The airlines could take a lesson from companies like Four Seasons Hotels and Fedex. Employees are empowered to do whatever it takes to make the customer happy. An employee at either of those companies is never reprimanded for doing something to make a customer happy because these progressive companies realize that happy customers are THE most important aspect of their business. Mark Matthew Montano wrote: > Bang on. It's easier to run a 100,000 person company with rules than > recommended good judgments. > > Some airlines embed their rules into their 'systems', other's like > United, don't. > > i.e. Checking in at YVR for a hop to DEN and then to ATL. I noticed > that the inbound DEN connection was running about 20 minutes late, but > I had an alternative to connect through ORD and arrive slightly later, > but with less likelihood of getting stuck in DEN. > > A simple request to the United agent was all that was required. I asked > him under what conditions he could do this and the answer was simple: > "Overall Customer satisfaction". Getting a customer to their > destination is the customer's primary goal, do that and you satisfy > them. It also means that you don't upset someone else by bumping etc. > The UAL agent indicated that I wouldn't be on the ORD flight if it was > sold-out. > > On the other hand, Air Canada, as a matter of policy will bump fare > paying passengers to accommodate Super-Elite frequent flier members! > > Dumb eh? > > Matthew > > On Saturday, August 31, 2002, at 07:36 PM, Dennis W Zeuch wrote: > > > jmgammon@sympatico.ca writes: > > > > << The only real answer is to empower line employees >> > > Its easier to make a Yes or No kinda rule than to let the staff > > think--how > > sad. > > Why won't ''Upper management' trust their own workers, esp those well > > paid, > > senior employees who love their jobs and have been doing them for 20 > > years? > > They all want the airline to succeed-(not minimum wage guys) but > > longer term > > ones, with a living wage and jobs they wanna keep. > > Dennis