Bose

Bose got me.

They got me with a combination of a newspaper insert, a compelling offer, a nice website and outstanding customer service. I ordered a Bose Wave Radio (tm) system for my parents as a Christmas gift.

The idea that my folks would enjoy a Bose had been rumbling around in the far, dusty back corners of my mind for several months. Coincidentally (or not?)- around the middle of December, I noticed a Bose insert in Parade magazine, which comes in my Sunday newspaper every week. The insert was unique in size and simple in design. It more or less fell out of Parade. I stuck it in my briefcase with the thought that I should take a look at it sometime. (They made the flyer small enough for it to be easy to keep and tote around, even though I was not yet ready to buy.)

Several days later, it was gift-buying crunch time, and I was doing some last-minute Christmas shopping online. I still needed to purchase Christmas gifts for my parents. Recalling the Bose flyer, I pulled it from my briefcase and read it. The flyer communicated a compelling offer: order by December 21 and receive your Bose in time for Christmas! I became more interested. So, I logged onto the Bose website to check out the product's features and pricing. The site was easy to navigate and provided me much of what I needed to satisfy my curiousity questions.(Bose had systems in place to enable me to learn and understand the product and pricing.)

I was almost convinced--almost ready to pull the trigger. But I needed to talk to a human being to be reassured that the gift would ACTUALLY arrive on time. I picked up the phone and called Bose's toll-free customer service number and was shocked to speak to a friendly, knowledgeable American (Boston accent). He assured me that the Bose Wave Radio would arrive on December 24. When he told me that I would receive free FedEx rush delivery, I surrendered my credit card information and made the purchase. Several minutes later, I received an e-mail confirmation of the purchase.
(They had excellent sytems and people in place to handle customer service, ordering and fulfillment.)

This was no small purchase for me. The gift would cost over $500. But I knew that it was perfect for Mom & Dad. The clincher was the top-notch, professional integrated marketing system that Bose had in place to support and promote the product. From the first step in my buying process to the last, Bose excelled. My highest compliments to the marketing geniuses at Bose! WOW.

Oh ... and by the way ... my parents loved it.