My friend Bob Zangaro who has been with American Airlines for many years shared a comment about an article regarding one of the other big airlines. One of the passengers was interviewed and said that the ultimate in customer service at this airline was…
No human contact!
This passenger made his ticket reservation on an Internet site and used the automated check-in machines at the airport. Because he wasn’t checking bags, he didn’t encounter any airline personnel until he boarded the plane. In his mind he thought:
Great Service = No Human Contact
I agree and disagree. First, the ticket sale/reservation on the Internet and the automated check- in kiosks at the airport are for convenience. As long as everything goes well, they make sense and can save time. But, what if there is a problem? What if a flight cancels or is delayed? Then you are forced to deal with people. The airline sets up the automated and “human free” systems for convenience, which is a good service to provide for their customers. But, does that translate to good customer service? It is part of the equation, but not all of it. The good customer service comes from the airline attempting to make the process easy, simple, fast, etc.
This automated system creates satisfied customers, but it doesn’t create loyalty. The only two ways the airline can create loyalty is for the passenger to have a flawless experience every time or to know that if the automated systems fail, or there are other problems, the passenger can depend on the employees of the airline to take care of them. It is the confidence the passenger has in the entire system, which includes automation, people, equipment, etc. that creates loyalty.
Another example of this is credit card companies and banks. Many times I’ll call the bank or credit card company and I use an automated system to track my balances, recent transactions, etc. But, it is the good companies that make it easy to get a live person on the call. And the excellent companies that have the people that are able to answer my questions or solve my problems.
Realize that things you do for your customers’ benefit – systems, automation, etc. – may make you and your company easier to do business with, but there is no substitute for the confidence that your people can create.
Shep Hyken, CSP is a professional speaker and author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692- 2200. Email: shep@hyken.com Web: www.hyken.com