Customer Evangelist Blog Investigation on Springy Soled Shoe Video Report Stonewalled (NOTE: The video is no longer available at the GH site. Read Transcript. 03/08/05)
Since its founding in 1885, Good Housekeeping’s (GH) independent investigation and trusted reporting has been a symbol of consumer protection and quality assurance.
The Good Housekeeping Institute (Photo: Staff) has delivered a depth of knowledge and authority in their product testing that has created a "golden halo" of reliability to their international audience since 1901. The Institute's Good Housekeeping Seal is an icon consumer’s tend to trust without question.
So, why doesn’t the Good Housekeeping Institute let outsiders, “fact check” their reports?
Why would a Good Housekeeping Institute editorial representative state on Tuesday that “I will try to help answer questions you have regarding the Good Housekeeping Institute's evaluation” but on Thursday issue a three sentence statement to a bakers dozen of numbered questions?
Sample GH Question List E-Mailed From The Z-Blog Reporter to the Special Projects Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute:
2) How many Z-CoiL shoes did you have for the six Good
Housekeeping female staffers that tested the footwear?
3) How many different styles were used for the test?
12) The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
public relations office was unaware of the GH report until I contacted their office last week. What kind of a relationship does the GH Institute have with Dr. Hirsch?
Who is questioning Good Housekeeping Institute’s reports?
The Z-Blog Reporter is a blog operated by an independent citizen marketer* that publishes articles, customer testimonials, photos, Podcasts, etc. for Z-CoiL pain relief footwear consumers and independent dealers.
Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba, authors, speakers and trainers, has a Podcast (MP3, 30 minutes) on the New Breed of Customer Evangelist, the citizen marketer. Their first book, "Creating Customer Evangelists," has been called the “new mantra for entrepreneurial success” by the New York Times and “an absorbing read” by Harvard Business School. A link to their web site is in a February post on the Z-Blog Reporter.
Who has been contacted and NOT answered questions regarding the Good Housekeeping Institute’s report:
· Z-CoiL Communications Coordinator
· Good Housekeeping Media Relations Department
· Good Housekeeping Special Projects Director
· Dr. Stuart Hirsch, Biosport Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Associates, Member American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (Photo)
Over 60 TV stations televised the Good Housekeeping Institute’s report through Internet Broadcasting Systems - the Web's #1 local news provider, operating local news and information sites, with the downbeat headline, “Potentially Dangerous Z-CoiL Shoes.”
Note: Z-Blog Reporter is not associated with Z-CoiL® or any of their subsidiaries. Consumer evangelists, citizen marketers maintain the online resource and information site.
Online resources (question lists, statements, links, photos, discussion, articles, updates, etc.) that relate to this press release are available at the Z-Blog Reporter
UPDATES
WLWT News 5 Cincinnati lists the contact at Z-CoiL regarding the GH report as Peggy (peggy@zcoil.com)
Monday, March 07, 2005
Press Release: Good Housekeeping Zips Lip To Z-CoiL Footwear Test Questions
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6 comments:
WHY ARE YOU POSTING THESE?By posting these articles you are only stiring the pot and making it more difficult for us dealers!!
PLEASE STOP!!!
all press releases are presented to a national dealer group for review, comments and edits before they are submitted to the international wire services.
this release received two comments.
here is one (unedited):
"Wow,
it is really good-I think-any input from Z-Coil?"the other comment can be found in the group message log. send me your e-mail address to participate in the dealer discussion and polls.
Who are you anyway and what authority do you have to do any of this?
I bet that Doctor you are going after would not appreciate you posting his picture and going after him.
Are you trying to make this issue even worse. I believe you are going to draw bigger media attention to the problem and cause all of us a major headache.
I agree with the prior person who posted...PLEASE STOP!! You are only hurting us in the long run.
I'm hope the dealers that work with you are aware of your potential damage and decide to stop working with you.
Who are you anyway and what authority do you have to do any of this?
I am a consumer.
The moment my quality of life experience was inhanced by slipping into a pair of Z-CoiLs is when I became an authority on the footwear.
The most valuable asset, you as a Z-CoiL dealer has, is your exsisting customer base. How many times a year do you contact them to see how they are doing?
I bet that Doctor you are going after would not appreciate you posting his picture and going after him.
There are a number of questions that I have regarding his statements in the Good Housekeeping report. What I know about the footwear, Dr. Hirsch’s observations are way off the mark. Hopefully, he will contact me ASAP and I will put this to bed.
Are you trying to make this issue even worse. I believe you are going to draw bigger media attention to the problem and cause all of us a major headache.
True. The purpose of a press release is to draw media attention.
How many press releases have you sent out since being in business?
Has your local newspaper written a story about your retail outlet?
I agree with the prior person who posted...PLEASE STOP!! You are only hurting us in the long run.
I disagree. In the long run, this story is a thorn in the brand. Just like the story last year about the US postial service forbiddening employees to wear the springy soled shoes on the job. The GH acusations need to be addresses now. This story can float in the international media for years.
US Postial Service Press Release March 2004
I'm hope the dealers that work with you are aware of your potential damage and decide to stop working with you.
I typically consult with the dealers before putting my ideas into action. As stated in the previous comment, I did this with both GH press releases. The second release was even sent to Z-CoiL corporate for review, comments and edits. Please post your store name and email address so that an invitation to the dealer/customer group can be sent to you. You may convince me in the future to NOT do something that I have a burning desire to do.
Posted on the GH website
I heard that a single pair of size 7 women’s Z-CoiLs was used for this report. True?
Neither GH nor Z-CoiL will confirm or deny this.
It is odd that GH based their report using only one pair of clogs. The clogs have a tendency to slip in the back. I would not consider them walking shoes at all. Mine are solely house shoes.
Why were clogs sent to GH for evaluation?
Why were a single pair used by six staff testers for this assessment?
Why won’t the GH staffers involved in this report provide details about it?
Where is the GH video? Transcript?
Listen and read over 200 edited and unedited customer Z-CoiL stories on the Z-Blog Reporter:
http://z-coil.blogspot.com
NOTE: The Z-Blog Reporter is not associated with Z-CoiL or any of the 206 Z-CoiL dealers. It is an interactive community maintained by customer evangelists.
Since GH nor Z-CoiL will confirm or deny anything related to this report, I will clarify several points of fact:
On March 08, 2005, the GH video report on Z-CoiL footwear was NOT available. As of yesterday, it is now on hand.
In the online news report video, two styles of Z-CoiL footwear can be seen: the Zueco Clogs and the Freedom 2000 tennis shoes.
Good Housekeeping had more Z-CoiLs available for their female staffers to test than the gray Zueco Clogs.
Apparently, both institutions have little interest in getting the facts straight in this investigative report. Is the focus now simply a matter of the story spin?
Another contradictory detail regarding this story that I discovered yesterday:
The Salt Lake Tribune (03/16/2005)reported that “…when Good Housekeeping reader Ann Dorsey wore a pair (of Z-CoiLs), she fell and broke her ankle.”
The Good Housekeeping report clearly states the reader that instigated their report broke her leg. Is Ann Dorsey the GH reader that the GH report is referring to?
The responsible parties have been contacted regarding these contradictory details. I’ll let you know if anyone replies at:
http://z-coil.blogspot.com
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