Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

Over the holidays, I made plans to visit one of the local resorts. I had just enough time that day to take maybe six runs and then pack up and head home. It was the third time I'd visited this ski area this season. After taking a chair lift and completing my first run, I got on line for the next lift. An attendant who was scanning lift tickets asked me where my 'park pass' was. I didn't know what he was referring to. He then informed me that I had to get off the line, remove my skis and re-enter the lodge where I was required to take a ten-question computer test on ski and snowboard safety in order to obtain a park pass. It's required for all skiers and snowboarders who use the terrain park.

As I headed into the lodge, I wasn't too thrilled with the prospect of missing some of the little ski time I had available. Part of me appreciated the fact that management for the ski resort was paying attention to the safety of its customers. If that means forcing all skiers and riders to watch a short safety video and take a quick exam, that's OK. Skiing and snowboarding are dangerous sports and there should be more emphasis placed on safety education by resort operators.

What irked me is that the resort didn't seem to make much effort to notify me or other customers about any of these requirements in advance. The lift operator who sent me off to safety training informed me that the safety training had been enforced since opening day several weeks prior. So why wasn't I informed about this sooner? I purchased my passes back in October. And if this policy had been enforced since early December, how had I managed to elude the lift operators during my previous visits? Several other visitors I've since spoken to were also miffed by these inconsistencies and the lack of communication.

Companies lose customers for a variety of reasons, some which they never discover. Sometimes customers walk away after a single unpleasant experience. Other times they're rankled by a series of perceived problems.

Organizations that are proactive about managing customer experiences are typically more successful in achieving customer loyalty. In this case, the ski resort should have given more thought to how the safety program should be implemented and how customers should have been notified (and what their reactions might be). For instance, they could have contacted season pass holders via e-mail. Or they could have required online customers to check a box on a purchase agreement to acknowledge the requirement to take a safety test before riding.

As Peppers & Rogers Group Founding Partner Don Peppers has noted, the whole notion of engaging customers has become more obvious with the increasing use of collaborative technologies, social media and customer-centric management practices. I'm left to wonder whether the resort's management considered any of this.

Over the past few years, I've encountered a few other annoyances with the way this particular resort is operated. Was this my last visit? No. But I am nearing the breaking point as a repeat customer.