January 25, 2017
Harris Teeter Inc.
Attn: Customer Relations
PO Box 10100
Matthews, NC 28106-0100
Dear Harris Teeter Grocery Store,
I know – where the heck have I been? I’m sorry I haven’t been at your store for a few years except for the occasional visit.
I know you miss me as a customer since I used to buy almost all my food and sundries needs from you. I prefer the atmosphere and feeling of shopping at Whole Foods, so I am not spending my money at your store. It is nothing personal.
I calculated that I spent $200 per week over 20 years. When I do the math that means I spent more than $200,000 as a customer. That is likely to be a low number but it gives you an idea of my “lifetime value” as a customer.
Last week, I got your coupon in the mail for $10, I figured – why not. I need a few things I can’t get at Whole Foods that I have been picking up at random places like Wal-Mart, Food Lion or Fresh Market. The coupon said I had to spend $75 to get the $10 discount with my VIC loyalty card.
Since I used my loyalty card, you would have had the data to know that I am a customer who has spent $200,000 over two decades with your store.
Imagine how I felt when I checked out and told that the coupon was only good for a few days and I couldn’t use it today. Yes, the coupon did have dates when it could be used. But the font was small, and I missed it.
I left the store feeling annoyed – probably not the reaction you wanted.
So let me recap- the lifetime value of me as a customer was $200,000 and your coupon couldn’t be adjusted to allow me to save $10 last week.
Imagine if someone in the store could have easily overridden this coupon and said, we can make this work for you. How hard would it have been? Why didn’t your cashier know that this 20-year customer, who used a loyalty card is back in the store and you should do everything to make me want to come back again?
Instead, the cashier said nothing could be done, and the manager couldn’t do anything.
So, I know you wanted to coax me into the store and to consider shopping at HT again. Sadly, I left annoyed, disappointed and frustrated. Maybe you have all the customers you want and you didn’t really want me back.
Maybe you should reconsider why you send me that $10 coupon?
Since I am a marketing consultant, here is a marketing tip – and it’s free.
If you give a lapsed customer an incentive coupon to come back, you should find a way to honor it so that I don’t leave the store pissed off.
Sorry, we won’t be seeing each other again soon.
Best regards,
Jeffrey Slater
Are your promotions pissing off your customers instead of incentivizing them? Text me to talk about how to make sure your marketing promotions work. 919 720 0995 or email me at jeffreylynnslater@gmail.com
Image: Harris Teeter Promotional Coupon
