Anyway, I love my iPhone despite some very obvious failings (they do exist oh disciples of Jobs) but have been watching the evolution of the blueberry (I know, I know it's called Blackberry) with some interest. When the Curve 8900 got its English release on I thought it would be good to pick one up.
After having a look at networks, I thought I'd go with Vodafone, broadly speaking they have a good reputation with regards to coverage and their 24 hour customer service line was appealing because often at 0429 I feel the need to talk about my phone bill (obviously). I'm with 3 UK at the moment and have no problems with how they roll, but they don't do the Blueberry so I went with what I thought was a good option.
So I mosied on down to the Vodafone store on Oxford Street and asked if they had the Curve in stock. No dice. One of the guys working at the store offered to take my name and number so he could give me a call when the phone was in stock - a nice touch to stop me from stalking them daily, so I gave him my stuff and left thinking I would get a call from them when they got the phone in stock.
The next afternoon I got back to my desk and saw 5 missed calls from a withheld number. Now no-one I know withholds their number (unless they're trying to prank me of course) so I was a little perplexed as to who was trying to call me with such desperation. I am after all, just a dude, not a superhero - yet.
As if on cue the phone rang again and Vodafone Direct appeared in my life, starting a stream of questions about my phone use, internet use and probably if I had let the conversation flow the way it was going, toilet use. When I had the temerity to ask why I was being called I got a gruff "You asked us to" from the young man on the end of the line. To which my answer was "Suckaplease, When?". Of course I wasn't given a reply by the enthusiastic member of Vodafone's telesales team because I hadn't ever asked for them to call me. I had consented to be called by a member of staff from the Oxford Street store when the phone was in stock. I explained as much and with an "Does that mean you don't want the phone?" I was out of the matrix. Ten minutes later I got another call from Vodafone sales asking me the same questions, and an hour later the same again.
So I:
- Went into a Vodafone store, asked about a phone, was asked if I wanted a call when it was back in stock in the store, said yes and gave my phone number, after which..
- Was called 8 times from Vodafone's telesales team trying to flog me a phone (with the requisuite this is an "offer only for today" garbage)
- Wasn't given even an attempt at an explanation as to how "give you a call when it's back in stock" becomes "try and sell you shit without you telling us you want it".
Wait a minute. You give it them as well?
So the fact that I give you my data means you can use it for anything? I'm not really sure I need to go into the concept of Permission Marketing if you're at that point in the way you approach potential customers' data.
So congratulations Vodafone, you managed to get my number, data is pricey baby. But guess what? I'm not likely to give you my money anytime soon in the future. And with my big big mouth I plan on telling as many people I can about how they shouldn't give you their money either.
Was it really worth it?
Data is pricey, but the benefit or detriment you can deliver to your product/brand/whateverwe'recallingitnow by the way in which you use that data is priceless. Because broken trust isn't something you can put a price on. And it's not something that a billboard/TV spot with David Beckham/catchy endline/nice website can mend either.
This is the point where I would say morons, but I'm growing up :)
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