Yeah, that's probably the best course of action. Argue with an owner about how an incident made him feel, and then by all means, make sure you cross examine him about every detail. I love how you claim best in class customer service and then prove it with a display like this. Perhaps an introduction to a mirror is in order?
We all spend our lives going in and out of FBO's and we're not blind. What Owner says about the pilot sitting in the recliner just rings true. Contract negotiations or not, NJA pilots often seem not to be in any particular hurry and are less concerned with the optics than some other operators. Realityman claims several plausible reasons why the pilot may not be ready to go, but none of them justify a pilot lounging in a recliner in view of an owner waiting to go. I'm not advocating running around like a chicken with it's head cut off just before you commit aviation, but a purposeful and visible reaction toward that end is expected when an owner shows up. If there is a delay beyond your control, an explanation is in order. You can't claim best in class service and not understand how your actions or inactions are perceived.
Man, some of you guys on here are spring loaded to assume everything is an argument. Here's a shocking revelation for you: Sometimes what's said here is a DISCUSSION. It can even be a discussion where the two parties disagree. That isn't necessarily an argument. I've offered possible alternative explanations for what Owner experienced. I pointed out discrepancies in his stories. Tried to explain why things are going the way they are. Have I called names? Threatened? Gotten hostile in any way? So where is this argument of which you speak?
Second, this is FI. Not the airport or Netjets' offices. I prefer to keep things civil, and always try to achieve that. But on an anonymous message board sometimes anything goes. Heck, is he really even a Netjets client? (for the record, I believe he is). Am I even a Netjets pilot? Or a pilot at all? The point is, on an anonymous message board we're all equal, and as such speak our minds more freely. However, to put your mind at ease, I would not/have not ever treated a client with anything less than the utmost respect, even when I've had the (very rare) case of a client in my face yelling at me for things outside of my control.
That being said, I have had the occasion or two to point out in person to a client that they are wrong about something (related to the trip). I try very hard to do it respectfully without putting them down, but make it clear where I think they're wrong (they're usually drawing an incorrect conclusion about why we aren't taking off, especially when other operators are). The point is, being a client doesn't mean I won't tell them i think they're wrong about something, whether it's at the airport, on the plane, or here. Best in class and service does not mean having to agree with everything a client says or does.
And no, most of us aren't in a particular hurry. Mistakes get made that way. I'm not talking about sitting in a recliner chair while a client is standing there ready to go, but most of us intentionally take our time. And for me personally, if a client shows up in an all-fired hurry, I move even slower. I will not concede to a pressure to rush, and make an effort to actively fight against that pressure by taking it just a bit slower. I witnessed a crew once who were late picking up passengers (I won't mention which operator). They parked next to us and I watched as BOTH pilots got up from the flight deck and start running around to get things going. Problem was, they left the engines running! I had to run around to their door and point out to the pilots in the back of the plane that their engines were still running. So yes, we try hard not to be in any kind of hurry.
By the way, Owner and I have had a very pleasant exchange of PM's over the past couple days. Perhaps we understand each other a bit better now. We're good, so you can relax.
