Gocompare Good morning GoCompare, [name] speaking.
Mktg Hi, I'm calling about your new ad. Is there someone I can speak to about it?
Gocompare You can, yes, you're through to customer services. We would deal with all enquiries in the first instance, then we would refer the information to the relevant department.
Mktg OK. To be honest I really didn't like it and wanted to complain. I think it's very inappropriate and I don't really understand why Sue Barker is in it.
Gocompare Fair enough. We prefer to deal with complaints in writing, so then I can get you a formal response from the marketing department. Would you like to take our email address so I can put your complaint to them and get you a response? Unfortunately I can't get hold of anyone in that department to take a call, you see, so we would ask you to direct things in writing.
Mktg Is this something lots of people have been calling about?
Gocompare We've had the odd person, but a lot of positive feedback as well. It's been fairly mixed, as it always is with all our ads, to be totally honest.
Mktg So you've had a lot of positive feedback about the violence being used in it?
Gocompare Well, not about the violence, necessarily, but a lot of people are happy that we're killing off Gio [Compario] – it's a fictional character.
Mktg But he doesn't die.
Gocompare I know, but they've shut him up in that respect, you know? A lot of people obviously didn't like all the singing, but we get a mixed response, to be totally honest with you.
Mktg So do you know whether it's going to stay on-air?
Gocompare As far as I'm aware we've not got plans to remove it, but I don't know for sure.
Mktg Do you know how quickly I'll get a response from the marketing department?
Gocompare Our time scales are two working days, so if you email us today, we would pick that up, refer it to our marketing department and aim to get you a response in the next two working days. I can give you the right email address if you want?
Mktg Yes that would be great.
Gocompare Send it to feedback@gocompare.com. All right?
Mktg Thanks very much.
Gocompare Thanks, bye.
VERDICT: 7 out of 10
The call-handler was very patient and knew the best method for consumers to make a formal complaint, and response times, while having a good idea of the lay of the land with the ad itself and consumers' general responses to the campaign.