Monday, January 5, 2009

I'm a freerider & happier for it

Sometime ago Todd blogged about how different business reward their customers for loyalty.
Well yesterday I experienced this in a way that I don't think the brand ever intended.

I exited the office at 5.35pm (unusual I know, but I had taken half a day annual leave) and walked to my regular bus stop. After waiting for around 2 minutes I saw a big green bus approaching. FREE it said on the front. So on I jump, ticket machines disabled, bus driver smiling and seats readily available.

Now I'm sure the service was launched as a tourism initiative. A way to "get you around the City for shopping, business or to connect with other transport" says the website. But what it did for me was far greater.

It sent me home from my day feeling a little happier and with a little more change in my pocket. It meant I could buy a coffee this morning instead of begrudgingly making a Nescafe Blend 43 (not that there's anything wrong with that). It made me feel like State Transit were apologising for the bus that hadn't turned up earlier in the week and made me late for work.

Indeed, the free ride enhanced my public transport experience.

And this is at the core of a good experience. Something that a brand adds which improves an otherwise mundane experience.

So even if it was inadvertent, thanks State Transit for imrpoving my day... you'll be pleased to know that as a result of my Free Ride I told two people about the experience and am now reaching lots of others via this post (lets hope your froward thinking extends into a listening strategy as well!).

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