Ten tips for becoming a pro in the promotional products industry....
Having a meaningful rather than demeaning conversation with your customers is the key to a successful brand, product or campaign....
The beach tote, sunglasses and nail polish fit for warm weather promotions.
...
A good listener is a valuable friend, and a valuable friend is a trusted business partner....
The rumors about Beyoncé’s second pregnancy may be false, but that shouldn’t stop you from outfitting other moms-to-be in promotional...
An importer in an industry similar to ours comes to a decision on this risky, make-or-break-your-business issue....
If you train your staff, there's a risk they'll leave; if you don't, there's a risk they'll stay.
...
Why... be connected? I've often talked about my love of trade shows and the value of business relationships, which are...
A promotional products distributor recently wrote me and asked how to handle clients that have figured out the industry's pricing...
When we communicate with others—through a presentation, through graphics or through text in an article—the use of color can truly...
Do you work in Michigan, or do you sell into the restaurant industry? I want to hear from you....
Performance clothing has changed over the past 10 years: silkier, stretchier, more mesh, even less stinky in some cases. So...
Steven Covey reminds us that when setting goals ... "Start with the end in mind." That is to visualize the...
The Super Bowl has also become the Ad Bowl, where brands duke it out to see who has the funniest,...
It takes a single negative image to undo even the most successful campaigns in the eyes of your customers—and many...
What would happen if you woke up in the morning and your first thought was, "I am never going to...
It's hard to believe, but there are fewer than 100 days left to achieve 2011 goals! Are you on track...
A few weeks ago, I had dinner with Executive Apparel's president and its director of product development in Orlando, Florida....
|
Just for a moment, try to imagine that a promotional product you sold to your largest customer has suddenly become the subject of a government recall. Hundreds or even thousands of consumers have to be notified immediately that it may be dangerous to use the item that was given to them as a gift. And to be sure there's no confusion, pictures have to be posted in multiple locations and on the Internet showing the ill-fated product with your customer's logo displayed next to the danger warnings. The product you chose is now a public albatross for everyone involved. The recall and legal costs are almost certainly going to be enormous, as is the liability exposure. And to top it off, the incident is a colossal embarrassment for you and for your client.
Try to imagine the pain of what that would feel like, especially if you could have avoided it all—including the potential loss of a prized customer—with just an ounce of prevention?
Recalls happen for a variety of reasons but most of them revolve around the risk of injury to consumers. Government regulations are established to ensure safe products so violation of any regulation can trigger a recall. If your promotion includes a food product that isn't properly labeled with allergens the FDA can mandate a recall. CPSC can do the same for products that contain more lead than allowed by CPSIA or toys that fail to pass the toy safety standard.
Recalls come about in a lot of different ways. It could start with something as simple as a call from your client that someone reported an injury or that the product shattered when it fell on the floor. Sometimes a consumer advocacy group will test a product and report to CPSC that it contains excessive lead, phthalates or fails some other mandatory test.
For consumer products, the law requires immediate notification of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) when a company obtains information that supports a conclusion that a product distributed in commerce fails to meet a product standard or contains a defect that can create a substantial risk or injury to consumers. If CPSC staff concludes that a recall is warranted, they will usually suggest a "voluntary recall" although the Commission has the right to enforce a mandatory recall. FDA has similar procedures for the products it regulates. Promotional products that fall within FDA oversight include hand sanitizer, sunglasses, first aid kits as well as food and food contact items.
As painful as a recall can be, failure to report can be even worse. Sometimes companies will find out about an injury or that a product it distributed has failed a test, and will try to handle it on its own, without involving the governmental agency, perhaps by notifying customers to return the item. CPSC is particularly unforgiving in these instances no matter how sincere or thorough a company may be in its attempt to self-resolve the issue. Public Citizen, a watchdog group, reports that between 2002 and 2007 CPSC fined companies an average of $452,000 for filing late reports or withholding key details from the agency such as information about customer complaints. In more recent cases the agency has become even more aggressive with some fines in excess of $1 million.
So what about that ounce of prevention? What are some things you can do to prevent a product safety nightmare? The answers may seem obvious or common sense but you'd be surprised how easy they can be to overlook when you're stressed or rushing to complete a last minute promotion.
Most of us have owned a product that was involved in a recall sometime during our lives. Maybe it was a car or a coffee pot, a battery or a crib. Mistakes happen even to the most sterling and trustworthy brands. Search "product recall" on Google and your hits will include Mercedes Benz, BMW, GE, Apple Computer and Fisher Price. But while you can't guarantee immunity from every problem, if you're a savvy shopper, learn the risk factors and always do your homework, you'll exponentially reduce the risk of a product safety fiasco.
 |
|
|
COMMENTS
Click here to leave a comment...