Coupons Are Back --- In What Way?

After 17 years of decline, consumers use more coupons in 2009 than they did a year ago. Probably because of the recession, consumers redeemed 3.3 billion out of a total of 367 billion coupons, a 27% increase from 2008’s 2.6 billion. Even though “traditional newspaper inserts are still the prime territory for bargain hunters” (newspaper distributed 89% of coupons; more than 50% of them were redeemed), online coupon increased 92%. In particular, one out of five (1/5) people have cashed online coupons they received. Overall, coupon users can be describes as women (60%) and those of 25 – 34 years old, followed by those of 45 or older.

Another research found that more and more cell-phone users are interested in receiving special offers through cell-phone apps and text-messaging programs. There are several free mobile apps available, such as Yowza, MobiQpons, and Cellfire, allowing customers to search businesses with special offers. Believe it or not, some of these apps are very effective. Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill, a restaurant chain in the West Coast, used Yowza and saw 4% redemption rate on cell-phone coupons, 4 times more effective compared to direct mail and newspaper coupons.

We have seen many hotels and restaurants started using cell-phone apps in operations (you may read relevant discussion via http://linchikwok.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-will-iphone-travel-apps-change-our.html). For example, hotels in Las Vegas launched an iPhone app last month so that they can send messages with special offers to the customers passing by.

In conclusion, we see coupons are coming back, but online and cell-phone add coupons have become more and more important. Hotels and restaurants can definitely distribute their promotion messages through Internet and cell phones. However, decision makers need to be very careful not to annoy their customers by “dumping” adds to their e-mails or cell phones. Probably, it would be better and more effective to reach the target customers by making online and cell-phone app coupons available to those customers who “look for” great deals. What do you think? Also, if you have tried “coupon” apps, what was your experience?

References:
Inc.com: http://www.inc.com/news/articles/2010/02/coupon-use-hits-record-high.html; http://www.inc.com/magazine/20091201/how-to-boost-sales-with-mobile-coupons.html?partner=newsletter_Sales
Las Vegas Sun: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/08/harrahs-launches-iphone-app-caesars-bypasses-check/
Picture was downloaded from: http://www.get1free.com/images/coupons/Hotel-Savings-Directory.jpg

Comments

Is It OK for Hotel Staff to Wear Piercings and Tattoos?

Time has changed. I see more and more college students wearing piercings and tattoos nowadays, but is it OK for hotel staff to wear piercings and tattoos? The answer is “no, no, no.” According a report at USAToday.com, customers across the board do not want to see any hotel workers with pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue, tattooed arm, or nose ring. Some may argue that tattooed and pierced workers may seem more acceptable in edgy boutique hotels as compared to the big franchised hotels, but the survey results did not find any differences among a variety of lodging products. Many respondents believe people who wear visible tattoos and piercings are taking a high risk of their professional lives. If you stay in a hotel, do you mind being served by tattooed and/or pierced staff? What if you are the one who makes the hiring decision? References: USAToday.com: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010 Picture was downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010P

Where Coffee Meets Culture: My Experience with Orientation, Socialization, and Culture at Dutch Bros (by Karina Martinez)

When people think of Dutch Bros, they usually picture colorful drinks, loud music, free stickers, and baristas so friendly they’ll jump in the car with you. As someone who has had the opportunity to work for Dutch Bros, I can say that the energy customers feel isn’t an act; it is the result of intentional and effective HR practices that are focused on orientation, socialization, and culture. From your very first day, you experience how these practices shape the entire Dutch experience. Orientation, Socialization, Culture In HR management, orientation is the introduction of the role and company to new hires. This is intended to help them feel welcomed and informed. Socialization goes beyond the initial training process; it’s how new hires grasp the organization’s values, behaviors, and traditions over time. Together, these fun...

Average/Below-Average Looking People Can Earn as Much as the Attractive Ones

Research has shown that attractive people can not only charm interviewers (and thus get hired easier), they are also more likely to earn more as compared to those with average or below-average looks. Accordingly to a Wall Street Journal report , attractive people can earn 3% - 4% more than a person with below-average look. If such difference adds up over a person’s lifetime, an attractive person can earn up to $230,000 more than an ugly worker; even an average-looking person can make $140,000 more. Another relevant Wall Street Journal report also suggests that workers who exercise regularly can earn 9% more than those who do not. If that is the fact (I believe it is), is it legal? Can employers do that? Linchi Kwok and Otto @SyracuseU Career Fair To my knowledge, no law or regulation under EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) considers a person’s look as a protective class. It is true that people in general have an idea of what kind of person they feel attract...

Linchi Kwok, Ph.D.

Search This Blog