If you read my earlier post on Just in Case specials you know that companies are ramping customer reassurance specials. Well, they haven’t stopped; in fact, more companies are joining the Just in Case brigade to get you to open up your wallet. Take a look at a few new deals retailers are using to sweeten the deal.
Autos
Competition for survival is steep in the auto industry, and Ford Motor Corp. along with General Motors will not be outdone by Hyundai’s Assurance Relief Program. Both companies are offering payment protection programs on recently purchased vehicles.
The folks at GM will cover up to $500 of your monthly car payments for nine months if you lose your job due to economic conditions, as part of the GM Confidence program. The protection begins 91 days after the vehicle is purchased, and lasts for 21 months. The no cost plan applies to vehicles purchased between April 1 and April 30 and excludes the Saab line.
“Consumers remain anxious about the economy and their own outlook for the future. We at Ford want to do our part to rebuild faith in the marketplace,†said Ken Czubay, vice president of sales and marketing.
Looks like Ford is one-upping GM with their coverage. The Ford Advantage Plan will cover payments of up to $700 for12 months on any new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle if you loose your job. The program began March 31 and runs through June 1.
All Aboard!
Norwegian Cruise Line announced its BookSafe Travel Protection Plan back in February. Guests are eligible for a full refund should they cancel their trip due to job lost. The deal is part of Norwegian’s regular travel protection plan which starts at $29 per passenger.
“Our BookSafe plan helps ensure guests to book with confidence knowing that they can receive reimbursement of their prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if they need to cancel their cruise because of job los,” said Andy Stuart, NCL’s executive vice president of global sales and passenger services.
Best of all, there’s no deadline on when the company has to be notified of your cancellation, and so far, the company hasn’t scheduled an end date for the program.
The plan will cover any trips scheduled for May 1 or after, as long as the person has been an active employee at the same company for at least one year.
Renita Burns is the editorial assistant at BlackEnterprise.com