Comments on: Is Great Marketing the New Public Relations?

By: ISAAC BISILKI

ISAAC BISILKI — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:27:20 +0000

I am an undergrat.

By: Akym

Akym — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:29:22 +0000

I think everything stems from the Management culture. Compusa does not strike me as a company particularly interested in projecting a good image to its customers. The company is obviously hanging by a thread, with their kind of customer service I bet you they wont be around long.
I have personally had a doze of their bad customer relation and vowed not to return

By: Akeem Adetunji

Akeem Adetunji — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 16:28:59 +0000

By: indiana j0nes

indiana j0nes — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:53:35 +0000

hi there.. i would like to ask.. could you briefly discuss the diffrent publics of a company and their expectation? and why is it important..

By: Margie Zable Fisher

Margie Zable Fisher — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:06:53 +0000

Hi Jim,
Loved your post.
The bottom line is: everyone is in P.R. That includes salespeople, customer service people and executives.
Letting them all know that they are empowered to handle problems, and that any of their actions (especially crummy ones) can have a major effect on corporate performance will help prevent problems like this in the future.

By: Rick Couture

Rick Couture — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 05:44:26 +0000

I bet the empty box was the one they used as the display model…easily confirmed by checking the serial number on the box against the serial number on the floor model. Assuming the camera box had a serial number of course…my Canon does I think. A smart store manager could have solved this one so easily.

By: Karl Boehm

Karl Boehm — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:49:33 +0000

I think that the marketing promotion is an interesting idea but this is an argument of semantics and the answer simply depends on the corporate structure – is the PR department setup to be reactionary or is the marketing and the truth is that after the customer service line fails, then it goes to management and when that fails if it goes public the PR department is setup to react to public opinion.
So I suppose I disagree with the main point however marketing can certainly help the PR department make lemonade so to speak.
Thanks for the topic!

By: David

David — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:12:50 +0000

I tend to agree with Neil. I would rather speak to the client directly, offering him an upgrade on the product he bought (top model in the range, for example) and let the client do your PR and marketing. The customer might post to another blog and praise the company for the ‘efficient manner in which they handled a delicate situation’ – and your reputation is restored – at least in part. It might be picked up by other publications and used as an example of good customer management. And the good thing would be that PR / Marketing had nothing to do with it.
Similar stories tend to ‘disappear’ from the media after some time but a disgruntled and angry customer will not forget the incident.
I’d prefer to be lambasted in the media for a couple of days rather than having an unhappy customer convincing his friends and family not to purchase anything from my company. When that happens, the company has an even bigger problem to solve.

By: David

David — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:11:21 +0000

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:08:00 +0000

Marketing and PR are two different fields, and I’m afraid this article supports the common ignorance about what PR really does.
I agree with the last 3 posters. “20 years ago”??? Hardly. Deal with the customer who has the problem first. It has nothing to do “burying” anything…it’s about being honest with the customer; afterall, PR deals with your publics and marketing is concerned with sales. Jim Lane’s post is right: the media will see right through your idea to put money in a box…you’re just trying to make more money rather than solving the problem at hand.
While your proposed giveaway might be something to consider doing after everything is settled with the problem, I hardly think saying “PR should not be involved anymore” is a legitimate argument. Of course PR can effectively solve problems…if you have the right people doing it. Obviously CompUSA’s executive wasn’t the right person to decide he would handle their PR himself.

By: Lysander Meath Baker

Lysander Meath Baker — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:57:55 +0000

How does CompUSA know that there really was no camera in the box? Some customers are dishonest. If you have a policy of handing out free gifts to customers who claim empty boxes then I suspect there will suddenly be many more empty boxes…

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 05:09:57 +0000

It would be helpful if the company had a policy about dealing with mistakes to begin with. Frankly, if a firm makes a mistake it seems they should make it right with THAT customer before it becomes a social media issue.
I recently ordered a new phone with a wireless headset, etc., for my home office. There was radio station interference with the new phone. I ordered a filter from the same company but they sent me the wrong one.
I called and the cheerful person who answered said sorry about that we will send a UPS or FedEx (I forget which one it was) person to you with the right one and you just have to give back the one you have. Sure enough they followed through and I got the right filter with very little effort on my part.
The mistake and how they handled it actually turned me into a loyal customer, and I would not hesitate to recommend them!
Neil

By: Jim Lane

Jim Lane — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 07:27:37 +0000

Looks to me like you have a bone to pick with PR. They can handle it quietly and put out the fire. The solution you present would blow up in your face and look like the company is trying too hard to bury the incident and BUY goodwill via a “giveaway.” You would be crucified in the social media because pundits would see right through you with the ease they caught Edelmann out.

By: andrei

andrei — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 06:09:08 +0000

What is it whit youu people? Marketing the new PR? I dont think so…The new PR just have to keep pushing their creativity …and you that since Al&Laura Ries book PR is more creative.
CompUSA had a very bad PR persone…and one o the solution such as yours…coulded save them. But u cannot blame just the PR departament…Maybe that way says their Crisis Plan Managament: We apologize. But it is the first stept, isnt thit? After u can do a marketing plan to minimize the demage & getting attention, free publicity….

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 21:13:51 +0000

Jim – those three were already gone when this happened. They were part of the big workforce reduction at the Dallas HQ. I “was” an insider and boy am I glad I’m gone!

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 21:13:10 +0000

Jim – those three were already gone when this happened. They were part of the big workforce reduction at the Dallas HQ. I “was” an insider and boy am I glad I’m gone!

By: Jim Kukral

Jim Kukral — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:51:35 +0000

@Nic, You’re right, we/they all make mistakes. It’s how you handle them that counts.
@Nathan, exactly, they had a chance to create/spin this into a huge win.
@JVRudnick, Wow, makes you wonder eh? How is it possible that 3 major executives left within one week? Ponderous.

By: JVRudnick

JVRudnick — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 19:13:29 +0000

Further to Lewis’s comments, I found the email addys for the top 6 execs at the company and emailed them ALL a personal note saying “shame” on them….
I got back 3 responders, that these 3 had left the company in the past week….
Ellen Miller, Mark Walker and Bill Maddox left!
I’d like to think it was BECAUSE of this issue, but maybe they know a “clinker” of a company when they work in one!
Jim
PS keep up this kinda work, Jim!

By: Nathan

Nathan — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:42:38 +0000

Er: Not computer, digital camera, got the wires crossed. Was thinking about getting a new computer. Anyhow, great post Jim

By: Nathan

Nathan — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:39:48 +0000

I think the way a company handles a mistake is just as much an opportunity to create a loyal customer as to never make mistakes (which isn’t possible in the first place).
If that whole computer missing from the box thing happened, I think the money idea is a great idea. Another such one, that feels less like ‘marketing’ would be to simply say “Crap. We messed up. To show we’re sorry, you get the computer free.” and follow up with free personal installation if the customer wants that. Why personal installation? Because it allows for a face-to-face meeting and extra connection. Send the best rep out there who will ensure from there everything is better than ‘fixed’ it’s fantastic.

By: Nic Darling

Nic Darling — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:50:27 +0000

Regardless of which department is in charge I like your idea for a response. Yes, call the guy, and make things better with him. Maybe he will even tell someone you did it, but maybe not . . . affront plays better than reconciliation. But, you still need a response to this “thing” that has grown out of control.
The box of cash is a creative and entertaining option. It makes no excuses for the error (which always seem to sound false anyway) and spins it into a fun campaign. Every company makes mistakes and customers, I think, are willing to accept that if it is dealt with honestly.

By: Jim Kukral

Jim Kukral — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:48:09 +0000

Thanks Lewis,
I like your strategy as well. But I think the point of Jackie and Ben’s book and my question is that “they don’t get that” line of thinking, at all.
It seems that too many executives and “money men” have long ago forgotten the customer as a person, and are now learning that they can no longer do that, and it’s freaking them out.

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:37:10 +0000

Jim,
Good post. I don’t think it matters which silo handles this issue. Whatever the department does needs to be approved by legal and likely a C-level executive. The statements won’t say much other than the official apology.
In my mind, a better strategy would be to have the CompUSA executive personally call the customer, apologize, and offer a gift. Then CompUSA needs to change this policy, and conduct customer relations internal training on a regular basis to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.
The issue isn’t one of either PR (a tool of marketing) or marketing. The issue is one of CompUSA apparently putting sales ahead of people. They need to reverse that thinking.