Don't Listen To Customers - You Don't Need Too

Comment

Comment by Terri Hitchcock on October 13, 2009 at 8:39am

I'm still blown away by a discussion I had recently with a potential customer.

We discussed the importance of the guest experience and how tough it is to find the right resources to represent a brand appropriately. We discussed that measuring a resource's success can be even tougher. The oddity is that the management team of this small chain doesn’t want resources measured – especially not by the customer and not while in the establishment.

I think the only way to make that stop occuring is to close up shop. Every customer measures every experience and communicates it in some form, with or without the "official" knowledge of the establishment.

Measurement is happening. Every day, in every experience. You can’t stop it, so I have trouble understanding why one wouldn't want to profit from it.

There are times when I feel like I've filled in a million surveys, never to have heard from a soul - good, bad or indifferent. When it's good, I usually share the experience with someone else. When it's bad I DEFINITELY share the experience and if I'm indifferent I can usually be swayed to the good by a little interaction and appreciation. I, as the guest, I can be manipulated, just like a tax return. Give me something back and I'm willing to fill you in on what's going on. Just make me pay without any say in the matter and I'm bitter about the experience...LOL

Comment by Keith Bernhardt on October 10, 2009 at 5:47pm

Cool !

Comment by Jeffrey J Kingman on October 10, 2009 at 5:46pm

Sweet! I interviewed a hotel in Portland re SM a few days ago for a future article: in June they were asking tweepel to tweet their room reservation in - if the tweet stated the current temperature in Portland at that time - that was the room rate. Worked great for the guests: June was chilly here!

Comment by Keith Bernhardt on October 10, 2009 at 5:33pm

Jeffrey, RE: Tweetervation : very cool !
They've started something in one of the supermarkets here, Aisle 411. You tweet "Where's the frozen foods ?" The store "tweets back". I think it's pretty cool, however, it is causing a lot of controversy. Many still like th human touch. This could come in handy, if checkers or customer service are exceedingly busy.

I think it is a bold concept.

Comment by Jeffrey J Kingman on October 10, 2009 at 4:48pm

LOL Keith,

I recently ran across a restaurant (Victory Tavern in Houston; @VictoryTavern) suggesting people could tweet their reservation in... they were calling it a "tweetervation" - how brilliant is that?

Comment by Keith Bernhardt on October 10, 2009 at 4:04pm

Jeffrey,

Thanks for sharing ! I especially liked the third example, start a social media account and
not tell anybody in the organization about it. Brilliant ! That'll show 'em ! LOL !

One thing, we need to get into people's mindset is : Social Media are designed to help. Not everything is going to be a complaint. Some will "tweet" that there is "Karaoke Night" at Jeffrey's Place on Friday or Poker at "Keith's Cafe" next Thursday or something simple like "Hey they're having a two for one dinner at "The Red Cabboose", why don't we all meet there next week ? Too, they may tweet the restaurant and ask these as questions : When do you have Karaoke ? Do you have a 2 for 1 deal ?