Sea Magazine – May 2017

GRINDING GRID’S GEARS

SURVEYS: SCIENCE & ART

A

LMOST 20 YEARS ago as The Nurse and I were

growing our mobile marine service business,

we would send out postage-paid, pre-printed

“tell us how we did” cards with the bills. The only customer

reference on the back was the repair order number, allowing the

client anonymity. Rather than cringe when cards were returned,

we used the information to be more meticulous in our work-area

cleanup; to type, rather than write, the invoices; and to make sure

complaints were addressed fi rst.

Most often, surveys help. At least a good one will help a dealer.

Any survey that isn’t read just gave the USPO 47 cents to deliver

toilet paper. Examples:

• I have written the world’s largest “box store” headquarters,
  praising one store’s employees and pointing out shortcomings of
  another store, adding that the fi rst store should be used to train
  new employees how to make the customer want to come back,
  rather than head for Costco or Target.


• I have written a huge boat insurer, identifying instances in
  which the adjustors signed off on claims that should never have
  been fi nalized.
  
  
  • The Nurse and I wanted to make a relative in a rehab center feel
    better, so we went online and ordered pajamas and a lounging outfi t
    for her. Before the party received the items, the seller wanted us
    to rate (1-10) the outfi t. That was also before we knew it had been
    delivered. Even though this was specifi cally ordered for a female,
    they wanted to know how I — a male — liked the lounge suit.
    What’s the thread running through these examples? Not one
    reply, regardless if my opinion was solicited or not. If you wanted
    to stay a step ahead of the competition and thought that surveys
    were the answer, why wouldn’t you consider the responses?
    I am a fi rm believer that a business can only be made stronger
    through customers’ identifi cation of weaknesses and strengths. If
    a business chooses not to respond to someone who has taken the
    time to help — and giving a free soda to a restaurant’s respondent
    is good — then it does so at its own risk.
    Remember, thanks to you, one boat manufacturer stopped
    mounting the bilge pump in the bilge directly under the engine’s oil
    pan where it was hopelessly inaccessible; several outboard manu-
    facturers responded to complaints of excessive engine weight and
    brought forth lighter models; yet another boat manufacturer was
    told that using two-liter plastic soda bottles instead of foam blocks
    was a recipe for disaster.
    You can make a difference! Fill out the surveys, write letters.
    Someday, someone will pick up your letter and do something.
  
  
  
  

THEEXPERTS

28 SEAMAGAZINE.COM MAY 2017

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