider the elderly individual that feels intimidated by the now fast paced world of technology and social media. Does their opinion not count? Are they not also the ones that help build the financial success as a consumer over the years to many of these Big Box Stores?
I keep thinking of my own mother. She wants nothing to do with technology, heck it took years to get her to buy a “Pay as You Go” cell phone. All she kept saying was “What the heck do I need that thing for”. Recently she asked “I have been collecting Air Miles for some years now how do I cash them in?”. Well, first off she wasn’t even aware that all her points where in the “Dream” category, so she could not use them at a retailer that would redeem them at the time of purchase. So I said to her “you can order a product with the points you have accumulated“. She said “that’s great, how do I go about doing that?” Well guess what Mom, you need the “Internet” After spending and hour or so going through the online catalogue, she got herself a nice Panini Press, something she always wanted.
What about the “Ease of Accessibility”? how many businesses provide alternative options to online “Customer Surveys” for the disabled?
A few days ago, we received a really nice Domino’s pizza flyer. It was colourful and did its job…it made us hungry and want to place an order. Problem #1. You could only order online. They did not have a phone number on the flyer. So we fired up the computer, went to the website and started by clicking the order button. Twenty minutes later, we finally got the order placed. Yes, it was that difficult to do, and Gisèle and I are tech savvy. Maybe we should have asked our son to do it for us? After that ordeal, Gisèle asked me “what if your Mom wanted to order the pizza?“, and I answered “I guess she would phone us to order it for her on the internet thing-a-ma-jiggy”
How about special offers? Take a look at the receipt from your latest purchases and see how many companies print “Visit our website for more Special Offers” or “Sign Up to our Newsletter and receive additional Coupons”, “Like Us on Facebook and receive 20% your next purchase”.
Whether it be fear of the technology, understanding it or in some cases the feeling that “I just don’t need it in my life”. What about the family or individual that does not have the money to afford the high cost of having internet access? Face it, we have children in school using the Library computers to complete homework because a computer and the internet are not in the family budget.
The playing field is no longer even, unless you have the internet, you lose out on many things in the world today.
Businesses find it easy and less expensive to simply make it an internet based assessment of their customers shopping experience. The numbers are tabulated in a database and some Marketing Guru will put their spin on what the company is lacking or doing well.
The challenge here is how many of these so called Marketing Gurus can come up with an idea to level the playing field, so Grandpa, Grandma even the non-techie can win that $1,000 Gift Certificate.
The real art of creative marketing is to get 100% of your client base to participate. Go back to the quick “Survey Card” ask a couple of simple questions.
- Name
- Phone Number
- Did you find what you were looking for?
- Where our associates helpful and accessible?
- Was our location clean and inviting?
- Do you feel you received value for you purchase?
Other that the Name, Phone number and “Yes” and “No” check boxes, make it easy for the consumer to complete.
They can simply drop the card in a box should they have time or drop it in on their next visit.
Sure you won’t get as many replies as an online survey, however not every customer has to receive one, have your associates ask the customer, “If you don’t have the option of completing our survey online would you like a Survey Card to fill out and return to us on you next visit for a chance to Win a $1,000 Gift Certificate?”.
Or if you are giving away $5.00 off your next purchase for completing an online survey extend the same option to the customer who hands in the “Survey Card” on their next visit.
What a way to get a repeat customer… give away $5.00! Depending on your average transaction value, a $5.00 giveaway could be your greatest draw card. Something to think about.
In today’s consumer market, people like to voice their opinion even if it is with a short Yes or No survey. Just take a look at Facebook and Twitter.
Let’s give everyone a fair chance to save a buck or two, not just the tech savvy, in-tune social media followers and internet connected majority.
Thanks for reading.
Joe Butka
Legacy Designs
Yes! What a great point! I really hope more organizations start to realize that customers and clients are equally important and deserve to be treated as such.
Thanks Kirsten, yes some companies only think that their online customers are important. It’s a shame.
Thank you for your comment Kirsten, unfortunately most organizations are missing the point that all their clients are equal.
This makes a lot of sense for brick and mortar businesses, but what about businesses that only exist online? I run a service-based online business. Unfortunately, that means I can’t work with anyone who doesn’t have internet access; however, I’ve had good success by narrowing my ideal client profile instead of trying to market to everyone.
Thank you for your input Sage, in your case this is completely correct. Your clients locate you and do business with you by being connected on the internet. My point is more to the situation where you visit that brick and mortar business and to participate in a survey for a bonus offer you must complete that survey online only.
I agree that brick and mortar businesses do need to keep the non-tech, non-internet customer in mind. I was at a Fazoli’s recently that went to every customer one day during lunch and asked them to fill out a paper survey to receive a discount coupon. They provided pencils. (Mine might have gotten butter on it from the bread sticks I was eating.) It was refreshing because they did the survey “old school” without the internet. And they got instant feedback on current customers.
That is amazing that they did that. Instant feedback as you’re more likely to fill it out while at the table and get your coupon immediately. That’s a restaurant that gets it! Good for them!!!
Erika, great example of going the extra mile to enlist feedback from everyone. Hats off to a business with over 200 locations across the USA not falling back on it’s large presence. Whether it was the decision of this one franchisee or a corporate idea more brick and mortar businesses need to take everyone into consideration.
I agree that it is unfortunate but I don’t think it’s going to change anytime soon. I think that we really need to keep up with the times and make every effort to have internet. My 85 year old father has internet, iphone, ipad and texts to his grandchildren because that is how they like to communicate. If we don’t keep up we are left out.
Marketers as well as the entertainment industry have always left entire groups out. They find their target market and focus on that group. Unfortunately, it often means leaving out the 50+ crowd or the low income crowd.
Erika posted about Fazoli’s and how they get their customer feedback which is fantastic. Instant feedback and an instant rewards for their clients. Unless a business is dealing only online (then it only makes sense that their target market is already online), if the business is also a brick and mortar type, they can’t ignore the group that is unable to use the internet as it’s more than just the 50+ crowd and low income. What about the people who are visually impaired and have physical challenges on using a keyboard or touch screen. Does that mean that their opinion doesn’t count? There are accessibility laws, including the internet in place, unfortunately they are not enforced.
Sherri you are correct it will not change anytime soon, actually never is more likely. As we become more and more dependent on technology we forget some of the simple ways of communicating and the benefits they provide through social interaction. Kudos to your father for keeping up with the times, keeping in touch with family is not always easy, however when technology provides that opportunity it has enormous benefits.
Your mother sounds like my husband who is a farmer. He had his sister do all the internet stuff before I came a long and even now he still doesn’t have an email address. He doesn’t see the point, I have one and as long as he has my business card he passes that on.
I bought him a Kindle Fire and he now has a smart phone, so he is slowly getting there.
Thank goodness that farming will not go completely online for a very long long time. The older generation who don’t have children don’t even have computers.
But I live in Germany and we don’t have everything online yet for safety reasons. (I can see your eyes rolling at the Germans and their safety regulations)
Susan, nope, not rolling my eyes at the Germans. One of our best clients is German and he tells us how different things are over there. My daughter doesn’t have a computer and she’s 33. The kids are being raised on old style values and they are two of the most polite kids I’ve ever met (not being biased). The parents have a blackberry each for communication when he’s a work. They live in a rural area, living off the land. She’s aware that when Ava goes to Kindergarten she will be exposed the digital tools that schools use now and she’ll take those days one at a time.
Most of us will eventually put one foot in the water. Whether it’s just a smart phone a Kindle or both like in your husband’s case we don’t want to look like the odd person out. If the means and interest are there we will give it a try.
More and more companies are encouraged to go on-line, use social media. Courses for Srs are available at libraries, adult ed, etc. It seems inevitable but if a brick & mortar store- having both is a great idea. I have the opposite challenge. We gained most of our customers from live craft fairs. Hardly doing them but these women will not buy on-line despite loving our jewelry, knowing value & quality of our product, return policy, etc. Focusing on creating customers who are jewelry lovers and online savvy.
I have to admit, I’ve never bought jewelry online, and buying from you was my first time and was not disappointed. Personally, I love to touch and feel what I’m buying, holding against my ears or neck so “see” how it looks. Even though both my businesses are based on technology, I prefer the personal and physical experience.
I know what you mean Roslyn, to a get degree I still like to touch and feel the quality of what I am looking to buy. I use the internet to research the product but I would still like to see and feel the quality.
Your comments have a fan in this cow patch, Gisele.
I’m all for integrated communications and marketing. In our circles, the balance may favour technology –yet, my belief and experience is there’s a big need to remember the human face of society.
Go ahead: try picking up the phone. Encourage young sales people to look at others square in the eye and ask them what they think of your products and services. It can be scary–but so worth the risk.
And, yes, remember those with physical challenges.
Thanks Sharon, Joe will be replying to your comment as well. This is his first blog post and well, gotta keep the man in check 🙂
I was at Lococo’s (local grocery store) and the chicken wasn’t priced properly. I told the person stocking and he didn’t seem to care at all. Played the blame game. Heaven help anyone with physical challenges that has to shop there.
Your point is well made, the human face can say a lot that technology will never show.
I’m kind of in a different field (or court, as it may be). On the tennis courts, I use my iPhone to video the kids when they try to argue with me about their technique. This is where technology is great! Instant feedback! I can share with their parents! I can threaten to put it up on YouTube! However, there is something to be said for human contact, which makes everything seem more tailored to specific people, making them feel more special and inclined to return. I have noticed the same between my online classes and in person classes, as well.
I would love to be there watching you film the kids! oh that must be funny when you threaten them with YouTube LOL!!! When I run my online classes (for art), I use a video camera and mic so it’s as live as it’s ever going to get. They get to see me and ask questions during the lessons. Most though are nervous about turning on their own web cams. But that’s ok, whatever I need to do to make them comfortable is all that matters. When I’m teaching at an art convention, whole different mentality. The organizers put survey questions inside the welcome packets so people fill them out at the end of the day. For each one they fill in and submit, they go into a draw.
The “Instant Replay” of technology will always win when it comes to clearing up this kind of situation.
Well.. as one in the Internet Marketing industry who also teaches social media.. it isn’t just the elderly who aren’t tech savvy.. And while I understand there are those who aren’t tech savvy, it still is a small percentage compared to the masses. I agree the Dominoes flyer is trying to get you to order online, I didn’t find it that difficult but I agree, some times I just want to call a freaken number.. AND without 50 prompts! I have to say, if I got a survey in the mail that DIDN’T include a self addressed stamped envelope, I won’t do it… but I would fill out a survey monkey online in a heartbeat. Sorry, the internet is NOT going away (thankfully for your industry and mine) and folks that dig in their heels will just be left behind.
As an aside, speaking of a company/industry leaving people behind… I LOATHE BREASTraunts who ONLY market to men.. seriously? I won’t be bringing my family or ride our motorcycles there w/ my man… so they are losing out on couples AND families and ONLY catering to men.. talk about jacked up.. but that, somehow is socially acceptable. I like to enjoy my food and beverage w/o boobs in my face, tyvm! Sorry, tangent moment! Great read though.
Hi Kristen, are you referring to Dominoes in the US? because we had to place our order on the Canadian website and it took multiple times because items were being dropped. After all of that, the pizza wasn’t that great, but the driver was mega nice to we tipped him well.
As for the “Breastraunts” yup, I know where you’re coming from. I went to one of those restaurants about 15 years ago. It was the only place around and the waitress was nice, but I was very uncomfortable. The food was great, but if I’m going to drop $75 for lunch, I want to be able to enjoy myself.
As for people digging in their heels and being left behind, yes I see your point on that. Where I’m annoyed and Joe as well are the ones that “can’t get on the internet due to physical challenges”.
Every business should strive to connect with all their customers. It really does depend on the type of business and demographic of their customer base.
Yes, it does depend on the type. I just don’t think offending brick and mortar businesses should penalize people with challenges and only accept survey’s online especially where there is discount or a reward involved. A place up here called Vicars Vice gives you paper based surveys at the table in large print. The clientele varies by age and optionally you can put your name on the card, but they ask you to put it in the box at the front to really keep it anonymous. The reward is a discount off your next meal. For me, by the time I get home, I’ll have forgotten or can’t be bothered to turn on the computer.
Yes I agree completely if you are a business that operates online only, then your connection will probably be online only. If not don’t forget that walk in customer.
Good point about offering these deals, sprcial offers etc. too. Over here I do see them sometimes, it is not always only via websites and online.
That’s good Katarina, those businesses are looking at their “entire” client base, not just the ease of taking survey’s online.
Deals & Specials are great, think of how much easier it is to up sell or suggest a new product line if they come to you.
Although I know there are great points being made in this article, the underlying reasons for wanting people to do their life online, is to track people and capture information. I would LOVE to be offline and I do very little of my life actually online. I don’t order online. I don’t do online banking. I still write cheques and mail them. I think that there is a generation of people and certain segments of the population that are being left out of life online, and yet, I am not so sure that is a bad thing. The powers that be have a very strategic plan in how they are moving so much of daily life to the online world, and my belief is the more of us who do not become “slaves” to the plan, the better actually or world will stay. Thanks for the great article, as it is something I would like to see more businesses to conscious of it how they do their business to include their consumers!
My Mom-in-law bless her, she’s in her 80’s, goes to the bank, writes cheques and mails them as well. She used to be a bank teller and I think it’s the interaction with people she loves so much. And get this.. the business bank account we have…we incur extra service charges if we go to the teller! oh I think that’s another blog post for Joe to do 🙂
With the advantages and opportunities offered with the proliferation of online business operations, many organizations are inclined to engage on this respect. However, they should treat their clients who are transacting businesses on them via brick and mortar scheme.
Exactly what better way to get them to come back for repeat business, especially when they are already coming to your brick and mortar business.
It’s so funny…as much time as I spend on the computer, I would much rather fill out a survey at the time of purchase in a store or restaurant rather than go online. My kids though would never consider it. I have a feeling with each generation the idea of doing something on paper or via an actual phone call will become less and less frequent. Landline phones will eventually disappear and even the most economically disadvantaged will have cell phones to do everything online.
You correct Beth, the human factor is disappearing. Yes we are in a digital age but social interaction should still account for some of the social development of today’s young.
We have shifted to an online world but for some that shift is turning back for privacy and peace. I have many friends who have decided to leave the world of Facebook as it became too intrusive in their lives. Maybe the pendulum will swing back to the middle and marketers will see the positive response of various sources of information. For me I love the ease and options of living online 🙂
Technology is great, but how much do we really want to share and how safe is what we put online, even in a secure environment. With all the system hacks going on now days, the disconnected are the only true safe people.
Just a little follow up we received a new Domino’s Pizza Flyer today and guess what this one has not one but 2 phone numbers you can call to place an order.