United Offers “Summer Customer Service Tips” in Employee Memo
Think back to United's IT disaster of July 8, which forced the airline to ground flights and inconvenience almost half a million passengers. You may recall that United didn't handle it very well, releasing only a single terse statement: "We are recovering from a network connectivity issue this morning and restoring regular flight operations."
What a difference a week makes. In a "leaked" (that is, written for and released to the public intentionally) employee memo, United seems to be taking customer service seriously now. Problem solved!
Here are some choice tidbits:
- Seeing a welcoming face can help to ease a customer's anxiety.
- When making announcements, keep in mind what customers are thinking.
- Using a customer's name goes a long way in making someone feel appreciated instead of just the next person in line.
- It's important to always acknowledge a customer's MileagePlus status and to deliver their earned benefits.
Innovative!
Here's the thing — at around the same time the United glitch was happening, the New York Stock Exchange was having a bad computer day as well, and trading halted. Its customers were not only inconvenienced; they were terrified. And front-line employees are only as good as the information they are given.
Ultimately, the airline should work to improve communications between corporate and on-the-ground staff in times of crisis — even if they're just waiting to reboot the computer. Putting a plan in place to deal with widespread irregular operations will help improve the customer experience without negatively impacting the bottom line.
H/T: Brian Sumers
[card card-name='Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card' card-id='22125056' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app