Aug 18, 2022
Canmore, Alberta – “Saw your flight was delayed. Hope you managed
to get home safely.”
Can’t read the full email – click here for the online version.
After attending a 2-year delayed reunion of my relatives – we all made our way back home or to other destinations.
It was NOT all clear flying.
My brother and his family, along with my dad ended up stuck overnight in Cincinnati when their flight was cancelled. This meant they also missed the one and only flight the next day to their final destination and ended up renting a car.
A cousin’s flight to New York was canceled which meant he had to take a flight to a neighboring airport, rent a cab or UBER in order to reach the airport of his departing flight to Germany, in time. Or spend an extra night in the U.S.
Meanwhile, yours truly had zero issues getting from Louisville to Toronto, via Chicago.
My wife, however, who was traveling back to Calgary, Alberta – ended up stuck in Dallas.
Because she had left her phone in our car at the airport before traveling, I had no way of finding out directly how she was doing. All I could do was continue to refresh the flight status for her home leg.
And the status continued to show delay, after delay, after delay.
Near mid-night, the status said, ‘enroute’ and I went to bed thinking she was finally on her way.
Next morning, I read this text from an anonymous number:
“Jan here. Flight delayed 5 times. You’ll see a confirmation from United arriving 1 pm
tomorrow.”
Say what?
I had two thoughts. One, where did she stay overnight and two, how did she get onto a United flight when the original was with American?
Of course, our family was not finished with the airline chaos. My flight from northern Ontario was delayed 2 or 3 times which meant I missed my original connection back west from Toronto. But at least I made it home that day!
What is the business lesson in all this?
Well, the first lesson is for those in Government. A company much less the economy, is not like a light switch. It is not something that you can simply turn back on after having turned it off, via lockdowns. There are massive consequences of doing so, and the airline industry woes are simply one indication of that.
More importantly, though, is how you, as an owner, handle the situation.
One of the most frustrating aspects of the past weeks and months, is the apparent insensibility of the airlines’ challenges to their customers. From our own experience, it is incredibly annoying to be told there is a delay of 20 minutes, then another 20 minutes, then it’s an hour, then another hour before you get an outright
cancellation. By then, it is too late to make good alternative arrangements.
Better to simply tell the customers, the flight will be cancelled and help them make these arrangements
sooner.
Even when the news is bad, it is better to communicate such information sooner and with candor than hide behind political double-speak. Doesn’t matter if some other party was to
blame. Not your fault etc. Customers want to hear from you, what YOU are doing to correct the situation and they want to know sooner than later.
So, tell
them.
In an era where everyone is attempting to play the victim and victimhood appears to be lauded has a positive trait, you will shine high above your
competitors when you show your clients and customers, that you are responsible and willing to do whatever it takes to help them out.
Until next week,
Stay healthy and focus on profit!
- Hugh
The “Profit
Accelerator” Expert
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