Building Goodwill

Last month I was the guest of a friend, at a conference in New Hampshire. The conference was set up by a provider of local telephone equipment for their users to discuss the issues and ideas concerning use of the equipment. My friend being the charming sort assured me that he had secured me a free fleece logo vest that was being given to the conference invitees. Sure enough when we registered the organizer said "I have a vest for you but it's at the office because all we have here are large and extra large but I have a medium I can bring for you later". Great I thought, promises of fleece danced in my head. The vest never appeared, and I didn't bring it up again. When I returned home I sent the organizer a great picture I had taken of her and thanked her for coordinating a fun trip. She replied saying "send me your address and I'll ship that vest to you this week" So I did. That was several weeks ago, still no vest. Truth be told I don't need another fleece vest, I have one from the last place I worked and I have a very nice wool vest that I prefer. It was just the principle of the thing, had she said only invitees get vests so I can't give you one or sorry we don't have any smaller sizes or had she not brought up the issue at all I wouldn't have been surprised. And I'll never be buying any rural telecom equipment so I understand they're not trying to build customer relations with me. But the tease of the offer and then not delivering reflects poorly on the marketing department as a whole. For a while I wondered if maybe the lady just didn't like me but later I decided no, she just somehow never got around to getting the vest to me.

On a contrasting note. Last Sunday I attended a party at the local kayak shop celebrating 30 years of being in business. There I chanced to meet a sales rep from Thule. So I explained to him a problem I was having with the bolts on my Thule Rack. He gave me his card and said I should e-mail him my address and he'd get some new bolts and a wrench shipped out to me. I sent him a message on Monday and had a new parts kit including bolts and wrench in hand Friday afternoon. Thule had changed the design of the bolt slightly so it makes me think I was not the only one to complain about it. For this particular rack I didn't have a choice, Thule is the only one who makes a rack that bolts directly onto the ultimate driving machine. Thule does want my business, and I have to say my views on the company have improved through this experience. Where previously I thought it was a rather poor system to use such crappy bolts I appreciate that they've changed that design flaw and were so quick to rectify my problem. That is how a good company operates.