How to destroy your airline

[Typhoon1244]

...and most importantly, sending the FA's and CSA's to customer care school.

I'm skeptical about those kinds of schools. Good people skills are something you have or you don't. I don't think it can be taught.

My company subscribed to a form of "charm school" for a while. The "Awesome Service Academy." At first, all of us were getting these audio tapes each month, full of tips on how to improve our customer awareness. My favorite one was a tape about self-esteem. (You'll make your customers happier if you feel good about yourself, etc.) Among other things, the tape suggested we could all improve our self image by "taking chances."

Taking chances. Yeah, that's what we all want in a pilot.

Anyway, they went for this school pretty aggressively. I think those of you who've been through ATL have seen how well it worked.

 

[Bluestreak]

Penny wise and Pound Foolish

Geez,lotsa good posts here.I do trust we all realize that us regional drivers represent the mainline partner.Pax know squat about regionals-they bought a ticket on US Airways,AA,DAL,etc.Alas,Airways' clueless management is at it again,by replacing PDT in FL with AirMidwest 1900's-a roomy,cool Dash to a sweltering Beech-just great.No F/A,no drink,no nothing.Does Mesa own even ONE Dash that has a working APU ? PDT and PSA,CHQ,ALG,TSA and everbody else has an APU fail,but it gets fixed ! How lovely our pax roast,while across the ramp others sit in a nice air-conditioned airplane.Notice how Eagle has an air cart that keeps the cabin cool ? They know what they're doing ! They actually have people who can operate a jet bridge without destroying the airplane ! See how bad they look-Mesa can't even afford to paint "Barney"-when did Airways go to the blue/grey scheme ? 7 years ago ! Hey,Dave-we're going backward here ! This is no slam against Mesa/AMW crews-they do the best with what they have.But Airways pax are suffering (the ones that haven't abandoned us) and the competition will eat us alive if we don't do better.As with most things,you get what you pay for.With Airways shifting more flying to Express,it's time to pay for some quality people (and a raise to keep the ones we have).A ticket/gate agent that knows Sabre inside and out is priceless ! (If you've ever tried to long-sell a ticket or do an international reissue,you'll know what I mean).Express rampers need a pay raise as well.Has anybody ever had to wait at a certain hub for the rampers to wake up,put down the paper,etc. to come out and marshall you in ? Get a lav service in LGA ? People aren't going to kill themselves for $8/hr.

 

[surfnole]

And while we are on the topic of customer complaints......I am taking a trip to Costa Rica for a week of surfing.

American wants $70-$90 bucks (hard to get a straight answer) EACH way. I would pay more to fly with American, but not that much more.

Instead, I am going with Lacsa. I will enjoy the free Imperials and Tropicals on the way down!

 

[Rick1128]

As for corporate operators only taking upper management, it depends on the company. It seems that more and more companies are opening up the availability of the company aircraft to lower level personnel. True they will generally take more than one or two people at this level. But they are also combining trips. I have done trips with three outbound legs dropping off lower level employees along the way. Also several companies have corporate shuttles and have heard of more that are considering them. Companies are having several new items to consider. Like a one hour airline flight requiring four or more hours of an employee's time. Propriatory company materials and documents being seen and handled by anyone and everyone. Security measures that are questionable. Etc.

Brit, yes there will be new security rules for Part 135 and non-schedule 121 operators. It is my understanding that non-sked 121 operators are now under the new security rules because they operate out of the sterile areas. Most of the corporate operators will not be effected greatly, becasue most of them already have security measures in effect (pre 9/11, I might add). Besides they KNOW who is on their aircraft. Most of the Part 135 operators I know already have programs in effect either officially or unofficially. And generally for the most part they know their customers. I do know that Part 135 pilots are keeping themselves aware of who is getting on their aircraft. I know of one crew who refused a trip because things didn't seem right. Management did try pressure, but it didn't work. The crew also called several of the other operators on the field to give them a heads up about these people. If it doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.

FBO have security programs in effect, airline airports seem to be the most strict. But again, they generally know who belongs and who doesn't. And that really is the key in security, awareness. Like the old sargent said "Stay alert, Stay alive".

 

[Typhoon1244]

...I am taking a trip to Costa Rica for a week of surfing. American wants $70-$90 bucks (hard to get a straight answer) EACH way. Instead, I am going with Lacsa.

You're complaining about an $180 international round-trip fare? Why? My wife was standing over my shoulder just now; she said take her with you! Actually, her exact quote was, "sh_t, can we go to Costa Rica for $70-90? Let's go!"

 

[RJFlyer]

I think he's talking about the cost to take his board. Mama DAL charges us $75 to take one, or a mtn bike, etc.

 

[Typhoon1244]

I think he's talking about the cost to take his board.

OH! Well, like Gilda Radner used to say, "never mind."

(Is my face red or what? Oh, and my wife retracts her offer...)

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

Agree with Typhoon's comments regarding customer service. You either have it or you don't. It is the individual's personality. I have gotten wacked by my company for saying this. Customer service training has minimal impact, especially for the folks who don't want to do it anyway. The ivory tower types are in denial. They think the bells are supposed to ring once they show up for work because the company motivated them. The key is to try to find those personalities that have a mindset towards customer service. Not always an easy task.
Said it several times before, most people work because they want to put food on the table. Most jobs are not dream jobs. With that said, trying to do a good job is the honorable thing to do. May not be the most exciting thing, but it's the honorable thing.
Treat the folks with respect, enjoy being with them if at all possible, pay competitive wages and benefits. Pretty basic stuff - work and play well with others. If you get the right kind of people, treat them right (including pay, etc.) they'll figure out a way to take care of the customer. Nothing new under the sun.

 

[TurboS7]

I used to fly Crandell years ago in the Lears. he said at American all he had was a bunch of little Ceaser's(sp) running around with four strips trying to run the airline. He said they knew nothing about what it really took. I heard some pretty good stuff on the board here so I disagree with him.

 

[Caveman]

RJFLYER wrote:

"surplus hinted that ASA's ops in ATL made Comair's performance suffer, and intimated that if Comair hired Comair people that things would be better. For the reasons listed above, I don't believe that's true, unless Comair were willing to pay more to get better quality airport staff. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys (in ATL, anyway - and no racial slur intended)."

If your premise is true how do we explain SWA/JB success? They both pay less than the going rate for pilots and mechanics and CSA's yet customer service is allegedly stellar.

I believe that good customer service is based on an attitude that is cultivated at the corporate level and supported at the customer face to face level. If you don't hire personable people you won't get personable service. You also have to let the folks dealing with the customers have the latitude to 'make things right' in order to appease an unhappy customer. Handcuffing them with overreaching and unweildy operations rules stifles creative customer service.