Corporations can be tone deaf, but few can be as hard of hearing as the executives at America Online Inc.
Facing a chorus of protest from customers and Internet groups, AOL finally last Thursday retreated from its plan to share the telephone numbers of its 8 million subscribers with certain marketers–unless individual users objected.
They objected singly and in droves.
A company spokesman earlier had adroitly explained that “AOL is committed to giving our members significant on-line information about goods and services.”
AOL had been under pressure to maintain revenues since it began offering flat-rate pricing at the end of last year and signed marketing deals that include outsider access to its membership list.
Now, of course, AOL can conduct its own telemarketing.
