#Success Yesterday I got angry with #VMware, at #VMworld but #congratulations are now deserved

Yesterday I blogged http://corylus.blogspot.com/2011/10/fail-vmware-congratulations-you-are.html

Later that day, VMware proved they can be nimble and take out of scope decisions quickly, i have tired over recent years of large corporates telling me I have a good idea, but their policy/budget/manger/exec does not allow and that they are sorry that they cannot execute the good idea, so...

After the potential PR disaster of mistakenly telling a few hundred people at VMworld Europe they had won an iPod, VMware's initial response was simply sorry. Later that was upgraded to a free marketing t-shirt. Ho hum. I was not impressed.

So I wrote to them suggesting that for a few hundred quid (probably not even detectable in the budget for the conference!) they could have one extra iPod and hold a random draw for all those who thought they had already won one. It would not fix things, but it would at least give everyone a chance, and demonstrate that VMware understood the impact they'd had.

It's NOT about "compensating", it's about recognising the excitement and then disappointment that people will have experienced.

To my amazement, VMware not only agreed, but said they'd give me an iPod to say thanks for the idea. I don't often get the chance to praise big companies, but I am happy to do so here.

But, I stress, even if they'd not got a second for me, I'd still have written this post

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: RE: Suggestion, was: Re: Congratulations, You are a VMworld Survey Prize Winner

Peter

Thank you for the suggestion.

Since you came up with this suggestion, we will provide you with one.

Please come by meeting room xx in the Bella Center to receive your iPod.

Thanks

Name removed

Subject: Suggestion, was: Re: Congratulations, You are a VMworld Survey Prize Winner

How about you put an iPod Touch into a draw for all the people who got the email?

Cost you a few hundred quid/dollars/euros and everyone who thought they had one, would at least have had a bite at one.

Not trying to be troublesome, just making a suggestion to overcome the loss of goodwill and the major disappointment felt all round. It wasn't *inconvenient* it was exciting, and then massively disappointing.