Archive for the ‘Off topic’ Category

What the hell does BT mean?

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009

We just re-signed our business broadband with BT. Please don’t email me to tell me it’s cheaper and more reliable elsewhere, I don’t want to know now.

Anyway, one of the factors that swayed me was them throwing in a free mobile broadband dongle. It arrived in the post today. A big deal for me – this is a new gadget!

Inside the package there was a letter. Did it say “well done you superstar, you just got yourself a great free mobile broadband deal”?

Sadly not.

After a paragraph welcoming me to BT (actually BT, we’re existing customers. Check your database), the letter said this:

“As a BT Business One Plan customer you can you can include the BT Business Mobile Broadband spend under Option 3 with inclusive Mobile Broadband within BT Business One Plan. As a BT Business One Plan Plus customer you can you can include the BT Business Mobile Broadband spend under Option 3 with inclusive Mobile Broadband within BT Business One Plan Plus.”

WHAT?

(And yes the letter did repeat the phrase “you can”… twice…)

I have no idea what this means. So I ignored the rest of the letter. Let’s hope there was nothing important in there (frankly, I doubt it).

When you have something good or exciting to say to a customer, say it in a way they can understand.

Thanks for the Christmas card, but…

Friday, December 12th, 2008

Had four Christmas cards in the post this morning.

One was from a new supplier of PR tools we have just signed with; another from our friendly accountants.

But the other two had no company name on them, and just scribbled first names at the bottom.

Er… who sent them? The first names were both common ones, which could be one of a number of clients, suppliers and contacts.

Pity to go to all the effort of sending Christmas cards to get none of the benefit!

If you’re doing cards on the cheap and not having your business name professional printed inside, why not get a stamp made up and stamp each one?

Or don’t bother sending cards. This year we have made another donation to charity.

Will you help Autism Concern please

Wednesday, October 8th, 2008

We are currently helping a Northamptonshire charity called Autism Concern.

After 17 years they are in the scary position of facing closure at Christmas, unless they can raise £150,000.

We’re donating our services for free to raise awareness. 

The media have been fantastic picking this up, with a great piece on BBC Look East TV last night, stories in the Northampton Chronicle & Echo and the Northants ET today, and most of the other news outlets in the county have agreed some kind of coverage. Thank you!

After some national coverage as we speak.

If you can spare a few quid please do make a donation, every penny makes a difference at this stage.

Man bites dog

Monday, December 17th, 2007

There’s a saying in journalism that when a dog bites a man, that’s not news. But if a man bites a dog, that’s news!

Well, it’s finally happened according to this Reuters report.

How to get rid of cold callers

Monday, July 16th, 2007

Very off-topic, but I just made myself laugh with a 7 second unwanted cold sales call:

Phone rings

Me: Good afternoon Publicity Heaven

Caller: Hello, is that Mr P M Green of Publicity Heaven

Me: Er… yes.

Caller: Fantastic. My name’s Bob, I’m calling from XYZ Ltd, we work with Royal Mail, and I’m calling to see if you are making the most of the benefits offered to you by Royal Mail

Me: Yes I am.

Caller: Oh… bye then.

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