Six Flags gets a "Report Card" Review on its Guest

[Jon Sabo]

Delta Market Research releases figures conducted at Six Flags parks on its guest approval ratings.

 

* "a nationally-recognized company which has researched all aspects of the theme park industry for companies including Disney."

 

Highlights:

 

"These results show that our guests are noticing -- and embracing -- the changes we've made this year. It's also a clear indication that our strategy of creating clean, safe and fun family entertainment destinations is working," said Mark Shapiro, Six Flags President and CEO"

 

Credit Link: http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/six-flags-guest-approval-ratings-at-five/n20060710150309990014

 

Strange that this survey is showing up when some of its parks are on the proverbial "chopping block". A good way to boost its margin to get an sale increase. Interesting how Shapiro is taking credit also when management and the board just had a major shakeover within the past year. Good timing Mark.

Are the results biased?

[Gnome]

until they fix thier capacity issues, I don't really think I've seen much of an improvement. That is the #1 problem they should tackle right now. And it could be an overnight fix to.

 

Fire all the supervisors who don't want to do thier job right, then have them come in the next day and say, "anyone who can't keep up with our goal for so and so many trains sent out in an hour wll be fired."

And basically scare them into doing thier job right. If they still can't then they should be fire because they have no buisness working there to begin with.

It's probably a little more complicated the same basic idea is there. Do your job right or get a new one.

[obeygiant]

It's weird how it says the approval rating is at an all time high, yet from the past couple TRs, the staff and the park isn't that good.

[Jon Sabo]

"They asked guests to rate every aspect of their park experience, from atmosphere, food, rides and cleanliness to broader questions such as "will you recommend the parks to a friend?",

 

For example, this summer respondents that visited Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, gave record ratings for the following categories:

 

Are they SURE they visited MM?..lol

[bgwfreak]

I have visited SFOG and SFStl this year and I honestly saw a marked improvement in overall customer service IMO.

 

Sure they aren't Holiday World, but who is....Holdiay World of course!

[ParkTrips]

Are the results biased?

No. Even in the roughest of years I'd bet the satisfaction rate was around 90%.

 

Sure they aren't Holiday World

Thank god.

[Jew]

I smell a heavily skewered survey and/or a press release that doesn't tell the whole story (obviously)...

 

It doesn't say exactly what SFMM's numbers were (because I'm sure they still suck), it doesn't say what other parks surveys were being taken at (big difference between SFGAm and SFMM...), it doesn't say how many surveys were taken at each park (it could be entirely possible that they took 100 surveys at SFGAm for every 1 survey they took at SFEG...), the 90%+ numbers they mention don't mention what the whole question was (if the only choices are will not recommened, will, and definitely will...SF gets a 2/3 chance!), and so on...

[Jon Sabo]

^Exactly!

 

I have seen some of the surveys from BGE and they were quite fair, but most of the surveys in general have some sort-of flaw in them, especially if a park is providing them. Problem is it becomes a he-said/she-said scenario, because unless the results are:

1. Unbiased platform (questionaire).

2. What were the parameters for each survey?

3. Was each survey (for each park) the same?

4. What was the minimum/maximum # of surveys conducted?

5. Was each survey collected and results from the park chain-in general or were the results independent from each park?

6. Who or what company came up with the survey?

7. Who actually performed the guest interviews (Delta or 6Fl-employees)?

[coasterjunkie91350]

Hey I do think the results are rigged to please the banks that lone the money to six flags. But sfmm needs a facelift there is still visable damage from the 1994 earthquake.

[rjholla2003]

Every survey, no matter hopw carefully it is devised, has bias built in. It could be because of the way in which you asked the question, the choices the respondant had in how to answer, the surveyor, the respondant, the way that the survey itself looks or is presented, and many other factors. Given that it was Delta running the survey and not Six Flags, I would imagine that the bias in administering the surven is low. The way in which the results are displayed may very well be heavily biased though.

[thecoasterkid]

It is very possible to twist numbers and make them show what you want. Companies do this all the time, and will continue to do so. Lot's of people say that you can't argue with numbers, and they are generally taken as truth without much thought going into it.

 

One of the best things that I've learned about conducting surveys is to always present an EVEN number of choices. If you force people into telling you whether they liked or disliked something, then you won't get any wishy washy (yes that's the technical term) answers. People have the tendency to pick the middle number/choice if they're given that option, which ultimately won't yield any results.