Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site ssc-vax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!gymble!lll-crg!dual!qantel!intelca!hplabs!pesnta!phri!timeinc!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!fluke!ssc-vax!wanttaja 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)