This weekend, Machines Sdn Bhd has a road show at Mid Valley Megamall Centre Court. The company needed some word of mouth segment to promote the roadshow so they add in an amazing promotion. Everyday they are selling 30 Ipod Nano for 50% discount. Apple products seldom has any discounts so this word of mouth campaign are an instant conversation topics in all social networks and blogs. This is a briliant word of mouth marketing idea by Machines Sdn Bhd.

Source : Mac + Ipod Discovery week

But unfortunately Machines Sdn Bhd doesn’t realise that a word of mouth marketing effort doesn’t stop there. Making sure the event runs well and fair will builds or spoilt the company’s brand. It is a bad idea for Machines Sdn Bhd to mis-manage a hype up event like this. On the promotion day, many customer complaints that Machines Sdn Bhd reserve the ipod nano units to their own staff. So instead of selling 30 unit a day, a small portion are reserved for their staff. Many customers who has been queing up for 3 hours are very mad at how they manage the event.

Machines Sdn Bhd Staff caught red handed.

Picture Source : Machines Staff 我觉得很不应该这样!!! at Mac + Ipod Discovery week

Some consumer reported that on Saturday, the queue started from number 9. Number 1 - 8 are reserved for their own staff.

This definitely spoilts Machines Sdn Bhd’s good name.