Sunday, February 28, 2010

Have an idea? Forget it!


Have you ever written to a company to tell them how much you like or dislike their product, or even to make a suggestion? With the Internet, this has never been so easy. Before you had to actually write the letter on paper, address the envelope, pay for a stamp, and mail it. Now things like this are available to us at the click of a finger.

A few years ago I wrote to Kellogg's. My family, especially Rick and the boys, all love Pop Tarts. However, they only like a handful of flavors. I don't care for them much, but every once and awhile I'll crave a chocolate one. Anyway, since we buy so many of the darn things, I thought I'd email the company with a flavor suggestion. I thought good flavors would be orange creme (like a Creamsicle) and lemon. Rather than email me back and say thanks for your suggestion, they sent me a snotty reply saying they had professionals who made these decisions. They even went as far as saying they don't accept suggestions from customers. I was like -- WTF? No response would have been nicer than that. All I was saying was that my family enjoys their product and I listed a few flavors I would like. Then I get that kind of reply back? So, I got ticked off and boycotted their product for awhile, which didn't last long because my kids really like them. It really just rubbed me the wrong way, you know?

Since that snotty email to me, I've kept my eye on what flavors these so-called professionals have come up with. A few have been Banana Split, Blueberry Muffin, Chocolate-Vanilla, Strawberry Milkshake, Vanilla Milkshake, and their newest -- Grape. Grape? Gross! And tell me, why come out with Blueberry Muffin when they already have a blueberry flavor? Do yourself a favor and eat a blueberry muffin instead. It's much better for you. So, as you can see, they left me feeling kind of bitter. It's not like I was forcing them to make the flavors I suggested and I certainly wasn't going to sue them if they did, wanting to be reimbursed. Who knows. Maybe that's why they don't take suggestions. But their response to me was so rude, when all they could have said was, "Thanks for your suggestion; we'll keep it in mind." How hard would that have been? I was reminded of this whole thing they other day when I saw the new grape flavored Pop Tarts at the store. That sounds about as gross as Strawberry Milkshake Pop Tarts. No thanks -- I'd rather make a real strawberry shake with fresh berries.

Have you ever written to a company with compliments and/or suggestions? If so, did you get a good reply? Everytime I think about this, I get mad. I would have rather not gotten anything from them, rather than be put down and told that professionals know what they're doing more than the customers who buy their stupid product. What a bunch of idiots.

19 comments:

  1. How totally pathetic. They probably sent that because they had never thought of those flavors and someone else did and they felt inadequate. LMAO I've never written to anyone and now I probably won't.

    Nancy

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  2. I'm glad that I read your post before I bothered to submit our flavor ideas. (we, too, had thought of lemon and I would like coconut) Now I won't bother :(
    I can't believe that they would be so rude. They should just say, "Thanks for the suggestion." Why wouldn't they want customer suggestions?? Why piss off the people buying your product when it's so easy NOT to piss them off??

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  3. I'll probably all because of some legalese and someone tried to sue because they never got a response and their flavor was created, but they think they should've gotten credit and so the company now sends out that crappy email to everyone.

    Corporate America sucks.

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  4. Continue the boycott! Ha! (course we'd have to find a substitute for the boys, urgh...)
    Pop tarts really aren't that good anyway. :P Honestly, strawberry milkshake? Save the money and go get yourself a REAL milkshake.

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  5. I'm surprised by the reply. I would have guessed you'd get a generic thank you and maybe a coupon. When my husband was a kid his family complained once about a can of vegetables. The company apologized and sent them a whole CASE in reponse. I once emailed Bigelow tea to say I couldn't find a certain flavor locally, and where could I get it? Don't remember what they said, but they were very nice. And I found the flavor by shopping around. Why they'd antagonize you when it would be so easy to get your goodwill in this situation, I don't know.

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  6. That is a really pissy thing to do! We called Purina once to tell 'em how much we like their Purina One and they sent us coupons. They also told us we could get those coupons regularly just by calling (toll free) once a month. It's a help when you've got a big dog like we do.

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  7. No wonder our economy is in trouble. Wonder what would happen if people like Kim C. in NC, myself, and a whole bunch of others were to submit lemon as a new Pop Tarts flavor and end our messages with, "this suggestion courtesy of Rena Jones Blog and myself."

    Also far easier and more fun to drive to Amish country and buy their homemade little lunch-box size lemon pies to bypass Kellogg's.

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  8. Not the best PR person on their staff - crazy.

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  9. My husband used to write letters to company's all the time time. He once wrote to Swatch (remember them?) when his waterproof watch died in the ocean. They sent him a new one.

    There are good substitutes for Pop Tarts. My kids like the ones by Nature's Path and Fiber One.

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  10. I'm a huge fan of grape anything, so I thought I'd try the grape poptarts. Yeah. Not their best. The kids won't touch them. The neighbor kid said, "Ew. Gross," when he saw them. I'm guessing they won't be around long. Now peanut butter and grape jelly. I might would try that one, but far be it from me to suggest it to Kellogg's. How rude.

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  11. what a crap response! I notified Blue Bonnet that their "Light" version looked too much like their regular version and I'd accidentally bought it and found it useless for baking with. They sent me an apology and coupons.

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  12. When I was in college, my roommates and I felt there should be turquoise blue m and m's. (At that time -- back in the Stone Age, you know -- a package contained only dark brown, tan, yellow, orange, red, and maybe green.) We wrote a letter which included a color sample, but we never heard anything. However, there are blue ones now!

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  13. That's so surprising that a company would treat a customer that way!!! That is ridiculous!
    That being said, I do eat a Pop Tart every morning!! I like strawberry milkshakes, but do not like the strawberry milkshake Pop Tart flavor. I did read somewhere that a blueberry poptart is better for you than a blueberry muffin. Less fat I think, less calories. But both I'm sure have plenty of sugar which is probably why I like them!
    My kids do like the new grape flavor. I try to only buy the fruit ones thinking there is probably less sugar in them than the chocolate or dessert sounding ones!

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  14. Wow, thanks for all of the replies. I'm glad to see others take the time to write when something goes wrong, or when they have a suggestion!

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  15. I'm late to the party here, Rena, but Jonathon is right. It has to do with legalities.

    If they thanked your for the suggestion and said they'd keep it in mind, then they'd have to credit and pay you if they followed through. A young girl did this with Apple and iPod a couple of years ago, and she received the same sort of response.

    I'm not defending their actions. Certainly there are more tactful ways to respond.

    Your blog is beautiful, BTW.

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  16. Wow...maybe someone should tell them they aren't the only breakfast food in town...grin...

    I've sent emails and have gotten some very nice replies...I've even written companies to see if they will donate items to give as gifts for my resident activities...and although none have said yes, I have always gotten very nice letters telling me no...grin...

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  17. Wow, obviously Kelloggs feels they have enough customers and don't really need the Jones family! What a response.

    I had to laugh though when I got the gist of this article. Really the only time I have ever written any company was to complain about service and I always seemed to do it in a way that they sent me free stuff that I never used anyway. (IE I complained to US Air over a flight problem and they sent me a $500 certificate to use for another flight that year which would have been nice if I was going anywhere that year... ah well.)

    But the reason I laugh is because ever since my dad became a senior citizen, he has decided it is his job to write letters to anyone and everyone from companies to newspapers. And it has become my job to edit the letters to keep him out of jail or banned from services! Let's just say I have learned to edit a paragraph of profanity faster then anyone I know! lol

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