As consumers, we are bombarded with emails and push notifications from companies asking for feedback. Whether it’s about a pizza order, an Uber ride, a flight, a hotel stay, or a phone call with a customer service representative, the requests for feedback are endless.
Most of the time I don’t fill out these surveys, simply because that would be a full-time job in and of itself. However, I do make it a point to fill out the surveys I receive from airlines if I think they are valuable, so I thought I would talk a little about it in this post. I’m also curious to see how OMAAT readers deal with it.
Airlines attach great importance to survey results
By and large, the airline industry is not known for exceptional customer service or for investing heavily in customer satisfaction (of course there are exceptions, but that’s just a very general view).
However, you would be shocked at how much airline executives care about survey results and Net Promoter Scores and how much they influence the direction things go in. I really can’t stress enough how important this is to airlines and how individual department heads are held accountable based on it.
I’ve had quite a few conversations with executives in the airline industry over the years, both about products and loyalty programs. Sometimes they ask for feedback, and after I share my thoughts with them, they act surprised and say, “Our survey results in this area are really great.”
At this point, my jaw usually drops and I don’t know what to say. Out of respect for the conversations I’ve had, I don’t want to go into too much detail, but suffice it to say, you’d be shocked to know the areas airline executives don’t see as flaws in their offerings (yes, they’re probably exactly the airlines you’d expect).
It reminds me a bit of Gordon Ramsay’s old show “Kitchen Nightmares,” which I find amusing. He comes into a restaurant that is struggling to survive and they don’t understand why there are no customers. Gordon says the food is absolute crap, and almost without exception the chef or owner replies, “Everyone loves our food.”
The difference, of course, is that airlines can get away with offering less because they are essentially in the transportation business and for them price and schedule are the most important things.
Surveys are not a good measure of performance
Before I talk about my approach to completing airline surveys, I want to say that I don’t actually think surveys are a good performance measure and that companies often give them too much weight. There are many reasons why they don’t necessarily reflect the majority opinion on a topic:
- Generally, you have to be either very satisfied or very dissatisfied to complete a survey because it takes time and you don’t get paid for it.
- Questions are often formulated in a way that favors the company and does not get to the heart of the problem.
- Companies often give the most “extreme” answers, both positive and negative, eliminating much of the feedback
- Often, regular customers of a company are simply used to the status quo and therefore don’t give feedback. I guess if they still buy from a company, that’s fine, but over time, people move on to competitors.
I’m not saying that surveys are worthless as a measurement tool, but I personally believe that companies often reach incorrect conclusions based on the survey data they receive.
My approach to completing airline surveys
To be honest, I don’t fill out a survey after every flight because it could be time consuming. If I take a flight and it is not at all memorable and doesn’t meet my expectations, I usually don’t bother.
Instead, I like to give feedback either when I have had a fantastic experience or when I have had a negative experience. If I have had a great experience, I generally prefer to send an email to the airline to personally acknowledge the employee who did an above-average job, as I think it is more likely to be beneficial to the employee.
However, if the overall experience is simply negative, or if I feel there is an area where an airline needs a lot of improvement, I consistently fill out our surveys in the hope that this feedback will ultimately have some impact.
I realize that my individual feedback doesn’t change anything in and of itself, but on a larger scale it can make a difference. Filling out a survey is a bit like voting. You’re making your voice heard, and while it might not change the world, it’s the best thing you can do to get your point across.
Airlines like to make changes based on “customer feedback,” so if there are negative changes but you haven’t provided such feedback, you’re less likely to be upset.
Let me be clear: I try to be constructive about the things I give feedback on. For example, business class within Europe is pretty bad, but airlines aren’t going to change that because that’s just the industry norm, so personally I don’t see that as something to complain about.
However, whether it’s poor in-flight service, inedible food, missing power outlets, or a subpar loyalty program, I think these are all things worth giving feedback on.
Conclusion
If you don’t fill out airline surveys after a flight, consider doing so, especially if you’re unhappy. All too often I hear airlines justify decisions based on customer feedback, saying their “survey results” are good in a certain area, even if I don’t understand it. Let airlines know if you’re unhappy with the product they’re offering. In fact, those survey results are important and can lead to change.
To balance things out, I also recommend recognizing great employees. I personally prefer a special email for this, but you can also fill out a survey.
Do you fill out airline surveys after your flight? Under what circumstances?
