Customer service supreme, even on a bad day

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Whose bad day matters more? When a customer and an employee are both struggling with foul moods, endless work headaches or even distracting personal problems, the tie always goes to the person paying – not the person being paid. For most businesses, this is a common sense approach to managing customer relationships. I know that when I was frustrated or annoyed with a client, back in my corporate days, even hinting at my mood would invariably make my day far worse … as I’d wind up on the receiving end of my boss’s ire.

We routinely avoid restaurants and bars, hotels and professionals (e.g., doctors, lawyers and accountants) because of both actual and perceived slights. For this reason, especially in the professional services space, every effort is made to hide the symptoms of a bad day – and to tolerate those shown by clients. It’s the nature of the beast: making money matters more than expressing your frustration.So, I do find it strange when airline employees use this as an excuse for poor service. There have been plenty of examples of frustrated airline employees who have garnered support from their peers, from the orange juice meltdown on American Airlines to Steven Slater‘s recent slide to infamy. The level of sympathy in the industry, it seems, ranges from “bad day” to “I’ve always wanted to do that but never had the nerve.”

It’s time for the airlines to do what the rest of the business world has endured for years: deal with it. Everyone who’s worked in a customer- or client-facing position has had to soldier through a tough day when his client is unhappy. It may be painful, and we may know that we’re right … but ultimately, the business relationship comes first. Eventually, the customer emerges from his funk, and the investment made in tolerating the temporary difficulty pays off.

The first step toward being treated like a professional is acting like one. Endure customer madness with a smile, even if you’re having an awful day too, and the world will start to change.

[photo by Maks Karochkin via Flickr]

Daily Pampering: Hudson Hotel unveils new luxury vending machine

by Melanie Nayer on

Why stand in line at hotel gift shops or spend time searching for your needs in a city? The Hudson Hotel in New York has launched a new luxury vending machine offering guests everything from travel amenities to high-priced hotel packages (in the event you want to stay a bit longer).

Called the “Semi-Automatic”, the Hudson’s new oversized vending machine takes over part of a wall in the hotel lobby and is stocked with a curated combination of everyday necessities and a myriad of luxury items at the press of a button.

The vending machine is divided into five categories: Basics, Media, Fashion, Beauty, and GoFish. The touch-operated screen allows guests to choose what they want from some of the finest name brands including Malin + Goetz, Kiki De Montparnasse, Paul Smith and Haute Hippie.

Choose from paperback books, stylish toothbrushs, a retro Ouija Board, jewelry and clothes. If you’ve got a little extra to spend, rent a red Ferrari 599 GTB for $10,000 a week or purchase a personal portrait shoot with renowned photographer Ben Watt for $8,000.
For $4,500, purchase a two night penthouse package at Morgans Hotel Group’s newest hotel, Ames in Boston. The package includes dinner for two at Woodward, a special welcome amenity and a curated itinerary from UrbanDaddy.

The Semi-Automatic is available to guests 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Five reasons airline fees up 50% year-over-year

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Does your wallet feel a little bit lighter? A new USA Today analysis reveals that airline fees are on the rise, with some up more than 50 percent relative to a year ago. The study compares the extra fees (not to be confused with fares) of 13 airlines and shows just how important this revenue source is to the airline sector.

According to USA Today, “The numerous fees are a sore subject for many fliers, but their dissatisfaction hasn’t deterred airlines from bringing in record revenue from additional fees.”

The fees were good for $2.1 billion last quarter, with $893 million of it coming from checked bags and $600 million from changed reservations.

So, where did all this money come from? Here are five ways airlines have turned those extra charges into a big business:

1. First checked bag: most airlines in the United States hit you for up to $25 for the first bag you check, with only Southwest and JetBlue abstaining. Most charged $15 a year ago, according to USA Today, with four not playing this aspect of the fee game.

2. Change fee spikes: a year ago, the most expensive coach change fee was $250, charged by Continental, Delta, United Airlines and US Airways. This year, it surged to $300, an increase of 20 percent, charged by American Airlines for some international flights.

3. Pay to call: still resisting the internet? Booking by phone costs an extra $35 on US Airways, while Allegiant Air hits you for a $29.98 round-trip booking fee and another $14.99 for “convenience.”

4. Preferred seating: United asks for up to $159 for preferred seating, which can give you up to five more inches of leg room. A year ago, it would have set you back only $119.

5. Get a receipt: Continental (for which this isn’t new) – along with American, Hawaiian and US Airways – have an extra fee for passengers who want a receipt after they have taken their flights.

[photo by Deanster1983 via Flickr]

Are airline fees about to go higher?

by Tom Johansmeyer on

What could possibly be next? Absent Ryanair-style fee insanity, there seems to be little the airlines can do to our wallets now. Blankets, bags and beverages are just the tip of the iceberg: it seems anything that can come at a price does. The only thing missing is a seemingly well-intentioned Congress that wants its share of the airlines’ recently found largess.

Make no mistake about it: extra fees translate to real money for airlines. Last year, they amounted to $7.9 billion in the United States, and in the second quarter of 2010, the top six airlines in the country picked up $2.1 billion. Following the effects of the 2008 financial crisis, this is cash these companies desperately needed to collect.

This is where Congress enters the picture. Right now, the government scores a 7.5 percent on fares. By effectively unbundling certain “amenities” – like checked baggage – from the fares, the airlines can charge lower prices, with the ancillary stuff charged on a pay-to-play basis. In the end, the feds are stuck with a smaller revenue base to tax. And, the airlines are able to bypass the excise tax, and boost their profits a bit.To plug the hole, Senator Jim Webb of Virginia has proposed legislation that would subject the additional fees to the same 7.5 percent tax as the fares, restoring at least some of the lost tax revenue. From the perspective of Congress, this makes sense. The feds took it on the chin financially when the airlines unbundled, and they need to make up for it (because cutting spending just doesn’t seem to be an option).

For the airlines, this poses a problem. Either they can swallow the pill and take the 7.5 percent it against their revenues, or they can pass the additional cost along to their customers. Since 2011 is likely to be a tougher year for the sector than 2010, it looks to me like the writing is on the wall. Why absorb it when you can pass it along, right?

The tax is being proposed, so give it some time. But, if it hits, I’d expect we’ll feel it, too.

America’s favorite park: Bear Head Lake State Park, MN

by Kraig Becker on

Over the past few months Coca-Cola has been encouraging Americans to vote for their favorite park through the “America is Your Park” campaign. With more than 5.7 million votes cast, the competition for the title of the country’s top park was decidedly fierce, and with a $100,000 grant up for grabs, there was a lot of interest in the outcome. When the competition was over, and the votes were tabulated, the winner was Bear Head Lake State Park in Minnesota.

Yep, that’s right, America’s favorite park isn’t Yellowstone or Yosemite, but a little known state park that falls along the Boundary Waters near Ely, Minnesota. Bear Head Lake received more than 1.6 million votes, easily outpacing the rest of the competition, and earning the $100,000 prize. The Minnesota DNR says they intend to use those funds to build a new trail center for hikers and paddlers to enjoy before heading out on their adventures.

While Bear Head Lake may not be as famous as some other parks in the U.S., it does offer some great opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. The park has 17 miles of hiking trails for summer use, and 9 miles of cross country skiing and snowshoeing trails for the winter. Paddlers can spend hours exploring the scenic shorelines by kayak or canoe, while wolves, moose, and black bear wander the beautiful Northwoods forests.

For more than 40 years Coca-Cola has been a major supporter of America’s National Parks. In fact, they donated more than $500,000 to the National Parks Foundation this summer alone and $4 million over the past four years. The company has also helped to build and maintain more than 260 miles of trail while giving away annual passes and other prizes to entice more visitors to visit the parks. You can find out more about these efforts, as well as America’s Favorite Park, at LivePositively.com.