What do we mean by each individual encountering “many transactions” throughout the day?
Our full explanation of “many transactions” would fill a book. (If fact, it was the subject of several thesis by founders). Please continue reading a little bit and we will present a topic summary.
Our concept of a “transaction” is one of the interactions between an individual and one’s environment. For our Flackr app (as it currently exists) this means the interactions between an individual and the products / services consumed from for-profit businesses.
Let’s take some “transaction” examples starting with waking up:
- Many people will use several personal grooming
products after waking such as toothpaste, hair brush, mouthwash, towels, pills
– – such that each usage is an “interaction” with a commercial business’s
product. The individual’s reaction might be: (happy or sad); have a (5 star or
1 star); (love or hate) to each interaction. If the individual wanted to
express “love” to business providing the product / service our suspicion is
that it is somewhat difficult to do.
- Difficulty is for a number of reasons including: (1) hard to “look-up” the business contact information, (2) not have a reasonable expectation that if one actually did contact business the message would be seen by the “right” people, (3) and of course the individual doesn’t receive any tangible compensation from their efforts to make contact.
- As a note: Flackr is founded on the principle that individual members should be compensated (in cash) for their efforts in proving communications back to businesses.
- OK, when waking up something could work wonderfully (maybe it’s your first usage) and you want to share with the folks who made it, designed it, manufacture it, sell it, manage it. You might want to congratulate the retailer who sold it, a retailer employee who recommended it and so on. Equally, if the product is spoiled, or fails its warranty period, or breaks easily, or appears capable of causing someone injury you might well want to voice a complaint.
- Shortly after waking more “transactions” occur when preparing and eating, with home equipment, maybe eating out which always involves service. We are interacting with smart phones, maybe radio stations, traffic signals, health clubs
- Arriving at a destination, we may encounter many different types of “transactions”.
- Since Flackr is now dedicated to commercial business these include dealing with various technologies (cash registers, card processors, various PC device internet, apps, elevators), office equipment (chairs, papers, writing devices, lighting), wearables (gloves, boots, glasses) – – the list seems endless depending upon vocation.
- Taking lunch time, dinner time, possible shopping, recreation, and entertainment the number of “interactions” can easily exceed 30 per day.
- Multiplying 20 per day time seven days then the number easily exceeds 200 per week and for a month easily exceeds 800 interactions with products / services consumed from for-profit businesses.
OK, if you are reading to this point you have a feeling for our “interactions” concept – – each of us has a lot of them. Some are repetitive and some are new to us each day.
Through research, we have concluded that for all of us that “some transactions” are disappointing. The amount can vary from person-to-person, but the likely average is 2-3%, or maybe around 20 a month. If there were a reliable and easy to use means of sending those annoyances to the business (and we mean including the individual service person involved (if any), the business location involved (if any) to the retail HQ (if any) and the product manufacture involved (if any) – – then we estimate that each member would report an average of 6-10 such instances per month. We also believe the nearly all business would love to hear from consumers as they constantly seek to improve (and thus, become more productive). Equally, business is eager to know when their products / services are hitting the mark and especially when they are loved.
Now quickly to digress – isn’t this just feedback? Can’t we do this on social media or through our own direct contact. Absolutely, particularly while we are getting started, we encourage members that have a specific gripe to make their voices directly heard and to seek immediate satisfaction. We will be doing this also for members, but until a higher percent of business are connected directly to out apps, the Flackr message reply may be less that immediate. We will always make multiple attempts to reach a confirmed received message status from all businesses.
Today, in the US, only an extremely small fraction of all transactions are recorded as “feedback”. Thus, business management remain in-the-dark about consumer experiences, except through various surveys that don’t identify problem issues in sufficient detail and timing problems for decision makers to react. How often have you been involved in a survey about your favorite products / services? Probably, very rarely or never – – so Flackr present a unique means to have your voice heard.
We have written a short article on why we don’t use the term feedback, click here to access.
<a href=”Feedback.html”>Why we do not use term feedback</a>