Have you noticed how much feedback we're asked for these days?
I'm not even talking about needy people on Facebook, posting every detail of their lives and silently begging for positive comments. (Sorry, that's probably a bit mean, but it sometimes comes across like that.) After all, we can always just block their posts and otherwise ignore them.
No, this is with regard to everyday life. Every time I go to a store I get a receipt that's two feet long, has a highlighted phone number/web site, and requires explanation from the sales assistant. Apparently if I go to the web site, type in the fifteen digit code, plus name address, shoe size etc. and tell them about my experience, I might win something. This can be anything from a new toothbrush to thousands of dollars. I don't know a single person who's ever won anything.
Last week I bought two taps/faucets for a small sink in the downstairs loo. They were quite hard to come by since it's a separate hot and cold tap (ver boten in this country), but I didn't want to have them shipped from England. I managed to find some discontinued ones on Overstock dot com, at an amazing price. They are now installed, and they work very well, thank you very much. Now I'm getting hounded to give feedback on the whole episode. I really don't have the time - and - they're not offering anything as an incentive, so…. I would think the fact that I haven't sent them back would be enough proof that I'm happy with them. Non?
And last year I found a plasterer/painter to patch and paint a certain hole the Ball & Chain had cut into the ceiling (long story), through a referral web site that's quite famous in the USA. I use the site all the time because it gives you good feedback about the companies, provides arbitration and support if something goes wrong, and allows you to vent your spleen if you're not happy with the work. Most of the time I've been happy and I give detailed feedback 98% of the time. I don't remember being unhappy with the painter, but I don't really remember anything at all. The web site is still asking me for feedback though. I can't remember what I paid, how long they took nor how satisfied (on a scale of 1-10) I was. Again, wouldn't you think that me not providing feedback would be a hint that I'm having a senior moment, and can barely remember them being here?
What about you? How often do you provide feedback?
I seem to get these on receipts wanting me to go to a website and fill out a survey, whereby I'm then eligible for a prize. I get them a lot now when I go out to chain restaurants, chain stores and fast food. This used to be a big pet peeve of mine as they always have their spiel they have to give to you about it. Now I just ignore it, although I hate the long receipts which are hard to keep for possible returns.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you are talking about Angie's list, but they send me so much email about filling out surveys. Even if I just check out the ratings on a company, they will send me email asking to fill out a survey about the company, before I even decided to use them. They even send multiple emails, following up because I haven't filled anything out yet.
My current pet peeve are web sites that pop up a screen that goes over their web site asking if you would like them on facebook or sign up for email from them and you have to click on it before you even see their site. Who wants to sign up for something when you don't even know anything about their site yet. I like how you do it where it's relatively easy to find the place on your site to sign up for email on my own.
Usually I never provide feedback - why give rhem my info; so I can be bombarded with sales pitches from them and every company the sell my name too? No thanks.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with Carol about those pop up things - they drive me crazy.
I really noticed an increase in this last summer when I was in the US on home leave. It was bad enough that nearly every single cashier blithely requested my phone number, zip code, or some other piece of personal information, but the whole 'fill out this form and let us know how we did' drove me crazy as well. My guess is that the whole thing is less about feedback and more about getting your email address and some demographic info so they can barrage you with more advertising. It's enough to make one want to go live off the grid in a bunker in Idaho.
ReplyDeleteYep! Can relate to that. Here in India it is crazy- even just go for a coffee- generates a form - where you shall give the coffee shop your feedback " do the needful- fill out the form" ha ha :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it really is just a marketing ploy so that they can plant a cookie on your computer and bombard you with stuff.
ReplyDeleteIf a sales person asks for my phone number I usually ask why they need it. They're dumb struck for a second or two and then they usually say "Oh, don't worry" and process my sale without it. I don't mind giving my zip code because that let's them gather data on their customer base without prying too far into my information. And I'm afraid I always ask for a paper receipt rather than having them e-mail it to me.
They ask all the time and I find myself giving feedback less and less as a result. Love when HSBC asks you upfront if you'd be happy to stay on the line and give fb after a call. I've got the theory that they are more willing to help if you'd said yes at the beginning of that call. Kind of defies the purpose...
ReplyDeleteYou're right. It's gone a bit mad.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't you want a mixer tap?
Iota- It's a very small sink and I couldn't find a mixer to fit, so I bought the Lefroy & Brooks single taps. They looked lovely but were expensive. When I needed to replace them I decided to find a mixer but again, none were small enough. Fortunately I found some singles that look like the L&B ones for a tenth of the price.
ReplyDeleteLove the blog. I'm an expat from Chicago now living and teaching English in Okinawa, Japan. Love the humor and the reminder (especially tis the holiday season) of how much feedback we give to potentially win something. I used to work in retail and spare the cashier some slack ;). We're FORCED to do it.
ReplyDeleteYou want feedback on your post about feedback? Nice.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, the feedback thing on purchases is annoying. And it makes the receipt way longer than it needs to be. I foot of paper for 5 items and a survey just bugs me.
Gina - You're right. I'm moaning more about the surveys than the sales assistant.
ReplyDeleteAH - Oops, hadn't caught that one. Thx for your feedback. LOL