Over on the Social Media Explorer blog I recently wrote about the role of social media in achieving customer satisfaction.  Part technical tool review, part examination of socially-enabled communications, the post took a look at Groubal ( the “complaint as a petition” platform) but begged a deeper look at brand image, customer relationship-building and new business imperatives in our digital marketing era.

Creating and maintaining customer satisfaction

While preparing that post, I had the great fortune to interview PR pro Arik Hanson and market research expert Frank Martin.  Both gentlemen are business owners and recognized within their respective industries.  I looked to these guys to add some dimension to this new reality of customers using online channels and social tools to share personal stories and experiences with others about brands.  We talked about:

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What risks do brands now face in this hyper-connected, always-on, volatile environment?  How can a brand lessen the impact caused by negative sentiment expressed online?  What options do brands have for getting in front of potentially contentious topics in order to participate if not steer the course of current discussion?  How can we save a carefully built brand image from getting tarnished?

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What means does a brand have for better understanding consumer perception?  How might those learnings be used to gain insight into operational inefficiencies, ambiguous communication or under performing products?  How does online reputation monitoring and sentiment analysis fit with other, more traditional research methods?

I worked my thoughts up into a 9-page opinion paper titled:  The Rant Heard ‘Round the World:  Can We Find Satisfaction on the Internet?  You can also read it below.

In writing the paper, I learned a little about what it must feel like to write and publish a full-on book.  I could have added more depth to the topic areas or branch out into important related tangents, but I tried to stay focused on the central idea of customer satisfaction – creating it, maintaining it, and maturing a business along with it.  Inside the paper there are lots of links to great material written by others, so be sure to check those out too.

As always, your thoughts and opinions are encouraged.  What did I miss?  Where am I right?  Again my thanks go out to the very patient and generous Arik and Frank.  Any errors are my own.

Rant Heard Round the World.heather Rast

Oh, and did I mention that without $10 a day – even for conference attendees (it’s fair to presume the sponsoring organization was paying hefty fees for rental of the meeting spaces and craft services) – there was no broadband Internet either?  Nope, not even in the business center.  Stay with me here…

My husband just returned from a cousin’s wedding in Minnesota at a quaint locally-owned lodge. We had made plans to go as a family but those got scrapped and he went alone, hitching a ride with other family members and camping out on a roll-away in one of their rooms. The lodge claims exclusive views of the lake, private beach access, and the like.  Rooms start at $175 a night.

When I canceled our reservation – three weeks earlier – to my astonishment I learned there was a $25 cancellation fee. I’ve only heard of fees if you didn’t have late check-in and canceled late the same day. But I’d called them three weeks in advance of our scheduled reservation. I was astonished, to say the least.

Well I’ve been bested.  Scott just returned with tales of $.25 ice, $10 per night roll-away, and 1/2-mile-away parking. At a basic room rate of $175 nightly (except for the walk-in guest who checked in just before my in-laws. For her, the same queen room was $101. I dunno, people.).  Consider that the entire wedding party and the entire families of the bride and groom (along with many of the guests for the ceremony) were staying at the lodge as part of a large block of rooms, two things become apparent. Maybe three.

In totatality, there was a lot of money plunked down by the Mueller/Rast/Moore clan.  Some might say that sheer volume suggests some special consideration for the lot of us, given the occupancy rate was likely higher than another given weekend.

Clearly this lodge catered to the “getaway” or special occasion traveler. It stands to reason that while the lake view and sandy beach are attractions for those with the mindset, the locale makes it impractical for business travelers (no cell coverage, folks). Logic suggests that special tactics to encourage repeat guests and encourage positive word-of-mouth would be key components of their marketing strategy. Focus groups or guest surveys might reveal that folks would rather pay an extra $2 per night for accessible ice and valet parking.

I can’t help but do the math. And I can’t help but think these establishments have a very near-sighted, short-term view of monetization and revenue growth.

I was at the Des Moines hotel for the conference and couldn’t affect venue. But rest assured, next time I need accommodations in the area, I’ll choose another place. One that has free (or at least included/bundled) WiFi.

It’s true that I’m not likely to head over to that corner of Minnesota, if ever I have the time and resources and inclination (Florida is my destination of choice). But you can bet that I’ll never encourage anyone else to plan a nice, quiet weekend at the lodge in South Haven.  Sure, I don’t represent a blip on their bookings radar.  But I think the whole clan represents one big missed opportunity.  Imagine our collective influence.

Wonder who else they’ve turned off?  Wonder what the rate of repeat customers is? Don’t get me started on the time I was charged $.10 for a straw at the diner I frequented at least once weekly…