Blog #2 - Journey Mapping

J decides that for his girlfriend, B’s, birthday that she has earned herself a fabulous vacation getaway for two. During a routine night at her place he asks B about her thoughts on the matter. Of course she responds yes, much to J’s pleasure. Their excitement is at a high because of the excitement and novelty of the idea as this would be their first of many vacations together. Not long after they decide to start planning their trip together. One weekend, two nights, countless memories (they hope). Their first step is to decide where they are headed. “Unfortunately, there isn’t anything super exciting in New Jersey that we haven’t seen before,” says J. Both J and B are New Jersey natives and given their 25 years of age are excited to check out somewhere totally new.

By the end of their first research session, B asks J about his thoughts on San Antonio, TX. B has wanted to see San Antonio for years so J sees an opportunity to take his girlfriend on an adventure as well as make one of her dreams come true. J thinks it’s a great idea and they quickly begin researching the city. They decide that they have to hit the Alamo, the river walk, and Sea World during their time there. “We didn’t want to spend the WHOLE time drinking,” says J. With their plan taking shape J and B needed to take the next step, the one where they really say they are committed to the trip: booking the flight, making reservations at the hotel, and buying tickets to sea world.

“Hotels.com was my best friend that weekend,” says J. J is a manager at Best Buy while B is a student who works part-time. J obviously plans on paying for the majority of the trip but student loans also have to keep him grounded in working around his manager’s salary. One issue they didn’t expect was rough timing. It seems that the only time that J and B can both get off from work is around Spring Break time in Texas. “Apparently San Antonio is a big deal to some people,” said J with a chuckle. With hotel prices significantly higher than during the surrounding weeks J had to dig through what he claims may have been hundreds of hotels in order to find the perfect mix of affordable and “kick-ass.” After a bit of frustration and more than a few glances at his online account, J finds a diamond in the rough. There happens to be one affordable hotel within a mile of the river walk, which makes perfect sense. “We could walk down to the river walk, celebrate, and taxi back.” The hotel was booked. After that J tells me it took little time to book a flight and buy the tickets for Sea World online especially due to Sea World tickets being about 30 bucks cheaper to buy online than in person.

Fast forward a few weeks and J and B are at the airport after being dropped off by a friend. J believes he may be in the running for best boyfriend ever if B’s ecstatic attitude gives any indication. The flight goes swimmingly, they rent a car with little difficulty, they find the hotel easily, J and B are now ready to get their vacation on.

First on the list was a nap, followed by their first visit to the Alamo. J was a history major in high school and he likes to “nerd out on that type of stuff.” B is less than impressed with the size of the historical area. It is smaller than she thought it would be and less epic than many had made it seem. As Schmitt wrote in “A Framework for Managing Customer Experiences” no two experiences are exactly alike. J and B are a perfect example of this at The Alamo. J gets a little frustrated with B but the two retire back to their hotel in order to get ready for dinner.

J picked a famous restaurant on the river walk, an old favorite according to his studies before arriving; he believes B will love it. Unfortunately his cognitive process when making this plan doesn’t pan out to be what real life is. A stuffed fox that sits right next to their table immediately saddens B, a self-described animal lover. J, being the ever perceptual human being that he is finds a way to distract B from the dead canine a few feet away from them by pointing out one of her favorite foods on the menu. Much to his relief it removes her attention from the fox and for a brief time all is well. When the main meal comes though, B isn’t a fan. She sits looking frustrated at J. J begins to feel the pressure as his girlfriend hasn’t been having the best time on their three day, two night stay in San Antonio. Feeling defeated, he returns to the hotel and falls asleep.

The next day, it down pours. The idea of spending the day at Sea World impresses neither J nor B. They talk out the issues with the night before and decide they will make the best of the day they have left. Both decide to stay in. “I go to Sea World to watch animals swim, not to be swimming with them.” It turns out that staying in was the best idea as the two reconciled and reveled in doing nothing for the majority of the day. That night they head back to the river walk and B is excited and content the whole time. When midnight hits the two embrace and celebrate B’s official birthday. J feels like the man. Everything that happened the night before doesn’t matter. Today, he was planner extraordinaire.

The next day, they pack up and check out without a hitch and arrive back at the airport. J considers it an excellent vacation and is happy that he could make his girlfriend happy. He enjoyed the weekend so much he never even told his friend at UT Austin that he was in the state although his friend totally understands. The two are now engaged. A small amount of that may be attested to J’s ability to manage B’s experience this one time.