When you decide to run a Foursquare campaign for your business, make sure all of your employees know what Foursquare is.
I don't want to rush release a Foursquare special campaign for my two hotels. The Gap is a good example of what happens when you release a campaign, and not all of your employees know exactly what you're doing.
I recently learned that The Gap is running a special for 25% off your entire purchase for Foursquare users. I haven't been to The Gap in years (my college wardrobe consisted of Forever 21 and Hanes men's t-shirts with black spandex) so since I needed some new "real people" clothing I figured going to The Gap (with 25%) off would be a great idea.
But today when I went to The Gap, instead of being granted the Foursquare promotion and feeling like I was a valued customer, I felt embarrassed.
When I went to ring up my items the employee at my local Gap wasn't as excited as I was to redeem this offer. He, and the customers behind me, laughed when I said I wanted to use my Foursquare special for 25% off. "Oh, the hopscotch special with the magic code" he said sarcastically (and I know sarcasm, I speak it fluently), "right, let me enter that in..."
I smiled back (although I guarantee I was beet red) and tried to politely ask if I was the first one to unlock the special at that particular store.
"Yes," he said "...and the code your phone gave me actually didn't work. But don't worry, I let you have another offer anyway..."
I was thrown off for several reasons. The first, was that the employee was acting as if he was doing me a favor by allowing me to use the 25% off deal that his company was advertising, even though the promotion code was incorrect. He told me he wasn't sure if "my deal" was legitimate. The second, was that he chimed in with the customers behind me and made fun of Foursquare-even though Foursquare itself was the only reason I was in his store. I think this is an example of what can go wrong if a Foursquare campaign hits a national level, and your employees don't know what Foursquare is.
I realize I have a bit of a digital obsession, and that I know a little more than the general public about smartphones, but I'm not that out of the ordinary. For a cashier to mock someone for trying to redeem one of their promotions is pretty offsetting. I don't think I'll fall into to the Gap again anytime soon, but I did enjoy the deal itself (I saved $66) and the clothes I purchased.
UPDATE: 2:37p.m. 8/18/2010
I just received received an e-mail from The Gap addressing my issue with their Foursquare campaign. I think this is an extremely good example of customer service-.I would be remiss if I didn't include how they did in fact contact me in this post.