Be careful with your ringtone, lesson from Japan
The weekend Financial Times (Date 17 May 2008) had an interesting story from Japan about insensitive user of ringtones. An employee by a Japanese debt-collection agency, Takefuji, had selected a song by a Japanese rock band ULFULS as the ringtone. That song has lyrics saying "Return the money you have borrowed." Then the debt-collection agency employee would have the phone with the ringing on, and accept calls at offices where they were attempting to collect on debts. In this way Takefuji was causing embarrassment to the companies who owed them money. The Japanese Financial Services Agency punished Takefuji for this practise. It does remind us that as technology advances, there will be always newer ways to also abuse the technologies. Still, fined for the wrong ringtone? Must be a first.
That was a mischievous use of the ringtone for sure and in a country like Japan losing face counts for much more. It was naughtily inventive you have to say but it concerns me when customers are still using the music from the film "The Sting" when you are on hold. Makes me wonder if you are being "had"!!! :-)
Posted by: Tim | May 20, 2008 at 08:17 AM
Hi Tim
Good point! Yes, some thinking should be involved in the selections..
Tomi :-)
Posted by: Tomi Ahonen | May 22, 2008 at 12:24 PM