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From: wanttaja@ssc-vax.UUCP (Ronald J Wanttaja)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Coke complaints handling
Message-ID: <18@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Jun-85 19:15:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.18
Posted: Thu Jun 27 19:15:25 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 4-Jul-85 00:14:58 EDT
References: <2127@sdcc6.UUCP> <1604@hao.UUCP> <239@ttrdc.UUCP> <1139@peora.UUCP>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 34

> 
> Actually, the way Coke is handling complaints is fairly revealing.  If
> someone calls up their toll-free number to complain about the taste, they
> give him or her some coupons for some free Coke.  According to their
> marketing representative, who was interviewed recently in the local
> newspaper, Coke only counts the call as being negative if the person won't
> take the coupons.

I gave this bit to a friend who is a militant "Coke hot-line" caller.  It
made him a bit mad, since they sent him the coupons without asking him, so
he called back to confront them with this info.  Kind of interesting...
they apparently have some sort of database there, as they mentioned that he
had called before.       

They denied this, saying their marketing people were not that closely
associated with the vote-taking.  They didn't mention WHAT the marketing
folks did with the raw data, however...and of course, the entire Hot Line
is probably run by the marketing department.

What was really interesting was their reaction when my buddy mentioned that
he got the data from a friend on USENET!  They started falling all over
themselves, offering to have their supervisors and marketing people call me
to give me the facts of this case.  I don't know if they had heard of
USENET, but they seemed quite upset that this type of information was being
passed worldwide.

Keep it up :-)

Actually, I think a well orchestrated rumor campaign would have more effect
than just calling in votes.  So call 1-800-GET-COKE, and ask about the
story quoted above!

					    Ron Wanttaja
					    (ssc-vax!wanttaja)