HappyOrNot Lands at Heathrow

Finnish customer feedback tech firm HappyOrNot has introduced its customer satisfaction measurement device to the UK, where the system is currently being used at London Heathrow Airport to obtain passenger views of the airport's much-discussed security measures.

The HappyOrNot consoles provide the customer with a choice of four 'smiley' faces - ranging from very happy to very disgruntled. Questions can be changed on a regular basis and can be very broad or more specific - for example, 'did you enjoy your stay?', 'how was your shopping experience with us today?', or 'how friendly were the checkout staff?'

Customer responses are automatically transmitted back to a central database from where pre-defined reports can be sent to local, regional, and national management on a regular basis. Online access also provides management with the ability to interrogate data on specific areas of feedback, say by region, or time of day.

Airport operator BAA is using the system at one of Heathrow's terminals, where units have been positioned behind the security lanes to enable passengers to provide feedback while they move towards the main search areas.

Kevin Rendle, BAA spokesman, comments: 'We needed a quick and simple method to understand our passengers' feedback on a day-to-day basis, allowing us to understand their perception of the security process, and build a clear picture over time of changing trends in passenger feedback.'

According to Rendle, without any prompting, airport security staff have been encouraging passengers to use the units, which he says demonstrates to passengers the importance of their feedback. He adds: 'We expect that the service will become an integral part of measuring passenger feedback and the results will be integrated into our management system, which is reviewed on a daily basis by the terminal team'.

Business development and marketing company Alchemy 7 have partnered with HappyOrNot for the UK launch.

Web sites: www.happyornot.fi and www.alchemy7.co.uk .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.