Archive by Author
First, Guitars; Now United Throws Passengers from Its Planes!
Posted on 20. Apr, 2017 by tvavra.
Is this another comment on United Airlines’ poor handling of overbooked flight 3411 on Sunday, April 9? Sorry, but yes. As an observer of the customer experience; and as an occasional critic of United’s policies and practices; and having mentioned the ‘Dave Carroll story’ previously (click here for Carroll’s “United Breaks Guitars”), I couldn’t help [...]
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Does Your Website Need a Presidential Pardon?
Posted on 03. Nov, 2013 by tvavra.
The Affordable Care Act’s website has needed more than one pardon from President Obama this week. As internet-driven commerce has become a more important channel to all businesses, the design and build of websites has taken on critical importance. And, when an enterprise’s primary channel is its website, the build becomes absolutely critical. As the [...]
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The State of Privacy, Pt. 2: Privacy vs. Sociableness
Posted on 28. Aug, 2013 by tvavra.
In my last post I described the fervor with which the European Union is cracking down on the ‘observation’ of consumers by organizations who are building profiles of consumers’ behavior, browsing habits and shopping routines – both online and off. New, proposed legislation, the Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, aims to limit some activities and [...]
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The State of Privacy, Part 1: The Right to be Forgotten
Posted on 28. Jul, 2013 by tvavra.
While US citizens and companies are awakening to the spectrum of new opportunities available to them by relationships developed through internet-based marketing programs and social media portals, in contrast, the EU is considering relatively severe restraints for companies and vendors operating through the internet. It’s a continuation of the EU’s strong stand for personal privacy [...]
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Rodolfo’s Pizza – Under New Management
Posted on 09. Jun, 2013 by tvavra.
I’m always intrigued when I read such banners posted in the windows of businesses… When a business changes hands, one would generally expect the new owner(s) to have invested in the business because of the business’s profitable performance and its assets. One very compelling asset of an ongoing business is its following of loyal customers [...]
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A Customer Service Lesson from Mother’s Day
Posted on 10. May, 2013 by tvavra.
With Mother’s Day coming this Sunday, and many of us struggling to find just the right gift, Groupon offers the results of a timely survey. Groupon reports: Most mothers want to be surprised with their present; But, Moms would rather get no present at all than deal with a bad one; And, unfortunately, you may [...]
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Exceeding Expectations for 35 Years!
Posted on 22. Jan, 2013 by tvavra.
So the sign read on the craftsman’s truck. Wow, I thought, that’s quite a claim! After all, expectations can be a ‘moving target’. To make this very point, my good friend, Rob Dandrade, used to tell a story at customer satisfaction conferences (addressing the question of which is the best supra-ordinate dependent variable for the [...]
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Managing Evidence: How to Tilt the Scales in Your Favor
Posted on 01. Dec, 2012 by tvavra.
In legal circles “tampering with evidence” is strictly taboo…it’s grounds for serious penalties. But in the world of managing customers’ experiences, managing evidence is often not only desirable, it may be a tool necessary for survival! How Perceptive Are Customers? Most customers fail to recognize the quality built into a product or the efforts extended [...]
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Costco’s Secret for Generating Word of Mouth
Posted on 04. Oct, 2012 by tvavra.
Confirmed Costco shoppers appear to enjoy their shopping experiences at the big-box retailer. Despite the less than luxurious facilities, larger than desirable multi-packs, membership fee, and frustratingly long checkout lines, Costco rises to the top in just about every national Net Promoter Score listing or customer satisfaction ranking. At first glance it may seem strange [...]
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The Commoditization of Satisfaction – Part 2
Posted on 12. Aug, 2012 by tvavra.
In my last entry I observed how the ubiquity of satisfaction monitoring programs appears to be undermining the authenticity of this very important customer-listening tool. I identified many of the foibles of current methodology. It seems only fair to revisit the topic, this time with eight constructive suggestions. 1. Create an Action Plan: No customer [...]