In the business of being snubbed by big business

This is from a few days ago, but the consumer blog community has been in uproar over blatant snubs fellow consumers have received from big companies, particularly Target, Starbucks, T-Mobile, and Sprint. Blogger and marketing consultant Joseph Jaffe reminds these guys not to miss an opportunity to right some truly unbelievable marketing no-no's. I was particularly shocked over the Target and Starbucks consumer snubs, described by Jaffe in this brief clip (you'll have to follow the link because the video can't be downloaded):

Social Media Mistakes of Five Big Marketers

In this golden age of communication, how do these big guys think they can get away with this? They seem to be forgetting that their target demographics are made up of individuals-- who are constantly connected with one another.

I had a recent experience with Apple where I was snubbed twice by their customer service department. I placed an order for a nice shiny 24" iMac and printer that were damaged via shipping. Not only was I not notified of the damage, I wasn't automatically re-ordered a new computer, and had to complete the re-ordering process myself, which took an additional 7-10 days. This re-ordering process took place after I haggled with a customer service rep on the phone for 30 minutes, 29 minutes of which I was on hold. I then had to wait 24 hours for a "case number" and verification email. Only THEN could I proceed with ordering a new computer.

Following the iMac issue, I ordered an iTunes gift card from them several weeks ago which I only just received last Tuesday due to "loss in shipment". Not only had I not received this thing for weeks, Apple wasn't even willing to take the blame for the loss of the product in shipping, instead pointing fingers at USPS. As a reward, they received a three-page rager suggesting a total overhaul of their processes (along with a few choice words for the staff I spoke to).

On the upside, I got promoted to an Apple VIP after a long, ass-kissing phone call last Saturday following my letter. But the sad truth is that I'm one of the lucky ones. Big Biz snubs happen countless times a day to countless consumers. I'm hoping we'll soon reach a point where consumers are more united and loyal to each other than they are to brands that consistently slight them.