The latest news in the world of customer experience and customer loyalty.
What’s Worse Than Long Airport Security Lines or Being Stuck in Traffic?
How much do people dislike poor technical service support? Well, according to the Customer and Product Experience 360 (CPX 360) Survey by iQor, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of consumers claim having to repeat information three times for customer support agents is more frustrating than going through long security lines at the airport. That is quite a dislike! According to an article in Business Wire, nearly two-thirds of consumers (60 percent) reported having to repeat information three times during a call was more frustrating than being put on hold for 15 minutes or being stuck in traffic. Seventy percent of consumers claimed it was more frustrating than being on an airplane with a crying baby. Repeating information multiple times during the customer service journey is common, as only about one in three indicated their information was always retained between customer service steps—consumers speak with an average of 2.1 companies and 3.1 people when dealing with an issue. The article says that brands need to completely rethink and reorient their businesses and processes around the customer to ensure that the contact history and context is retained.
Playing the Points Game Landed One Couple a Trip Around the World for $2,000
The universal thoughts all of us economy class citizens consider—while six hours into a 10-hour flight crammed between two malodorous people—run something like is: “Why did I not take out a small loan to pay for first class? What have I done to deserve this type of punishment? Will this plane ever land, or is this my version of hell?” In the past, this was just a thought, a small pipedream we considered while getting up for the person next to us to use the restroom for the seventh time in the past two hours. But wait. There’s hope. According to an article in The Business Insider, Alex and Erin Miller were able to fly around the world for $1,087 each. The estimated total of the eight-legged trip, which included New York to Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates, was valued at $55,000. The couple was able to convert hundreds of thousands of rewards points to help fund the month-long vacation. The trip took an entire year to plan, but the couple was able to do it by researching their destinations, determining which airlines fly to those destinations, then “seeing whether your credit card allows you to convert points into miles with those airlines.” But wait, pump the brakes for a minute. Do not be fooled into thinking it simply took the couple 12 months to make this trip happen. In the article, we learn, “Alex has earned millions of miles since 2011 by strategically using his cards and by maximizing sign-up bonuses, which for some companies run as high as 100,000 points.” It takes years of financial determination and a bit of planning, but if you want to live the good life, you do not need to be Warren Buffet to do so. There’s hope for us all.
Chipotle Eyes Calmer Future as It Hires New CMO
The past two years have been difficult for Chipotle Mexican Grill, to say the least, as it has been shadowed by food safety issues that included an E. coli outbreak that affected almost 60 people who ate at the massively popular burrito chain and, last year, when a restaurant in Virginia closed after multiple reports of customers getting sick. But, company officials hope they have turned the corner on the negative news and look ahead with hope as they recently hired Chris Brandt to become their new CMO, effective April 2. According to an article in PR Newswire, Brandt served as EVP and Chief Brand Officer at Bloomin’ Brands, which includes Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s, Bonefish Grill, and Fleming’s. Prior to that, he served as Chief Brand and Marketing Officer at YUM! Brands’ Taco Bell, where he led marketing and food innovation. We wrote an article in November when Steve Ells stepped down as CEO of Chipotle.