Don't Drop the Marketing Ball

It is very interesting how the story and the reality can be so far apart. I suppose the most important thing is... what happened next. That problem... is definitely a good opportunity

I can't count the number of times that a marketing buzz has generated my interest in a product only to find that the purchase falls way short of expectations.

A great company will either correct the problem or offer a refund, either way trying to keep me as a satisfied customer.

Mediocre companies would rather spend the money on marketing instead of trying to correct the problem. I am not a repeat customer of these companies.

gea

Barry,

Your article took me back to an episode of the Apprentice when the teams were tasked to market a clothing line for kids that were probably in their late teens to early twenty somethings. One team did an excellent job because they took the initiative to go out and survey potential customers to see what they would wear and have the products considered cool. This line also allowed customers to carry today's gadgets such as cell phones which the team did research on as well and was able to incorporate this into their merchandise.
rickyl

I hope you were at least able to get your money back. I would have said, "give me my money back bucko, or else?"

Mr. Lenson,

look, with my small experience, introducing on the market a new concept as you*ve presented that case created by a wild team...well
is true, marketing ball was hard tested before from hoe was there , do it damn good and more, be the best and maintain it in the top with grace.
Well, where the niche is for the new, allways market and social context is in motion, and opportunity is available for whom learn and listen carefully as basement so ventures as you present, penetrate the market but with bad quality is a risk, learn from the best that is a huge PRE,
so the case you presented, why they did*t test the product before reach the market in all the conditions they*ve designed? well, it happend also with Chrysler to be in situation of retract almoust a half million cars for recheck....well here is the trust concept I want to touch a bit with your permission, customers of Chrysler will remain is thissame relation with the plant isn*t? they *ve invested there trust and they know the problem will be solved no matter what. is true that is also a time pressure for both parts, Chrysler in order to manage a huge stuffy technical details
but impressed:how many company*s take that action and responsibility
for both parts with impact involved in!! Impressive. that*s why i believe the customers will go forward with on base of common trust long term.
Dyson case on marketing, a good concept but hardest way to implement it, cost him more than 7 years..and any how his powerfull concept can be used at larger scale in plants or skyscrapers f.e. as clean the aire(with a pressure higher 100.000Xthan gravity in order to purify the aire, so it start the story) but what if in fire hazard that pressure can be used at reverse in order to ensure pressure to the fire instalations for skyscrapers for more than 101 Taipei tall, that aspect I*ve had in mind, the water source in that case and the instalations pressure how is ensured, *couse the classic tubes are oxigen eating, is persons exposed to that mixed pulver...and to ensure in emergency case the water to reach the altitude for skyscrapers asked about reservoires, the pipes circuit and the power to pomp them until the top, whioch at least offer the greatest view but must be also safe 101%. Is not about negativity, is about a case when in train with my son where exposed to such an atack with that fire tube, it was a joke of an adolescent and a whole vagon without aire in seconds, just have the time to open the window but you know, that damn pulver don*t let you see anything and if my son cryed inhaled strongly that pulver and where quiet before I discover the very near window...safe trip safe long term
investment of trust in the relationship we build on market, so before real problems occurs just to prevent that quality will be able to match the highstandard quality customers require, that*s challenge! start with that final picture in mind as drive force to the market we address to, and delivering what promised with marketing is harder than marketing campaign itself. So why our product is better than our competition ?
know the competition, know the market, know thy well, who was on the market before surelly faced biggest challenges but who start as you*ve exposed the case, can apply the Chrysler method, retract the incomplete lot of products and just in time ensure the customer satisfaction with a small discount to compensate the err which if they think twice before jump, did*t expose the customer trust to the bad product muster or extra costs to retract redone..
We choose to lean from Excelence, so for new marketers is twice harder to face it as responsibility, is a challenge we start for long term just this. hmm, to avoid the traps the inexperienced can fall in, is better to take the hand of whom was there before and marked the footprint.
Thank you for the time and attention
Daniela

What an awesome article I won't forget your story.

Here is a small piece to add to the problem though. How many amateurs like yourself put that baseball cap on to spare the embarassment at the store level to return and ask what that string is for ! Think how many things had to go wrong before you questioned your product !

All too often I think big companies expect you will disguise lack of knowledge with an accessory just like that. Transparent we as humans internalize what we don't know all to often and some count on your passive response to sell that product fast and flip it to something new by the following year.

Now further to embarassment of baseball caps and strinqs to hide, I would certainly want my customers to be assertive if they did not understand components of sports equipment on the field.

Let this be a lesson to all never be embarassed to ask questions...

It could mean the difference between life and or death ?

Sports is a serious business, and some risks just aren't worth the injury,

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=658