Hi everyone,

SourceHosting.net is still attracting a fair number of confused folks who think they’ve landed on the CVS pharmacy corporate site. This all started when we launched some new Google AdWords campaigns. Apparently, the folks viewing the ads on the Google AdWords Content Network aren’t terribly aware of what they’re clicking. Here are some recent sample inquiries:

<span style="width: 500px">*** *** ***
I have a CVS <span class="hl">Blood</span> <span class="hl">Pressure</span> Monitor and it keeps showing Full before the reading </span>

<span style="width: 500px">appears. How do I get rid of that word?.
*** *** ***</span>

Umm, reboot the monitor?

*** *** ***
I picked up a perscription [sic] at ny [sic] CVS store today and on the bottom of

the receipt there is a message:

" Your Extracare Accounr [sic] Information is incomplete. Please visit www.cvs.com/extracare "

Well, here I am........What does the mesage [sic] mean ??????
*** *** ***

I love this – “Well, here I am…” and the actual web site URL is included. If you really were “here”, I wouldn’t have received this message!

Ok, I guess the ads need to be configured with some negative keywords. Interestingly, the negative keywords “pharmacy” and “extracare” were already in the campaign, but I just added some more like “pharmacy” and “drugs”. Next step – turn off the ad delivery on the content network.

Greetings everyone,

I’m always excited to see a new RFQ inquiry come in from the SourceHosting.net Professional Services RFQ page. Generally, the prospect needs help with an internally-hosted source code control system, some release management consulting or perhaps a solution to a particularly thorny infrastructure problem that’s impacting their software developers. There’s always a good opportunity to flex the ol’ brain cells and learn about a new environment.

However, within the past couple of weeks, I’ve received 2 inquiries from somewhat confused visitors. I’m posting them here for your amusement (names changed to protect the, um, clueless). Anyone care to hazard a guess how these folks landed at SourceHosting.net?

From: confused_person@Yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2008 11:49 AM
To: support@sourcehosting.net
Subject: [SHN] Pro Servs RFQ

Name:         Confused Person
Company name: cvs
Email:        confused_person@Yahoo.com
Phone:        8005551212
Request:      Everytime I visit cvs my receipt says Your
Extracare account information is incomplete .Please visit web
site I have tried this number of times I'm have problem where to go.

Additional information
Number of users:
Number of remote users:
Repository size:
Does backups:           N/A
Number of servers:
Server types:           Windows
Tools in use:           CVS

I sent this person a polite note with a pointer where he most likely should have directed his inquiry and had a good laugh.

This morning, I got 2 inquiries from the same person, so maybe this is going to be a trend!?

Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 11:30:59 -0500 (EST)
To: support@sourcehosting.net
Subject: [SHN] Pro Servs RFQ
From: I_am_confused@sbcglobal.net

Name:         Confused Person
Company name: self0employe
Email:        I_am_confused@sbcglobal.net
Phone:        800-555=1212
Request:      Complaint at the Nowheresville, Nostate Store.
I was treated by Anonymous (sore empolyee) wrongly this morning

Additional information
Number of users:
Number of remote users:
Repository size:
Does backups:           N/A
Number of servers:
Server types:
Tools in use:

And then minutes later:

*** *** ***
Anonymous (store employee) treated wrongly this morning she
question my ID .I have been going to this store for 21 years
*** *** ***

Bummer – the sore, er, store employee should be reprimanded!

If you’ve got some amusing CCRM (confused customer relationship management) tidbits, feel free to share them here!