IT IS IMPOSSIBLE ... NOT.

I was invited to give a talk to employees in a department of one of the federal agencies at the start of Customer Service Week this Monday. As I asked the team to reflect on a recent customer service experience that went above and beyond and stood out for them for its brilliance, I shared one that I experienced in July of this year:

Having encountered a malfunctioning elevator and then accidentally locked myself out the apartment block where I stayed in Paris, I knew I would arrive at the airport late for my flight. Upon confirming that I was indeed late for bag drop, I went to the nearby ticketing area to change my ticket to the next available flight. The ticketing officer told me that she would reissue my ticket to the 4pm flight, which would mean arriving at my destination too late to attend the event I planned. I asked about an earlier flight, the officer confirmed there was a flight at 1:30pm with available seats, but I could not make it, she said, because I needed to check in my bags by 12:30. I looked at the time: it was about 12:05. I politely suggested that if she could issue the ticket within ten minutes, I was certain I could pay the fare difference and check in, given that the priority check in area was only a few meters away (less than a minute’s walk), explaining to her that I had an event to attend at my destination and the 4pm flight would be too late. To my surprise she said no, forcefully, and I noticed she seemed irritated by my suggestion. I entreated her to reconsider, but she insisted that I could either go on the 4pm flight or not at all, adding that if I was not happy with that then I could go issue the ticket myself.

All the while, an officer at the next counter (her colleague) was silently watching our exchange. At this point, she got up and walked over to the officer who had told me off, speaking to her in French. With my smattering of French, I gathered she was telling her that it was indeed possible to get me on the 1:30pm and she was happy to do it. She looked at me with a smile, empathized with my situation and told me that they would do everything to get me on the flight I wanted. The other officer did not seem happy, but being on the spot, she reissued my ticket for 1:30pm. I paid the fare difference quickly, and made my way to the check-in counter, dropping my bags with several minutes to spare. I boarded the 1:30pm flight and made it to my destination (NYC) in time.

Two employees doing the same work. One obstinately refused to budge, determined to put me on the 4pm flight rather than issue a ticket for the 1.30pm that would get me there in time. What was “impossible” to her was made possible by the second officer (Louise or Louisa, I believe her name).

Louise could have ‘minded her own business’ since I was not at her counter. I imagine she intervened because she saw that it was about the organization/airline and how it would be perceived by the customer (me). But more than that: she empathized with my situation and did everything possible to get me to my destination in time, something the first officer was not prepared to do. That is the difference between customer service that is below par and one that is exceptional.

It is important to recruit people with the right mindset, train and motivate them, provide them with needed resources, and empower them to deliver. Mindset influences attitude to work. People with a fixed mindset are set in their ways. Those with a growth mindset seek to learn and improve with every customer interaction. They look beyond their point of view to focus on using their knowledge and abilities for the customer’s benefit. Like Louise, above and beyond.

I dedicate this post to Louise, who was on duty on Thursday 4 July 2024 around noon, at the 法航 ticketing desk of the Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport terminal 2E, with thanks.

Happy Customer Service Week.