You Write Complaints, But Do You Write Compliments
 

I was wondering, when we all have a bad experience with an airline we complain about it.

But when you have a good experience with an airline, do you take the time to tell them?


Personally I do, just to tell the airline that I appreciate them being above my expectations.

Absolutely. But I don't write to compliment "the airlines". I have written to show my appreciation of individual employees for going above and beyond the call of duty. Such effort must be recognized so excellent employees can rise in their careers.

Actually, I have written very few letters of complaint over the years. Yet I frequently write to compliment individuals for going above and beyond on my behalf. That applies to all aspects of my life, not just air travel.

I've done it twice to my memory - once for a BA crew, the other for VS as both crews deserved it - and both times I got a nice, polite thanks back. It's nice to be nice....sometimes ;)

I've also complained to high heavens about things too though :D

I don't do either with airlines. I expect little and usuallyget what I need from them.

I do send both re: hotels, especially those I return to. No one has ever acknowledged my compliments verbally, but the fruit and cheese plate and bottle of wine tell me they know who I am.

I write compliments for individual employees
 

I can remember two times that I've done this...although the last time was over 2 years ago.

I have written a letter of complaint to a hotel that made a mistake on my bill...

So I guess I write both...

I've probably written more compliment letters than complaint letters, especially to hotel GM's re: their staff (complaints get handled in person or by telephone). I just think it's fun and may help encourage good service in the future (as it is becoming increasingly rare).

Dear Southwest,
I'm writing to compliment you...

Oh man! Sometimes I really crack myself up!

Seriously, I write far more compliments than complaints, but most go to hotels. As was already mentioned, sometimes it makes a return stay more pleasant, but I write more to inspire recognition of a 'top performer'. I can leave a tip (in many cases), but I'd like to see the people who really 'get it' rise into levels of increased responsibility. (And, conversely, those who don't 'get it', disappear.)

I find it harder with airlines, because I seldom find people who distinguish themselves individually. I fly only coach, so a stellar performer does what? Delivers a correct drink order and doesn't drop my bag of peanuts between to the floor where I can't reach them? On days when I need something special, someone has occasionally done something for me - and been remembered for it - but I'm pretty independent, so the opportunities are scarce.

I try to hold myself to an expectation that I write about as many complement letters as complaint letters. Checking my files, I've wrote 1 of each so far this year.

I believe that compliment letters are just as important as complaints, or perhaps even more so. People seem to be quicker to write when there is a problem, so I imagine it must be nice for the poor soul whose job it is to stift through all the "hate mail" to come upon a compliment once in a while.

I've never sent a general compliment, but rather something very specific naming specific people (a couple of cases of extraordinary ATA FAs comes to mind).

As I work in an office that deals with nothing but customer correspondence and calls, I can tell you that for every 100 letters or calls, perhaps 1 is a compliment. Can't imagine it would be much different in the travel industry.

AA's SOS program used to be an effective way of complimenting a specific employee for unusually good service. Sadly, it was the victim of cost-cutting. I still occasionally tell an FA "if the SOS program was still around, you would have just earned one." Since there hasn't been much cabin crew hiring of late and layoffs tended to leave the more senior ones in place, just about any FA now flying remembers them.

(For those not familiar with it, AA frequent flyers used to get a set of "SOS cards" in the mail. They could fill in their name and AAdvantage number, then hand one to any employee. The employee the filled in his/her name and employee number, and forwarded it internally to the program office. The employee's supervisor got a letter that the employee had been given an SOS, and the employee got credit worth about $5 toward any number of things: a merchandise catalog, gift certificates at major stores, credit toward fees/taxes on "free" or deep-discount employee travel. I think 2002 was its last year, maybe 2003.)

I have certainly written more complaints than compliments. But my most recent letter was not a complaint but an attempt to fix a ticketing error (right day, wrong return month that was not discovered until reaching the airport and the return flights were sold out). The gal who helped us was great she still charged us an arm & leg and we had to drive 3 hours to another airport but her efforts and attitude made it tollerable. I noted this in my letter as it was far more than I would expect.

I write compliments, just not as many. I only write very specific letters. In the case of a complaint, I will describe the complaint precisely and then tell what refund or compensation I think appropriate. It is only very occasionally that I have been so disgusted by the "service" that I would not even be willing to accept compensation. I won't name the hotel, but I wrote a complaint letter just so that they would be aware of the full extent of the awfulness of the problem -- not because I wanted a comp. But usually I am motivated to follow-up because I feel I am entitled to some sort of refund. A well-written letter, with correct documention, will get results.

When I am writing a letter of compliment, I don't expect to get anything back, so perhaps I am not always as highly motivated to remember to mail the compliment. However, I will certainly report exceptional service. For instance, awhile back I received exceptional service from a Northwest flight attendant with a terrific attitude, so I made sure to make a note of her name, the time, and the flight, so I could send a letter of thanks. I know the FAs are having a tough time, but they said the letter would go in her file, so at least they know that customers are aware of her great service.

Also, it helps if the business makes it easy. If a hotel or casino has a promotion where an employee is collecting some kind of points or prize for getting the most "votes," that makes it really easy to remember to recommend a stand-out employee.

I definitely write and send in more compliments than I do complaints.

Unfortunately, there are some airlines who have only received complaints from me (SK, IB, and an epic one to the now defunct EUJet).

But others such as UA, Air Berlin and even EZ have only received compliments. I've even sent thank you letters to FR! (Over 40 flights with them, and I've still had no reason to formulate a complaint... guess I've been lucky!)