Airlines are not Cruise Lines
This may seem like the most obvious statement of the year; however I am speaking with regard to the difference in customer service…which is becoming my favorite blog topic! If you have ever flown or taken a cruise – you will identify immediately. This recent firsthand experience I hope will present a clear example of superior customer service versus the lack thereof and offer some simple but very important clues to improving customer service in any business.
However, it is time that someone offered some proper and constructive criticism of what is probably the worst customer service possible; which is typically offered to each of us when we take a flight. This may not apply to all airlines but without mentioning names – the world’s largest airline is leading the way in customer dissatisfaction.
But let’s start with what I can honestly say was the best example of ongoing customer service I have ever experienced. Given my business and pleasure travels – this is no small remark and the “fun ships” and all their staff should take pride in exceeding my expectations and actually anticipating my needs and fulfilling them. From the moment the airline funnels you out of the gate like a heard of cattle – the representatives of the cruise line are there with open arms to greet you and give you clear and direct information and guide you to the ship. You feel appreciated with the first “hello!” From this point forward; you will encounter attention and service from people who actually address you by name and remember what you like and dislike – from your stateroom to your meals – BRAVO! You know you have been given great service when you feel as though you are leaving friends when you disembark. This was exactly the case and I am certain that some cruise lines are better than others – but this being my first cruise we simply give credit where credit is due. Imagine receiving a smile when you request a service and having it applied faster than you can conceive. Imagine paying gratuity ahead of time and then wanting to give more after your experience….yes all true. Friendliness, cleanliness, efficiency and courtesy were all demonstrated by the entire staff from housekeeping to wait and bus staff. Take my advice….take a cruise.
Now let’s talk about the airline who offered us little to no service; including information. Every time I fly, I am reminded of just how little the airlines care about their customers. From small seats and bag charges to awful food and hardly any appreciation for the $300 to $500 spent for a short domestic flight; the overall airport experience is seldom a positive one. When arriving at the gate to depart we saw a sign posted saying that our flight was delayed. There were no airline representatives present to assist with questions about that flight and connecting flights – so long story short; after calling the “help” line three separate times – I was finally told that we were stuck and there was no solution that day and we would either sleep in that airport or the connecting one or find a hotel. We ended up finding our own hotel and took a next day flight which connected to a destination 1000 miles out of our way in order to connect with our home airport. To throw salt in the wounds – that flight the next day was delayed by over an hour as well. Now, I clearly understand that weather can delay and postpone flights and I am perfectly fine with that scenario. I also am a citizen who appreciates the security controls currently in place and we always arrive two hours before to accommodate such regulations and I applaud them for making flying safer. However, when the airline waits until well after you have missed your connecting flight to give information – well that’s not acceptable. The air and attitude reflected in the personnel is clearly one of “take it or leave it”. In fact we were told at other gates that it was not their problem. Well at least we got peanuts!
The only way to change these tactics which are clearly a demonstration of a provider taking advantage of a captive market is to funnel complaints to the FAA as well as the Better Business Bureau. (Remember how you have been treated when your government offers bailouts to these companies for their internal inefficiencies as well. Yes we all know its coming!) If you have had such an experience – please pick up the pen or start tapping the keys. Flying the “friendly” skies? No thanks – think I’ll cruise! Or drive or walk!
Hail to the King
“The Customer is King”, this quote is listed from an “unknown” source – meaning that we can’t offer proper credit to any one individual for this timeless description. However, we can probably assume that they were a business person who truly had a realistic grasp on how to achieve success.
“Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.” Walt Disney is credited for this quote. I think it is safe to say that he was keenly aware of the importance of creating and maintaining customer and brand loyalty. The success of the Disney Corporation is nothing short of phenomenal. People visit their parks, view their films and buy their brands consistently – time and time again! Another business icon – Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, Inc., offered this quote concerning customer service “The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best, but legendary.” There is probably a Walmart within several miles of most of us. Mr. Disney and Mr. Walton achieved success by exemplifying the quote from the unknown source. In essence – treat your customers like royalty and they will be loyal.
Obviously the first step toward such success is recognizing who your customers are and performing at a level of excellence that will bring them back to your products and services. True brand and customer loyalty is what separates successful companies like Disney and Walmart from the legions who compete with them. The best way to test your customer service and your client’s loyalty is by examining repeat buying patterns. Given the two examples offered – we can say that most of us have been to a Disney movie or park more than once and most of us visit our local Walmart on a very regular basis. The point is that by rewarding your patrons with excellent service and products – you will retain them and they will recommend you to others.
The purpose of my blog is not to review these success stories – but to offer praise and appreciation to the thousands of repeat clients who patronize Harvard Business Services, Inc. and who refer others to our services. As we begin this new decade – we want to say “Thank You!” to all of you. Our statistics show that repeat clients accounted for more than fifty percent of our business in 2009! Stop and consider that one out of every two clients who used our services either came back and used them again or referred another client to us. That says a lot about our fine family of patrons – they are loyal and they deserve the “royal” treatment. It also says a lot about our company and the level attentiveness paid to each of the “kings” that we serve. A thank you must also be offered to everyone at Harvard Business Services, Inc. who apply customer service at such a high level and inspire such a following. Being a sales executive; I often think of another quote “Nothing happens until someone sells something.”
Although this may give some undue credit for customer satisfaction to a respective sales team or representative – one must also consider the adverse – What if nothing happened after something was sold? Harvard truly exemplifies a team effort when it comes to customer service. Everyone plays a very important role and deserves ample credit. The excellence achieved by all demonstrates our royal approach to our service. Again – to all of our fine patrons we offer thanks and we look forward to serving all of you in the coming years!
In closing – I will offer one more timeless quote which was also offered by another Unknown source – “If we don’t take care of our customers, someone else will.”
At Harvard, Hablamos Español!
Filed Under: Blog Posts in Spanish, HBS Announcements, INC Knowledge
Tags: Customer Service, Entrepreneur, Spanish
At Harvard, we understand that in the United States, Hispanic-owned businesses are now growing four times faster than the national average. We are proud to be able to support this growth by assisting Hispanic entrepreneurs at a local, national, and worldwide level. Harvard Business Services is becoming a recognized name as a Spanish language service provider through our participation in local Hispanic community events. We currently have a large client base of Spanish speaking business owners throughout the US, Latin America, and Spain. We have created easy accessibility for Spanish speaking entrepreneurs looking to form their business entities.
Harvard Business Services is known for its stellar customer service, so of course our transition to include Spanish services started there. We have dedicated representatives who are standing by to assist with questions for Spanish speakers by phone. A Spanish option has been added to our phone line in order to provide fast accessibility to a Spanish speaking rep. We have found that our clients are extremely appreciative to have this option. Even though the majority of our clients speak enough English to get by, most are happy to have the option to speak in their native tongue.
The phone is not the only way to find our Spanish language services at Harvard. Our Hispanic clients can find help right online through our live chat on our home page. With one click of the mouse, clients can ask for assistance by chatting with a live representative. Earlier today I chatted with an attorney from Venezuela. He spoke English and understood it perfectly, but he was happy to have the option to chat in his native language to understand the whole idea better. We want our clients to feel comfortable before, during, and after forming their business entities. Now, having Spanish services we are able to provide that comfort level to more people worldwide.
If the communication options via phone or live chat are not the best options for a Spanish speaker, there is always the option to communicate via email. Our customer service reps are able to respond to any email inquiry, whether in English or Spanish, generally on a same day basis. All email inquiries can be sent to info@delawareinc.com and a representative will promptly respond in the corresponding language.
Having these options, along with our stellar service, create a convenience and accuracy that set us apart from the rest of our competitors. We are not going to say that we cannot accommodate our Spanish speaking clientele or that someone will get back to you by email when it is convenient for us. We are going to say “How can we help you today?”. We are here for your convenience and to make incorporating easy for you!
We are also pleased to offer our Insider’s Guide in Spanish. This guide is extremely helpful to refer to for some extra assisting in the formation process of a new business entity. To view our guide in either Spanish or English visit http://www.delawareinc.com/101/irsforms.cfm?menu_item=f
Harvard Business Services está muy orgulloso de ofrecer servicios ahora en español. Entendemos que la necesidad de estar disponibles para asistir a la comunidad Hispana existe no nada más en Estados Unidos pero también al nivel mundial. Tenemos más de 25 años constituyendo entidades y ahora contamos con servicio en español para servirle en su idioma de forma más efectiva. Para ver La Guía Privilegiada: Todo lo que debe saber antes durante y después de la constitución de una entidad comercial, visita http://www.delawareinc.com/brochure/insiders_guide_spanish.pdf Si tiene preguntas, le invitamos a llamarnos y oprimir el número 7 por servicio en español o mandaros un email al info@delawareinc.com. Estamos aquí para servirle!
