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Thread: There is no such thing as bad marketing?

  1. #1
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    There is no such thing as bad marketing?

    Sometimes a poorly worded marketing message can have unintended consequences. Take this one from Standard Bank:
    Dear Mr Alcock

    Using your current account as a cash flow management tool

    In the past, you may have noticed that some of your debit orders or cheque payments were honoured, even if you did not have sufficient funds in your current account, or an adequate overdraft limit available to cover the payment. The bank has reviewed some of its policies and going forward, we will no longer honour payments in these circumstances, particularly if you do not have an overdraft limit in place.

    As a valued customer, we would like to encourage you to visit your Standard Bank branch to either apply for, or increase, your overdraft - before the policy change comes into effect. Not only will this assist you with your monthly cash flow requirements, but you will also avoid the unnecessary fees associated with dishonoured payments, and your credit record will not be negatively impacted.

    (please call us blah blah)
    I was staggered. I certainly hadn't noticed the bank honouring payments where I had insufficient funds. In fact, I was totally unaware that the situation had even arisen. I must be losing my touch

    I'm actually quite careful to avoid that sort of thing. So naturally I had to call to find out when I had slipped up.

    As it turns out, I hadn't - and neither had a few other people who had already called with exactly the same query

    "Don't worry Mr. Alcock, the letter wasn't aimed at you."
    That certainly shows the difference between a personal letter and a personalised one.

    I'm guessing the goal was to get people to get or increase their overdraft facility (probably ones with a score that showed they weren't borrowing as much as the bank would really like) so that the bank could raise more fees. But it also got the phone ringing, and a thought occured -

    Some people would actually consider that a successful result! All it would need is a closing strategy.

    If dear call centre lass had said "Oops - that didn't come out as we intended - sorry about that. But while you're on the phone, do you know that according to our records you probably qualify for an OD of x amount?" who knows - they might have "sold" a few to folk like me.

    Maybe the lesson is this - there is no such thing as bad advertising, just bad marketing.

    What do you think?

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    Diamond Member wynn's Avatar
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    In this case it seems like this will lead to 'Bad Publicity' but then as the experts will tell you "There aint no such thing as bad publicity"
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    Email problem Lime's Avatar
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    No Such thing as Bad Marketing?

    Well in terms of internet marketing there really is such as thing as bad marketing, as you can infact damage your internet presence by irrelevant marketing. So I would say that bad marketing when related to the internet is a serious problem.

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    The destruction caused by your bank is tantamount. Other potential suppliers also read this matter and refuse to do any credit business with you. It is damaging to your honor and credibility. And, by the way, you can now claim damages on your personal account, where the banks are involved and the mistakes were mainly their fault, through the small claims court.

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Apology accepted

    Or you could do it this way:
    Dear Mr Alcock

    Communication sent in error

    We recently sent you a letter entitled "Using your current account as a cash flow management tool". Regrettably, this letter was sent to you in error.

    We apologise for the unnecessary concern it caused you. We assure you that it was not our intention to offend you or question the conduct on your account.

    We value the relationship we have with you and assure you that your good standing as a customer remains unchanged.

    Regards
    They must have got quite a few phonecalls...

    But frankly, I'm quietly impressed - even if it might be a personalised letter.

  6. #6
    Platinum Member Marq's Avatar
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    Dear Cur,

    We refer to you application to increase your overdraft as requested by us in our personalised letter dated Nov 2009.

    Unfortunately we were just winding you up again, sending out BS marketing letters to make it appear as if we are working for you and actually care.

    Bottom line is that if you do not have any bucks in the bank when debit orders or cheques come through the system on this account we are going to bounce them and burn you for a gazillian more bucks in superfluous admin and service fees as we have always done in the past.

    Tough but thats the way it is and we dont care that you have another linked account with a Brazillian in it or the fact that you were only 5 cents overdrawn or the fact that there was 10 minutes between your salary going into the account and us just taking and controlling your money as we see fit.

    We made the rules and now thats it, you will abide by them. The alternative is for you to go to one on the other banks and open an account there. We dont care because we all work in the same way and dont give a toss either way.

    So you see we no longer even care that we dont care.

    Sincerely yours,

    Fred Bentbottom
    Acting Bank relationship manager and advisor to everybody
    Standard Rules apply.

    PS - If you were not supposed to get this letter - we apologise for causing any concern. Obviously you are one of our customers that we are unaware of as we generally make sure to piss all off at some stage of our relationship. Usually within the first month but definitely by the second month.
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  7. Thank given for this post:

    Dave A (26-Nov-09), wynn (26-Nov-09)

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    Unfortunately with online Affiliate Marketing there is such a thing as bad Marketing and it is the easiest way to get a bad reputation and put potential buyers off.

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