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Next Level Customer Service Blog

News, tips, and trends to help you reach that next level of customer service.


Entries in United Airlines (9)

Monday
May032010

United Airlines will get bigger, ruder, and less efficient

United Airlines has just announced that they are buying Continental Airlines for just over $3 billion in stock. A company that lost $651 million last year is buying a company that lost $282 million so they can form the world's largest airline. Who will this benefit? Certainly not us.

Last year, United Airlines ranked last in the American Customer Satisfaction Index for major airlines with a score of 56. Their poor service became even more legendary last year with Dave Carroll's video, United Breaks Guitars, that has generated more than 8 million views on YouTube.

It's hard to imagine a company run as poorly as United Airlines can handle a massive merger with grace and style. In the short run, customers should expect even worse service as employees face the fear of uncertain job security, potentially contentious union negotiations, and the general confusion that is sure to come from this deal.

The one bright spot may be that Continental's CEO, Jeffery Smisek, will be at the helm of this new company. Contintental scored a 68 in last year's American Customer Satisfaction Index for major airlines, second only to Southwest which scored an 81.

Do you fly United or Continental now? If so, it may be time to cash in those frequent flyer miles and start looking for another carrier.

 

Wednesday
Mar032010

United Breaks Guitars song #3 released

In one of the ultimate cases of consumer revenge, Dave Carroll has just released his third in a series of three videos called United Breaks Guitars. The videos have collectively been viewed over 9 million times and United has looked very bad in the process. Best of all, Carroll comes across as a fair and kind person who only wants what is right.

The backstory

On March 31, 2008, musician Dave Carroll was traveling on United Airlines from Halifax to Omaha when baggage handlers were observed throwing his guitar on the tarmac. His guitar was damaged in this incident, but United Airlines gave Carroll the run-around for months. In response, Carroll vowed to write and record three songs about his experience and post videos of the songs on You Tube. What followed is a great lesson about the sometimes hidden cost of goodwill and why it may be a good idea to go against a strict corporate policy when that's the right thing to do.

You can read Carroll's complete story on his blog here.

Video 3

More info

Carroll provides a lot of information on his website. You can also view all three videos plus his video statement on his YouTube channel: sonsofmaxwell

Wednesday
Aug262009

Dave Carroll customer service revenge, part 2

I must admit to a little bit of glee at seeing Dave Carroll's latest video in response to the poor customer service he received from United Airlines. If you don't know the story, Carroll apparently witnessed baggage handlers tossing his guitar on the tarmac as he sat on a United Airlines plane. The guitar broke and according to Carroll, United Airlines refused to pay for the damage. Carroll is a country music signer with no small following, so he decided to seek his own brand of justice by posting a series of three music videos to You Tube.

Click to read more ...

Tuesday
Jul212009

My new favorite song: United Breaks Guitars

We've all experienced customer service so bad that its left us feeling outraged and powerless. In the 1990s I was a frequent flyer on United Airlines, but by the end of the decade they had treated me so poorly so many times I vowed never to given United Airlines any of my money ever again. The worst experience was when I tried to return home after a three week trip and my flight was cancelled due to a work slowdown initiated by United employees. I didn't receive so much as an apology.

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