Discordant notes
Earlier this week, after my youngest daughter’s college graduation, I had to fly back from Portland. Upon arriving at PDX, as an Executive Platinum member, I was able to check-in quickly and I practically glided through security. When I got to the gate I learned that I had scored a first class upgrade (#winning). Once I was on board, our assigned flight attendant turned out to be super attentive and extremely friendly. And unlike coach, not only did we get a meal, it was actually pretty decent.
After a nearly four hour flight, we landed and I headed to our designated baggage carousel–which many a road warrior will remember are unusually close to the arrival gates at DFW–to wait for my checked bag. And wait. And wait. And wait.
After about 40 minutes and zero communication from the airline several of us migrated a few hundred yards down the way to the baggage service desk. The on-duty clerk was clueless about the delay but she did get on her walkie-talkie to inquire about what was going on. That quickly revealed no useful information. I then tried tweeting to American Airlines to see if they could help. They responded rather quickly, suggesting I check with the baggage service desk at the airport. Gee, thanks. If only I had thought of that.
Anyway, finding my zen, I accepted the things I could not change and shuffled back to the gate. About ten minutes later (so about an hour after we landed) our bags finally emerged.
Now, to be clear, I am quite aware that this is very much a first world, highly privileged problem.
Nevertheless, the broader strategic points for those who are tasked with delivering a remarkable customer experience are four-fold:
- Good enough no longer is.
- More and more, our customers compare us to their last great customer experience, regardless of whether it happens to be in the same product or service category.
- A well harmonized experience is comprised of (minimally) meeting the table-stakes of a customer journey, amplifying the wows where possible and eliminating the discordant notes.
- If the discordant notes are annoying enough–and particularly if they are the very last thing the customer remembers about their journey–all the good we might have done is quickly forgotten.
My 2024 Retail Predictions: A Reckoning
For the last several years, I've made a list of annual predictions for the retail industry, which I share here, on Forbes, and on my podcast. And then, in what can sometimes amount to an act of self-flagellation, I take account of how I did. So without further ado,...
Shift Happens
I grew up in the outlying suburbs of New York City in the 1960s and ’70s. Like other middle-class kids from the area, I spent many a weekend being dragged around by my mother to go shopping at stores like Abraham & Strauss, Caldor, and Bamberger’s. On family road...
Luxury Hits the Wall. What’s Going On and What’s Next?
Recent earnings reports from the world’s top luxury players have largely brought bad news. Moreover, a fair amount of uncertainty and chaos has been in the air all year as money-losing online-only players like Farfetch and YNAP have run into the arms of new corporate...
"The Store Operations Council enjoyed every minute of Steve Dennis's presentation on retail's future. He always keeps it real and speaks the language of retail experts."
Cathy Hotka
Principal
Cathy Hotka & Associates
"The Store Operations Council enjoyed every minute of Steve Dennis's presentation on retail's future. He always keeps it real and speaks the language of retail experts."
Cathy Hotka
Principal
Cathy Hotka & Associates
