We love coupons. We use them at the grocery stores and some casual dining restaurants. Hey, we're planning a mega vacation for next summer and there is a coupon book available. YAY! It's just a matter of being smart - if you can save on a hotel room (stay one night, get one night free) why wouldn't you take advantage of it? Especially with the stock market on a roller coaster ride in this economy.
The general idea behind coupons is to get consumers to try something they otherwise wouldn't or, at a minimum to get them in the door. After all, businesses can't really sell you something if you don't come into their store, now can they?
Alan L. ventured into a Subway with his wife and when he tried to substitute on a coupon - he wanted a wrap instead of a sub - they told him no dice. When he followed up with Subway corporate, they ignored him. Now is that really good business sense?
First, the only real significant difference between the wrap and the sub is what goes around the substance of the sandwich. We realize that Subway bakes its own bread, so it may cost a little more to use a prepared tortilla wrap. But isn't it a better solution to tell the consumer - if this is the case - hey, the wrap costs us an extra dime so we'd be happy to substitute, but there will be an upcharge.
In Alan's case, they didn't do that and then they compounded his ill-feelings by not answering his email. What do you think the chances are that Alan feels warm and fuzzy about how things turned out? Do you think Alan will think twice about dining at a Subway again - especially with so many other choices out there? We think that's a real possibility.
So the coupon got him and his wife in the door, but the way they were treated in-store pushed them right back out. Then when given the opportunity to save a customer, Subway corporate drops the ball and ignores him. Are the inmates running the asylum? This isn't customer service.
--Contributed by Deb
Comments