Originally Posted by
gglave
I think part of it is it's a unique service environment where the front-line staff aren't actually empowered to *do* anything about complaints.
If you buy a cheeseburger and it's cold or tastes bad, if you complain you'll likely an apology and a new cheesburger, or your money back pretty fast.
If you buy a shirt and the buttons fall off and you return it reasonably you'll get a new shirt or a store credit.
If you rent a car and there's no car, they'll upgrade you
If there's a problem on your bill at a hotel upon check-out, the counter staff will correct it.
- etc. etc.
These are all functions handled by front-line low-level service staff, not 'customer care' 25 weeks later in the head office.
I think airline staff are unique in that they're no longer empowered to do any of this stuff - Which leads to hostility.
Cheers,
Geoff Glave
Vancouver, Canada
in every business there are so many competitors just down the road they maybe want to help you out quickly to save themselves. In airlines, they know they gotcha because there are only a few, say, that fly to your destination, etc.
Why else would they allow their customer base to potentially resort to hostility because their own policy-ridden zeal prevents anyone from helping to fix anything anymore? How does this make them money?