Strange converstation with customer service...

[Charade]

I was just doing an online chat with Dishnetwork customer service and wanted to see if a promotional offer for existing customers was still available.

I asked...

they replied... We have great promotions for existing customers. But I cannot discuss it with you.

Huh?

I have to call and speak to someone on the phone to find out what the "great" offers are for existing customers.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

they want you to call to talk to a sales person, who will be harder to turn down than just typing "no thanks".

 

[mrsv98]

Comcast is sort of like that. You can get the offers for new customers but you have to know what to ask for. Its crazy! So every so often, we I see a good deal, I will call up and say, "I want the promotion for $19.99 broadband for six months." or whatever. Then I get it, but I can't say "What promotions do you have for me?" they can't answer! How crazy is that?

 

[bicker]

It may be related to the reason why Disney uses PIN codes for certain promotions -- they're targeted towads individual customers based on market research indicating what type of promotions will yield the best return. Even grocery stores are using such advanced marketing technology now: Our Shaw's mails us coupons $XX off purchases over $150, etc. That $XX is different for different customers, based on what they know about the customer, and what their research indicates is enough of a discount to get the customer to choose Shaw's over the alternatives. My coupons were $10, while my neighbor's were $6. $4 difference, times thousands of customers, equals thousands of dollars.

 

[Enchanted Tiki Bird]

Yeah. Most company's operate that way. The Telemarketing Sales Reps are able to sell you things or give you promotions while the Customer Services Reps may only be able to deal with customer service issues. It all has to do with training and profits.