How Are You Doing? Just Ask Customers
by Jack Guarnieri, Jersey Jack Pinball & PinballSales.com
I’ve been flying Continental – now United Airlines – for 25 years. I would say about 90% of my yearly flights are on United. They have a mileage rewards plan that seems to change every year and the bar gets higher.
The rewards are not based only on the miles you fly, but the money you spend on a ticket is calculated as well. I have heard that the airlines make all their profit from the front of the plane. One thing I know about myself is that I am extremely loyal, especially to brands and products I’m familiar with. One such brand is United Airlines.
So, I’ve been a faithful customer since 2000 and have been a 1K member for several years, which indicates that I fly often and spend a significant amount. United shows appreciation for their loyal flyers, particularly 1K and Global Services members. This past holiday season, United sent me a card thanking me for my loyalty as a Premier 1K member. Along with the card, they included eight cards to reward United employees for their exceptional service. These cards are meant to recognize employees who go above and beyond.
While I appreciate the gesture, I’m trying to understand the intention behind it. If United is giving me something during the holidays, it feels more like a responsibility than a gift. I’m essentially being asked to assess their employees’ performance. When I see an employee who excels, I give them one of these cards, but I don’t receive anything in return. It feels like I’m helping management identify who is efficient, productive and courteous within their company – almost like I’m a consultant.
Why should I be responsible for evaluating their staff? It seems that more businesses are placing the burden on customers to help them manage their operations. If United wants feedback, they should conduct surveys or questionnaires. Perhaps they could run a contest where loyal customers can share their love for United Airlines and, in return, win first-class tickets anywhere in the world. That would be a more creative approach!
I once asked a flight attendant what happens when I give one of those cards to an employee, and she replied that she wasn’t sure. It raises the question: How well is United truly assessing its performance based on customer feedback?
If you want to know how your business is doing, ask your customers directly. For instance, if you’re a chef, inquire about the meal; if you’re running a pinball machine business, follow up after a visit. The perception of the customer is the reality that you must understand and pay attention to.
Jack Guarnieri started servicing electro-mechanical pinball machines in 1975 and has been involved in every phase of the amusement game business since then. He was an operator in NYC, then began a distributorship in 1999, PinballSales.com, selling coin-op to the consumer market. In January of 2011, he founded Jersey Jack Pinball (named after his RePlay Magazine pen name), which builds award-winning, full-featured, coin-op pinball machines. Email Jack at jack@jerseyjackpinball.com.