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Would You Buy More From A Company That Remembers Your Birthday?
from the it's-the-little-things-that-matter dept
For all the information out there that companies are dying to collect about you, most seem to be looking at ways to package up that info and sell the general demographic information, rather than looking at ways to better serve you, as the customer or user. So, for example, would it be so hard for a company to send you a special coupon on your birthday? At least, that's what the writer of this article wants to know. While some may scoff and get offended at the idea that a company is using their personal info to turn around and try to sell them stuff, it does make a valid point about all this gathering of information. Why is it that companies are so focused on using the data for their own purposes, and so rarely using it to give something back to the people who provide them that info? Of course, the flip side to this question is that some companies are so focused on the personalization of the experience that they're forgetting the basics of a good customer experience. So, really, the question should be how to balance a sound foundation for the experience, combined with a customized result - where that customized result actually adds some value to the customer.
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It Works for Ice Cream
When I was a kid, Baskin-Robbins used to send me a coupon for a free ice cream cone on my birthday every year. I used to look forward to it, and they are still my favorite ice cream store.
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Some do this right now...
I seem to remember getting a coupon every year from Farrell's (before the chain went tits up,) for my birthdate (though I was a kid at the time, which is now illegal without my parent's permission.) I also know that several restaurant chains (Coco's, Carrows, Denny's all come to mind) do something similar, sending out a coupon, or offering free deserts or something like that for birthdates.
So some companies (mainly restaurants) out there currently do this.
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Done wrong, it's just creepy
If "personalization" means I can customize something and save my preferences, that's great. If it means just throwing my name back at me ("What would you like to order today, Anonymous?"
Have a great day, Anonymous!!", etc.) that's annoying and creepy. And with systems that try to predict what I want, they so often get it wrong that it's better if they just didn't try to guess.
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Re: Some do this right now...
Hallmark also does it. In addition, if you enter all your "important dates" (name and date only, no other id info on this), it will send you a "booklet" each month with the reminders of whose birthday is coming up and coupons so you can go out and buy cards (I don't do this, but my wife does).
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