Refugee

I’m a refugee, a prisoner if you will of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Weather has held my flight until the morning, my travel plans are delayed, but I’m not upset.

The military cot I’m pictured on here is moderately comfortable, but thats not the point… This is a marketing blog, after all.

The fact that this cot is even available is amazing to me. Imagine, a company caring about the comfort and basic needs of its consumer

This my friends, is business at its finest. Call it marketing, PR, or risk management, either way they’ve provided me with what I actually need instead of what I want… Which is key.

The decision to put these cots out probably wasn’t the result of a strategy session, cost/benefit analysis, or any other C-suite nonsense. It was done because their consumers needed it, regardless of the price, and they delivered without a regard for return on investment.

I don’t know that other airports don’t do this, but this is my first encounter with this sort of travel treatment, and after a couple days of bad customer service experiences this is a welcome change.

What if all companies acted this way?  What if the millions spent on superbowl advertising was redirected to give customers something they need (better customer service), instead of something they want (entertaining commercials).

Either way, O’Hare got this one right…

Thanks Chicago.

~ by roguemarketeer on February 17, 2007.