Notes

Doing Right Or Doing Easier to Improve Customer Experience?
I attained the airport early. The check-in agent was very polite, but additionally concerned. Despite my confirmed Business Class ticket, the airline had no record of my reservation, and Business Class was already fully booked.

I asked if seats were available in First Class. The agent said "Yes."
"No problem," I smiled. "Think about an upgrade into one of the empty seats upfront?" She smiled back, but didn't issue a boarding pass to improve customer experience.

Twenty minutes later I was still standing nervously at the counter while two staff members double-checked the computer, spoke at length with my travel agent on the phone and then called their manager for instructions on how best to improve customer experience.

Again I said politely, "I have already been a professional frequent flyer with your airline for days gone by five years in a row. Surely you can provide a bit of special treatment by upgrading me into among the empty seats in HIGH GRADE."

The staff replied sincerely, "We will definitely do an upgrade, Mr. Kaufman. But you can find other passengers seated running a business Class who have a lot more years of frequent flyer qualification than you do. The individual with highest seniority will progress to HIGH GRADE."

"Wait a minute," I replied. "The passenger with 'highest seniority' has no idea an issue even exists. I am certain he would enjoy upgrading to First Class, but he's probably quite content where he could be right now in Business Class.

"I, on the other hand, attained your check-in counter with a confirmed Business Class ticket to find you show no reservation in my own name. I've watched for twenty minutes when you and your colleagues make an effort to sort this out. I've been delayed at check-in, and I'm completely aware of the existing problem. And now you tell me that you are likely to upgrade a passenger who has no concern, no problem, and no complaint? This makes no sense. The passenger you upgrade ought to be me!"

She knew my suggestion was right but replied quietly, "It is the company policy." And company policy prevailed - no try to improve customer experience. Unintentionally, the airline added insult to inconvenience and did nothing to boost customer experience.

The passenger who was simply upgraded to HIGH GRADE had seven years of frequent flyer qualification; I had five.

On board I read the airline's in-flight magazine. Articles announced the airline's brand new customer service initiative. It said, "We are discussing empowering frontline service staff to seize service opportunities because they arise... A far more personalized and innovative service will be possible by way of a flexible approach to systems and procedures."

Following the flight, the airline did explain its policy to me in great detail, but did nothing more to soothe the pain. "Discussing" is not the same as doing something to improve customer experience.
I remain a loyal customer of this airline, praising them often in my speeches all over the world. But I am also keen to help them improve customer experience and grow.

If they deserve the praise, I say it. When they need constructive feedback, I send it in. You should do the same to help companies you value improve customer experience.

Key Learning Points

It isn't enough just to make announcements and speeches and launch new service campaigns. You need to give your people the power to do the right thing, not just the proper policy thing if you need to improve customer experience.

Action Steps

Learn to start to see the world from your customers' perspective. Truly empower your staff to improve customer experience. Allow read more to make customer-friendly decisions if they know it's the right thing to do.

Ron Kaufman may be the world`s leading educator and motivator for upgrading customer support and uplifting service culture. He could be writer of the bestselling UP Your Service! books and founder of UP Your Service! College. Read more articles and get easy methods to improve customer experience.
My Website: https://kirkendalleffect.com/what-are-the-risk-factors-for-alzheimers-disease/