UKNM: Re: lastminute.com / when to respond

[Dirk Singer]

Personally, I think that Brent did the right thing in responding to the

points made about lastminute.com, rather than let them hang unanswered in a

forum filled with current / potential customers + a number of journalists.


But - this does raise an interesting point. In what circumstances should you

react to discussions about your company / client?


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----------

 >

From: John Braithwaite <JohnBGBGdirect [dot] com>

 >

To: "'uk-netmarketingmail [dot] chinwag [dot] com'" <uk-netmarketingmail [dot] chinwag [dot] com>

 >Subject: UKNM: RE: lastminute.com does delight its customers!

 >Date: Fri, Jan 7, 2000, 11:14 am

 >


 >Sam,

 >

 >Surely Brent failed in this issue as he forgot one of the basics rules of

PR

 >- don't get too defensive or speak unless you have to. The whole

 >lastminute.com appraisal on this list would have lasted a maximum of a

 >couple of days and he could have remained anonymous. 

 >Check out the Boo manoeuvre - keep quiet whilst the storm rages and join in

 >after it all blows over. We now have a regular contributor from boo and his

 >addition to this list is one of the many reasons why there are so many

 >'anonymous' subscribers out there.

 >

 >Perhaps Brent should have just apologised for the individual problems that

 >people have experienced. Perhaps he should call in the Customer Relations

 >and Call Centre Managers this morning and ask them why they were lying to

 >him about the service over the new year period. Perhaps he should do

 >something about the French operation (Ian?). As they say on that annoying

 >Mobile Phone advert - 'it's your call'.

 >

 >The trouble is the lastminute.com is not a destination site that will

please

 >everyone - it is a site that will please some and not others. It is not

 >comprehensive. It's a site to visit on a whim and see what happens.

 >Although, judging by the comments out there, there must be a niche for

 >people who want to get away on short breaks / holidays by themselves. The

 >problem of pricing in this area is obvious - in many cases hotels have very

 >few/no single rooms, therefore as a single person you are taking up space

 >that could be occupied by two - that is why the price for one is often

 >inflated - this is often applied by the hotel and not the travel agent /

 >tour operator (I know, I married an ex-Thomson employee!).

 >

 >On another note, we are going to have a communications (message board /

 >chat) area on our site - I am just putting the finishing touches to the

 >policy document for all subscribers to that service.... huge, comprehensive

 >and legally binds the user to whatever they write. If you include a email

 >verification loop for access to the area then you should be safe.... but

you

 >can never tell!

 >

 >Cheers

 >

 >

 >John Braithwaite

 >

 >+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 >John Braithwaite

 >http://www.thegoodbookguide.com

 >Tel:  + 44 20 7490 9901



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