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Hi, Kevin Coupe here, and this is FaceTime with the Content Guy.
I'm traveling this week, and right now am in Austin, Texas. And yes, I went out this morning and had breakfast tacos … we had a story about their popularity a few weeks ago, and I know how to take advantage of an opportunity.
So I strolled over to a little place called the Slake Cafe, and tried two kinds - one with brisket, eggs, jalapeños and smoked gouda, and one called the "green eggs and ham." which actually had scrambled eggs topped with fresh spinach. And let me tell you, we don't get food like that back in Connecticut. Once again, it reminds me of one of the reasons I love my job.
The thing I briefly wanted to talk about this morning was the email I received in response to the story we had recently about Southwest Airlines floating the idea that it might change a long-held policy and begin charging for baggage. Some people thought it would violate a basic core value that Southwest traditionally has made a big deal … some thought that it didn't really matter because they liked or didn't like Southwest for other reasons, and some used the story as an excuse to dump on the airline industry in general.
I don't blame them for that, but I did think the big lesson from so many of the emails that we've received was that people who have preferred flyer relationships with specific airlines rarely seem to complain about the experience … because they get better treatment. Everybody seems to complain about United, but because I became a million mile flyer on United years ago, they tend to treat me pretty well. So I don't complain. They don't often give me reason to. Sometimes, but not often.
It is the same thing I've talked about so often here on MNB - how much better an experience can be if the consumer is treated like a regular. It's the best feeling in the world - whether you are in a bar or restaurant, on an airline, or in a retail store. Most of us want to be treated like Norm on "Cheers" …
And that I think ought to be the goal of every business. As much as possible, treat your customers - especially your best customers - like they are regulars. Because if you treat them that way, they're more likely to be that way.
Case in point. I have to be in Seattle in a few days, and while there I will make sure that I find the time to go to Etta's … because that's where Morgan runs the bar, and I know he'll pour me a great red wine, serve me some fantastic crab cakes, engage in good conversation, and make me feel like I'm a regular in a neighborhood bar that is only about 3,000 miles from my home, but a lot closer to my heart.
That's what is on my mind this Thursday morning. As always, I want to hear what is on your mind.
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