“Happy customers tell no-one. Unhappy customers tell everyone.” –Sometimes that’s true.
It drives me crazy that every company wants you to sign up for their mailing lists, Facebook, Twitter, and be an online billboard for their business but they aren’t willing to do anything special for you.
I decided to sign up for Ruby Tuesdays because the website that linked me said I would get a free buffet meal for joining. Nothing’s free however. I’ll keep you posted on Ruby Tuesday’s reply.
Dear Ruby and your sidekick Tuesday,
I am really disappointed in your So Connected club. After asking for my personal info, I had to double opt-in, only to find that upon confirming my subscription you sent me a Buy-One-Get-One coupon.
I am a single man who eats at your restaurant with other business associates.. thus separate tabs. I was hoping for a free meal for signing up.. a $10 gift card.. a free lunch buffet… an appetizer no purchase necessary–something special at least. But a BOGO offer? Come on guys… I shouldn’t have to join a club for that. That’s so standard and boring and 80′s.
Ruby Tuesday should do better things with their So Connected club… like for example. 1) If you join the Facebook Fan Page and tag yourself in a photo eating at a Ruby Tuesday–you could win a prize. (A real prize, not a BOGO offer). 2) Sign up ten of your friends to So Connected and get a free lunch buffet.
My Coupons App for the Android Marketplace has tons of bogo offers every day and I don’t have to sign up for anything. And 20+ restaurants in my small town offer a free lunch on your birthday without having to sign up for anything either. What’s so special about the So Connected club?
Anyway.. I’m cutting this short. But I am disappointed.
Sincerely,
Adventure PAULhttp://adventurepaul.com
* * * * *
Update: 6-15-2010
Ruby Tuesday’s wrote me back. But they did not rectify my concerns. Instead Ms. Holland, The Marketing Team Director, gave me a suggestion which was to use the buy-one-get-one coupon to eat in the restaurant and take a meal home to-go. The two problems I have with that suggestion are 1) I still have to spend money. 2A) I have to eat Ruby Tuesday twice in the same day. 2B) The second free meal won’t be fresh cooked by the time I eat it. Offering me buy-one-get-free-left-overs-later doesn’t seem too customer oriented.
Below is a copy of the reply.
Dear Adventure Paul:
Thank you for being a valued guest of Ruby Tuesday and for your comments
and suggestions in regard to our So Connected club. We value all of our
guests’ feedback and use this type of feedback in decisions that are
made. Currently, we are offering the buy one get one free coupon to our
new So Connected members as a thank you for joining. If you are a
single diner, you may take advantage of this offer by purchasing one
meal for dining in, and the second free meal can be ordered as a TueGo
order so that you can enjoy at a later time. We emphasize to our guests
the advantages of being a So Connected member as having free access to
many other coupons and discounts that are not publicly advertised
otherwise.We do evaluate our coupons periodically and change them accordingly. I
will be happy to forward your suggestions to the appropriate person for
consideration on all future coupons.Again, we appreciate your patronage, as well as your comments, and look
forward to serving you again soon.Stacy Holland
RUBY TUESDAY
Marketing Team Coordinator
(800) 325-0755 ext. 7002
Direct: (865) 380-7002
Fax: (865) 380-7639
Don’t take my whining and complaining as entitlement. I do appreciate Ms. Holland writing me back a formal fuck off, but her promise of forwarding my suggestions leaves me wanting more.. like a gift card or free lunch buffet coupon. Maybe I’m old fashioned. I remember the days when you could write McDonalds and tell them your fries were cold or not salted to your satisfaction and they would send you more free McD’s than a healthy rational individual could eat. Those days are gone.
I want my free lunch buffet Ruby Tuesdays. And nothing else matters.
