A Change in Customer Service

Good customer service is especially important when a product/service is less than perfect.

April 10, 2013

2 min read

I have trained people in customer service longer than I care to admit. Now, it seems things have changed a bit.

I always thought that customer service worked only when coupled with a great product. Recently, though, I’ve noticed that some products are less than totally desirable. Does anyone really enjoy being cramped into economy seats on an airliner? Does anyone enjoy waiting for hours in an emergency room while surrounded by people who cough, sneeze, hack, and wipe their noses? I doubt it.

In the last month or so I’ve sat in that emergency room and flown coast-to-coast in economy class. Neither was fun.

Here’s the surprise: Everyone in the emergency room was unbelievably nice, friendly, and courteous. The airline flight attendants were at least that nice.

Folks, those nice people made a huge difference. They left me with a warm feeling that made the experience less difficult! Neither experience was something I’d do for the fun of it, but the people improved the product tremendously.

I’ve now come to believe that nice people are more important when the product is less than perfect than they are when the product is wonderful!

This is a new idea to me. I’m going to ponder it in my heart. In the meantime, please let me know what you think by commenting below. I love those comments.

Ralph will be speaking at the International Aviation Snow Symposium, Buffalo, NY, on April 23, 2013.

About the Author

Ralph Hood

Certified Speaking Professional

Ralph Hood is a Certified Speaking Professional who has addressed aviation groups throughout North America. A pilot since 1969, he's insured and sold airplanes at retail and distributor levels and taught aviation management for Southern Illinois University.

Ralph Hood is also an award-winning columnist (he writes for several publications), a salesman and sales manager (he sold airplanes, for crying out loud!), a teacher (he taught college-level aviation management) and a professional public speaker who has entertained and enlightened audiences from Hawaii to Spain, and from Fairbanks to Puerto Rico.