[/caption]In almost the only thing I do that can be classed as "fiscally responsible", I have an ING savings account. Money goes in and it doesn't come out for any reason (except maybe the Galapagos Islands which a friend recently suggested we visit...).
One of the things I like(d) about ING was the lack of correspondence - their involvement in my life is at exactly the level I wish it to be. They haven't pushed for a single thing more, content to hold my money while it earns a little interest and leave me be. I thought we had an understanding.
A few days back I got hit with the "latest" issue of their newsletter called The Juice. I say "latest" because I don't remember them ever sending me one before. There's a brief note from Vic Wolff Executive Director, Marketing and Communications who gives me the only thing remotely interesting to me: the interest rate has gone form 6.90% or 7%. Great - if that means what I think it means, truth be told I have no idea how that impacts my savings day to day, it's like telling a homeless person they could offset their carbon emissions by 25% if they begged on the sunny side of the street.
- They tell me they've paid out $5 billion dollars in interest since starting. Not to me. So I don't care.
- Why using Billy Connolly in their commercials is such a good fit for their brand. I do not care.
- A note about donating $50k to a research project to better understand the snubfin dolphin. I do not care - understand I'm all for marine conservation, I'm just a bit more concerned making some fundamental alterations to the way we live in order to make sure my kids (when I have them) can see any dolphin somewhere other than a textbook.
ING, know you want to have a chat with your customers, but your opening salvo was a bunch of stuff you wanted me to know about you. And I don't care what you look like, that doesn't get a drink bought, and it certainly doesn't get a conversation started.
I love ING and have had a savings account there for around 3 years or so (though its looking a wee bit paltry these days...) and I had the same thoughts when I got a newsletter not too long ago.
ReplyDeleteSo I was totally on board with what you were saying...until I see that you are near 7% interest! Poof! There goes my support! My account is sitting around 3%!!! So until they slash your interest rate or boost mine... may they send you all the spam they can muster. Psh..global economic equality, my ass!
Hmmm...there does seem a slight discrepancy there. I *may* have gotten that wrong, but at this stage I don't want to let the facts get in the way of a good story! ;]
ReplyDeletehow about editing your account preferences to opt out of email broadcasts if you are so against it?
ReplyDeleteHey James, thanks for your comment. I'm not against emails from ING - or from anyone whose services I have opted in for, but I do think they can be more intelligent about the content. What's the service? A bank, so they can save the dolphins on someone else's time.
ReplyDeleteIf each email had 5 tips for better budgeting/saving/whatever, that would offer value. An email I have to scroll through pages of to take in all the content clearly doesn't understand it is competing for my time with a host of other content online. It needs to understand its audience better and know the role it has to play. I also choose not to ignore it as things that go away by themselves have a habit of coming back by themselves...
[...] in branding, marketing. Tags: ING, jumping the shark, willingness to pay trackback Last week I talked about ING and a newsletter I got from them, specifically about how it contained only a small amount of [...]
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