[net.consumers] Radio Shack Addresses

chris@umcp-cs.UUCP (Chris Torek) (12/31/85)

Some years ago I asked *why* the local Shack wanted my address when
I had already given them enough variants to get six copies of each
flyer.  The reason was that the sales folks get something extra---I
forget whether it was a fixed amount or a rate per ticket---if they
collect enough names.  I do not know if this is still the case,
but I suspect so.  They are not just `doing their job':  They have
an extra incentive.

No doubt they are now sending hundreds of copies of each flyer to
my old address. :-)
-- 
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (+1 301 454 4251)
UUCP:	seismo!umcp-cs!chris
CSNet:	chris@umcp-cs		ARPA:	chris@mimsy.umd.edu

eric@osiris.UUCP (Eric Bergan) (01/02/86)

> Some years ago I asked *why* the local Shack wanted my address when
> I had already given them enough variants to get six copies of each
> flyer.  The reason was that the sales folks get something extra---I
> forget whether it was a fixed amount or a rate per ticket---if they
> collect enough names.  I do not know if this is still the case,
> but I suspect so.  They are not just `doing their job':  They have
> an extra incentive.
> 
> No doubt they are now sending hundreds of copies of each flyer to
> my old address. :-)
> -- 
> In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (+1 301 454 4251)
> UUCP:	seismo!umcp-cs!chris
> CSNet:	chris@umcp-cs		ARPA:	chris@mimsy.umd.edu

	While I shudder to admit it, I was one of those "obnoxious"
Radio Shack employees who always insisted on getting the customer's
name and address. Let me assure you that (at least 8 years ago) the
employee is not compensated for getting a quota. In fact, the opposite
tactic was used. Less than 80% names and addresses was grounds for
termination.

	There are two reasons for the name/address capture. The first is
the obvious one - the all important mailing list. But a more subtle one
was that it helped thwart employee rip-offs. Employees are less likely to
write up a phony refund on a ticket with a name and address on it (yes,
I know there are ways around this, but it was their first line of defense).

	BTW - at the time (and probably true today) Tandy had a separate
security company, whose major purpose in life was to travel from area to
area and "shop" stores, and then evaluate the employee performance. This 
included making sure that refunds were handled properly.

	One other point - at that time, the average turn over period for a
store manager was one year.

-- 

					eric
					...!seismo!umcp-cs!aplvax!osiris!eric