My Marketing Transformation

It was 8:45pm on a Wednesday evening and I was on the 99 B-line heading to Calhoun’s Cafe  ready to pull an all-nighter for my midterm exams. I got off at the Mackenzie stop by Safeway, and as I knew was low on groceries (specifically cereal), I thought I’d quickly buy what I needed and head to the 24/7 dungeon. I only took out one item, my favourite Vector cereal, and made my way to the cashier. The woman there was rather old and unsociable, and what annoyed me was that she didn’t smile nor give me a welcoming “Hello” like must employees do.

She scanned the cereal and as a regular at Safeway, I immediately I gave her my Safeway consumer loyalty card phone number for any possible discounts. As I got through the first three digits of my phone number, she stopped me and said in a foreign accent, “Oh, no..no need..no discount.” I was completely shocked!! I came back at her with a more aggressive voice than I had wished, asking her what the heck she was doing?! Rejecting a consumer loyalty card number when I’m giving it to her willingly!? I don’t think she understands what the card is for; it’s not just about discounts, it’s also to give Safeway, as well as other corporate partners, an idea of what consumers are buying, when they’re buying, how many items they’re buying, and who the consumers are. All she could respond with was “no discount no discount!!!” I understand that cashier jobs are not always the highest paying jobs and the employees may not be the most educated, but surely they’re taught all this in their training!!! I’ve never had such a job, so I guess I wouldn’t know if they are, but would someone enlighten me?? It’s killing me!!

But what shocked me was how I reacted to all of this. I guess this is all thanks to Tamar and her Marketing class. I’m starting to look at everything through a Marketer’s point of view, which somewhat scares me, because after all, I think I scared that poor old woman

even if she did deserve it…