Chinese Dairy Companies Apologize For Melamine Scandal Via Text Message
Twenty-two dairy companies sent out a text message to millions of Chinese consumers last week to apologize for selling tainted milk products. According to the BBC, it read, "We are deeply sorry for the harm caused to the children and the society. We sincerely apologise for that and we beg your forgiveness."
We guess when you've got over half a billion cell phone owners who are potential customers, SMS can be a pretty effective way to reach them (assuming you don't pay U.S. text message rates). On the other hand, maybe it's not the most tactful way to say you're sorry.
"China dairies offer text apology" [BBC]
(Photo of phone: adria.richards)
This is a test contextual ad for the SHOPPING category. It should appear on all SHOPPING entries, unless the subcategory has its own ad.
Post a comment
Comments:
l0l wth, ok tho.
OMGWTF! says it all!!
Classy.
Reeeeal classy.
I laughed for about a minute straight at that picture.
So did these companies know they were selling melamine milk or are these the ones that had shady stuff sold to them by shady suppliers?
I agree - OMGWTF!!??!
dear lord, how friggin tacky and inconsiderate can you get? This wasn't some mild customer service goof, this was thousands of children POISENED.
I'm not an expert of chinese culture...can anyone chime in on whether this is perhaps considered appropriate in China?
Just because US-based companies tend to waste massive amounts of resources to send SNAFU apology letters, doesn't mean that it's the ideal method for communication...or, that it's even culturally applicable on other continents.
At least it didn't use 1337speak.
@admiral_stabbin: This isn't a case of culture - it's just not a good idea to ever, ever, ever apologize to millions of customers who may have had their lives affected with tainted food products via text message. Never acceptable. Ever. Regardless of culture.
And no, I don't think this is a "oh, those wacky Chinese people"* kind of thing. There's no excuse for what they did.
* I'm Chinese.
@Casandra Camacho:
It might be tacky, but it's more than you'd ever get from any American company. Can you imagine a milk company here apologizing (via text message or any other medium) for such a screw-up?
ha! That's awesome the Consumerist tweaked my Barack Obama text message photo for this post!
I can see it being impersonal. I cringe thinking how many products are still on shelves that could have tainted milk product (thinking of my coffee nips that say "Made in Indonesia")
Now THAT'S customer service!
On a related note, texts are dirt cheap in China- about 2cents US or so each. Which makes them look all the worse. And they didn't get everyone.
Nothing is more sincere than text message.
@Tian: Thank you! Please help me explain that to my ex whom I broke up with over SMS*
*I'm not a heartless @$$....she knew it was coming and avoided answering her phone or meeting up anywhere because by her MENSA-level logic, that would keep us from officially breaking up.
@jamar0303: You know how many shoes your kids would have to assemble to make 2 US cents over there though?
@redskull: I like mindlessly bashing American everything as much as possible, but didn't Johnson and Johnson do quite a bit about the Tylenol cyanide poisonings?
[en.wikipedia.org] - look under "The Incidents" especially to see their reactions.
[www.trutv.com] too.
[en.wikipedia.org] for Odwalla's response to an E. Coli outbreak, which involved a public upgrading of their equipment.
These are only a few examples. You're right, many companies don't do anything. But to categorically dismiss "any American company" as lazy, dishonest, or uncaring...well, that's just kind of wrong.
Why is a text message not acceptable?
@fever: Exactly my question. In a lot of rural areas, it may be the only reliable form of long-distance communication. I'd hope that it was accompanied by something else - ideally, visits to affected communities and in-person apologies - but I don't see anything inherently wrong with a text message worded the way the BBC reported.
I'd find it odd in the U.S, but there are usually other ways to reach most people here.
Oh man, I had a hearty LOL at the article picture.