From the Customer’s Perspective

I’ve spent the last couple of days in an intermittent dispute with Delta airlines Sky Magazine where I had purchased some advertising space in their December issue for my “Dog Poop Initiative” book.  Then on a couple of flights late last week I was dismayed to find November’s issues still in the seat pockets.  Where is the magazine I Paid to be in?”  I asked, “and why isn’t it on these planes yet?”

It’s been frustrating for a lot of reasons, but primarily it seems to come down to this.

They don’t seem to have the ability or willingness to view the situation from the customer’s perspective.  Every response is filled with organizational explanations of how distribution works, or how that is a commuter flight, or a website policy, or “we don’t interface with the crown rooms.”  It’s not us it’s them.  To me, the customer it’s DELTA!  I see them as one company, one entity, one brand.  The sad fact is that they have so many of their own people who don’t share that view.

If we allow ourselves to get too caught up in our own little world of work and not keep in mind our connectedness and relationship with the rest of our enterprise….we will almost without fail be unable to provide the level of service to our customers, co-workers, and community that we are capable of.  

In short this myopic view inhibits the realization of our organizational potential to truly impact the world.

So in the process of working to help Delta, a brand I love, come to this realization, I just can’t fire them.   Instead, I find myself on the phone and e-mails trying to inspire and enlighten them.  Heck, I should send them an invoice…other people pay me for this kind of training

Here are some of the quotes I shared with them today:
Being on par in terms of price and quality only gets you into the game.  Service wins the game.  ~TONY ALESSANDRA

Our greatest asset is the customer! Treat each customer as if they are the only one!  ~LAURICE LEITAO

People expect good service but few are willing to give it.   ~ ROBERT GATELY

Well done is better than well said.   ~ BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

To my customer.
I may not have the answer, but I’ll find it.
I may not have the time, but I’ll make it.
UNKNOWN

Here is a simple but powerful rule - always give people more than what they expect to get.  ~ NELSON BOSWELL

In business you get what you want by giving other people what they want.
ALICE MACDOUGALL

You’ll never have a product or price advantage again. They can be easily duplicated, but a strong customer service culture can’t be copied.
~JERRY FRITZ

Although your customers won’t love you if you give bad service, your competitors will.~KATE ZABRISKIE

If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends.
If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.
JEFF BEZOS

Customers don’t expect you to be perfect.
They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.
DONALD PORTER