Want better companies? Demand change  |  July 29, 2008  

A Backbone reader recently took Bell Canada to task for talking the talk on the environment, while failing to walk the walk. Bell had let her down, she said so, and I'm pleased to say Bell responded quickly and effectively.

I need to say up-front I am conscious that I am posting this in a Bell-run blog and this story ends on a Bell-positive note. However, I had decided to write about this before I knew the outcome, and I have no difficulty praising companies when they do the right thing.

A Backbone reader, I'll call her Janet, recently bought two receivers for her existing Bell ExpressVu satellite dish at a national big-box electronics store. She didn't need nor want the satellites dishes that came with the receivers, but was told by the sales person that she had no choice. If you want the receivers, you have to take the dishes.

This is where Backbone comes into the story. Our May/June issue featured an advertising section focusing on green technology. One of the pieces was from Bell and talked about its commitment to environmental business practices. Janet read that piece and then copied me on her e-mails to the company.

On June 16, she wrote to Marc Duchesne, Bell's director of corporate responsibility and environment. After recounting her retail experience, she wrote: "Since we already have a satellite dish, we are now stuck with trying to figure out how to dispose of the two satellite dishes we were forced to buy, and the associated extra packaging. If you are seriously attempting to be environmentally responsible why would you not sell the receivers as a separate item with as little packaging as possible?

"Other than couriering these satellite dishes and excess packaging to your office, do you have any environmentally responsible suggestions for disposing of them? If not, please send mailing address by reply e-mail."

On the next day, Duchesne responded: "Thank you very much for bringing this issue to my attention. I have transferred your note to the appropriate person and we are currently looking into these problems. We have made improvements in reducing packaging of this equipment but understand from your note that you consider we still have a long way to go.

"We will get back to you shortly with available options for returning your dish. I apologize for the inconveniences."

Now that sounds a bit like a standard corporate response, but Duchesne did get back to her. On June 26, Janet received the following: "To follow up on our previous correspondence, provided below are options and systems in place to best manage the issues you have brought to my attention.

1. Having to purchase a dish with each receiver:
- New customers or customers upgrading to HD require an accompanying dish as a complete system.
- Customers who only require an additional receiver and no dish have been able to do this at the dealer, however in your case, the dealer very likely ran out of individual receivers and provided the whole system package.
- Going forward, the dishes will no longer be packaged with receivers. They will be kept separately, and if a customer requires one, the installer will bring it to the home to put up.
- Improvements to reduce packaging have been implemented and continue to be reviewed for further opportunities

2. Managing extra dishes
- We will provide a courier service to your home at no cost to you. The dish will be handled through our reverse logistic process.
- Going forward, we will enhance our reverse logistics processes for dishes to emulate the processes we currently have in place for receivers, modems and mobile phones."

Duchesne then provided Janet with the name, e-mail and phone number of the person who will make the actual courier arrangements.

Let me pick out two elements of Duchesne's e-mail. First, Bell ExpressVu will no longer bundle dishes with receivers. Second, Bell is paying for a courier to pick up the extra equipment she does not need.

Bell not only responded to a customer e-mail -- and not all companies even do that -- but it also put a new policy in place, and it did so within 10 days.

While consumers tend to be automatically cynical about big companies -- and often deservedly so -- we also have to acknowledge when one does something right. And even if, as Janet suspects, copying the editor of a national magazine may have sped up Bell's response, at least the action was taken.

In response to Duchesne's actions, Janet replied: "You have made some very concrete commitments to solve this problem. I am impressed with your willingness to accept responsibility for the retailer’s actions. I must apologize for underestimating your corporate responsibility for the environment."

In an e-mail to me, Janet said: "I think that large corporations who have control over their suppliers need to be leaders in this effort. For example, when Wal-Mart called in all their suppliers and demanded that they reduce packaging, it was more effective than if every Wal-Mart shopper had fired off a letter or e-mail to these same suppliers.

"Although possessed of a healthy amount of cynicism, I think Bell as a corporate entity and Mr. Duchesne in his position honestly attempt to be environmentally responsible. Change isn’t easy."

I agree, and hopefully Janet's story will remind me to act next time I see a similar problem.

Peter Wolchak