Guess What I Received As One Of My Christmas Gifts? Hint, I wrote About It On My Blog. Hint #2, It Was Not A Lexus With A Big Red Bow On The Roof Of The Car.

I received as one of my Christmas gifts, a Cow calendar from Chick-fil-A. Let me share with you how difficult it was for me to register the calendar gift card to be able to use it. Chick-fil-A I do believe you made a big mistake with this corporate decision. It was not easy to register this card. Let me walk you through the process of registration. They are definitely biased if you do not register via e-mail as opposed to registration via the phone. If you are not 13 years old or older to cannot activate your card that may have been given to you as a gift or you may have purchased one with your own money because you like Chick-fil-A. My children have received their calendars many times as gifts and I know they may have been under 13 when they received them years ago and what would happen to them if they were that age now? Would it be a wasted gift? Who thought of that regulation? A gift is a gift and the receiver should be allowed to use their gift. If you have to have someone else sign up for you then it is no longer a gift to you. I would like to know which executive at Chick-fil-A came up with this idea and better yet, who was the marketing company probably selling this idea to them?
Apparently you receive a few more benefits if you register online and not via telephone. The enhancements or benefits for registering online via e-mail are you are allowed to get a replacement if the card is lost or stolen and they will give you reminders too. Why are not the same benefits offered to anyone regardless of the option they choose to register their calendar? It is almost like the non-conforming customers are penalized and do not receive the same benefits as those that choose to give Chick-fil-A their e-mail address. People wake up, it is just a ploy to get information about their customers do you not see this? They do not disclose if you will be bombarded with e-mails, etc. or where the information you give to them when you share your e-mail address is going to or will it be used for marketing purposes. I hope they will not sell your information to others, I do not think they would do that but today you can never be careful enough to ask questions before you give out information.
This is what I encountered when I registered my card via telephone, it was not a pleasant experience. In one section when they asked you to enter the bar code number on the back of the card I had to repeat this step around four-five times before it even recognized the number entered. That was such a  "not worked out " glitch in this system of registration. They first of all ask you what phone number is associated with the card; then you must enter your birth date in a certain format, not just year or month and year but they wanted month, day and year; 14 digit number on the back of the card. this is where I had to repeat this section 4-5 times it kept stating, "Not a valid card number, wrong number entered."; then you enter the pin number which is designated and marked on the card as PIN with the number following. What an ordeal to be able to use your 2013 Chick-fil-A Calendar Card. As I am looking at my card right now the marketing company that designed the cards didn't even get the logo correct on the card. They have the title on the front of the card as this, CHICK-FIL-A apparently they forgot that they do not capitalize the "f" if fil and the registered trademark symbol is right next to that. Same error is on the cover of the calendar with the imprint of the card where it says it is new for 2013. The same blunder is repeated on the inside cover of the calendar where the calendar card is located the imprint of the calendar card image underneath the card when you remove the card. Same error on January page at the bottom of the page stating what the offer is that month CHICK-FIL-A chicken sandwich. One last time is then on the back of the calendar another imprint of the card  and is stating "INTRODUCING THE 2013 CHICK-FIL-A CALENDAR CARD." For goodness sake, if you are going to produce marketing material for an organization you should at least get their registered trademark logo correct. Or better yet who did not proof read this marketing tool prior to printing it.
You must read the small print it states "limit one card activation per email address." "Free promotional card may not be accepted at some Chick-fil-A restaurants, including, but not limited to, Chick-fil-A Express or Chick-fil-A licensed locations such as airports, college campuses, office complexes and hospitals. Card valid for only one redemption per month. Offer valid only during the month specified. Coupon not valid with any other offer. Card not for sale. Limit one card per transaction." It also states the phone number you can call to activate if you do not have Internet service.
More things stated on the inside cover of the calendar: "Once activated, this promotional Calendar Card is redeemable once per month throughout 2013 and entitles you to one free featured item of the month. To be eligible to redeem featured items, replace lost or stolen cards and receive reminder emails, activate your card now at: chick-fil-a.com/2013calendar limit one card activation per email address. Please allow 4-6 weeks for replacement of lost cards." also stated on the same page, "Offer valid only during the month specified. Coupon not valid with any other offer. Card not for sale. Limit one card per transaction. Offer redeemable only for product(s) specified. This is a promotional card and not a gift card. Closed Sundays."
I think that about covers it all. Recap: if you are under 13 you are out of luck trying to activate your calendar gift card;  if you registered via telephone and not Internet you are not going to get a replacement card if for some reason your card is lost or stolen. Oops, found two more potential errors when looking at the actual calendar, May 10th is CHICK-FIL-A Leadercast and TBD CHICK-FIL-A BOWL.
Now, maybe I am wrong in thinking the registered trademark is Chick-fil-A and it can actually be CHICK-FIL-A like it is printed in sections of the calendar. If that is the case then why are other sections printed like this, Chick-fil-A? I do not know the answer to that question. Please accept my apology if I am not correct. These are just my observations. As you can see, I like to review things and when I see possible discrepancies I tend to question them. The plus in the calendar, Easter is early this year, on March 31, 2013 and daylight saving time is right around the corner; liked seeing National Day of Prayer on the calendar; it is nice that they did place on the card itself the featured item for the individual months.
Please know that I am most grateful for receiving this gift and I will probably use it some of the time. I am not a soda drinker per say so some of the featured items I will probably not use and a few other items too. It was most thoughtful of the giver of the gift to think of me and they know I do enjoy Chick-fil-A. I am just not pleased with corporate decisions behind the format of the new calendar.
One more thought...what about the elderly population? They may not have Internet service and then they do not get the same benefits of activating their card online but may activate it via telephone. You should really re-consider this decision and open up to all people regardless of how they register their card to be able to get a replacement card if it is lost or stolen. Again, these are just my thoughts on this.