My colleague Joanne Glass recently shared an experience with me that all marketers can learn from. It starts with this excerpt from a deli’s marketing communication:
During a quick glance at the menu, Joanne also spotted “Chichen Salad,” along with “Tow locations.” This menu was so replete with errors that she was prompted to ask the cashier why the deli handed it out to customers. He replied,
“The printer refused to give my boss a credit for the typos. He said they were our fault, because we didn’t proofread it. We don’t want to throw away 5000 flyers!”
This deli owner could benefit from learning about sunk costs. Just because a vendor is in the wrong, doesn’t mean a business should pass the mistake onto their customers. Sometimes businesses must face the unpleasant task of recycling 5000 flyers for the sake of their customer relationships.
In other news, this business is currently looking for a new printing partner. Sometimes vendors must also face the unpleasant task of admitting a mistake for the sake of their customer relationships– or face the consequences of losing their customers.
