American Airlines Develops New Customer Service Slogan for Corporate America: We're Not Responsible!Inspired by Wanda in American Airline's "customer relations" department, American Airlines announces today their new customer service slogan: "We're Not Responsible". They are encouraging all of Corporate America follow our lead and adopt the slogan. We don't care about our customers why should you care about yours?
We can only imagine that Gerard J. Arpey, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, of American Airlines must hope that this slogan is incorporated into every radio and television advertisement of every business in America, so they don't feel so alone. The business community hopes that the people of the United States and the World are all heard humming to a tune of "We're Not Responsible".
It is important to remember that the customer is always wrong and should always be treated poorly regardless of the circumstances. This is especially true if you can blame the situation on something "beyond your control" such as the weather. Never accept any responsibility or consider that the airline could have done a better job, for example by scheduling a customers flight to allow sufficient time for connections.
It is important to note that American Airlines doesn't view this as just a slogan but a way of business! The following is some background on how American Airlines developed this slogan. We'll look at the case of Passenger X who has yet to complete her voyage on American Airlines.
Passenger X is from South America and has been a guest of the United States twice. Remember guests should be treated especially nice. Both times she has traveled to and from the United States on American Airlines. One her first trip, Passenger X wanted to visit Miami for a day or two before going further north.
For such a layover American Airlines wanted to increase the fair some $600 or $700. Almost doubling the fare! Allowing such a layover for free or a minimal cost would have cost American Airlines nothing and worked to build goodwill for them.
Instead, the American Airlines flight from Bogota, Colombia to Miami was delayed and Passenger X missed her connecting flight on America Airlines. The result? One night and full day in Miami at the expense of American Airlines. On one hand not such a bad deal for Passenger X, but she really would have been happy to experience Miami at her own expense if American Airlines had a reasonable price for the layover. A bad policy for the investors in American Airlines.
Let's boil it down to simple language. Charge an excessive fee for something, and then end up paying for what the customer had waited to pay a reasonable charge for in the first place!
A year later, Passenger X books her second trip to see the United States. This time she is traveling from much further away, Montevideo, Uruguay. She books a flight to Miami that connects through Buenos Aires.
After taking a Greyhound bus from Miami to Orland she decides there has to be a better way and checks with American Airlines about changing her return flight. First to fly from Orlando to Miami and second to change to a non-stop flight to Montevideo. They give her one possible flight date and she decides to pay extra for both options.
After waiting hours in the Orlando airport they announce the flight to Miami is delayed. The agent tells Passenger X not to worry. The flight is delayed even more. Passenger X is again told not to worry. They are told the plane hasn't arrived yet because the there is a problem and the plane is being repaired (not a great way to inspire thoughts of safety and passenger confidence).
There seem to be just a few passengers with connections to South America, but they are just told not to worry. Finally, the flight is delayed further and will arrive just 1 minute before Passenger X's non-stop flight to Montevideo, Uruguay departs.
Now the agent then says he doesn't know. Although they had a good two hours to prepare for the possibility of the missed connection American Airlines decided to wait until it was too late. Until they were in crises mode. Of course it could have been that Passenger X was at the Orlando Airport early enough to have flown on one of the earlier flight if anyone had been thinking in advance.
I called the reservations department as customer relations has limited hours even though the airline operates 24 hours a day around the globe. I was told that they didn't have anymore non-stop flights to Montevideo for almost a week and it didn't matter because Passenger X didn't really pay extra for that flight. Credit card receipt to the contrary not important.
I was also told that once Passenger X arrived in Miami she would receive her luggage, hotel and meals and then be put on the flight to Buenos Aires. Instead of leaving at 11:15 PM and arriving in Montevideo at 9:05 am as paid for, she will instead leave at 8:30 PM and arrive in Montevideo at 5 minutes after noon.
the flight to Buenos Aires makes a considerable longer trip including having to wait over 5 hours in the Buenos Aires Airport (an experience that was extremely uncomfortable and cold when I had to wait for an American Airlines flight in Buenos Aires this time of year). We don't mention that Passenger X paid extra to change her flights to avoid such torment. Not to mention the nearly 24 hours of additional waiting.
Upon arrival in Miami, Passenger X was told that they didn't have anyone to get her luggage for her. Now without clothes or toiletry even being put up in a nice hotel is hardly a consolation. Yes, the hotel probably offers some type of soap, but I don't find the idea of taking a hot shower and then putting on dirty clothes refreshing! It is probably not something other passengers on the 16 hour voyage would appreciate either.
Now, Passenger X has flown to the United States twice in her life. Twice on American Airlines and twice has been delayed in Miami by the Airline. Not a very pleasing trend. I can only imagine that once she arrives in South America all her friends will hear about what a bad job American Airlines did at handling her travel. Another slap on the face of American Airline's investors.
Two trips and and each a slap in the face to the investors of American Airlines.
I made the mistake of calling American Airlines customer service department this morning. They didn't open until 8:00. I called just after 8 and waited on hold for around 15 minutes to speak with the receptionist. She said that customer relations didn't open until 8:30 and they didn't have a direct phone number! She apologized for the wait on hold, but explained that she was the sole receptionist!
When I did speak with "customer relations" after 8:30 I was told a couple of new and interesting things. First that her luggage would be sent to its destination and it would be very unlikely to be available to her. Second that it is just too bad and a non-stop flight is not an option. Basically even though the ticket was changed to the non-stop flight and extra paid for it, that is just too bad!
Thirdly that the problem with the plane in Orlando was due to "weather" and therefore they are simply "not responsible".
The challenge of customer service in any business is to help customers that have a problem or are unhappy with their service. I don't believe this includes telling someone that they are "not responsible" and hanging up the phone. There are many things that American Airlines could have done to make this situation more comfortable.
First they could have been clear about how the luggage would be handled. Second even they could not fork out an extra $20 for a tour of Miami they could have presented the passenger with some tour ideas and assistance on where to buy some clothes. Most importantly, they could have at minimum acknowledged that Passenger X paid extra to fly non-stop. Maybe their "customer relations" department should literally slap the faces of all the major shareholders in their company.
Update: Today at 7:30 PM one hour before flight 909 was scheduled to depart Miami for Buenos Aires, Passenger X was still awaiting for a seat assignment. Finally at 7:45 she was given a seat on the flight.
At 8:00 the flight is delayed. At the airport the word is mechanical problems (I wonder if that turns into a weather issue is someone complains?). The flight is now scheduled to depart at 9:00.
Aside: Passenger X seems to be doing better than stories about another American Airlines passenger trying to get to Brazil that has been waiting in Miami for 4 days (and apparently receiving a $1,000 travel voucher for each day).
Maybe we can take bets as to whether Flight 943 which should depart at 8:30 will depart before or after Flight 909 which is actually the flight which continues onward to Montevideo.
