Cruising for Comments

I'm writing this from the Carnival Legend en route back to the US after a 7 day cruise of the Western Caribbean, that took us to Grand Cayman, Roatan and Cozumel.

Whenever I'm on a cruise, I find myself not only relaxing but also doing some "market research" in terms of speaking to passengers and crew members about their cruise experiences as well as learning more about them as people.

Last night, one of the bar waiters who I have become friendly with asked me out of all the cruises I've done, out of all the ships I've been on, which was the best in terms of experience. I replied that it was this one -- not because of the itinerary or the people but because of the level of service and attentiveness I have received while on board.

At the end of every cruise, a comment card is given out to the guests to rate their experiences while on board, ranging from the wait-staff in the dining rooms, to the entertainment, to the quality of the food and the overall value of the cruise experience. These comment cards also have a spot where you can single out certain staff members who went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that you had a pleasurable experience. Many people don't know that many cruise lines use these comment cards in terms of promotions and pay-raises and other perks (such as extra days off) as well as in disciplinary actions.

The value of feedback and testimonials can be invaluable for your business, no matter what kind of business you're in. It doesn't matter if you provide services of products to consumers or businesses, there's a market that purchases or hires you for whatever you do, be it a common or niche market. The testimonials you get from customers/clients/patients can be used to bolster your image to others who are potential new clients. It also adds additional credibility in the eyes of your current client base and further reassures them that they are making the "right" decision to buy from you.

Feedback from clients and staff members are also very critical to the evaluation process. Too many people tend to focus only on the negative comments left and are very reactionary (emotionally and operationally) to try to "fix" what went wrong. While it is very important to be aware of these incidents and to deal with them accordingly, I believe that the positive feedback needs to be looked at with equal -- and in some cases, more -- attention so that you can operate from a proactive position as well.

For example, one of your clients singled out a positive experience they had with you and your business. They provided you with a thank-you note or testimonial. Your first reaction may be one of pride and accomplishment, and the next reaction should be something to the effect of "am I/we offering that same experience or better to the rest of our current clients?" "Can we also use it in such a way to attract new clients and reactivate old or dormant ones?" The positive experiences not only need to be shared but also acted upon in some fashion.

Feedback from employees, partners and even yourself (for the self-employed) is also important in the continuous marketing and education process. I believe that after every sale or after every positive or negative experience (from your perspective or theirs) you should solicit feedback from everyone involved. Ask the participants to fill out a comment card or survey (should be done via fax, email or snail mail) When people take the time to put "pen to paper" it gives them enough time to reflect on the experience. This needs to be done within 24-48 hours so that things are not forgotten, embellished or memory gaps become missing and then filled-in with perceptions. Notes need to be taken and analyzed after all is said and done and then a plan developed, no matter how small or big the transaction.

Big companies are realizing the importance of feedback but I think they've been too slow or their methods have been ineffective at best. For example, I have been to several department stores and chain drug stores in the past few months that are printing a web-address on the bottom of each receipt asking for their customer's feedback after every purchase. They usually try to entice people to provide the feedback by trying some sort of promotional drawing to win a cash prize, vacation or they will provide a credit or some other sort of gift on your next visit. While I can appreciate their efforts, It would be interesting to see how many people have actually answered the surveys out of the hundreds of thousands of transactions conducted in a given week.

From this cruise I know I will be singling out a few people who made my experience worthwhile and then some. Whether it was the waiter that remember my name (and everyone in my party), the bar staff who remembered my favorite drink, or the room steward that provided me with extra towels when needed, i hope that my comments are going to be used to help them in their individual careers and overall, the company to keep providing great experiences to their guests for years to come.

Action Item: Starting today, start developing feedback from your employees, team members and clients to use in your word-of-mouth marketing, your advertising as well as your daily business practices. A simple survey allowing participants to rate their experiences on a scale of 1-5 and a place for comments and "suggestions for improvements" should be on each form. When the responses are received, read, analyze and utilize the data to help you to be more proactive versus reactive, in your business.