Sky.com A perfect example of how not to do marketing
Sky, that massive organisation, you would imagine, judging from their advertising, online, off-line and on TV, would be able to teach us a thing or two about marketing. Based on my experience they seem to have a better external marketing department than they do for customer marketing.
Picture this. I have a SKY+ box and I’m very happy. Then at the beginning of this year I start receiving lots of communications – direct mail, email and telephone asking me if I wanted to upgrade to SKY+HD. I had been considering an HD television so I was receptive. The communications kept coming and then the offers started and I succumbed. Several key marketing points were raised, one of which was the ‘new on-screen HD guide which was going to be ‘far superior’ to the old SKY+ guide. I saw a demo and was duly impressed – but then I’m easily pleased.
The unit came and was installed. The engineer, nice guy, was quick and efficient and then gave me a quick whistle stop tour of the new box.
“Great”, says I. “So how do I access the new guide?”
“Ah”, says he. “They don’t come pre-installed with that guide it needs to be downloaded. But his model is not getting downloads yet.”
Calls to SKY central ensued and I was told that it would be “…about 2-3 weeks before you get the new guide downloaded.”
That was July. 3 weeks later I called. “Soon.” Came the reply.
Then I called again in August, September & October. Then I gave up. It will come when it comes.
Then 4th November I receive ‘the’ email:
—
Subject: Important Information for Sky+HD customers
Gripped with excitement and in a state of uncontrolled fervour I opened the email to see the news I had been waiting (a little longer than 2-3 weeks for):
Your new Sky+HD Guide is on its way (complete with trumpet fanfare – no, I made that up!)
Look out for your new Sky+HD Guide. It will be with you shortly.
Here at Sky we’re always looking for ways to evolve our products and services to make them better for you. That’s why we’ve developed the new, beautifully simple Sky+HD Guide exclusively for Sky+HD customers.
Soon you’ll be enjoying great new features such as a Mini TV and enhanced search and record functionality that will make it even easier for you to find, watch and record the programmes you love.
—
Soon, in my time frames of soon, came and went.
Then today, November 26th I received a direct mail piece from none other than: Mark Anderson, Customer marketing Director at Sky
I felt important that he should be writing to me, even more exciting because it was about the new SKY+HD guide, I read on excitedly:
“As you know, we recently added the new Guide to your current SKY+HD box and we hope that you like its new look….”
I stopped reading, I’d only just got home so not had time to turn on the SKY+HD box. So I did and…
No. Mark was wrong. No new guide and no I don’t know if I like its new look.
So assuming there had been an error I call SKY technical service.
I explain what has happened and ask when I will receive it.
I hold. I wait. I’m told that I should talk to customer service and I am transferred.
I explain (again) what has happened and ask when I will receive it.
I hold. I wait. I’m told that I should talk to technical service and I am transferred.
I explain (a third time) what has happened and ask when I will receive it.
I hold. I wait. I’m told that I should talk to someone else.
I shout “STOP!”
I’ve done this, I’ve been there. But I am informed that I will be put through to a specialist department.
I explain (for a fourth time) what has happened and ask when I will receive it.
I hold. I wait. I’m told that I should have received it because all boxes of my make have received the new guide.
I tell him I haven’t.
“Have you switched it off at the mains?”
“No”, I reply.
“If you switch it off then it won’t happen”
“No, I haven’t it always remains on standby eco mode”
“You need to make sure it is always on”
“It is always on”, I reply, for the second time
“If you keep it switched on it will update automatically”
“Ok, I say, we need to stop here, because I’ve told you that I do keep it switched on and it hasn’t updated so let’s not go down that route when will it be updated?”
“Well we’re updating the Thompson units now and you don’t have one of those”
“OK. So when will mine be updated?”
“The next time your make is updated”
“OK”, starting to slightly lose my patience now… “When will that be?”
“We don’t have a schedule. I can put your through to customer service and they..”
“STOP!” Yes, lost my patience now
“Just put me through to marketing I would like to speak with Mark Anderson”
“Accounts?”
“No, marketing please!
“Sales?”
“No, marketing please, Mark Anderson your Customer Marketing Director”
“Marketing?”
“OK, forget it!”
It really does illustrate just how customer support and customer care must be linked to marketing.
The people I spoke to from different departments didn’t have communication between them and did not appear to have the ability to pass information between them. They were not aware of the marketing communications I had received and even though I used the same language that was in the email and direct mail, it confused them. Not their fault, very helpful and nice people, but not kept in the loop.
Marketing is a very powerful tool, when used correctly, but when it’s not joined up with what is happening to the customer and not communicated internally, it becomes negative marketing. I know, I’ve just experience it from one of the largest marketing organisations around.
If you do see Mark Anderson around give him my regards.
Update: 3rd December 2009
I got home today and found a letter from Sky on my doormat. The envelope proudly announced ‘Your new SKY+HD Guide Wil be here soon’. So either someone at Sky read my blog and decided to put things straight or they just have no idea what is being delivered, when and to whom. I know which option my money is on…
Further update: 4rd December 2009
Just received an email to say “Important Information for Sky+HD customers – Your new Sky+HD Guide is on its way”. Am I excited? Not really, no idea when or if it will come. The problem is that now there has been so much hype and hassle it’s become an anticlimax.
Further update: 7th December 2009
I’m nearly so excited I can hardly write. It’s here. Finally, after what seems like forever, but is actually only 6 months, we have it. And you know, I can’t remember why I wanted it now!
