It seems as though we’re being bombarded by media stories that make you want to scream: “What were they thinking?” It doesn’t matter if they’re talking about politics, sports, business, entertainment, or any other aspect of daily news. Some of these stories are simply hard to believe.
We’re going to share a few of those with you from time to time if for no other reason than to provide you with a coping mechanism, let you know that others share your bewilderment and frustration, and maybe even point out a lesson or two which we may learn from the poor decisions of others. This is our second installment. If you come across a situation which fits into this category, don’t hesitate to share it with us.
Airline Adds Insult to Injury
The Associated Press reported United Airlines is dropping a customer call center that took flight complaints. Customers are now required to send a letter or e-mail instead.
The nation’s third-largest airline told employees it would stop publishing its customer relations phone number immediately, which will be turned off altogether at the end of April.
United claims it is able to respond better to customers who write, since they often include more detail, making it possible to provide a more specific response. Heaven forbid the customer service representative might be required to ask a question!
I’m confident all the other airlines will each sit down immediately and write a thank-you note to United for creating such a wonderful policy. It obviously makes all other airlines look much more intelligent, concerned and customer-friendly.
As far as United … what were they thinking?
About Harry K. Jones
Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.