If you were expecting a free side of chips with your Buffalo Wild Wings order, don't bother getting out your student ID.
Buffalo Wild Wings management says the store will no longer honor the discount because of an argument with a sales representative from Student Savings Club.
This brings to light one of the problems with working with an outside company to provide offers to Ball State students -¡- business relations.
Buffalo Wild Wings was one of the more popular restaurants on the discount Web site, so many students are likely upset about this change. There are still 27 businesses on the site now, but there is no telling if a similar incident might shrink the list number.
Honorable business practices are essential to making a program such as Student Savings Club work.
Student Government Association brought in the third party to help organize the discounts, but when business affairs between a third party and local businesses go awry, students miss out and businesses have reason not to join in.
SGA owes students and businesses the service of professional representation and must work to make its third party agents present those values as well.
Although Student Discount Club hasn't been reached for comment, we know the Buffalo Wild Wings management has a bitter taste in its mouth from the situation. And all blame aside, the discount has still been nullified.
In this situation, the issue isn't that students won't be able to get their free order of chips with their meal. The problem is that a major business has brought into question the professionalism of the company managing the entire program.
As of Sunday night, Buffalo Wild Wings' discount was still listed on studentsavingsclub.com.
The program wasn't worth Buffalo Wild Wings' time and money because there was no return on the investment, management said.
SGA needs to work with Student Savings Club to ensure other businesses do see this discount program as a worthy deal for both the businesses and students.
These discounts are only beneficial to businesses when they attract enough business to outweigh the loss from the discount.
SGA bears the responsibility of making this program continue successfully through positive interactions with students and businesses.
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