Quoting from the most recent FlyerTalk newsletter:

Traveller, responding to the latest "I've been wronged, am I due compensation?" musing, has this to say:

"Every time something bad happens to us flying we expect compensation. Every little thing, every big thing.... No wonder airlines are in the shape they are in. If you look at the threads on these pages, so many travelers are seeking help in asking the airlines for compensation. Where will it all end? I am so glad I'm not in the airline industry."

Well, Traveller, it isn't just the airline industry. Complaining in hopes of a freebie is as American as the proverbial apple pie. Been in a restaurant lately? To a hotel? Didn't like the entree? The bed was too lumpy? The complaints about the dumbest things are out of control in the U.S.!

It always does my heart good to go back to Europe or to South America and see the Hawaiian Shirt and Shorts set trying this ploy there, only to be told where to stick it in a polite and final way. I once actually heard a blonde with two drooling rugrats in tow tell my colleague on the front desk of a 5-star resort in Interlaken, Switzerland, that he could "not do that to me, I'm an American citizen!" after he had told her he would not refund her room charge because of some minor triviality (I believe the stated complaint was that CNN had been unavailable all night due to sunspots and this, of course, had made the poor lady's stay "unbearable").

Customer service in no other country is as besieged by moronic complaints and blatant carpet-bagging attempts as in the U.S. which is why "the ugly American" is alive and oh-so-welcome around the globe...

dangerously close to OMNI material. I'll keep it here for now in TravelBuzz!. Let's keep the tone of the thread nicey-nice, please.

--richard, moderator

I have to agree with VTFreiherr that people seek compensation for the msot trivial issues. In a way it makes it more difficult for those that have a genuine complaint. Ultimately the only way to genuinely improve service is to vote with our wallets, i.e. use those services that offer good quality and steer clear of those that don't.

The one thing that really bugs me is people that take low cost operators and then expect the same level of service as full-service...kind of makes you wonder about the IQ of some of these people.

Indeed, many on FlyerTalk are world-class complainers. Such people are often EXTREMELY self-righteous about their entitlement to absolutely flawless service and/or unlimited benefits and perks, and if they don't receive that, to generous compensation or, failing that, to a unanimously sympathetic ear on this board. They are often offended when others disagree with their outrageous rants against service providers.

And unfortunately, as much as I like FlyerTalk, I do feel that this BB tends to encourage this self-centered culture of whining. I get kind of sick not only of the constant bashing of airlines, hotels, and other travel providers, but also the unquestioned assumption that it is the lowest level front-line employees who are always to blame for lapses. Really, folks, get a grip! @:-)

In spite of all that, however, there is still much information of value here on FT, and plenty of level-headed folks as well. To all of you, I really appreciate your presence! ^

I agree - in fact, I was thinking of just such a post myself.

Fire alarm goes off - "how many points am I entitled to?" Not, "should I be compensated" or "should I ask about compensation" - What am I owed.

I have no problem sending back a poorly cooked meal, or asking to be moved when a barking dog kept me awake a few weeks ago - I was moved, but I didn't even think of asking for "compensation".

Sadly, the squeaky wheel syndrome is alive and well and it perpetuates the process.

Suck it up, stuff happens.

Yes I agree some people are too greedy. Remember, desire causes greediness causes unhappiness, which is essentially bad for you.

As a New Yorker, I think it may be appropriate to comment here. (New Yorkers often carry the label of complainers, for those who do not know the stereotype).

If things are good, with a few bumps, don't complain.

If things are good, with a few problems, point them out.

If things are bad, absolutely complain.

If you don't complain, IMHO, things don't improve. And there is a lot of service deficiency out there, both in the US and abroad. Having said that, I am mindful of the rules of the game while abroad. But a few careful words usually gets the problem solved regardless of location.

I think the important thing to consider is whether or not the source of the complaint is within the control of the service provider. Undercooked meal: yes. Barking dog on adjacent property: no.

Aren't consumer transactions essentially a contract where consideration is exchanged for receipt of goods or services? There's usually a reasonable expectation on the part of the consumer, based on experience or representation, on what they're to receive and if the seller is deficient, I think (considering the circumstances) it's within the buyer's right to be heard. I had problems with Nextel back in Aug-Sep where I couldn't access my voicemail nor could anyone leave me a message when I was visiting my folks in CT. In speaking with Nextel customer service, I said "I would like to request a credit for the lack of service for these days" and the response I received was essentially "we don't do that.....only in a case where there's a total loss of service." My position (as I explained to the CSR) was that I entered into a two year service agreement where Nextel was to provide cell service that included certain features (one them being voicemail) in exchange for my payment. I pointed out I was keeping my end of the bargain, I expected Nextel to as well. I wasn't looking for a free month, just an amount to show they were listening (like $3) and I would have been happy. I subsequently spoke with a sympathetic CSR who credited me $10 which made me more than happy.

As a whole, I think FT'ers are a reasonable lot. I highly doubt someone would post here "I told the desk clerk they couldn't charge me for CNN because I'm an American citizen" without getting seriously shamed.

Ever heard of the term "SPOILED"? That's how I would exactly describe many whiners.

....But they might put some other spin on the situation than that. I doubt that we're always getting unbiased reporting of incidents here!

Also, I doubt that some of our FTers are always as polite and courteous to customer service people as they expect the latter to be to them!

While I definitely see some whining on FT (the previously-mentioned complaint about the fire alarm going off in the middle of the night is a shining example), the airlines and hotels bring it upon themselves sometimes. The airlines don't promise to get you anywhere on time in their ads and on their Web sites- sometimes it's just out of their control. They try their best and most of the time they do OK. BUt fire alarms sometimes go off and sometimes there's bad weather in ORD.

But, airlines and hotels do promise things and then don't deliver. If they tell you that at a certain Elite level you WILL get certain Elite perks, staff worldwide should be aware of it and deliver consistently. If they tell you you'll be earning "valuable OnePass miles" that should mean that you have a reasonable chance of using those miles on any route- not just to visit Aunt Minnie in Cleveland. They also do things that are just plain outrageous, like imprisoning people on the tarmac for 8 hours, or lying about rules and policy. I think that if a promised service is not delivered just because the person behind the desk doesn't feel like it, or whatever they did shows total disregard for the customer, the hiotel/airline is in the wrong and unless enough people complain they'll keep on doing it wrong.

For me, I simply demand professionalism...at least in the US and Europe. If bad things happen I deal with it, as long as the staff I'm dealing with are professional. If they are screw-ups staffed at a place where there shouldn't be screwups, then I might ask to speak to a manager.

But as for being spoiled, it is a fair generalization about Americans and some Brits. If everyone would lower their expectations down a notch (or several notches for some) then we would all be happier.

And if things are good with no bumps, problems, or bad ju-ju? Do you praise?

I suppose it's human nature to complain, to call attention to bad service. It's how we fix things, get attention, soothe our annoyances (or at least make someone else feel the pain!). The opposite takes a bit of work for most people, though.

I have no problem with people who complain, so long as they take note of the good stuff too. Imagine if we spent an equal amount of energy complimenting those who deserve it? I bet it would be a far more pleasant world in which fly.

Having spent most of my adult life in Marketing, having done a decent amount of traveling and running my own personal travel web site, I've learned a thing or two about complaints.

It might interest most people to know that:
A) Very few people actually file complaints
B) Vendors (travel and otherwise) want to hear from you

My personal philosphy has also been if I feel I have a legimate complaint, I make it known. Now, what constitutes "legitmate" is probably always going to be a point of debate. I normally limit myself is issues related to poor product quality and poor customer service.

As to compensation, again this will always be an issue. Sometimes, I am not expecting compensation. Sometimes, a refund or product replacment will is sufficient. However, on certain occasions where I feel the complaint warrants, I will go in expecting a certain level of compensation. I find that if you have all the facts (who, what, where, when, why, how, how much, etc) clearly documented and present your case in a professional manner, I usually get the compensation I feel entitled to.

One final tip: if I have a complaint and am dealing with a large corporation, I always suggest going as high up the line as needed. This means that if I can't get satisfaction at lower levels (or if I hear "I don't have the authority"), I have no problem about going to the top. On several occasions, I have researched the name of the company CEO or President. I then call the corporate HQ during normal business hours and ask for his/her office. Almost everyone one of these people has a staff that is there to deal with the highest level of customer complaints and have the authority to resolve the matter.

Michael
http://www.biztrip.com

I don't know why what I said made it to Talkmaik, I didn't think that what I said was particulary funny, insightful, informative or interesting. I posted that because of the following:

Now in my opinion, this is taking things too far. The OP didn't miss their flight and wants something because of a phone call that could have been a mistake.


I really like what was stated above, if we all lived like this, travelling would be so much easier:

If things are good, with a few bumps, don't complain.

If things are good, with a few problems, point them out.

If things are bad, absolutely complain.