| An article I recently read about the hotel reservations | | | | If I'm planning a vacation, I want the very best prices I |
| business caused me to think about how we | | | | can find. But at what cost? What is my time worth? |
| communicate. The article talked about a "new" service | | | | And what are the chances that when I make that |
| that offered a really great rate for a hotel room on the | | | | phone call, I won't be put through the pain of, "All of our |
| Internet. However, in order to get that really great rate, | | | | lines are busy, but we value your call. Please hold for |
| you had to pick up the phone, call the number provided | | | | the next available representative." That is the best |
| and talk to a real person who just might have an even | | | | incentive I can think of to never call that company |
| better deal for you. | | | | again. |
| My question is, in today's world of electronic | | | | Wouldn't we like to think that the people behind all the |
| communication, why would any business who wishes | | | | new marketing campaigns actually asked us (their |
| to establish customer loyalty impose this painful | | | | target market) what we want and how we want it? |
| process on a potential customer? No matter how | | | | Makes good sense to me, but apparently not to |
| great the rates might be, there is no way I would go | | | | everyone. |
| through all that just to save a few bucks. And folks, I'm | | | | The Challenge |
| a Boomer! | | | | Marketing and advertising professionals have a tough |
| What about our younger generations who have | | | | challenge in today's multigenerational world. How do |
| absolutely no use for the telephone? These are the | | | | they communicate their message to four, and perhaps |
| people who buy cell phones just so they don't have to | | | | five generations - all who receive those messages in a |
| make so many actual calls. Thanks to unlimited | | | | different manner? Our elder population still reads the |
| text-messaging, mobile Facebook, on-the-go Twitter, | | | | daily newspaper and monthly magazines cover to |
| GPS friend locators and more, the new iPhones (and | | | | cover. Boomers are used to getting their information |
| other such products) technology has simply erased the | | | | from television advertising, and a large number of them |
| need to place an actual phone call. And they like it that | | | | are turning to the Internet with increasing frequency. |
| way! | | | | Our Generation Xers don't want a sales pitch - they |
| How Much Will a Consumer Tolerate? | | | | are looking for a deal, but they will determine how, |
| The discussion, as I see it, is this. How many hoops are | | | | when and what they will buy. Generation Y (or the |
| we (the consumer) willing to jump through to save a | | | | Millennials, some call them) demand their information in |
| dollar? And, assuming the person who answers the | | | | real time - 30 seconds or less, exciting, and absolutely |
| phone is exceptionally well trained in phone etiquette | | | | electronic. Is anyone Tweeting? |
| and sales, will that make a difference? Not likely, if no | | | | I would not want to be in a position of having to |
| one places the call. On the other hand, what marketing | | | | determine how to spend my company's advertising |
| and/or advertising genius got paid big bucks to develop | | | | dollars under these circumstances. However, those |
| this program? | | | | who are getting paid to do just that really need to take |
| In a world that thrives on 30 second (or less) sound | | | | a few steps back and consider how, and in what |
| bites and 140 character Tweets, are businesses willing | | | | format, they are going to connect with their future |
| to risk development and training costs for a program | | | | potential customers. |
| that won't be accepted by half the buying population? | | | | |