As Tuesdays go, 14 November looked to be a good one. Browsing during my commute, I spotted a post from Krispy Kreme on Facebook (sponsored, I assume), which declared it was giving away 36,000 doughnuts to Londoners.
The freebie frenzy was launched to mark the news that the doughnut brand had started to deliver its sweet and sugary treats via the on-demand food delivery app Uber Eats. So from 2pm to 6pm, anyone ordering a dozen original glazed doughnuts from Krispy Kreme via the app should have received the order for free while stocks lasted.
Krispy Kreme was keen to highlight only certain stores would be included in the giveaway in its terms and conditions, so I was glad to see Fulham Broadway was representing. Our Chelsea Harbour office, just 0.8 miles away according to Google Maps, would surely be eligible for delivery.
2.15pm rolled around and I feverishly snatched up my phone to make the order from Uber Eats, which I went out of my way to download this morning.
It started off badly. Searching for Krispy Kreme generated zero results, so I took to Twitter to find out if I was alone I was not.
When your #Ubereats isn’t working and you want free doughnuts #krispykreme @UberEATS pic.twitter.com/22eVzzzpD3
” Sam. (@sam_bezza) November 14, 2017
My whole office right now #UberEATS #KrispyKreme pic.twitter.com/P3azrUHclf
” Simmy (@simmy_ray) November 14, 2017
Six minutes later and I was in! Adrenaline coursed through my body as I left a note for my box of FREE DOUGHNUTS, requesting they be delivered to Zen on team Real Business, lest someone from another department try and snatch them up. But the opportunity to go sniffing around the office for traces of icing never came.
As the order was processing, I was suddenly met with an ugly alert that said: “Could not complete order. We had some trouble connecting but should have you eating shortly.
Was the WiFi on the blink” I switched to 4G to see if it made a difference. It did not.
Suddenly, the alert got aggressive. My order was an invalid request?, just before I was told “Checkout was not allowed by orderValidator. Possible reasons include breaking alcohol rules or cash rules?.
You what?
When you think you’re getting free doughnuts from #KrispyKreme but they cancel the order| @UberEATS pic.twitter.com/sqlO7ZbiTf
” Abi (@abi_z_s) November 14, 2017
ive been trying since 2pm. it was showin krispy kreme at 1.30pm but now it is blocked. im trying to delivery to oxford street london area!
” Bodzinho Zino Islam (@Bodzinho) November 14, 2017
@UberEATS keep crashing and not showing Krispy Kreme as available!!!
Where are my Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!?” Blagovest Karakashev (@Blagovest_) November 14, 2017
Myconfusion and frustration evolved even further as I was then told: ?Unable to load basket. Order location is too far from store.
You?ll recall I said the store was 0.8 miles, that’s a 16-minute walk or eight-minute drive, hardly a location that can be warranted as “too far”.
Was Krispy Kreme hoping that all of its boxes were going to be’shifted to people in the same building?
The website itself says that orders are delivered within 1.8 miles of stores, so I was well within the radius required.
Despite all of the ranting on Twitter, which has actually resulted in #KrispyKreme trending, the official page for the brand has largely remained silent and failed to address the debacle.
It even had the nerve to retweet one lone individual that appears to have received a batch of the doughnuts, trolling its customers into disbelief.
Just received some free @krispykremeUK from @UberEATS thanks, they are delicious. pic.twitter.com/RE2RGTeCxT
” Zeelo (@GoZeelo) November 14, 2017
About 6 people in the office tried and one was successful?
” Zeelo (@GoZeelo) November 14, 2017
” Marc Sibbons (@Sibbo_M11) November 14, 2017
lol so where are the other 35,988 @KrispyKremeUK
” Vic Casambros (@VCasambros) November 14, 2017
so you’re gonna retweet this but not make an official update on the whereabouts of our doghnuts
” Jordan Shakes (@swimmashakes) November 14, 2017
Bet you just bought them in store
” Cathlynn Hornof (@cathlynnhornof) November 14, 2017
Funny how you guys retweet this but don’t answer our concerns
” Payal B (@officiallypayal) November 14, 2017
STOOOOP!!!!! how are you retweeting the one person who actually got them!” AWFUL!
” Elekia Akhuetie (@elekia_) November 14, 2017
Aside from both parties facing a technological embarrassment and demonstrating just how not to manage customer enquiries by ignoring them, in this case there was yet another a social faux pas made by Krispy Kreme.
Turns out its giveaway of sugar-rich snacks just so happened to coincide with #WorldDiabetesDay. Just what exactly was the Krispy Kreme marketing team thinking?
All of London when @UberEATS let’s us down again… this time with @krispykremeUK is it some kind of lesson in aid of #WorldDiabetesDay2017 #UberEATS #KrispyKreme pic.twitter.com/ye1wBdNEyR
” Aimee Lauren James (@Aimus_Jamus) November 14, 2017
To celebrate #Worlddiabetesday #krispykreme gives away 36,000 donuts in #london pic.twitter.com/uRRqPw6yGc
” Tigran Aleksanyan (@TigranAleks) November 14, 2017
So basically, #WorldDiabetesDay prevented #KrispyKreme giving out little nuggets of diabetes today. Superhero or Supervillain?! pic.twitter.com/BcnpVIDkx2
” Amrit Singh (@MrASingh) November 14, 2017
Pretty insensitive #KrispyKreme for giving free doughnuts during the time people are raising awareness of Diabetes… #DiabetesDay ‘Avoid diabetes but get our donuts'”
” pnkchmpgne (@_pnkchmpgne) November 14, 2017
Free Doughnuts on World Diabetes Day” Nice touch #KrispyKreme
” Alpha (@Thisisalphalive) November 14, 2017
There are so many questions about this whole campaign:
What went wrong?
Why hasn’t Krispy Kreme responded to any customer enquiries?
How did this launch end up taking place on World Diabetes Day?
Just how much did Millie’s Cookies benefit from this disaster?
In all seriousness though, making such a highly publicised promise to customers should only have one outcome it gets stuck to.
And, if something does go wrong, which can always happen, then put your hands up and admit it!
Simply burying your head in the sand, closing the doors to customers and ignoring them, when they?re the ones spending their money with you, is unacceptable.
Only time will tell what Krispy Kreme and Uber Eats will have to say about such a bitter start to what should have been a sweet partnership.
[rb_inline_related]
