Category Archives: The Good Ones

After a long delay, and lambasting Delta several posts ago and on Twitter, they have responded quite well. Mr. Anderson, referred to below, is the CEO. Credit where credit is due:

Dear Dr. Weiss:

RE: Case Number XXXXXXX

Thank you for alerting Richard Anderson to the unsatisfactory customer
service you encountered at Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) on May 29.
Richard has asked that I extend his personal apology,
on behalf of Delta Air Lines and our Delta Connection Carrier, Mesaba
Airlines, for the many inconveniences you suffered with a duplicate
billing and for not receiving a refund for your original flight coupon
from MSP to Boston. We are also truly sorry for our delayed response.

Your comments are well received and your frustration is understandable.
Clearly, we recognize the value of your time. Our goal is to provide
caring and accurate service at all times. I am truly sorry in this
instance you did not receive the service you expected and had every
right to receive. Feedback like yours will help us improve our overall
customer experience. Be assured Richard has shared your letter with our
Airport Customer Service leadership team at MSP for internal follow up.

As a result of your experience, I will be taking the following actions.

-ticket XXXXXXXXX – asking passenger refunds to issue a full refund
for the MSP-Boston flight coupon
-ticket XXXXXXXXX – asking passenger refunds to check your AX card
for a duplicate billing of $934.70 for your travel from MSP to
Providence

As a Gold Medallion member, you are an integral part of our customer
base. Thank you for writing and again, we apologize for your
inconvenience. We deeply value your business.

Sincerely,

Kathy Johnston
Administrator
Executive Communications
Delta Air Lines/KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

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On a dark, back road of Nantucket, we had a nighttime encounter with a flatbed truck driver who was pretty obviously drunk. The details are unimportant, but the guy got out of his truck, shouting obscenities, and ran after us because I used my high beams to see if I had enough clearance to get by. (Chasing a Bentley on foot is one indication of possessing a high blood/alcohol rating.)

When we got back to the inn, I called the police to report him, because I figured he would give other people the same grief, and maybe come back after me. The officer on the phone was dismissive, and wouldn’t even take my name. That ticked me off more than the truck driver.

After I returned home, I found the Nantucket Police Department on Google, and was impressed that Chief William Pittman had a direct email address. I wrote to tell him about his indifferent officer, because if I were he, I’d want to know.

He called me personally today, apologized, and told me what corrective actions were being taken. He even figured out who the trucker driver was, and told me the issue should have been handled far differently. He was totally professional, and service-oriented. I know if I had been wrong, he would have told me that in the same manner.

I’m impressed. No one is perfect, no department is perfect. But when leaders are determined to be responsive and constantly seek improvement—and not be defensive—good things happen. And maybe a future assault is prevented.

Compare this to another experience in Nantucket: I’m waiting for my wife at a convenience store, where all the parking spaces are filled, so I’m in a loading zone, with the motor idling, at 9 at night, when no one on earth is going to load or unload on Nantucket. I notice a heavy guy walking down the street looking at me, and it looks like he has a holster, though I figure it’s a cell phone.

Next thing I know, he’s next to me in an SUV bellowing at me, like a small town, redneck, tough guy. He screams at me not to stay in the loading zone, and I notice the light array on the SUV and look down to see “Sheriff” on the door. Politely asking me to move would have had the same ultimate outcome, right?

I recounted this at the Wauwinet bar the next night and a local guy asked me, “What kind of car do you drive?” Curious, I told him, and asked why that mattered.

“Because you ran into our sheriff,” he said, “and he just hates anyone here with money.”

“Aren’t we the ones who help the economy, and don’t most people on this island have mney?” I asked.

“Go figure!” he says.

So, hail to the Chief, at least he sets a shining example on Nantucket.

(Do you have a good or bad police authority example? Make a comment below!)

© Alan Weiss 2009. All rights reserved.

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