Invited to new, "exclusive" customer panel, BUT

I just got an email invitation to a new and "exclusive" (invitation only) customer forum, distinct from the regular one, called "Plusnatter".

It was billed as offering an opportunity to help Plusnet do better, and influence products, along with a chance to win up to £250 for activities you participate in.

"I'm up for some of that!", I thought. Actually I usually assist companies with customer input, if asked, and this was no different. So I immediately pressed the button to sign up.

I was asked a few basic profiling questions about both myself and the products I currently have, before being SCREENED OUT, with a message that they already have all the responses they need.

So your "exclusive" invitation isn't valid if you don't provide the right answers to questions. I felt that Plusnet want to listen to people, just not to people LIKE ME!

What was it? That I'm middle-aged? That I don't have kids? That I don't have all the latest mod cons - I'm not on fibre, and don't have a mobile or TV package?

OK, so I'm a bit of a luddite. But I'm a real customer too! If they engaged with me, we both might learn something - they might learn how to appeal to customers like me who are a bit averse to change, and I might learn about changes that could help me.

But instead, the only message they've sent me is that I'm not exclusive enough to join their "exclusive" club.

Well, a big raspberry to them too. How to antagonize your customers in one easy move: send them a "select" invitation, and when they respond, tell them you don't want them.

All my answers were completely honest and consistent, by the way, so the screening out won't have been on the basis that I proved myself incapable of answering a survey sensibly.

Or maybe they have what demographically look to be lots of people like you already signed up.

That is still pretty poor - it's not as if I'd sat on it for a week or two before responding.

Respond at once, only to be told they already have enough participants? Why send it then?

They either need to manage expectations better (not make it sound like you've already been picked to join - just say yes), or explain the reasons better, or (preferably) both.

What's the point of telling me how great it's going to be, and how they'd love to have me, and then saying no when I try to register? Very poor PR.

I used to do the IPSOS surveys but ended up stopping because they kept on sending me surveys and then after a couple of questions saying they already had the responses they needed from people like me. Even if I did it immediately that I received it that could still happen and that is despite IPSOS already having most of the screening information on their database.

It sounds like PlusNet are using a similar system. I know a number of companies will put out surveys to build groups but when they go to the survey company they define a number of "types" of people that they want to target and they have a limit on the total number of people that they want in the group.

Yes, I do those paid surveys too, and accept I'm screened out of far more than I complete.

I agree they used a similar (identical?) system, but the difference was the presentation. With the paid surveys, I've never been under any illusion there were guaranteed to be any available, OR that I'd necessarily qualify for them if there were.

If you read the rubric, it's quite clear you won't always qualify, and there's usually a small consolation prize - e.g. a raffle entry - for your wasted effort if you're screened out.

The PN one wasn't like that. The gist was: "We'd love to have you at our exclusive club, which is going to be wonderful. Just click here to accept." No mention that it's a screening survey - you're led to believe it's the registration procedure.

So a bit surprising to be invited to register, but then told: "No thanks."

Agree, poor wording of a standard practice - no surprise they are following the practice but they should be clearer that it is a possible opportunity if you fit the right profile.

Oh so it's like a Plusnet user group - that's a GREAT idea! got to be exclusive if they just thought of it!

Oh wait... no they did this in 2007 and it wasn't very good then either.

Don't they just have to do whatever BT tells them now anyway?

As long as they employ people with yorkshire accents to answer the phone then it is tick boxes all round, it has caught on as BT are now trying the same trick except with Scottish people.

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

As long as they employ people with yorkshire accents to answer the phone then it is tick boxes all round, it has caught on as BT are now trying the same trick except with Scottish people.

But they are almost as bad as Geordies for being incomprehensible .

[ BT are now trying the same trick except with Scottish people.

[/quote]But they are almost as bad as Geordies for being incomprehensible .


I'm almost tempted to say something rude to Bobbie !