Macy's push poll

I recently made a purchase at the Macy's here in Denver's Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Everything was seamless and expected, including an overly cheery clerk at a cosmetics counter (the registers at the Men's Store were all occupied). 

But things went slightly south when, at the end of the transaction, the clerk urged me to fill out a survey that rated her performance.  She openly told me that if she received high scores she would receive a $25 gift certificate to Macy's.  She presented me with a laminated sample of the survey that highlighted Overall Shopping Experience with a red X in the box for Outstanding (see picture).

Perhaps what I saw was the handiwork of a renegade store clerk and a laminating machine.  Or maybe it was actually a store-issued program. 

Whatever the case, it feels emblematic of a larger abuse of customer service "research" that is growing in line with consumers' demand for high quality service. 

Another example from my own experience is at the dealership where I get my car serviced.  They must call me twice a month reminding me how much they are committed to my full satisfaction.  Urging me to be on the lookout for a survey call in the future.  Bludgeoning me with kindness. 

Not only is the research that comes of these studies flawed, but it must have a boomerang effect for some shoppers. 

So what's going on here? Are political research's infamous push polls leaking into the retail satisfaction space?  Where's a good brand cop when you need one?

I suspect it's a natural byproduct of the separation of sales and marketing.  And the simple fact that these are large companies, and it's no one's explicit job to be the enforcer.

But it all serves as a warning to those brand stewards working the floor, manning the counter, making the sales calls, designing the online checkouts: Beware the blurry line between serving and selling.

Comments

[KG]

Really, this is the pawing at the edge of breaking ice of large companies trying to quantify the human element. Instead of instilling a few core values in employees these poor individuals have to run through a list of questions/actions/salutations that supposedly give the customer a great brand experience. The problem I see is that each company, especially retail companies, belive that they need to have a distinct style of 'great service.' When in fact, great service is great service. Seamless, intiuitive and truly on behalf of the customer. You know Starbucks, the last time someone asked me if I forgot to have my breakfast was my mom. And I was eight.

[Jeff Kos]

Similar experience with a new car purchase. Our sales guy -- who was very nice, very helpful -- all but begged us to fill out the survey that would come our way, and said that any rating of him other than exceptional (I think there were for rating possibilities) was considered unacceptable by Toyota. It's become incredibly pervasive, which means it's ripe for backlash.