This also happened on subsequent flights, and the client felt that he was treated like baggage. (Sturm, 2004) It has already been seen that this airline is concerned about their customers, yet the airline succeeded in irritating a customer with what the customer feels is "lack of gratitude." One is sure that what the airline staff did was according to the laws, but the client was unhappy. This is generally the result of not being able to communicate in a manner that makes clients happy. Thus methods of implementation are probably as important as the policies themselves.
Let us now look at another airline from the list. Delta Air Lines chief customer service officer Lee Macenzcak has stated that the airline is trying to be "one of the top three ranked airlines for customer service, on-time performance, baggage handling and cancelled flights as part of its turnaround plan." (Delta Air Lines aims to climb customer satisfaction table) The struggling airline is already in bad shape, being USD 20 billion in debt. The aim of the airline is to attract customers away from low-cost domestic airlines. Macenzcak was speaking to Delta Air Lines retirees, and also mentioned that the airline will introduce a staff bonus scheme if required to boost its ranking. (Delta Air Lines aims to climb customer satisfaction table)
In spite of all this, there was no clear statement on the measures that it planned to take for customer satisfaction. This airline clearly has no stated customer satisfaction policy, and naturally is unable to satisfy its customers. All airlines are not like that, and let us look at an airline from outside this list. There was a customer survey of American Airlines passengers. This showed that the capability to check baggage at Self-Service machines is considered to be the third most popular functionality after check-in and the capability to alter a seat assignment. Now American Airlines has made facilities for travelers to check in more than two bags to check in at the Self-Service machines if they want to. The airline has released a statement saying travelers will be able to put the additional baggage charge on their credit card. This means that after the first two bags checked in for free, a passenger traveling within United States can check in up to three additional bags,...
(American Airlines adds extra feature and more self-service machines)
It is clear that check in of baggage is an important for client satisfaction, and the airlines which are badly off can take a lesson from this. Customer satisfaction is impossible to define as it may vary from customer to customer and only a statistical picture may be used for implementation of changes. To improve customer satisfaction, one has to look at changes being implemented by others and which of those are proving popular.
Conclusion:
Has the expansion of the last few years being done at the expense of customer care? It is possible. When there is rapid amount of growth, there is always considered to be a strain on service delivery.
References
American Airlines adds extra feature and more self-service machines" (16 September, 2005)
Airline Industry Information. Retrieved at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CWU/is_2005_Sept_16/ai_n15397415Accessed 7 October, 2005
Delta Air Lines aims to climb customer satisfaction table" (6 October, 2004) Airline
Industry Information. Retrieved at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CWU/is_2004_Oct_6/ai_n6228361. Accessed 7 October, 2005
Silber, Debra Judge. (15 May, 2001) "Struggling to serve - Customer relationship management" Direct. Retrieved at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3815/is_7_13/ai_75291376. Accessed 7 October, 2005
Sturm, Arthur. C. (September, 2004) "The case for customer loyalty" Healthcare Financial
Management. Retrieved at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3257/is_9_58/ai_n6205237. Accessed 7 October, 2005
Three out of four major U.S. airlines with financial problems see increase in customer complaints" (August, 2005) Airline Industry Information. Retrieved at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CWU/is_2005_August_5/ai_n14869436. Accessed 6 October, 2005
United Airlines revises ticketing policies for customers affected by Tropical Storm Rita" (20 (September, 2005) Airline Industry Information. Retrieved at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CWU/is_2005_Sept_20/ai_n15400807Accessed 6 October, 2005
