Misleading Marketing

"Enjoy 0% interest for 12 months with (bank) c/card Balance Transfer. No upfront fee. Now till 31/8/10. For enquiries & to enroll, call (the bank). T&C apply"

Sounds like a great deal, but the shocker will be revealed in the account statement! In the above misleading marketing strategy, (the bank) does not explain that any payments made for the next 12 months can only reduce the Balance Transfer amount, leaving any/all retail spending to be charged the standard interest. A nice cost saving promotion turns out to be an interest-charging scam in disguise (customer's perception).

When the competition gets tough, companies resort to various creative strategies to lure more business. Even the most reputable companies, may eventually resort to scam tactics to deceive unsuspecting customers. While the customer(s) may have fallen for such scam tactics hook, line and sinker, the experience and (negative) post purchase effect will continue to impact the next purchase decisions. It takes years to build a strong brand, but only seconds to destroy it. 

Only 10% of customers complain, the rest, simply take their business elsewhere. But even for the 10% who complained, the once, positive perception of the company/brand could have been marred especially when the product/service is more personal level. We've heard a dissatisfied customer normally tells 10 others, but in the internet (social marketing) age, the dissatisfied customer tells the world!