As you know, I travel a lot, which means I get to stay in a lot of hotels. (And for those of you long-time readers, I STILL want fitted sheets!)
It seems that nowadays every hotel sends an email requesting I fill out a survey after I've stayed. For that matter, it seems like I get these emails from a lot of different companies after I've done business with them. For example, I recently received such an email from Starwood Hotels. It started like this:
"Dear Steve Miller,
Congratulations. As a valued member of the Starwood Preferred Guest program, you have been selected to participate in a brief online survey that will give you the opportunity to win a $100 Gift Card from American Express."
Don't be jealous. Clearly, I'm a lucky guy and congratulations are in order for being selected to take their survey. But more than that, I should also be congratulated for having the opportunity to win a $100 gift card!
It's hard to hold back the tears.
I also received a request from AT&T:
AT&T wants your feedback STEVE MILLER,
Thank you for choosing AT&T!
As a valued customer it is important to us that you are Completely Satisfied with your recent transaction. You have received this e-mail invitation to provide feedback on your recent in-store upgrade at the GATEWAY PLAZA STORE 747 on 08-30-2010, with the AT&T representative JAMIE MOORE. This input will allow us to better understand your in-store experience and help us improve upon future visits.
While it hurts a bit they didn't offer congratulations, I certainly feel the LOVE and APPRECIATION from the GATEWAY PLAZA STORE 747 that they want me Completely Satisfied.
I know you've received examples like these and it begs some questions. WHY are these companies sending these surveys? Do they really want to know what we think? Do they really want to know how they can improve their service? And after filling out such a survey, do you feel like you'd been listened to…REALLY listened to?
In another post I mentioned about how several years ago American Airlines took a group of super-flyers for a week of golf in the British Isles. It was an awesome reward for all of us. Of course, the AA people took advantage of the opportunity and turned us into a high-level focus group. I clearly remember one discussion when another flyer asked the question, "Can't we get cold cereal for breakfast on the morning flights?" The rest of us nodded in agreement. "Don't you want a hot breakfast, like an omelet and potatoes?" the AA people asked. No, actually, we wanted cold cereal and some fruit.
A few weeks later, American started serving cold cereal as a breakfast option.
I bring that story up because that was an example of a company listening to their customers and actually acting on what they heard. Anymore, it seems that most of these surveys are more driven by the APPEARANCE of listening than any actual listening and responding. Think about it, when was the last time YOU took a survey and then later learned about some major change by that company? But congratulations, anyway.
So now let's play TwoHat Marketing and flip it around. Are YOU guilty of the same behavior? Does your company send out meaningless surveys to your customers? Do you hold focus groups or meet with customers, ostensibly to learn how to build better products, service, and relationships, and then do nothing with the information?
If you really do use that information, then congratulations are absolutely in order.
I get these Surveys often myself, from car rental agencies and hotels mostly. I fill them out because, if there is a chance that they DO read them, I’d like to think my input would be considered. It may be wishful thinking, but that is what makes me fill them out.
On the other hand, a more immediate and on-the-spot type of survey occurs at restaurants. When I’m done with a meal, the server or person at the counter (like at Cracker Barrel) may ask, “And how was everything for you today?”. My favorite, is when I answer, “Well you know, my steak was overcooked and no one came to check up on me. I never got that refill and I waited quite a while for the check.”, and their response is a carefree, “Ohh. I’m sorry to hear that. Your total comes to $XX.XX.”
This to me is an example of “Why Bother Asking”. I’ve responded back to them and simply challenged such offerers of no value, “Why bother asking me how everything was if you are not prepared to fix it, or even show that you care?” Their reaction is either dumbfounded-ness or further lack of care. Almost NEVER a realization of a valid point that the customer may be making.
So, stepping back in front of our mirrors, if I ask that sort of question to my customer, am I prepared to take action to remedy it and show that I care? I’ve had the privilege to do that, and prove that we care … and it’s a rewarding experience. Why can’t “they” see that?
Hi Steve! I have my “customer hat” on today and wanted to share an experience that I had with an online survey. My son is 5 and is in his first season of flag football…so mid-summer, I was in need of gear for him. I called our local Dick’s Sporting Goods store to see if they had what I was looking for. To make a long story short, the sales associate that helped me provided me with outstanding service from the telephone to the store and through my checkout. I could tell that he was there to make my experience a great one and to really help me. At checkout, I received my invitation to complete an online survey with a perk of $10 off my next $50 purchase. Traditionally, my visits to this store were not worth my time to complete a survey, but that day I felt compelled to share my experience. The survey seemed to take forever, but I was able to express my appreciation at the end of it in narrative…with the hope that someone might actually read it. I even mentioned the sales associates name, just in case my words went beyond the “submit” button.
About two weeks after I completed the survey, I had to go back to the same store for another product. I lucked into the same sales associate who was able to help me again. Midway through the sale, he thanked me for my comments in the online survey – mentioning that he knew it was me and he really appreciated that I took the time to acknowledge my experience!! Huh? What? You mean – you actually heard feedback from it?? And you remembered my transaction?? He told me that the survey went to his store manager – and the manager quickly shared the compliments with him. I am not sure if anything else came from the survey results – but at least I know that the store manager is aware of my experience in their store. Perhaps the next time I go in…this associate will be in charge of customer service training for the other associates (my suggestion)!! :c)
Hhmmm…so fantastic customer service made me WANT to do the survey…and now, still impressed by the experience, I felt like I should share my story with you. Interesting how that works. Coming from a retail past – if companies would hire associates with stand out personalities, then train them in the proper way to interact with customers…perhaps we wouldn’t have to complete so many surveys.
Thanks for giving me another chance to share!
I also get many requests for participation in the survey of the week. Each has their patented questions like were satisfied, some what satisfied, not satisfied. Then at the end they provide a box so you might comment on a particular point. I swear all of those comments go into a very large hole in the ground never to resurface again. I do my own survey. If I am treated well and find what I want then I will return to do more business. If I am not then I do not return.
The last sentence in our company’s Mission Statement is “Our success is measured by our customers”. If we do our job right and follow up with our customers you can tell if what you are doing is working.
I think that this is a fad and it to will disappear.