THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Who wouldn’t like spending some time on a game? No Android or online game, but real games. Busy bee techies too couldn’t resist the temptation when they saw a kiosk put up by a telecommunication company which offered a chance to play dart game. The winners got prizes too. Many techies played the dart game after filling a form. The very next day, participants got a call from the company elaborating on the benefits of shifting to their company using mobile number portability. Few knew that they were giving their mobile number and email ID to help the company’s database marketing.
In a separate incident, a leading finance company brought a racing car to the Technopark campus. Anyone could pose driving the car and the company would send the photograph to their mail free of cost. Those who uploaded their unique picture on social networking sites soon started getting mails from the finance company on its new scheme.
Leading companies are seeing techies as potential buyers and are finding ways to woo them. The company will directly or through advertisement companies collect the data. Mobile numbers and email IDs of techies are more than enough information for them.
Every month, Technopark campus witnesses different innovative programmes, sponsored by various companies. Recently, it was a remote-controlled train game that lured techies during their break. After the exciting game, the techies were ready to give their details. The programme organised in separate kiosks ranged from games to exhibitions. Data was collected in the form of comments, prize coupons etc.
From banks to automobile dealers, collecting data from potential customers is given great importance. Technopark is seen as a prime area by most companies. The data collected will either be used by their own employees for marketing or will be passed on to advertising companies. Bulk SMS providers too collect mobile numbers using such innovative ways.