Wow - check out this response from Pilot, after receiving an email from me to their customer care section of their company website, recounting my experience in the Seattle airport and resulting new product idea. I'm not sure whether to feel "blown off" or whether to watch the airport nearest me for the next big product innovation from my favorite pen company?
They do get marks though for the speed of the response, for spelling my name correctly, and for identifying the issue that was the subject of my comment (product packaging). Not bad, and a good example of a company engaged with customers.
They could have hit it out of the park for me if they had responded more authentically, like, "Hey, great idea we'll see if it makes sense". Or, "Crazy idea, we don't have enough 'airport"\' volume to support that notion, but thanks for the thought" instead of phrases like, "It brings us great pleasure..." and "for your continued writing pleasure".
Oh well, keep your eyes and ears to the ground to see what their marketing team does with it!
Dear Ms. Slavik-Tsuyuki,
Thank you for reaching out to us about our G2 Pro Gel Ink Pen. It brings us great pleasure knowing that you enjoy using our products. We always appreciate hearing from our satisfied customers and thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding your experience with the product packaging. Please be assured that your comments have been forwarded to our Marketing and Quality departments.
We would be pleased to send you a complimentary sample for your continued writing pleasure. This will be sent to the address you have provided.
Thank you for taking the time to contact us. If there is anything else we can assist you with please feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
Holly Houser
Consumer Advisor
what was your problem with their packaging? just curious!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Not really a problem per se, just an opportunity for Pilot to create an easy to open package (as opposed to the rigid hard plastic that you can't even open with teeth) for distribution in airports. Imagine - a package you could actually open without needing scissors ... which you can't get at a gate in an airport.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many products out there with impossible to open packaging that they have even spawned a new product that typically shows up around Christmas, one to help open these impenetrable plastic fortresses!
Terry - The response pretty much sounds like a canned version, but as you say, good on them for getting the name right etc.
ReplyDeleteI hate. those impenetrable plastic shells, and have always wondered why they don't have a zip strip of some sort.