Businesses That Ask for Customer Feedback MUST Respond to It: A Case Study from Insight Vacations

Caution to readers considering investing hard-earned money on a guided international tour: Consider alternatives to TTC brands like Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, and Contiki. 

* * * * * 

With Global travel and tourism levels topping pre-pandemic levels, guided tour companies are feasting on the "revenge travel" trend. My spouse and I are veteran international travelers; we recently completed a ten-day guided tour ("Amazing Spain and Portugal") offered by Insight Vacations (a TTC brand).

Having taken six trips over the past decade with Insight (spending more than $30,000), we know the brand and its (formerly) high standards. I sent Insight candid feedback on July 24th covering most aspects of our trip. (You'll discover that below.)

A Guest Relations representative responded on July 25th, asking for four weeks to "look into" the issues I shared. Well, it's August 31st and Insight Vacations hasn't responded to my feedback. More on that in a moment. But first, some context about The Travel Corporation (TTC).

A privately owned company, TTC's roster features 40 travel brands including Contiki, Trafalgar, African Travel, Luxury Gold, and EduSport Travel and Tours. Each TTC brand operates independently, promoting its own identity and targeting specific demographics and income levels. The parent company has centralized common functions like HR, billing, and customer service.

With so many "unique" brands, TTC's centralized customer service representative lacked the knowledge and autonomy to respond to my feedback. She had to "forward it to our international team." It's been five weeks and I'm still waiting for a substantive response. 

Every day I wait erodes my loyalty to Insight Vacations and TTC's other brands. If TTC and Insight truly valued our feedback, they'd have responded quickly and point-by-point.

Two clear indications TTC seeks limited feedback:

1) A character limit for Insight's "Contact Us" form

2) No "Contact Us" form on TTC's website 

Companies that don't respond to customer feedback risk losing customers. According to reviewtrackers, 63% of consumers say that a business has never responded to their review. 53% of customers expect businesses to respond to negative reviews within a week. Exceptional companies respond to customer feedback and engage loyal customers authentically.

This review compares promotional copy (promises) on Insight Vacations' website with specific examples of where and how service fell woefully short of our previous experiences with TTC. Many of the examples show the erosion of personalized service we've enjoyed on previous Insight tours and reveal glaring inconsistencies between what Insight promised and what in this case it actually delivered.

  
1) Seamless, Stress-Free Travel?: Our Travel Director (TD) kept our group of 37 people on time and on schedule. She was efficient but didn't (given the group size, she literally couldn't) attend to individual needs/requests. For example: Before the tour, my spouse emailed our TD about procuring distilled water for a CPAP machine. Our TD responded that distilled water was available at any local pharmacy; we could buy it after we arrived. Our proficiency in Spanish doesn't include 'distilled water' nor are we inclined to search for it after a long flight. To reflect Insight's commitment to "hassle-free" travel and "personal attention from our Travel Director", another TD would have bought a bottle of distilled water from her discretionary funds and offered it to guests who needed it. Our TD could have at least told us how to ask in Spanish for distilled water at a local pharmacy. Also note the "lost luggage" example (#3 below).
 
1A) Our Friend Overseas?: While TDs typically maintain some distance from their group members, ours was more a "shepherd' and "timekeeper" than "our friend overseas" (as claimed on the Insight website). Fortunately, the norms our group established organically ensured all guests were on time, polite, and respected others. Some Spanish speakers on the tour resolved simple needs (like getting distilled water, translating menu items, etc.). While our TD offered a few "flourishes" per the itinerary (Pasteis de Belem and a drink and tapas in Salamanca), the large group size necessitated a transactional relationship--belying Insight's pledge for a TD who "provides personal attention". 
 
    1B) Unusually Large Group Size: This was the largest group of any Insight Vacations tour in which we've participated. The large group size made it extremely challenging for our TD to "provide personal attention" to individual guests and accommodate individual requests, needs, or specific interests. Our relationship with the TD was almost purely transactional--a fact for which Insight Vacations is directly responsible. During conversations with other guests, I learned they felt similarly and reflected those feelings in the gratuities they gave our TD. 

 
    1C) Passionate and Knowledgeable?: The knowledge, connections, and pride of local TDs have consistently been a top reason we choose to travel with Insight and evangelize the company amongst peers. Local TD's added meaningful and memorable perspectives and insights about their respective country's history, culture, traditions, sights, and sites off the beaten path. By contrast, the local guides were all excellent. 
 
    1D) Fluent in the Local Language?: In this tour, our TD was a British citizen (from Barbados) who lives in Florence, Italy. Not indigenous to Spain or Portugal, she was neither fluent in Spanish or Portuguese (I don't believe she was conversational in either). For example, rather than try to teach us words from "the local lingo" and interesting idioms (as pledged on the Insight website), our TD simply emailed us two photos of pages with words in Portuguese. This is another example of the transactional relationship described above.
 
    1E) Expertly Trained?: Several long stretches (60 minutes+) on the coach offered our TD opportunities to share insights about the history, culture, and significant sights and sites we passed. Whereas several of our previous TD's used the audiovisual tools on the coach (show videos or play local music) to complement their commentary; our TD did neither (despite a new coach equipped with cutting-edge A/V). Our TD spent the majority of the time on the bus doing paperwork. 

2) Throughout our tour, our TD often mentioned the Northern Spain Guided Tour. These frequent referrals were at first interesting and even amusing; repeated mentions irked many guests. In addition to feeling like the poorer cousins of people on our tour who were continuing with the northern tour, we felt our TD was more looking ahead to that tour than fully invested in the current tour. This was awkwardly manifested on the last night of the tour when both groups overlapped. Not only did our TD travel to the restaurant with the northern tour group, she also ate with them. Our celebratory meal was good, but our send-off, sour. Overlapping the two tours on the final night certainly saved Insight some money and reflected issues in #5 below ("Nickel and Diming"). 

 

3) Lost Luggage: A guest in our group lost her luggage (the airline's fault). During the four days she tried to locate it and get it delivered, our TD was moderately helpful (she called the airline and offered the guest guidance and suggestions). A TD who really wanted to provide "stress-free travel" would have been more than moderately helpful. However, with 36 other guests to shepherd, resolving that problem should not be the Travel Director's responsibility. TTC should assign a specific staff member who is fluent in the local language to communicate with the guest and the appropriate airline and relentlessly resolve the matter. Our TD lacked the bandwidth and tools to help this guest. 

 

4) Accommodations: In general, the hotels were not "superior" as claimed on Insight's website. In at least two cities, our TD showed us the "Insight Luxury Gold" hotels and highlighted their benefits (closer to town/city center, more luxurious, better meals, etc.). While we know from previous Insight Vacations that TDs sometimes upsell Gold (and are encouraged to do so), my spouse and I felt as if we were less than (and certainly poorer than) Luxury Gold guests. Finally, three of our five hotels had lower limits on the AC temperature (!!!) and sporadic wi-fi. 

 

5) Optional excursions: Based on our positive optional excursions on previous tours, my spouse and I chose almost all the offerings on this tour (costing us more than $800USD). Our TD promoted the optional excursions but didn't offer or recommend alternatives to guests who chose not to join. For example, in Lisbon, there was a Banksy exhibit down the street from the Turim Saldanha Hotel. Our TD could have suggested this to guests not joining the Seafood Dinner by the Tagus River rather than offer unspecific suggestions for "local shopping" or "great restaurants". 

 

In terms of the optionals, we noticed there weren't as many (the "Lisbon by Night" tour was listed on the itinerary but not offered). In at least two cases the cost of the optional far exceeded the value. I understand hidden costs (e.g., coach travel, driver pay, local guides, fuel, parking, etc.) for which Insight must account and realize Insight has to make a profit. That said, the costs of the two optional excursions below seemed out of proportion with the value provided.

  

    5A) Seafood Dinner by the Tagus River: At a combined cost of 128E ($143), we took a coach to the pier, a ferry to the other side of the river, ate a large dinner, and took the coach back to the hotel. While the food was plentiful and the wine drinkable, we were packed into a loud pierside establishment that I hope did not represent Lisbon's "famous traditional restaurants." I was also surprised the restaurant charged 7E extra for local crab.

    5B) Fado Evening: We spent 74E each ($160) for dinner and a musical performance. We chose our dinner in advance (Sea Bass, Steak, Chicken, or Vegan); the food was ok but definitely not the "savory traditional Portuguese dinner" described on the itinerary. The prix fixe menu outside the restaurant showed 45E ($50). 

6) Tour Pace: "Amazing Spain and Portugal" is mislabeled "Leisurely Pace" ("1.6 - 3.2km daily, on primarily flat surfaces and with some stairs"). Except for the two days we spent mostly on the coach (Madrid to Granada and Lisbon to Salamanca), I recorded an average 15,000 steps/day. Spain is Europe's second most mountainous country (not flat) and the daily temperatures in the South consistently exceeded 30C. I found the "leisurely pace" somewhat tiring--it was evidently exhausting for several older and less-physically fit tour members.    

 

7) Recognizing Loyal Guests: On previous tours, Insight Vacations recognized loyal clients with a special reception, gift, or activity. The recognition made us feel special and built our loyalty to TTC and Insight. There was no such recognition on this tour. Our TD gave an Insight-branded bag to every guest but nothing exclusive for loyal clients. Given multitudinous tour and travel company options, I'm surprised Insight didn't seize every opportunity to thank and recognize loyal clients. 

    7A) Dedicated Contact for Loyal Guests: I accessed Insight's online customer service chat and requested the name and email address for someone in a senior leadership position to whom I could send my extended feedback. The agent with whom I communicated referred me to Guest Relations. My other frequent travel and credit card companies (Amtrak, Hilton Honors, AMEX Black, Chase Sapphire) have an exclusive line to call or email; Insight should do the same. Giving loyal clients a devoted Guest Relations group whom we can contact is a basic reward that increases customer service satisfaction and brand loyalty. 

My spouse and I will travel again; over our lifetimes we'll invest tens of thousands of dollars in group tours. But considering our experience on "Amazing Spain and Portugal" as well as the ensuing inexcusable delayed response from Insight Vacations, TTC can no long count on our loyalty.

What Great Customer Service Looks Like...

My previous post shared an example of poor customer service. This post--which details correspondence with ROAD iD concerning a mistake that's 100% mine--is a complete 180.

We should be as quick to recognize outstanding customer service as we are to complain about poor customer service.

From ROAD iD (Paula Hook): Jul 17, 9:17 AM EDT Hello, Thank you for your kind words, and for making others aware of Road ID. It's great to get positive feedback from highly intelligent people like you. We find that it's much more fun to do our jobs well (and collect compliments) than it is to do our jobs poorly (and collect complaints). We're happy to know your experience has been a good one. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.  Be safe out there, Paula Hook

From Bruce: Jul 16, 10:59 AM EDT Paula, hi. I just tweeted (@brm90) to compliment your awesome customer service. The ID I ordered was for a friend but rest assured I am going to reorder the correct size (19MM faceplate) for me soon. Thanks for your time and consideration.

From ROAD iD (Paula Hook): Jul 16, 10:07 AM EDT Hello, We certainly understand that mistakes are very easy to make - heck, we even make them on occasion. So, instead of having to order a whole new ID, we would normally remake the ID for a small processing fee of $5 plus shipping. When reviewing your account, however, I see that you've already placed a new order. Because of this, I have issued you a refund of $12.50 for the new ID. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.  Be safe out there, Paula Hook ROAD iD 800-345-6336 ROADiD.com | MyRoadID.com Why we do what we do... "The medics were able to alert my wife and parents"

From Bruce: Jul 12, 11:56 AM EDT Hello, I recently mistakenly ordered the wrong size replacement faceplate for my 19MM silicone clasp RoadID. I've had the RoadID since you guys started making them and finally moved, so I had to update my badge info. Totally my error (ordered the 13MM faceplate). Any chance you could help me out with the right size? Thanks very much in advance.

When Accountants Dictate Customer Service, Customers Suffer

I visited a local Jiffy Lube this morning for an oil change. They're quick, efficient, they explain things in easy-to-understand terms, and they offer a veterans discount. I like the way staff interacts personally with customers and how they know, track, and share the history of my vehicle.

Jiffy Lube has a new "greeting policy" that decreases personal interaction and attention. And while it may more efficiently utilize employees, the new policy potentially endangers customers. More on that in a moment. 

Marketers think: "Good place to welcome customers."

Accountants think: "Unnecessary expense."

But first, as a marketer, in addition to creating content that meaningfully, memorably and measurably engages customers, I scrutinize the processes to which our marketing directs customers. 

Before promoting a product or service, I try to understand how, when, and where customers engage with the products or service. The critical mass (energy) produced when content and process collide generates decisions. Some questions I ask colleagues:

• How and where do we meet prospects and customers (digitally or physically)?
• How do we shepherd prospects through the sales funnel (digitally or physically)?
• Where can we enhance our service to make sales more personal and less transactional?
• Are the costs of these enhancements worth our investment of time, treasure, and talent?
  

From this perspective, Jiffy Lube's new policy doesn't improve customer service. In fact, it makes it worse.

In the past, a greeter/worker would welcome you outside, ask the services you want, and escort you inside, handing you off to a team member at the front desk. The new policy has greeters direct customers to check in at a computer inside the work bay. 

Beyond the fact that the work bay is (compared to the inside) dirty, loud, and subjects customers to the weather (hot in summer, cold in winter), it's also potentially dangerous: Oil is slippery, right? Did the bean counters consider how favorably working women in heels or men in dress shoes will view going into a work bay? What about the kids? What do they do while mommy and daddy are checking in? Does Jiffy Lube really want kids messing around in the work bay? 

Customer think: "Dirty."

Accountants think: "Money

I'm thinking the new policy has to be the brainchild of bean counters and profiteers who prioritize staff efficiency over customer service. Sure, checking in customers in the garage keeps staff working on cars and not manning desks. Sure, you'll probably make more money keeping staff busier. 

From a marketing perspective, this move erodes an important (but unquantifiable) customer service and interaction point. But even worse, from a customer's perspective, it's potentially dangerous. 

Suggestion: "Red Carpet Service".

Instead of checking in customers in the garage, install a red AstroTurf carpet from the covered greeting area that leads inside to the service desk. 

A greeter/worker welcomes the customer, and--while genially escorting them inside (perhaps with a branded umbrella in case of inclement weather--asks the services they want. He/she then checks his/her customer in at the computer. This creates a more personal, safer, and seamless customer engagement experience.

A comprehensive national marketing and advertising campaign could promote Jiffy Lube's new "Red Carpet Service" and highlight the services Jiffy Lube already provides: Quick oil change, check/refill fluids, check/refill air in tires, check wipers, etc. Throw in a couple discounts to entice customers to "Experience-Our-Red-Carpet" service.

JetBlue Succeeds in Social Media: A Case Study

There's a lot of clutter in the social media world, and--although "the experts" say consumers can pick and choose the feeds they want--it's increasingly confusing to sort through the social media static. But when a stream stands out, it's worth stating.

Such was my Twitter experience yesterday with JetBlue. Whoever's in charge of JetBlue's Twitter feed should be commended for their responsiveness and customer service... And other companies should learn a lesson from how JetBlue does it.

Our flight to Boston was delayed out of BWI; we finally landed about 90 minutes past our scheduled arrival time. In my rush to deplane, I left behind my Nook. I didn't realize I was reader-less until I was on the Silver Line into South Station.

I immediately called JetBlue; they gave me the number for the Lost and Found office at their Logan headquarters. I left a message with all the details. Standard approach.

Enter social media: At 10:24 PM yesterday night I tweeted, "Without my #Nook I am readerless! #JetBlue please find it and return it!(Lost tonight on flight 1326, BWI-BOS)". Less than 15 minutes later, at 10:37 PM, JetBlue Direct Messaged me: "@brm90 Please speak with the Baggage Services office in BOS before you leave the airport, or call the lost and found at 617-716-3549."

Of course, I'd already called and left a message. That's the "old media" approach.

As a "new media" pro, what matters to me is how quickly JetBlue responded to my plaintive cry, and how they provided clear, specific instructions in 133 characters. That's the takeaway for brands that seek to use Twitter to connect meaningfully with customers. JetBlue’s brand page on Twitter shows that they use Twitter as a customer service platform. Almost every tweet is an @ reply.

I did some further research and discovered that JetBlue has a dedicated person who continually interacts with social media, especially Twitter. With almost 2 million followers, that's a challenging job.

Here's the lesson for brands: If your brand is on Twitter for customer service, it’s important to be committed. According to JetBlue,

“Our goal would be to make ourselves available, help whenever possible, and to show that our brand is built by real people who care about our customers.”

JetBlue goes to where their customers are and they're helping customers resolve issues. They're not flogging their brand by routinely pushing press releases. On Twitter (I can't speak for their other social media platforms) JetBlue promotes their brand--and builds brand allegiance--by having great customer service.

JetBlue may not find my Nook, but they certainly found a follower.

A Ongoing Lesson in Viral Social Media and Online Corporate Presence

Here's an update regarding my ongoing social media campaign to alert people about Mariden USA, the unscrupulous travel company with whom Heather, her students and I contracted to travel to Italy and Greece this past April.

There are larger lessons in this post about the power of viral social media and how responsible companies should respond to online feedback.

Early this morning I got an email from a teacher in Cecil County, MD, who received similar detestable customer service from Mariden USA. She saw my review on Yelp and contacted me to learn more details of our terrible experience. I eagerly shared the details, knowing that the more facts we share about Mariden USA's business practices, the more likely people will steer clear of contracting with them.

From a social media perspective, this information campaign is proving successful. People are getting valuable information, and sharing the facts has put Mariden USA on the defensive. But rather than react as a responsible would, or should, in this digital age, Mariden USA has resorted to the tired old strategy of maligning their accusers.

In terms of online corporate presence, Mariden USA has handled this as clumsily as it handled the planning and execution of our trip. Mariden USA has a Facebook page, but has disallowed comments. A company with nothing to hide freely invites comments.

On Mariden USA's website, all the testimonials are glowing. Yet a simple Google search reveals poor reviews (mine and others). This inconsistency merely underscores Mariden USA's duplicity.

Ask yourself: Does any company have 100% customer satisfaction? By seeking to hide or squelch truthful accounts of poor customer service, Mariden USA not only blinds itself to dissatisfied customers, but it also eliminates the opportunity to improve its customer service.

Thank you, British Airways

Consumers have from the beginning of consumerism chosen every day where to invest our dollars, ducats, or denarii. We ought not overlook the power of that choice.

With that truism in mind, here's the story of how and why I chose British Airways for my imminent trip to Singapore. The story illustrates both the power of an educated consumer as well as the psychological impact of attentive and personalized customer service.

Several airlines fly the Boston-Europe-Singapore route, including U.S. and non-U.S. flag carriers. I chose British Airways because of the following reasons:

1) Convenience: The fight I chose leaves Boston in the morning and arrives at Heathrow shortly after 7 p.m local time. It departs shortly after 9 p.m. and arrives in Singapore Friday evening at 5 p.m local time. This minimizes layover time and the disruption of my normal biorhythms. The schedules of other carriers were simply not as convenient.

2) Price: On such a long trip, it's preferable to fly B-class. But if you can't afford it, BA offers "World Traveler Plus": Premium economy class that gives passengers more leg room, a deeper seat recline, and the privacy of a different section. The price for premium economy isn't that much more than "World Traveler" (economy) class, and on long flights like theses, the extra room and privacy are well worth the investment. No U.S. flag carrier offers premium economy on this particular route, so this was a no-brainer.

3) Customer service: We've come to accept that the customer service of U.S. flag carriers is, well, substandard. When I called BA to select a seat in advance of the flight, they explained that seating assignment opened 24 hours before the flight. Because I am traveling alone, I offered to sit in one of the single seats in premium economy class. It was a ploy, and I'm sure the representative with whom I was speaking (who did NOT have an Indian accent, but rather a crisp British one) recognized it as such. Nevertheless, she graciously accepted my "offer" and assigned me to that seat. What's more, she assigned me preferable seats for each leg of my trip, to and from Singapore. I very much doubt a CSR for a U.S. flag carrier would offer to go that extra mile.

4) Online check-in: While this is standard for all airlines, British Airways adds a few touches that make it seem special. For example: They have a checklist for international travelers (I've traveled internationally a lot but it helps to have a checklist of items you need to ease border crossings); they acknowledged my special meal and asked me if I wanted email confirmation of that special order; they offered "Skymall" products they felt might make the trip a little easier. All unnecessary touches that made me feel valued.

Being a "marketing guy" I generally recognize when I'm being sold or up-sold. I know the language, I know the tactics, I know the tools. Even though British Airways used the language, the tactics and the tools, I didn't feel pressured.

On the contrary, having educated myself and following a positive customer service experience, I felt grateful that they were offering me products/services I might find valuable or useful on my long journey. I was happy to be exposed to those purchasing opportunities...

Who knows? I may buy those customized airline slippers after all.

How To Lose Business Without Really Trying

In case you haven't noticed, there's a new battle raging in the ongoing war for your telecommunications dollars: That is, the television, telephone, and wireless internet service you receive at home.

The trend among the major telecommunications providers--Charter, Verizon, ATT, MCI, Comcast, etc.--is to "bundle" these services: The bundles promise one bill from one provider for two or more of your telecommunications needs--local, long-distance and wireless phone calls, Internet access and pay TV service. You generally pay the same monthly fee no matter how much you use your services.

According to industry researcher TNS Telecoms, through the end of the second quarter of 2003, nearly 20% of consumers were bundling to some extent.

So this weekend the wife and I looked at our bills and noticed that we could save money by taking advantage of one of these bundling offers we received in the mail. We determined that we could both increase our wireless internet connection, get unlimited long distance telephone service AND get a DVR for 12 months if we chose a bundle offered by Charter.

Up to this point we had Comcast for cable and Verizon for our wireless internet and only local phone service. So we called Charter and signed up.

The representative with whom we spoke walked us through the entire transaction, clearly explaining every step and making sure we understood the installation process and timeline. He was thorough, professional, patient and proficient. In addition to calling Verizon to notify them of our imminent switch, he set us up with a appointment on Tuesday afternoon to install the necessary equipment.

This afternoon, while waiting patiently for the Charter technician to show up, the phone rang. I answered it and waited for a response.

The response was a pre-recorded message from Verizon. I listened to the beginning of the message: "At Verizon, we're constantly seeking new ways to retain your business. We've received notification of your intent to switch providers, and we'd like to try and win back your business..."

After that I stopped listening. Beyond my incredulity at receiving a tape-recorded sales pitch, I understand I am merely one of millions of Verizon customers. Verizon no doubt has reams of data indicating that once a customer switches service providers, the company from whom the customer switched must invest 5 or 10 times more to try and win back the customer. I know it's far more affordable to attract new customers rather than retain the old ones.

Still, if Verizon had called me first thing Monday morning and offered me the same wireless internet and telephone deal that Charter offered, I would have stayed with Verizon. A human voice, one to one contact, and a competitive offer would have ensured my ongoing loyalty.

Verizon lost my business without really trying to keep it. There's a lesson in this for organizations of all sizes and types.

More Lessons on Customer Service: Southwest Airlines

A lot has been written about Southwest Airlines: The carrier's quirky corporate culture, its David versus Goliath origins, the fact that it is one of the very few airlines in the industry to consistently turn a profit (Southwest turned its first annual profit in 1973, and has done so every year since — a record unmatched by any other commercial airline). It's one of the world's most profitable airlines and in January 2007, posted a profit for the 34th consecutive year.

In other areas, Southwest also sets the industry standard: For on-time departures and arrivals and baggage service... It is the largest airline in the United States by number of passengers carried domestically per year and the second largest airline in the world by number of passengers carried... In several other categories, Southwest sets the standard.

Which brings me to a story my grandfather told me many years ago: A pioneer in the advertising industry, Grandpa Murray was probably one of the world's first frequent flyers. He always traveled in a suit and tie and later in his life bemoaned the fact that "the masses" did not regard air travel as the "transportation experience" that he always did. The fact that he was almost a contemporary of Wilbur and Orville Wright instilled in him a deep respect (and fear) of traveling at tens of thousands of feet in a cigar tube. He told the most marvelous stories of the luxuries he enjoyed during his air travels; he also related some truly frightening tales of terror at twenty+ thousand feet.

Nowadays, most airline travelers don't expect much, given the reduction in amenities, services, and civility that has occured over the past twenty years in the airline industry. Southwest's model fits perfectly with our hurried and harried age: Get us out on time, get us there on time, and do it safely.

Which brings me to what is the most important component to customer service in the airline industry: Safety. Just six years after 9/11, we take airline safety for granted.

But the fact is, the popularity of travel by air, larger planes with more passengers and hundreds of daily flights have all led to a dramatic increase in the number of accidents and deaths since 1970. That trend will no doubt continue with larger aircraft coming online--the mammoth A380 and the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" to name two that have recently been in the news.

That makes the following fact even more impressive: In its more than 35 year history, Southwest has had three major incidents of note, one involving a passenger fatality caused by other passengers providing assistance to the in-flight crew, and one involving a ground fatality. Southwest Airlines has never had a passenger fatality due to an accident. That's the most important customer service category, and clearly the one that means the most to anyone who flies.

I'm not shilling here for Southwest; I write this blog after having taken yet another flawless flight from Baltimore to Providence, and am reflecting on the smoothness of the entire experience. I've flown USAir, Delta, Continental, Northwest, Czech Air, Aeroflot, El Al, China Air, Korean Air, Austrian Air, Singapore Air, and on and on, but if I had my choice, I would fly Southwest everywhere.

Customer Service: Some Days You're the Pigeon; Some Days You're the Statue

Yesterday we discussed integrity, which I believe to be one of the most important characteristics in any relationship, be it business or personal. Today I want to talk briefly about customer service.

To me, the two are inextricably linked. After you read this blog entry, you'll see why.

I conduct many transactions online, frequently doing business with unseen people on eBay and through my pal William Shatner at Priceline. Almost every single transaction I have conducted with sellers and buyers on eBay has been flawless (with the exception of the unscrupulous and often hilariously transparent scams); every time I have conducted business with Priceline (usually via the man-magnet "name your own price" function) the website has delivered on its promises.

eBay and Priceline make it clear and easy for their customers to follow through on their unique brand promises. They've staked out virtually unassailable market positions and defend their positions not through traditional advertising but rather through the immensely powerful tool of "word of mouth" marketing. Every chance I get, I laud eBay and Priceline for their ease of use, their depth of service, and their follow through.

That's customer service in the Internet age. Tell us what you're going to give us, make it convenient for us to get it, and then--if we really need help--make it easy for us to access customer service. Every once in a while--not every day, please God--send us informative and interesting notices about what's new on your site or in your business. Smooth out the path for your customers and let'em run. Put out some signs to keep'em headed in the right direction.

Of course, on the other hand (the "Some Days You're the Statue" part of the title, above), you've got businesses like Jiffy Lube, where I went today for an oil change. Jiffy Lube has also carved out a highly profitable niche in the oil change and car care market. They charge a premium for fast, convenient, consistent and predictable service, and most people appreciate it. I know I do; having changed my oil myself a few times, I happily (and cleanly) pay more for Jiffy Lube's fast, efficient service.

But here's what I don't like about Jiffy Lube: The knowledge most Americans have about their cars boils down to "insert key in ignition and turn" and "fill with gas when necessary." To their credit--and profit--Jiffy Lube has conditioned us to "every 3,000 miles just bring it in to Jiffy Lube."

The fact is, most cars today don't need to have their oil changed every 3,000 miles. With normal use, most new cars don't need an oil change until 10,000 miles or beyond! When you do bring your car into Jiffy Lube--lured, perhaps, by the $5 discount coupon you received in the mail (or found online)--you get what Jiffy Lube has promised. So far, so good.

You also get up-selled. There you are, in the waiting room, and a uniformed manager sticks his (or her) head from inside the service bay and calls your name. You dutifully follow him into the service bay to arrive before a computer that displays your car's entire service record--whether or not you have ever been to that Jiffy Lube branch (that is only if you have taken your car to any other Jiffy Lube). There you are, fully clothed, your car is digitally exposed.

The manager proceeds to tell you about your oil change, recommending a higher quality oil--"because winter's coming and the oil in your car will work harder... Less viscosity, you know." OK, at an extra $5 that sounds reasonable. Then he shows you your car's air filter, casually flicking a finger over the dirt lodged therein and saying, "We recommend you change your air filter; it'll improve your gas mileage and engine performance." That's another $19.99. Then he says, well, you're due for a change of wiper blades: Another $15, should you say to yourself that winter's coming and you really do need to see out that windshield.

Then he hits you with the fuel injection cleaning, the air conditioning ("also puts out heat, and winter's coming"), et cetera, et cetera ad nauseum. Abracadabra alakazam! What was going to be a $30.00 oil change has suddenly turned into a $100 repair job.

Since you know very little about your car, you trust the Jiffy Lube professionals to help you: Why, if they recommend it, my car must need it. And I need my car, so I better take care of it. I'm here, after all, so let me just get it done and not worry about it later.

Knowing this psychological dance, you can bet good money that Jiffy Lube's senior managers strongly encourage their branch managers to push these ancillary--often unnecessary (at the time)--services. I'd like to see their demographic studies: Ladies, you'll forgive me here for generalizing, but you are sure to be a "goose that laid a golden egg" at your local Jiffy Lube. It's good marketing and great salesmanship. But it's somehow... duplicitous.

After all, do you really need what they say you need? Is your car really going to stop running without that fuel injection cleaning system overhaul? And couldn't you just go down the street to Advance Auto Parts and buy that air filter (still easy to install in most cars) and those wiper blades (again, a five-minute installation)?

There are those who will argue that Jiffy Lube provides an indispensable service to our harried, auto-ignorant society. I understand their perspective. What bugs me about Jiffy Lube is that I don't think they really care about my car and how things are working under the hood... They just care about my wallet and how they can get at what's inside. And that, to me, is false customer service.