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No, no Aca Joe
By Ann Williams | May 21, 2008
Wendy Knowler’s Consumer Watch column in the Pretoria News today highlighted a marketing “no, no” of note. Clothing store chain Aca Joe has the policy that for any exchange that is done where the new item is cheaper than the old item, that you the consumer will be left out of pocket. (To read the column, look here….)
Their take is: “If an exchange was made Aca Joe (will) not cover in cash or credit note any shortfall due to the customer.” (They even admit that it is due/owing to the customer!) It’s not surprising they have lost loyal customers.
And to think that if they do not want to hand over cash to the customer, all they have to do is give the customer a voucher for the difference. It would at least get the customer coming back on another occasion to buy something else - what a plus!
And how about even rounding up the difference to the nearest R5 or R10. It may cost them a little extra but I can assure you that the positive feelings (which means more shopping) that the client would have towards Aca Joe would far outweigh the few rands difference.
Okay you may say, so they’d have to get a voucher system together and make some changes to their accounting system. Well, why not? Having an voucher system is one of the best marketing tools a retailer can have. Woolworths voucher system and their policy of being able to return anything as long as the customer still has the slip, has done wonders for their business.
So while Woolies is busy building their brand, Aca Joe has not only managed to piss off hundreds of loyal customers over the years (and who knows how many people the angry customers have been telling) and lose a lot of potential custom, they now also have their name in lights in the Pretoria News, this blog and probably a number of other places!
As can be seen by this example, marketing isn’t only about branding, advertising and publicity, it’s also about getting your systems in order to give your customer the best experience you have to offer. So often it’s system details that will chase your customer away and no matter what you spend on marketing to them in future, they aren’t coming back.
Come on Aca Joe, it looks as if your marketing needs a bit of a makeoever….
© Ann Williams
Topics: Business practice, Customer Service, Retail |
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