Monday, April 05, 2010

Globe's Hyped 4438 "Great" Reveal



Last week, Facebook was all abuzz about Globe's announcement that they're cooking up something BIG for April 4. Posts at their FB page kept reminding subscribers not to turn off their phones on April 4 or else they'll miss the "revelation".

Well, April 4 and 5 have come and gone but I never got any exciting text/s from Globe. My hubby did though. I thought Globe just started sending messages to people whose mobile phone numbers start with 0905 then up to the higher numbers. Hubby's Globe number has the prefix 0916, mine was 0927.

Around midnight of April 4, I saw another FB post from Globe saying they'll be sending texts to the remaining 1.7 million subscribers on April 5. I guess the text for me lost its way.

Anyhow, I fiddled with hubby's cell phone and tried to figure out what Globe was up to. There were so many keywords you need to type and send before getting to one of the "final destinations". Whether it's a reward, or a discount, or points redemption, you would have to key in codes one at a time and send, send, send.

I only got to doing the following:
- texted REWARDS to 4438, then
- texted BAL to know how many points hubby already has (which was 8.80)
- texted ITEMS to find out the list of rewards
- texted DISCOUNTS to find out what the partner stores are
- texted DISCOUNTS KFC and got a text coupon that says you can avail of a drink upsize starting April 9

I stopped after that because it became so overwhelming already to be receiving so many texts back that have more instructions and codes to choose from. (And hello, I have a life, you know?) I don't understand why Globe just don't post everything on their website now that the "secret" is out. Oh, yeah, they did post a few details but just enough to give subscribers more things to do :(

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate being rewarded for being a loyal Globe subscriber. Heck, hubby and I (even all our siblings and in-laws) have been Globe users since I don't remember anymore! But I just find it too arduous to be expected to text and text and text and text yet again just to find out what's really in store for us. I would bet that if my 68-year-old mom received the 4438 congratulatory message last April 4 she would have no clue where to go from there. (Note to self: Ask mom if she understood Globe's promo when we see each other on Saturday because she won't know what I'm talking about if I just text it to her today).

For simplification's sake, when I finally have time and the compulsion to text all those codes and get all the end-user infos, I'll post it here to relieve others the laborious task of doing it all over again. Somebody explain it to me, why waste so much bandwidth? If Globe does have 25 million subscribers, how many text messages would it take if all of us have to go through all those steps just to find out how exactly are we being rewarded?

At the moment, Globe says texts to 4438 are free. Hmmm, I wonder for how long? In case the time comes when Globe decides to charge subscribers P1.00 per text inquiry to 4438, imagine how millions, or billions, of pesos that would be worth! Just some food for thought.

On a final note, I just wish Globe has just brought back IMMORTAL 10. If that were so, I might probably be jumping for joy by now :p

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