Posted by: hillingdonfirst on: June 17, 2009
With the cards coming in the post this week, its a good time to discuss the discount scheme for shoppers (a way of softening up the residents). The scheme is voluntary and isn’t actually just a discount, but any additional benefit (for example, giving something away), it just sounds better when they call things a discount (as we have seen with parking).
The list of 335 businesses is up on the web now (click here). With businesses having so much trouble at the moment, it makes sense that they would want as much promotion and extra income as possible.
Unfortunately, judging by the responses we got from a survey of Bracknells e+ Business members (on which Hillingdon’s is based on) it just won’t work. Here are three responses (all responses were negative about the scheme).
Sorry I don’t think this is working for us. We did have a sticker in the window prior to it peeling off.
> 5. Do you think the e+ card is 'working' for you? (Please give details). IT HELPS US IN THE WAY THAT IT GIVES US FREE ADVERTISING BUT APPART FROM THAT NOT MUCH AT ALL> 6. Any other comments? HOW MANY DO ACTUALLY USE THE CARD IN THE TOWN CENTRE WITH THE TRADERS TO GET A DISCOUNT AND IS IT COST EFFECTIVE OVERALL?
I'm sorry to say that the e+ card has had no effect on us whatsoever, no-one has used it,no-one has mentioned it. Its not working for us.
If you find a business which you plan on using, do them a favour and don’t use your card – free advertising is great for business but giving discounts and benefits in a recession isn’t.
July 8, 2009 at 9:55 pm
It occurs to me that if our Exalted Leader, Raymondo El Moustachio Puddifoot, is frankly not concerned about the reactions of those outside the borough to this HF Card, and is not worried about the possible loss of income to communities on the fringes of the borough, and thinks it fair that Hillingdon Residents should come First in ALL things, perhaps he should refuse to pay the precept for the Olympics. After all they are outside the borough boundaries, so why should they benefit from our money.
There are senior council Executives, Directors who live outside the borough, let us hope they do not get the card, and they lose their free parking space in the civic centre, so forced to pay the full cost as any any other out-borough worker is.