Self-perception and identification

For any of you that have been traveling recently, have you noticed the signs that are popping up at airport security lines?  They are the green, blue, black "ski slope" type signs indicating lines for families, intermediates, and experts.  Seems like a great idea, right?  Finally, people that travel frequently can skip some of the roadblocks that arise due to those that don't, or need a little help.  The TSA did something great!

Ah, but the reality does not match the expectation.  Rather than zipping through security, what happens?  Inevitably you get in line behind someone that gets to the TSA agent and can't find their ID, so they dig through their purse, wallet, etc. trying to find it.  Then they finally get to the conveyor belt where they grab 6 different tubs and proceed to fill them up.  Finally they walk through the metal detector only to be stopped because they are still wearing a watch, have their shoes on, and their bag is being brought back because of that bottle of water still in there.  Meanwhile you, the expert business traveler who shows up about 52 minutes before your flight (the exact time it takes to get through security, stop at Starbucks, and get to any gate in the airport), begin to get agitated and nervous.

So, why does this happen?  Why does this seemingly good idea seem to flop so poorly so many times?  Disregarding the general TSA and airport processes (this could be 16 articles on it's own), the problem owes to one simple fact; customer self-identification.  As a traveler, when I walk up to this line, I have to identify myself as one of three levels.  Unless I'm traveling with children, what's the likelihood that I'm going to identify myself as anything but an expert?  I am obviously better at this process than most people, and therefore I am going in the expert line. 

Most people have a strong view of self, and there is nothing wrong with this.  Just remember that when you have customers self-identify.  It needs to be something that does not have a negative connotation for the customer.  The airport could classify you by number of bins needed.  If I have a few things, I could say, you know, I'm going to need 3 bins, and select the appropriate line.  I don't feel like I'm less of an expert in doing this. 

In all businesses is important to segment and target your customers to make sure that you get the appropriate offer to them, offer the appropriate level of service, etc.  But, you must at all times remain mindful of how your customers see themselves, and cater to that self-perception.  Otherwise, you end up bogged down in a process, and actually turnaway the customers that really should be there in the first place.