So I got the following email from Walgreens…

Dear Valued Customer,

We recently became aware of unauthorized access to an email list of customers who receive special offers and newsletters from us. As a result, it is possible you may have received some spam email messages asking you to go to another site and enter personal data. We are sorry this has taken place and for any inconvenience to you.

We want to assure you that the only information that was obtained was your email address. Your prescription information, account and any other personally identifiable information were not at risk because such data is not contained in the email system, and no access was gained to Walgreens consumer data systems.

As a company, we absolutely believe that all customer relationships must be built on trust. That is why we believe it is important to inform you of this incident. Online security experts have reported an increase in attacks on email systems, and therefore we have voluntarily contacted the appropriate authorities and are working with them regarding this incident.

We encourage you to continue to be aware of increasingly common email scams that may use your email address to contact you and ask for personal or sensitive information. Always be cautious when opening links or attachments from unsolicited third parties. Also know that Walgreens will not send you emails asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. So if ever asked for this information, you can be confident it is not from Walgreens.

If you have any questions regarding this issue, please contact us at 1-888-980-0963. We take your privacy very seriously, and we will continue to work diligently to protect your personal information.

Sincerely,

Walgreens Customer Service Team

Let’s take a look into the marketing side of this.  From a marketing and customer service point of view, do you think this was handled correctly?

Now remember, my view on marketing is that everything you do and say as a company develops a story thats told, not by you but by your customers.   What story do you think this e-mail tells.

One of authentic, honest regret and correction of the problem… or something else?

The ABCs of Business Networking

Written by Beth Davis Founder & CEO, Gold Star Referral Clubs

Learn how to expand your business network and you’ll expand your business. Here are the basic ABCs of Business Networking. Apply these principles and watch your business grow.

A     Activity – Be actively involved in making business friends on a continuing basis.

B     Blogging – Create a fan base by becoming the known expert in your field.

C      Celebrate & Care – Acknowledge birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions.

D      Develop relationships – Meet the CEOs, owners and decision-makers in your area.

E      Exchange Ideas – Meet with other business owners in order to exchange ideas.

F      Friends & Facebook – Choose to spend a minimum time a day working social media.

G      Give First – Participate freely in the law of giving and receiving by being the first to give.

H      Habitual Networker – Make meeting and contacting business friends a daily habit.

I      Interaction – Be honestly interested in interacting with others.

J      Just Call – Pick up the phone and call somebody. Quit procrastinating.

K      Know, Like & Trust – Get to know other businesses well enough to refer to them.

L      Loyalty – Earn the reputation of being loyal to others. Loyalty returns loyalty.

M      Make the Time – Put at least two networking events on your calendar each month.

N      Notes & News – Keep notes on your contacts. Call them when they’re in the news.

O      One-on-Ones – Schedule one-on-one time with your key networking friends and allies.

P      Pro-active Networking – Develop a networking plan and work your plan.

Q      Quality – Be more than an acquaintance, be an “I’ve-got-your-back” friend.

R      Referrals – Work at giving referrals to those that are giving referrals to you.

S      Stay Connected - Have a system in place to stay connected to your contacts.

T      Tell Your Story – Develop the story of your company so you can tell it effectively.

U      Understand – Get to know and understand the products and services of others.

V      Visibility – Join a referral group. Keep your business in front of other networkers.

W     Win/Win – Make every relationship a win win exchange where everyone is rewarded.

X     X-ray Vision – Get beyond just passing business cards, get to know others in a real way.

Z     Zealous – Be passionate and motivated to form long-lasting business relationships.

“No one is a perfect networker, but everyone can be good at making friends.” Beth Davis

Beth Davis is the CEO of Gold Star Referral Clubs

Gold Star Referral Clubs consist of business people that meet weekly to exchange referrals and share business. Gold Star Referral Clubs provide a structured and positive environment for businesses to pass referrals to one another… a proven way to get business. 

“Business Made Easy.” Go to www.GoldStarClubs.com to find out more.