Flying Too Low

I can't believe it's taken this long for the airlines to wake up and smell the customer service coffee.  Only with the threat of government regulation do they begin to budge from their "my way or the highway" mentalities.  Jet Blue CEO David Neeleman posted a statement this week on the Jet Blue Web site as well as on YouTube (quite techy of him, don't you think?) saying the following:

"For customers who experience a Ground Delay for more than 5 hours, JetBlue will take necessary action so that customers may deplane. JetBlue will also provide customers experiencing a Ground Delay with food and drink, access to restrooms and, as necessary, medical treatment."

Mr. Neeleman has done a good job of getting involved and spreading the word.  But, his efforts and this statement only address half the issue in my opinion.  Five hours?  Still excessive.  I appreciate the promise of food, drink and restrooms, which I expect to receive regardless of if those rights are inside a bill of rights document, but five hours on the tarmac before it's deemed as too long?  Three is enough for me and I'm at my limit.

When observing the overall situation, isn't it crazy that only after a few stories get national headlines and the government takes notice that finally something is being done?  Logic tells me that there have been countless complaint letters addressing these long delays on the tarmac for years now, but the airlines have turned a cold shoulder to them.  How can any high-end airline executive sit in his office and think it's okay to have someone trapped in a grounded plane for 11 hours and not do anything about it?  Wouldn't it have been much more commendable if they had come out and done this voluntarily two years ago?  Remember, even though they tell you they are doing this voluntarily, it's not so.  It's just like a baseball manager who is doing a terrible job and is given the option to 'retire' versus being fired.  There's a PR angle behind almost everything.

Another business recently bowed to consumer complaints and government regulation.  The quick-loan industry has suddenly become ethical with the creation of a payday loan council to advise consumers on wise use of these services.  Just as in the case with the airlines, no one wants new rules from the government concerning their industry, and they'll wiggle as much as they can to avoid it.

Although these are examples of how to invite a PR crisis, there is a lesson to be learned here.  Are there areas of opportunity in your own business where you could better serve the customer before reaching the PR nightmare stage?  I'll admit, there are opportunities where I could do so in my own business, but they aren't always as high on my priority list as they should be.  'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' only applies in so many situations and customer service is not one of those.  Your customers are your life-blood and are not to be taken lightly.  Think proactively.  My father always had written somewhere on his desk, 'Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance'.  The 5-P Theory.  Jet Blue, American Airlines, and the payday loan boys did not plan ahead and are now suffering the consequences.  Learn from their mistakes and you'll be leaps and bounds in front of your competitors.

George W. Daye, III
Founder and President
BarServ Mystery Shopping Services