I had the unfortunate experience this past Friday to get grounded in the Richmond International Airport from 6:00pm until 9:40pm all because of thunderstorms in Atlanta. My flight schedule had me returning to Charleston through Atlanta. Upon arriving in Atlanta I had the joyful experience to get stuck there from 11:30pm until 2:30am. To say the least I experienced the extremes in customer service, let me share with you my journey. But before we begin make sure your tray tables are locked and your seat backs are in the upright position!!
Our meeting wrapped up a little early and my 3 colleagues and I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to check in and get cleared through security prior to boarding. I had printed my return trip boarding passes at the airport the day before when I arrived. So no worries there, except I wasn't able to move my seat on either flight, but oh well.
Sitting at the gate waiting to board no mention of storms in Atlanta however, once on the plane within minutes of the last person boarding and the door being closed we were informed of the fact that we would be getting back off the plane due to the storms in Atlanta. Once back off the plane we were kept informed of the status of out flight, not by the gate agent but the Captain of the flight crew coming over to the gate agent's public address system and making announcements. He was clear as possible sharing the information he had received from the Atlanta Airport as to their status.
It was refreshing to see such care being taken in one's customers. But, of course this is not the end of the story.....
While waiting my co-workers and I walked up to one of the two restaurants in the gate area to have dinner. It was busy since we were not the only gate having issues getting their planes to depart. But the folks running the restaurant seemed completely oblivious of this fact and closed off half of the seating to customers.
Also, one of my co-workers sitting on the side of our small table was told he had to move to the other side of our table to keep the aisle clear. Despite the fact that all the other staff took it upon themselves to take two side steps around the table and continue their walk to serve the customers. It was the bartender that informed him that he had to move and then manage to proceed to move everything on the table around to make him move to the opposite side.
Now I am happy to report we did finally get the notification we would be taking off just before 10:00pm. We touched down in Atlanta at 11:20pm and proceeded to the “B” Concourse. Upon walking out of the plane the gate agent was instructing everyone to look at the display for their connection. My connection to Charleston was there, departing at 11:30pm. As you might recall, we landed at 11:20, we taxied to the gate and there I was standing at the gate looking at the display and it was 11:30. So I turned to the gate agent and asked, my flight to Charleston says it is leaving from “C” Concourse at 11:30, it is 11:30 now what do I do? He looked up at the display and said, “11:30, hmmm, you might make it.”
Yes, I was completely dismissed as to my problem by the person placed at this location to help in resolving these exact problems!
Feeling completely ignored I took off for the “C” concourse. Only to see the door shut and myself and another couple turned away. I walked over to the automated kiosk there that scans your boarding pass in the case of a missed flight. Mind you this boarding pass was originally for the flight that was supposed to take off at 9:30 originally. The self service kiosk printed me out two options, placing me on standby for the flight that was pulling away, or a flight at 8:30am Saturday morning.
I mentioned this to the couple that had also missed our flight. They informed me they had been booked on a flight leaving at 1:00am from “D” Concourse. So away I went to the “D” gates.
I met a wonderfully helpful young lady named Trisha at that gate. She booked me on the 1:00am flight with a smile.
We did take off, not at 1:00am, seems the flight crew was late arriving as well, so it was 2:30am when I was finally heading to Charleston.
The rest of the trip was painless. But in these 12 hours, I saw pretty much every extreme in customer service attitudes from the people placed in the positions of serving their customers.
The few minutes it takes to spend listening to your customer, understanding where your customer’s frustrations come from can repay you many times over.
I made eye contact with the Captain and the flight crew on the flight from Richmond to Atlanta and thanked them. The professionalism they displayed set a standard to ease the situation.
Trisha, the wonderful gate agent also was told how much I appreciated her efforts.
These individuals’ customer service skills are alive and well.
The bartender back in Richmond as well as the management staff, I do not see success in your future. Nor do I see great reviews for the one agent tending to the passengers exiting a very over do flight. My opinion, the customer service skills past some time ago in these folks, or at best should be on life support.
But this experienced reminded me that customer service can’t be effected by what kind of day we have had, what mood the last customer was in, or the amount of grief they gave us, it has to be a passion that we all live by. Each customer is the number #1 customer we have. Each customer problems are the only thing you should be focusing on, because it is the most important, to them therefore, it has to be the most important to you as well.
Remember when answering the phone to smile, it can be heard, and you just might make your customer’s day, and that is what it is all about.
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