| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Mark K. Bilbo" |
| Date: |
15 Jul 2006 10:13:14 AM |
| Object: |
OT: Marketing 101 |
Apparently, there's a school of thought it marketing that teaches the more
you annoy and ***** off customers, the more they'll buy from you.
I just bought a used pickup for a price that rather surprised me. In fact,
I was very suspicious initially but a Carfax report showed nothing bad at
all. It is a good time to be buying around here. Dealers are desperate to
make up for lost sales last year and everybody's trying to reduce their
inventories. After checking things, I came to believe the claim from the
dealer that the truck was a trade in from a guy whose wife pestered him
into getting a "family car" (bet things were tense in *that household
for a while).
Overall, it worked out. It's better than I expected to be able to afford,
I seem to have lucked out on timing as I was ready to buy just as this one
became available, and everything went well.
Until the land line *and the cell phone started ringing anywhere from two
to four times a day between them. Always one of two toll free numbers.
Never any messages left.
I ignored this for a week. Then Friday, the cell rang and I grabbed it,
thinking it might be the realtor, and answered without looking at the
number.
This resulted in Miss Chatty launching into a "survey" about my
"satisfaction" with the dealer and the truck. She "asked" if I wanted to
take it but didn't bother to pause even for a breath before launching into
the first question.
I let her hang for half a second then said "I'm quite happy with the
dealer and the truck but I seriously pissed at *you ringing the phones off
the wall and trying to burn up my cell minutes."
She was quite, ahem, flustered. Started some apologetic crap I didn't
bother to listen to. Just told her flat out to put me on their "do not
call list" and if they violated it, that'd be an $11,000 fine. Then cut
her off.
You know, if they'd just mailed me a survey thing that I could do or
discard or whatever, I'd have filled it out with lotsa happy camper
comments. But no, they had to be annoying.
Because, after all, annoying the ***** out of customers is just good
business!
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"As hip as it is for outsiders to blame New Orleans
for everything bad that happened during and after
Hurricane Katrina, the truth is that the people
who lived here were much more prepared for a big
storm than the federal government that promised
us flood protection." [Jarvis DeBerry]
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V180525DC
"Everything New Orleans"
http://www.nola.com
.
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| User: "johac" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
16 Jul 2006 02:23:30 AM |
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In article <37ednTljO7aYmyTZnZ2dnUVZ_oqdnZ2d@megapath.net>,
"Mark K. Bilbo" <alt-atheism@org.webmaster> wrote:
Apparently, there's a school of thought it marketing that teaches the more
you annoy and ***** off customers, the more they'll buy from you.
I just bought a used pickup for a price that rather surprised me. In fact,
I was very suspicious initially but a Carfax report showed nothing bad at
all. It is a good time to be buying around here. Dealers are desperate to
make up for lost sales last year and everybody's trying to reduce their
inventories. After checking things, I came to believe the claim from the
dealer that the truck was a trade in from a guy whose wife pestered him
into getting a "family car" (bet things were tense in *that household
for a while).
Overall, it worked out. It's better than I expected to be able to afford,
I seem to have lucked out on timing as I was ready to buy just as this one
became available, and everything went well.
Until the land line *and the cell phone started ringing anywhere from two
to four times a day between them. Always one of two toll free numbers.
Never any messages left.
I ignored this for a week. Then Friday, the cell rang and I grabbed it,
thinking it might be the realtor, and answered without looking at the
number.
This resulted in Miss Chatty launching into a "survey" about my
"satisfaction" with the dealer and the truck. She "asked" if I wanted to
take it but didn't bother to pause even for a breath before launching into
the first question.
I let her hang for half a second then said "I'm quite happy with the
dealer and the truck but I seriously pissed at *you ringing the phones off
the wall and trying to burn up my cell minutes."
She was quite, ahem, flustered. Started some apologetic crap I didn't
bother to listen to. Just told her flat out to put me on their "do not
call list" and if they violated it, that'd be an $11,000 fine. Then cut
her off.
You know, if they'd just mailed me a survey thing that I could do or
discard or whatever, I'd have filled it out with lotsa happy camper
comments. But no, they had to be annoying.
Because, after all, annoying the ***** out of customers is just good
business!
Yeah, I get this crap too. The letters are less annoying, but what often
happens if I don't feel like filling one out and trash it, sure enough
next week they send me another one. I don't know how much it costs these
companies, but i'd rather they just knock a few dollars off of the price
and trust the customer to have the smarts and the inclination to call
and complain if something were wrong.
--
John Hachmann aa #1782
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities"
-Voltaire
Contact - Throw a .net over the .com
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| User: "L. Raymond" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
16 Jul 2006 03:07:42 AM |
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Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
You know, if they'd just mailed me a survey thing that I could do or
discard or whatever, I'd have filled it out with lotsa happy camper
comments. But no, they had to be annoying.
Because, after all, annoying the ***** out of customers is just good
business!
Two weeks ago I took my car in for some warranty work (300 miles left,
it was a near thing) and the dealer pointed out Toyota still had my
Austin address on file, since that's where I bought the car. I saw no
need to change that but I did provide my new phone number since the
mechanic was honest enough to point out they sometimes make mistakes and
if they found they forgot to put something back on the car, I wanted to
know about it [*]. I stressed that was the one and only reason I would
tolerate a call from them, and sure enough I got a call asking about my
satisfaction just two days later. I really lit into the woman who
called, and it must have worked since I've not heard a peep out of them
since.
I hate those sorts of things.
[*] I decided that was a good idea since I actually had an entire axle
fall off my car once because the idiots forgot to bolt it back on. That
was a Firestone shop right next to my apartment complex, and their
incompetence forced me to go to a place that wasn't within walking
distance for repairs on my old car.
--
L. Raymond
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
18 Jul 2006 04:03:03 PM |
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L. Raymond wrote:
[*] I decided that was a good idea since I actually had
an entire axle fall off my car once because the idiots
forgot to bolt it back on. That was a Firestone shop
Oh, *Do* *Not* even get me started...
All I say is that, apparently, the same people who designed
the tires for the SUVs also trained the crews in the shops.
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
22 Jul 2006 03:34:57 PM |
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On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 21:35:37 -0500, "Mark K. Bilbo"
<alt-atheism@org.webmaster> wrote in alt.atheism
Previously, on alt.atheism, L. Raymond in episode
<a3dqx4xw25k6$.e3g4mgmn38r8$.dlg@40tude.net>...
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
You know, if they'd just mailed me a survey thing that I could do or
discard or whatever, I'd have filled it out with lotsa happy camper
comments. But no, they had to be annoying.
Because, after all, annoying the ***** out of customers is just good
business!
Two weeks ago I took my car in for some warranty work (300 miles left,
it was a near thing) and the dealer pointed out Toyota still had my Austin
address on file, since that's where I bought the car. I saw no need to
change that but I did provide my new phone number since the mechanic was
honest enough to point out they sometimes make mistakes and if they found
they forgot to put something back on the car, I wanted to know about it
[*]. I stressed that was the one and only reason I would tolerate a call
from them, and sure enough I got a call asking about my satisfaction just
two days later. I really lit into the woman who called, and it must have
worked since I've not heard a peep out of them since.
I hate those sorts of things.
And talk about stupid. I mean, I was quite happy with the truck and the
dealer and everything. They just managed to ***** me off badgering me on
the phone. Sheesh.
[*] I decided that was a good idea since I actually had an entire axle
fall off my car once because the idiots forgot to bolt it back on. That
was a Firestone shop right next to my apartment complex, and their
incompetence forced me to go to a place that wasn't within walking
distance for repairs on my old car.
Um... YIKES!
What's really interesting is having a gas tank on a 69 Chevelle SS snap
at 70 mph.
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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| User: "Frank Mayhar" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
17 Jul 2006 10:34:52 PM |
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On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 22:35:37 -0500, Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
[*] I decided that was a good idea since I actually had an entire axle
fall off my car once because the idiots forgot to bolt it back on. That
was a Firestone shop right next to my apartment complex, and their
incompetence forced me to go to a place that wasn't within walking
distance for repairs on my old car.
Um... YIKES!
Heh. Reminds me of the time I saw a wheel come off a car on the 10
freeway on the way to work one day. Not long after the Northridge quake;
the poor guy was in the diamond lane, light traffic, going fast. First I
saw the huge shower of sparks as the spindle hit the pavement, then I saw
the wheel, zipping along by itself. Yes, the _wheel_ came off, not the
tire, not the hub, the entire wheel. Yow.
Fortunately I was about to exit just then, so that's _all_ I saw, but it
was memorable.
--
Frank Mayhar frank@exit.com http://www.exit.com/
Exit Consulting http://www.gpsclock.com/
http://www.exit.com/blog/frank/
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| User: "Robibnikoff" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
19 Jul 2006 01:38:31 PM |
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"Frank Mayhar" <frank@exit.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2006.07.18.03.34.52.159600@exit.com...
On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 22:35:37 -0500, Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
[*] I decided that was a good idea since I actually had an entire axle
fall off my car once because the idiots forgot to bolt it back on. That
was a Firestone shop right next to my apartment complex, and their
incompetence forced me to go to a place that wasn't within walking
distance for repairs on my old car.
Um... YIKES!
Heh. Reminds me of the time I saw a wheel come off a car on the 10
freeway on the way to work one day. Not long after the Northridge quake;
the poor guy was in the diamond lane, light traffic, going fast. First I
saw the huge shower of sparks as the spindle hit the pavement, then I saw
the wheel, zipping along by itself. Yes, the _wheel_ came off, not the
tire, not the hub, the entire wheel. Yow.
Fortunately I was about to exit just then, so that's _all_ I saw, but it
was memorable.
Oh my. When I was in college on Florida, my then-boyfriend and I were
driving down to his parents' house in Homestead, FL in his little MGB-GT.
Thank goodness we decided to take the backroads instead of zooming down the
highway because as we came to a stop sign out in the middle of freaking
nowhere, the right front wheel came flying off and bounced into some
palmetto bushes. This wheel didn't have lug nuts - just one big "lug", I
guess. Apparently it was stripped. After it popped off the 3rd time, we
decided to stay put and call his dad for assistance.
--
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo
Atheist ***** Extraordinaire
#1557
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| User: "Kate " |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
19 Jul 2006 12:56:02 AM |
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On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 20:34:52 -0700, Frank Mayhar <frank@exit.com>
wrote:
On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 22:35:37 -0500, Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
[*] I decided that was a good idea since I actually had an entire axle
fall off my car once because the idiots forgot to bolt it back on. That
was a Firestone shop right next to my apartment complex, and their
incompetence forced me to go to a place that wasn't within walking
distance for repairs on my old car.
Um... YIKES!
Heh. Reminds me of the time I saw a wheel come off a car on the 10
freeway on the way to work one day. Not long after the Northridge quake;
the poor guy was in the diamond lane, light traffic, going fast. First I
saw the huge shower of sparks as the spindle hit the pavement, then I saw
the wheel, zipping along by itself. Yes, the _wheel_ came off, not the
tire, not the hub, the entire wheel. Yow.
Fortunately I was about to exit just then, so that's _all_ I saw, but it
was memorable.
When I was 21 I had my first car - a 1967 super beetle that I had
proudly paid for with my own money. I had something to do with the
wheels looked at by a local mechanic (in my tiny home town) and on the
way home had one of the wheels come barreling off at a stop sign. I
was fine, so was the car - but the pedestrian at the opposite corner
probably failed his pants check since he had to jump to dodge the
wheel.
I called the mechanic who came and put the wheel back on and then I
made him drive it back and I drove his truck so he could check it over
for any damage. Apparently his helper hadn't tightened the bolts
after putting the wheel back on. I got about 8 blocks before the
wheel spun off.
Later in California I was going down I 80 and looked beside me at a
movement and saw a wheel going bouncing through the traffic. It was
going so fast it passed me. I think it just bounced off to one side
and never hit anyone. Amazing.
.
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| User: "Frank Mayhar" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
19 Jul 2006 10:30:26 PM |
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On Wed, 19 Jul 2006 01:56:02 -0500, Kate wrote:
When I was 21 I had my first car - a 1967 super beetle that I had
proudly paid for with my own money. I had something to do with the
wheels looked at by a local mechanic (in my tiny home town) and on the
way home had one of the wheels come barreling off at a stop sign. I
was fine, so was the car - but the pedestrian at the opposite corner
probably failed his pants check since he had to jump to dodge the
wheel.
Heh, yeah, it's not like a lone wheel is going to stop for pedestrians.
I called the mechanic who came and put the wheel back on and then I
made him drive it back and I drove his truck so he could check it over
for any damage. Apparently his helper hadn't tightened the bolts
after putting the wheel back on. I got about 8 blocks before the
wheel spun off.
That reminds me of when I worked at a service station on a thoroughfare in
East Texas. Some guy came in complaining that his right front wheel was
smoking. I looked at it and it was glowing red. I pulled the wheel off
after it cooled a bit and the bearings were _welded_ to the spindle. He
must have been rolling on that thing, with no grease at all, for quite a
while. That was impressive.
Later in California I was going down I 80 and looked beside me at a
movement and saw a wheel going bouncing through the traffic. It was
going so fast it passed me. I think it just bounced off to one side
and never hit anyone. Amazing.
Yeah, I've seen that one once or twice (in addition to the one I related
earlier) as well. Fortunately always from a little distance and strangely
enough I never saw anyone actually hit them.
--
Frank Mayhar frank@exit.com http://www.exit.com/
Exit Consulting http://www.gpsclock.com/
http://www.exit.com/blog/frank/
.
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
22 Jul 2006 03:41:17 PM |
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On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 20:34:52 -0700, Frank Mayhar <frank@exit.com> wrote
in alt.atheism
On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 22:35:37 -0500, Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
[*] I decided that was a good idea since I actually had an entire axle
fall off my car once because the idiots forgot to bolt it back on. That
was a Firestone shop right next to my apartment complex, and their
incompetence forced me to go to a place that wasn't within walking
distance for repairs on my old car.
Um... YIKES!
Heh. Reminds me of the time I saw a wheel come off a car on the 10
freeway on the way to work one day. Not long after the Northridge quake;
the poor guy was in the diamond lane, light traffic, going fast. First I
saw the huge shower of sparks as the spindle hit the pavement, then I saw
the wheel, zipping along by itself. Yes, the _wheel_ came off, not the
tire, not the hub, the entire wheel. Yow.
Fortunately I was about to exit just then, so that's _all_ I saw, but it
was memorable.
Several years ago I was almost to the hot springs I was going to soak in
during deep winter when coming around a curve I saw a brand-new dually
crew cab 4wd truck at the side of the deep snow covered dirt road. Just
beyond it was an early 70's 2wd p/u which had gotten stuck uphill
exiting the place and blocked the whole road.
The old p/u I could understand being stuck. The new unit being stuck
didn't, especially as it would have less trouble than I in my
underpowered Blazer with 4wd-and I wasn't having any throuble.
I figured there was something I wasn't seeing so I did a general
lookover while staying back from the truck. The right rear axle had
separated some three or four inches from the differential. If that had
happened at speed.......
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
18 Jul 2006 07:04:24 AM |
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Previously, on alt.atheism, Frank Mayhar in episode
<pan.2006.07.18.03.34.52.159600@exit.com>...
On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 22:35:37 -0500, Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
[*] I decided that was a good idea since I actually had an entire axle
fall off my car once because the idiots forgot to bolt it back on.
That was a Firestone shop right next to my apartment complex, and their
incompetence forced me to go to a place that wasn't within walking
distance for repairs on my old car.
Um... YIKES!
Heh. Reminds me of the time I saw a wheel come off a car on the 10
freeway on the way to work one day. Not long after the Northridge quake;
the poor guy was in the diamond lane, light traffic, going fast. First I
saw the huge shower of sparks as the spindle hit the pavement, then I saw
the wheel, zipping along by itself. Yes, the _wheel_ came off, not the
tire, not the hub, the entire wheel. Yow.
Fortunately I was about to exit just then, so that's _all_ I saw, but it
was memorable.
That reminds me of one way, way back the first time in LA when I lived in
Long Beach. I was on the 405, about to take the 710 exit when I spotted
this old van with the wheel and some part of the axle coming out. I've
never seen the like (hope to never see it again, that was going to be one
bad wreck).
I mean, the wheel was getting further and further out and at some point
was going to come free and go zipping into traffic while damned if I know
what was going to happen to the van.
Yeesh.
You know, thinking about some of the close calls and some of the flat out
bizarre things that could happen on those freeways, the second time I
lived out there, I was rather fond of rush hour traffic. It's so much
harder to get into a deadly wreck when traffic can't move more than about
30. <g>
I remember the Times talking about how wrecks and fatalities on the
freeways had been declining. Largely because nobody could speed on them
anymore. I bet wrecks along the 405 around LAX have pretty much ceased to
happen with that 24/7 traffic jam.
I can still remember when I first got back, seeing that stretch jammed on
a *Sunday. Give them a few more years, the 405 is going to be a parking
lot...
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"As hip as it is for outsiders to blame New Orleans
for everything bad that happened during and after
Hurricane Katrina, the truth is that the people
who lived here were much more prepared for a big
storm than the federal government that promised
us flood protection." [Jarvis DeBerry]
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V180525DC
"Everything New Orleans"
http://www.nola.com
.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
18 Jul 2006 07:28:10 AM |
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Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
..
I can still remember when I first got back, seeing that stretch jammed on
a *Sunday. Give them a few more years, the 405 is going to be a parking
lot...
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
Well "be fruitful and multiply" has been so taken to heart by the
masses, how could you expect anything else?
Hatter
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| User: "Frank Mayhar" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
18 Jul 2006 03:49:00 PM |
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On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 08:04:24 -0500, Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
You know, thinking about some of the close calls and some of the flat out
bizarre things that could happen on those freeways, the second time I
lived out there, I was rather fond of rush hour traffic. It's so much
harder to get into a deadly wreck when traffic can't move more than about
30. <g>
Thirty? During the day on the 405, you're lucky to go 15! I had to do
that for a while, too, last winter. I was working in Westlake Village,
going there early to beat traffic then taking Malibu Canyon Drive to PCH
for the drive back. No faster than the 101 to the 405, but lots prettier.
Then The Rains Came. Malibu Canyon was closed for maybe four weeks, PCH
was closed for a while and was down to one lane for a lot longer, and I
had no choice but to do the freeway home. Sheer pain.
I'm _so_ glad my current job is only 20 minutes away by surface streets.
I remember the Times talking about how wrecks and fatalities on the
freeways had been declining. Largely because nobody could speed on them
anymore. I bet wrecks along the 405 around LAX have pretty much ceased to
happen with that 24/7 traffic jam.
You would lose. Never underestimate the ability of people to get
themselves into situations they shouldn't.
I can still remember when I first got back, seeing that stretch jammed on
a *Sunday. Give them a few more years, the 405 is going to be a parking
lot...
I've been calling it "the longest, skinniest parking lot in the world" for
years, now. Although they _have_ just put in a car pool lane, up to about
the 10, I believe (I haven't driven that since it was completed). That
lane now stretches from there all the way into Orange County.
--
Frank Mayhar frank@exit.com http://www.exit.com/
Exit Consulting http://www.gpsclock.com/
http://www.exit.com/blog/frank/
.
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Marketing 101 |
22 Jul 2006 03:55:39 PM |
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On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 13:49:00 -0700, Frank Mayhar <frank@exit.com> wrote
in alt.atheism
On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 08:04:24 -0500, Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
You know, thinking about some of the close calls and some of the flat out
bizarre things that could happen on those freeways, the second time I
lived out there, I was rather fond of rush hour traffic. It's so much
harder to get into a deadly wreck when traffic can't move more than about
30. <g>
Thirty? During the day on the 405, you're lucky to go 15! I had to do
that for a while, too, last winter. I was working in Westlake Village,
going there early to beat traffic then taking Malibu Canyon Drive to PCH
for the drive back. No faster than the 101 to the 405, but lots prettier.
Then The Rains Came. Malibu Canyon was closed for maybe four weeks, PCH
was closed for a while and was down to one lane for a lot longer, and I
had no choice but to do the freeway home. Sheer pain.
I'm _so_ glad my current job is only 20 minutes away by surface streets.
I remember the Times talking about how wrecks and fatalities on the
freeways had been declining. Largely because nobody could speed on them
anymore. I bet wrecks along the 405 around LAX have pretty much ceased to
happen with that 24/7 traffic jam.
You would lose. Never underestimate the ability of people to get
themselves into situations they shouldn't.
I can still remember when I first got back, seeing that stretch jammed on
a *Sunday. Give them a few more years, the 405 is going to be a parking
lot...
I've been calling it "the longest, skinniest parking lot in the world" for
years, now. Although they _have_ just put in a car pool lane, up to about
the 10, I believe (I haven't driven that since it was completed). That
lane now stretches from there all the way into Orange County.
I've been calling it all a 'freeway parking lot' when I lived in
Victorville for 3.5 years in the early 80's.
I picked up my brother and his gf in Ontario and he was intending to get
a rental car. First thing he says is we've got to go to LAX to get the
rental.
Why not get it here? It'll be the same price and less hassle.
I've got a real good deal on a car at LAX. How far is it to LAX?
I may be misremembering the distance after all these years but I think I
said about 35 miles.
That's not bad then, it shouldn't take much time at all. How long would
it take to get there?
Well, it's Saturday afternoon so about 3 maybe 3.5 hours.
He stared (detroit has its own hefty traffic jams but they didn't hold a
candle to what I was indicating) nah, no way it can take that long.
I sighed and said ok. Be aware from here to there traffic gets nothing
but a snarled vehicular parking lot. Yep. It was instant snarl and I
even bounced designated parking lots to further demonstrate my point. I
think it was 3 hours and 15 minutes to get to LAX.
Then it took eons to get through all the administrative ***** as
there were all the 'add on' charges and his arguing with them and stuff.
That's not what you guys told me over the phone. I think he ended up
paying quite a bit more than he would have in Ontario and then he had to
drive in the crap and try not to lose me in the mess.
Damn, that was one goat rope.
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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