« XML and Scheme | Main | The Dos and Don'ts of Accelerating Your Funding Success »
The Human Element
Sean Nolan wrote to tell me a story that illustrates the weak link in many customer interaction systems:
So I’m waiting in line at Safeway to buy groceries. Like most supermarkets these days, they’ve got a loyalty card program and offer reasonable discounts at checkout for cardholders. An older man in front of me wants to purchase items that are on a card special, but doesn’t have his card and can’t remember his phone number. The clerk says, “hmm, wait a minute.” He starts punching in phone numbers at random, and after a few tries gets a “hit” and uses it to apply the discount.
I wonder who just had hemorrhoid cream added to their past-purchases profile?
Gotta love that inevitable weak link in business intelligence systems.
Posted by windley on January 27, 2005 7:31 AM
Comment from Kevin White at January 27, 2005 8:39 AM
Interesting, last time I went to Smiths there was a sign near the register explaining that clerks would no longer swipe a loyalty card for customers who forgot to bring one. I guess Smiths is trying to crack down on people who don't want their purchases tracked but want the discount.
Comment from Sam Curren at January 27, 2005 8:55 AM
Over the past several years, I've had clerks swipe a card for me when I didn't have one. Even better, some guy is trying to pull a prank to confuse the Safeway system: http://www.cockeyed.com/pranks/safeway/ultimate_shopper.html
Comment from Jason Underdown at January 29, 2005 11:09 AM
I've found that you I can use my Smith's card at Albertsons and vice versa.