Comments on: CTA Surveys Customers…Badly

By: How Metra Lost a New Rider

How Metra Lost a New Rider — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:53:24 +0000

[...] in this town for years. I know the kind of shenanigans the CTA is capable of. (For example, this, this, this, this, and this.) But ever since moving here three months ago, Frank has happily made his way [...]

By: On Why Chicago Transit Authority President Richard Rodriguez Shouldn’t Be Driving to Work

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:32:24 +0000

[...] CTA Surveys Customers…Badly [...]

By: Ann

Ann — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:57:42 +0000

I see that the survey now translates “rail car” to “L” the first time the term is used. Maybe you did make a difference!

By: Aaron M. Renn

Aaron M. Renn — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:03:53 +0000

I really thought that first question was strange. Maybe the weirdest I’ve ever seen on a survey.

By: Mike Doyle

Mike Doyle — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:28:17 +0000

Thanks Alissa! Will do.

All three of the folks above make the point that the CTA is wrong to leave out the opinions of some actual riders in their current online survey.

And they are wrong. A respondent being a communications professional matters only when you’re worried they’re going to bomb your PRODUCT SURVEY in favor of a product they themselves represent.

Hello, CTA? This isn’t a product survey, it’s a USER SURVEY, you know that, right? Moreover, you have a virtual monopoly on public transit in Chicago, so any Chicagoan’s opinion counts here. Yo know that too, don’t you? Your marketing team knows that too, doesn’t it?

Or maybe your marketing team is just driving to work along with CTA President Richard Rodriguez.

By: Alissa

Alissa — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:21:32 +0000

Wow. I was originally excited to see that they wanted real people’s opinions, but it really seems like they may be doing it just to appease some cosmic force that says businesses should allow for customer feedback. “We’d like to hear from you, as long as it’s all kudos or not at all insightful or helpful.” Guess I shouldn’t have expected any different, eh? I love reading your posts, Mike. Keep it up!

By: Charles McPhate

Charles McPhate — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:20:12 +0000

I had the same experience as @dupreeblue. I answered the first question, and it promptly kicked me out. A lot of people work in advertising and marketing; shutting them out from the survey excludes a large part of your audience for no practical reason.