"Tell Us How We Did!".....How Many Times Have We Heard That?

In Chapter 11 of the “Real-time Marketing and PR” book I have referenced in the past week or so, author David Meerman Scott brings up a good point about how to reach customers to ask about feedback on a product. He brings up how a hotel asked him to take time to fill out a survey. To me this doesn’t sound uncommon. As consumers you and I are bombarded with surveys on receipts, emails, websites and various other mediums. Do any of us take the time to fill them out?

Scott says this technique is ill-advised because in all communication sent to the customer a business should think about how it benefits the customer instead of being self-centered. Even though communication like these email surveys are peppered with words like “we humbly ask you to…” or “we would deeply appreciate…” this is not the right way to ask for feedback. As Scott said on page 116, these methods can appear lazy.

I do not have the right answer to ask for optimal feedback techniques however so it is easy to see how businesses can fall short of praise in this aspect. However, Scott brings up the “sophisticated” email system a luxury hotel and spa in California that focuses on a prestay program of emails to hotel guests starting when they book a reservation with confirmation emails. Further than that, the hotel sends itineraries and other relevant offers specific to guests up until the time their stay rolls around. The emails are specific to guest’s additions to their schedules. So if you buy a round of golf you won’t get an email two days later asking if you’re interested in a round of golf during your stay.

Now I like discounts and offers as much of the next customer, but I do not want you to continually spam my inbox for three months until I get to your spa. I know my itinerary and I do not expect a major corporation to have to update me about my schedule. Other people might like this but I think this technique would drive me crazy.

When it comes to customer communication I think there is definite boundaries between lazy, optimal communication and spamming that companies need to straddle.