It is all too easy to bash the airline industry. Prices have climbed, services have declined, flight frequency has diminished and consumer disgruntlement is at an all-time high.
I, like too many of you, am victim of the numerous frustrations that have persisted since the 2010 merger of United and Continental.
I am well aware of the low morale among flight attendants and the cultural fissures that permeate too much of the airline industry, including United.
It’s in this backdrop that I want to publicly thank Jeff Smisek, chairman, president and CEO of United Airlines, one of the country’s largest commercial carriers with more than 88,000 employees and a market capitalization in excess of $10.5 billion as of last fall.
Smisek gave me one of the biggest surprises of my professional life, one that underscores the good, bad and ugly in customer service.
Here’s my story. I was scheduled to fly to a CSP trade show in June. Unfortunately, Daniel, my younger son, who is battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma, spiked a high fever that required him to be admitted into the hospital. I had to skip the event.
I contacted online booking agent Expedia, explaining the situation and seeking a refund. They refunded all but $200, which they said would have to be approved by the airline company, United.
I went online to review United’s refund policy. It’s not easy to follow, but it comes down to the fact that you need a doctor’s note and extenuating circumstances to justify a refund.
I contacted United’s ticket office and customer service departments. They each informed me that I would have to complete a refund form and have medical proof backing my claim—and that the refund could be effectuated only once I had completed my next trip through United!
When I notified them that I already had all necessary documentation from both the pediatric oncologist and the hospital itself, United’s agents said policy is policy and that I should hold onto my documents and submit them upon return of my next United flight (not scheduled until the fall).
We’re in the business of customer service. Imagine a customer coming with an unopened package and the sales slip, asking for a refund. Would you say, “Sorry, I know you bought that item from me, but our refund policy requires that you purchase an item at a later date. Only then can you return the item and qualify for a refund. Oh yeah, don’t forget the receipt”?
When I sought to explain the foolhardiness behind United’s policy, the official answered, “Sir, I understand your point. But I can’t do anything more. Our policy is our policy.”
I took to Facebook and several friends suggested I tweet my complaint and use the United hashtag. A United employee responded, but he offered the same pathetic excuses I’d heard from the customer-service rep.
I then shared my story with a friend, and he suggested I email Jeff Smisek. So I did. I sent him a note July 1 and included the necessary attachments. I did not expect a reply.
Just two days later, my smartphone rang. It was a woman from United. She identified herself by name and as a member of Smisek’s administrative office. “Mr. Smisek read your email,” she began. She followed with an apology and said that of course United would credit or refund my $200.
End of story? Not quite. After thanking her, I said it’s sad, and inefficient, when the CEO of a multibillion-dollar business has to step in to resolve a claim of $200.
“Mr. Morrison, you are right,” she said. “We are often guilty of thinking too much inside the box. We’re trying to be more out of the box. We’re getting there, but it takes time.”
How about you? How long does it take you to repair the blemishes of your business, especially those most offensive to your customers? What institutional barriers are hardest to overcome?
We could dismiss it, but the candor of Mr. Smisek’s staff member is refreshing. It is not easy to change a culture, especially one long indifferent to the passengers it carries daily.
So what is your confession? Where are you failing in the critical world of customer service? Are you really “walking the walk”—or will a customer have to reach out to your CEO to resolve a $5 complaint?
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