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Evaluating the media: May 2008

PR geekiness - the tools & techniques to gain insights from PR exposure

Monday, May 19, 2008

I can't recommend Pipex


Please find enclosed a letter sent to Pipex on the 9th May, to which I have had no response. I said I would put this letter on my blog if I did not receive a response in a week. I am keen for this not to be seen as cathartic exercise - it is a serious issue which exemplifies how the single consumer has no voice over the big corporation.

Gary Rodgus
Pipex
Manchester
M21 7QS
9th May 2008
Re. Account: *********

Dear Mr Rodgus,
I am writing to you regarding the unsatisfactory communication from your organisation concerning our recent house move. I have been particularly disappointed with the conflicting information received by post and that via the phone.

I notified Pipex by phone on the 14th March 2008 of our house move and was assured by your colleague Adel that all service would transferred on the target date of the 17th April. I subsequently spoke with another colleague Richard on the 20th March who again reassured me that all services would transfer on that day. I understand you record all your phone calls and I would invite you to review these conversations to establish their validity.

On the 17th April the phone transferred but not the broadband service. I work largely from home and my work depends on a high speed data connection. On the 18th April I spoke with Martin, a supervisor, who acknowledged my utter confusion over the non-connection and said there was nothing he could do to speed up the reconnection in less than 10-14 days.

I was particularly annoyed about this delay as if I had know about this unavoidable delay earlier we could have started the transfer process a week earlier, as the previous week we were out of the country (6-15 April).
In anticipation of getting connected before the end of April I made a number of attempts to contact the house moves team eventually talking to Craig, another supervisor, on the 24th April who said that the connection would not be made until the 12th May as there is a 10-14 days period to close the existing line and another 10-14 days to reinstate it. Again, if I had been informed of this information earlier then I could have made alternative arrangements (like a short-term mobile broadband contract).

As it now appears, and after making a number of additional calls, Craig was wrong and the target reconnection date is the 15th May (subsequently revised to the 17th).

Up to the 2nd May I have made 11 calls to your ‘0871’ at a cost of £6.19. I have also been forced to use the ‘0874’dial-up service which has cost £26.65. I also understand there is a ‘moving charge’ of £32.77. In view of the events outlined I strongly object to all these charges and make the strongest representations for their cancelation, at the very least. If I do not receive a suitable resolution within 7 days, for the unacceptable manner in which I believe we have been treated than I will have to consider alternative measures including the publication of this letter on my blog (www.mediaevaluation.blogspot.com).

Your sincerely,

Michael Blowers

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Measurement Camp update

Yesterday’s Measurement Camp proved to be very well supported with well over 30 people working in many aspects of PR, Marketing and measurement attending the meeting in London. There were specialists in ‘buzz’ measurement, social media planning (a new title I think we will see more of), search, and many aspects of online marketing, with the possible exception of advertising. Notably there were senior online representatives from a number of the large PR agencies including Bite, Fishburn Hedges and Porter Novelli.

The focus of the near future activity is the wiki with a view to building up resources in the form of measurement metrics case studies and best practice. There seemed to be a genuine desire to progress the issue and without a doubt there were people with the necessary diversity of skills and depth of influence.

I am not sure if there are any templates for this kind of initiative but it seemed hard to argue against there being a need to make practical progress in the world of online measurement. The point I really want to make is it would be great if it were possible to formulate the most appropriate ‘best practice’, supported by case studies across a wide variety of industry situations, resulting a broad selection of tools. This toolbox could then be used to educate as well as support the implementation of measurement programs.

I found myself in one of the breakout groups discussing the metrics of measurement online. There were a host of media output measures, like sentiment, topic, message; but I think we could benefit from considering the connection with organisational and PR outcomes, which is something I would like to explore, with others help, on the wiki.

One thing which does concern me is that this might look like a London or UK –centric initiative. Globally people are wondering about this area, hence the value of the wiki. Marshalling the research acumen and the creative energies across the continents would be a mammoth task, particularly as it is increasingly involving the interests of the greater marketing function, not just PR.

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Friday, May 09, 2008

Measurement Camp

Big plug for Chinwag for promoting Measurement Camp, which is starting its monthly meetings next Wednesday in London. I am up in town on Monday and as Pipex have renaged on their promise of broadband by Monday (Thursday maybe...?) I might break with tradition and travel up to town twice in one week.

Sounds like it is going to be an interesting event if its anything like the seminar at Internet World a couple of weeks ago. Breakout sessions sound interesting on 'what are we trying to measure' and 'casestudies'. The later point is great as I have seen some wonderful stuff on the net regarding the evaluation of social media, led by Shel Israel's measurement series.

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Thursday, May 01, 2008

Chinwag takes on Measurement

Interesting event organised by Chinwag dealing with the measurement of social media at Internet World yesterday. There was some disagreement over metrics (whats new) and how long it would take for the standards to be formalised behind which the industry will follow. There was a degree of the suppliers using it as an opportunity to pitch their wares, which was a shame, although with standardisation comes the possibility that their 'smoke and mirrors' (and expensive) wizz-bang box of tricks will become redundant.

Measurementcamp is a new concept and has be scheduled to kick off later this month, plus there is a wiki. All good developments and should be encouraged. What disappointed was the apparent poor turnout by the traditional media evaluations companies (why isn't someone from AMEC in the panel?). If there were some please correct me.

While at the event I attended the keynote talk by Andy Hobsbrawm from Agency.Com. It was a brilliant talk about the value of brands and the transfer of ownership - quite visionary.

PS - 'Pipex, life is hell without broadband - can I have it back please'

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