Friday, August 24, 2007

"notes to Netflix" gets a nod from Northborough Netflix

Awhile back, Miss Plum started putting sticky notes on their Netflix returns, and posting photos of the "notes to Netflix" on Flickr. The notes generated a small bit of controversy, because some thought the folks working at Netflix wouldn't want to be bothered. But in the Netflix distribution center in Northborough, Massachusetts, they feel differently:

Even as Cotto and her colleagues are tearing through hundreds of returned DVDs, they take moments to read the angry notes ("This doesn't play - defective!") or occasional rave reviews ("Very funny movie, check it out!") that customers scribble on the paper sleeves.

"We like that," said Cotto, 40, of Worcester. "Sometimes, we do watch them." The notes are forwarded to customer service headquarters in Hillsboro, Ore.

That's good to know.

The rest of the August 23 article, The vast picture show, in a warehouse near you (the Boston Globe), is a good read, and it has an interesting photo gallery of behind the scenes at Netflix.

Hat tip: HackingNetflix

2 comments:

  1. I didn't think Netflix wanted notes in with the DVDs anymore. After including a note about a problem with the DVD I received the following e-mail on November 2006:

    Note Included in Your Recent Return

    Dear manuel,

    Thank you for including a note with your recent return. We appreciate you taking the time to contact us about your account. Unfortunately, your note was received by our distribution center which is unable to handle customer inquiries.

    Our Help Center is a quick way to find the answers you're looking for. Here are some of the most common requests which can be addressed by visiting the Netflix website:

    How do I update my personal account information?

    How do I change my rental membership?

    Report a problem with a movie in your Rental Activity.

    Still need additional help? Contact Customer Service directly from our website or call us at 1 (800) 528-1023 so that we may assist you. We can be reached Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM Eastern Time and on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM Eastern Time.

    The Netflix Team

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  2. I bet they prefer that we use the 800 number or the Web site, and of course they would officially discourage us from putting notes on the movie sleeves, but it's nice to know that the notes aren't being ignored.

    I'm sure the notes are the least reliable means of communicating, since they are easily lost in processing.

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