The Art of Communication: The Difference Between a Smooth Landing and a Crash Course in Customer Service
Ah, the quintessential British get away!
There's nothing quite like jetting off to sunnier climes and frolicking on foreign shores. The scent of sun cream in the air, a warm breeze ruffling your Panama hat, and the poolside waiter who's always conveniently a little too generous with the gin in your G&T. That is, of course, until you have to get back home.
If you've ever spent more time in the departures lounge than on the beach during your getaway, you'll know the pain of a lack of communication. I saw it first hand this weekend and it turns out, there's a striking difference between customer service à la Amazon and that of our beloved airlines. No names mentioned; let's just say, one's Irish, and it isn't Aer Lingus.
A Lesson Learned the Hard Way
Picture this: a weekend in the idyllic Lake Como with the family, the stuff of Instagram dreams. (No, I don't have an Insta account!) But then—air traffic control throws a wobbly, and flights are cancelled. You’re smart. You've got a plan B: spend an extra night sipping on Prosecco in your Bellagio haven and catch a morning flight.
What could go wrong?
Well, everything, when your airline takes the concept of "mystery tour" a little too seriously. No staff. No announcements. Gate changes like a game of musical chairs. If this were a comedy, even the scriptwriters would say it's a bit far-fetched.
Communication: The Underpinning of Customer Service
What separates the Amazons of the world from the not-so-loved Irish airline?
Amazon doesn't just ship parcels; it ships confidence. You're always in the know—from the moment you hit 'checkout,' to the 'ding-dong' of your doorbell. It's a psychological cuddle that says, "Hey, we've got this."
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Can you imagine Amazon suddenly changing your delivery address without telling you or cancelling your order but keeping your money because it had a bad day? Of course not. That's reserved for the airlines.
The Moral of the Sky Tale
The mantra is simple: inform, update, repeat.
Communication is the very bedrock upon which customer service is built. Nobody wants to camp out in the dark corridors of uncertainty. If there are changes, disruptions or delays, a simple message goes a long way.
Instead of 200 irate passengers, you could have 200 understanding ones, even thankful that they were kept in the loop. And they might just book with you again. Otherwise, they'll do what Brits do best—queue up for a different airline, with an extra serving of passive aggression and a dash of dry wit.
When the Chips Are Down, Don't Go Radio Silent
So, dear Irish airline —no, let's broaden the horizon—dear businesses of the world: learn the lesson. When the chips are down, don’t go radio silent. If you want to fly high, you need to talk to your passengers, or customers, as you ascend. Otherwise, prepare for a crash landing in the desert of public opinion.
Don't be that airline; be an Amazon. When it comes to customer service, the sky shouldn't be the limit. It should be the starting point.
Ciao!
Business Development Director
1 年Spot on Ian! I wonder how many companies are actually sitting down this week to learn the lessons of the NATS fiasco! With the government, airlines and Tavel companies all in the back foot - let’s get a plan together.
Seasoned Business Leader
1 年100%
Quick-Step to Happier Customers with The Customer Service Dancing Queen ?? | Passionately helping SMEs Outshine Competitors | Multi Award Winning Trainer |Top 15 Global CX Influencer 2025 | Trainer | Career Coach
1 年Perfectly said Ian Communication is critical internally between depts as well as communicating updates etc with customers. I've lost count of the number of times I've been told by a dept that they can't give me a timescale because another dept is dealing with the issue and they've haven't communicated an update!
A Senior Strategic Leader of Organisations
1 年You’re spot on with this, Ian. As it happens we travelled to n from SW France with the same airline between 11/8-24/8 and actually had no problems at all … apart from the usual nonsense experienced by those dozens of lemmings who paid a premium price to book their “priority booking” service which as usual meant that they got to stand beyond a set of departure lounge seats immediately before the rest of us did until we joined them some 90 seconds later! So while it’s clear that this airline doesn’t ALWAYS mess up so badly, your wider point about communications being mission critical is absolutely on the money… Let’s face it, the family getaway is often the single most costly and stressful act any family will take on any given year; add to that the cost of living crisis this time around and a few sleepless parents AND their kids who got up at the crack of dawn to even get to the airport; then factor in the genuine levels of even the slightest anxiety caused by the idea of climbing into a relatively small metal tube before powering off down a runway with hundreds of strangers at a speed very few of us will ever reach outwith that domain… it CAN be stressful! It’s surely time for some ISO customer care standards for all airlines!
Drive Your Leadership With My Mentoring
1 年Your behaviour with your customers is perhaps the most important element of the relationship Ian Wright. Do it well and “customer satisfaction” turns to “customer delight”, at which point your customer adds themselves to your sales team!