Business ethics ppl i need your input

[skilzz]

Checkers Pizza was one of the first to offer home delivery service, with overwhelming success. However, the major pizza chains soon followed suit, taking away Checkers's competitive edge. Jon Barnard, Checkers's founder and co-owner, needed a new gimmick to beat the competition. He decided to develop a computerized information database that would make Checkers the most efficient competitor and provide insight into consumer buying behavior at the same time. Under the system, telephone customers were asked their phone number; if they had ordered from Checkers before, their address and previous order information came up on the computer screen.

After successfully testing the new system, Barnard put the computerized order network in place in all Checkers outlets. After three months of success, he decided to give an award to the family that ate the most Checkers pizza. Through the tracking system, the company identified the biggest customer, who had ordered a pizza every weekday for the past three months (63 pizzas). The company put together a program to surprise the family with an award, free-food certificates, and a news story announcing the award. As Barnard began to plan for the event, however, he began to think that maybe the family might not want all the attention and publicity.

Question 1: What are some of the ethical issues in giving customers an award for consumption behavior without notifying them first?

[Brandoncb7]

I wouldn't see anything wrong with it except for the news story part. It's just a business showing gratitude to a customer and that they appreciate their frequent busniess with them. I wish the f*ck*rs in the food court that sell me Japanese/Chinese food would give me the same. I used to eat that stuff so much it was pitiful lol. I'll take free food offers anyday.

[skilzz]

k well i have 2 points im currently working on right now

1. customer's social status

2. customer's privacy:

a local news story would be a serious violation here and could even put some emotional strain on a family where most of the members are obese or known in their community to have wieght problems

[Jon]

I wouldn't see anything wrong with it except for the news story part. It's just a business showing gratitude to a customer and that they appreciate their frequent busniess with them. I wish the f*ck*rs in the food court that sell me Japanese/Chinese food would give me the same. I used to eat that stuff so much it was pitiful lol. I'll take free food offers anyday.

X2, once the news people get involved it's no longer a good thing. Maybe the family doesn't want to be know as the gluttonous pigs they are?

If such an award should be presented, it should be between the awarder and awardee and that's it. Barnard was thinking in the right direction that maybe they don't want the attention and publicity, I know I wouldn't... might make me depressed thinking I bought that much pizza in that short of time...

So really the major ethical issue for me would be exposing the family to unwanted publicity and possible ridicule by putting them on the news. Yeah the award would be cool, just that I can see it being out-shined by the fact that they ordered that many pizzas.

[fatboy1185]

privacy is the main concern. after awarding the award, an option to go public should be offered.

[d112crzy]

I don't know why anyone would like it to be known that they ate 63 pizza's in 3 months. Not exactly the greatest acheivement in life, ya know?

I'd steer away from putting it in the news. A few free pizza's on the house and some discount coupons would do fine for most people.

[skilzz]

customer privacy:
a local news story would be a serious violation here and could even put some emotional strain on a family where most of the members are obese or known in their community to have wieght problems


sounds good? any pointers? negative greatly welcomed too (i know the cb7 family are good at pointing out grammatical errors)

[skilzz]

I don't know why anyone would like it to be known that they ate 63 pizza's in 3 months. Not exactly the greatest acheivement in life, ya know?

I'd steer away from putting it in the news. A few free pizza's on the house and some discount coupons would do fine for most people.

good point

how about ppl who feel they are too rich to accept coupons.. YES there are ppl like this

[Brandoncb7]

This may be a dumb question but do you know for a fact that they have obesity in their family or are they just that lazy and have that much love for pizza lol? I know people who just don't cook but they at least change it up from time to time. No matter what though I couldn't see anything good comming out of it being in the news.

[d112crzy]

They can give them to me. lol. They don't have to accept them, fuck em. Just have that shit sent in the mail.

[skilzz]

This may be a dumb question but do you know for a fact that they have obesity in their family or are they just that lazy and have that much love for pizza lol?

maybe this is why they have it delivered

[Brandoncb7]

maybe this is why they have it delivered

LOL. True.

[skilzz]

X2, once the news people get involved it's no longer a good thing. Maybe the family doesn't want to be know as the gluttonous pigs they are?

If such an award should be presented, it should be between the awarder and awardee and that's it. Barnard was thinking in the right direction that maybe they don't want the attention and publicity, I know I wouldn't... might make me depressed thinking I bought that much pizza in that short of time...

So really the major ethical issue for me would be exposing the family to unwanted publicity and possible ridicule by putting them on the news. Yeah the award would be cool, just that I can see it being out-shined by the fact that they ordered that many pizzas.

good good very good. thnx

[IAmTheNight]

Adding to the privacy issue: the business is collecting and analyzing data on the customer without their knowledge (I assume) and using it for promotional purposes. Seems sneaky to me, but it's something marketers do all the time.

[skilzz]

Customer social status:

Usually members who are said to be higher higher on the social ladder might feel uncomfortable or even disrepected by such acts of gratitude

im stuck there