M&S late to the game with txt service

It’s brilliant news that M&S has recognised the importance of multichannel and is bringing the online experience in store. Yet as a Premium Card Holder, until very recently any vouchers they emailed me required me to print them off if I wanted to use them in store. On several occasions I tried showing the email on my phone to the person behind the till, but unfortunately “computer says no” was the response. It always seemed a real shame. I’d probably have remembered to use the vouchers and consequently purchase more in store as a result if they had got this right. I only discovered that they had quietly introduced a text service for vouchers when I checked a recent email out. I only did they because I thought there was an ironic disconnect between the voucher process and the big multichannel announcement.

So M&S, great as your multichannel plans are, it’s good to see that you are looking after the smaller things too. You offer a great deal to your Premium Card holders – after all we do pay £15 per month for the privilege – but why not spread the word a little harder that we no longer have to print the damn things off to use them in store.  Surely this is worth more than a small print afterthought that most customer are unlikely to see.