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'Some people (Nationwide) just don’t recognise sarcasm' blog discussion
Former_MSE_Paloma
Former MSE 531 Posts
This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.
Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.
Read Martin's "Some people just don’t recognise sarcasm – my bizarre conversation with Nationwide's ad agency" Blog.
Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.
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Firstly the ad agency don't say explicitly what quote they want to use, and where from. Their phrase "Never autorenew..." refers to the concept they are trying to communicate. It may or may not be your quote.
Secondly, not safe to use sarcasm on strangers. There are all types out there, and you don't want to be thought of as one of the stranger types.
I think their's was a reasonable request- I would have liked to see the whole package before agreeing to anything.
Your use of sarcasm has made twice the work for both parties rather than if you'd just said : No, rather you didn't.
Firstly I think you've misread it - that is a direct quote from me, not their stance. (I know cos I wrote it -
And I don't think its a reasonable request. Firstly I am a campaigning journalist and they should think carefully before asking me if I'd support their marketing campaign, it's not something I do.
More importantly it's hypocritica - they want me to support them on a campaign against a sin they do themselves.
Yet even if you ignore the sarcasm of my response, my response was they could publish
"Never auto-renew. Loyalty is expensive. This includes Nationwide products, don’t let it screw you at renewal."
As I wasn't aware that this was negative to them - and then to come back and ask if i'd be willing to alter it. It's terrible communication skills.
Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.
I think they've made a reasonable request given the nature of their work, and their suggested quote is similar to your wording. It's surely better that they ask for permission to make a quotation rather than just referring to you recommending that people avoid auto-renew.
Nationwide Home insurance renewal ripoff!
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3457619
Nationwide Home Insurance policy document
https://www.u-k-i-insurance.com/nationwide/home/home-insurance-document.pdf
7 Automatic renewal
When your policy is due for renewal, we may offer to renew it for you automatically :rotfl:using the payment
details you have already given, unless we or you have advised otherwise. We will write to you at least
21 days before your policy ends and before taking any payment to confirm your renewal premium and
policy terms. If you do not want to renew your policy you must call us :rotfl:before your renewal date to let
us know. It is not possible to offer automatic renewal with all payment methods so please check your
renewal invite for further details.
It's fair enough for Martin to advise consumers not to accept auto-renewals because there will probably be better deals out there if they look. I don't think it's reasonable for him to insist that companies shouldn't do it - as long as they inform customers each time they are about to do so, with enough time for the customer to cancel the auto-renew if they want to, and details of how to do so.
Tyre performance in the wet deteriorates rapidly below about 3mm tread - change yours when they get dangerous, not just when they are nearly illegal (1.6mm).
Oh, and wear your seatbelt. My kids are only alive because they were wearing theirs when somebody else was driving in wet weather with worn tyres.
I think it's fair enough for him to insist that companies shouldn't do it ..when like in this case they wish to use his name to endorse their products !
Pet Peeves.... queues, vain people and hypocrites ..not necessarily in that order.
Glad I'm not tasked with sending out such obviously thick-skinned emails, and jealous of Martin's ability to be able to say what he thinks in a dialogue like this one. Oh many, many a time I've wanted to do exactly that.
Totally fair for Martin to say companies can't use his name to endorse their products. The independence of his advice is crucial to what he does.
I still think that if companies stopped auto-renewing, then loads of people - people in crisis as I was, or busy people, or stressed people, or elderly people who are a bit muddled, or disorganised people - would end up in trouble when their insurance lapsed and then they found they weren't covered when they wanted to make a claim, or even that they were in trouble with the police if it was their car insurance that had lapsed. So I still don't support his stance that companies ought not to do it at all.
Now if he was campaigning to say that companies auto-renewing customers should always give them as good a deal as new customers, I'd be fully in support of that.
Tyre performance in the wet deteriorates rapidly below about 3mm tread - change yours when they get dangerous, not just when they are nearly illegal (1.6mm).
Oh, and wear your seatbelt. My kids are only alive because they were wearing theirs when somebody else was driving in wet weather with worn tyres.