Flying the friendly skies requries patience, sanity
by Jan Quintrall, President/CEO, BBB jquintrall@spokane.bbb.org
for the Spokesman Review, 11/28/10
I’ve always said I would never be a home builder for all the money in the world, as people are just too hard to satisfy and expectations are way out of line. Some of my most outrageous customer stories come from the construction industry, but my experiences in the last 10 days have moved a couple of other professions to the top of my list: airline industry staff and hospital nurses.
Recent extensive air travel as well as having a family member in the hospital have given me the opportunity to watch customer interactions in both these areas. It was not a pretty sight. This week, I will concentrate on air travel and next time I will write about nurses.
Now, I know there are no shortages of service failures in all aspects of air travel these days, but the way some customers treat those they’re paying to keep them safe must make it really hard for staff to even be nice. Seldom am I more driven to leap to the defense of some service provider than I have been lately when I’ve flown.
Tips for Travelers—
• Educate yourself on the latest rules about items you can and can’t bring on a plane and in what sizes.
• No, you can’t carry on three assorted bags and then expect to stuff them all in the overhead. If they stick out, that door won’t close, delaying takeoff.
• The announcement to turn off your cell phones and electronic devices or put your seat back / tray table up actually applies to all passengers, even you!
• If a snow storm closes the airport in Minneapolis, yelling at the ticket agent will not melt the snow and miraculously open the airport.
• If you arrived late and they gave your seat away, it is your fault, not everyone else’s.
• Yes, you need to take your shoes off for screening, so wearing boots that lace up to the knees is probably not the best idea.
• When you flip open your laptop, remember that the person seated next to you can see what you see, and sometimes that is not a good experience.
• Flight attendants are professionals intended to serve all the passengers; they are not your personal servants and you are not the only one on the plane.
Nor are you the only one on the planet. Boarding and unloading would go so much more smoothly if only passengers were aware of other human beings. My favorites are the ones who stand in the aisle, sorting through a bag headed to the overhead bin, removing all the stuff they want to stick in the seat pocket, preventing everyone else from moving ahead. The other ones who amaze me are those who stop at the top of the jetway to get themselves organized in such a manner that nobody can get past them as everyone tries to get off the plane and make connections.
When faced with a repeatedly delayed flight, everyone gets a bit testy and stressed that they will not make connections as planned. But that stress is shared by all the passengers and often the whole crew. Your situation is no more important than anyone else’s, nor is it the single focus of the attendant. They can’t make the plane go faster, or change the weather so your complaining about it won’t help. And honestly, the rest of us do not care to hear your problems. Sorry.
Airplanes are very confined spaces and we all need to respect the space of those around us. Don’t spill over into my space with your body, your music, the pornography on your laptop, your excessive drinking, your complaining, or your body odor.
If you plan to travel this holiday season, be prepared to be inconvenienced or stuck in some airport. Keep the important stuff in your carry-on so you have those necessary things if you do end up sleeping in Denver International Airport. Bring patience and know what you need to do before you go. If you have a critical deadline, give yourself some extra time in case weather or other problems change your itinerary. Like most things in life, cutting it too close can be asking for trouble if there is even a small glitch. Building margins into your life will open up options and reduce your stress. Just sit back, smile, take a deep breath and enjoy the adventure. Getting angry seldom works, so why bother? At the very least, don’t inflict your irritation on the rest of us. We’re trying to manage our own.
Don't let pre-Christmas frenzy overwhelm holiday magic
by Jan Quintrall, President/CEO, BBB jquintrall@spokane.bbb.org
for the Spokesman Review, 11/14/10
These days, you can almost count on seeing Christmas decorations and gift items for sale before Halloween, and that is just weird. I love the holiday season as much as anyone, but seeing Santa in October means many of us will be really sick of him by Dec. 25.
I still have the battle scars from wounds received as a young wife, daughter and mother trying to make the holidays special for everyone in my circle of influence. For many years I thought I had the power to create magic in people’s lives, and in turn made sure the season was full of disappointment and stress for everyone, especially myself. The ever-popular game of balancing visits to family and creating your own traditions just about always made someone mad, because they felt slighted or not quite as attended to as the other in-laws. Sound like your happy holidays?
Then toss in the demands of all the parties, workplace events, shopping, baking and gift exchanges and snowstorms, and it’s no wonder that the season can be short on wonder.
For buyers, planners and sellers, some tips to make the season bright:
• Set a budget and be sure to include incidentals like postage, wrapping and additional purchases at the grocery store. If you have a difficult time not using credit to make Christmas happen, next year figure out how much you need to set aside each month and do it. When December arrives, you have the cash on hand. Talk about a stress reliever.
• Shop smart and sell smart. When you see a sale, make sure it really is a sale. Every year we see popular gift items with sale tags attached that are really the same price tag from a month ago. Shop and compare, and know what you are buying. A smaller gift of higher quality is a lasting memory, not a throwaway that will be forgotten by 2011.
• Gift cards are a mixed blessing. Some recipients see them as a sign that you are too lazy or uninterested to care about what they like. Others would much rather make the product decision themselves. It boils down to knowing your audience. Just be sure you purchase gift certificates or cards from a merchant who will still be around in 2011.
• Shoppers, know a store’s return policy. Businesses, be sure you have it posted where everyone can see it. Each retailer sets their own policy, and they can vary greatly. When in doubt, ask. Also ask for a gift receipt — a proof of purchase that does not show the price of the item — as having one makes the return process so much easier.
• Learn to say no. To the kids who demand every item on their list, to the relatives who want more of your time than you have to give, to the excess food, alcohol and sweets that are everywhere, to the customer who demands that the world revolve around them, to the advertisers who promise happiness and serenity if you would just buy their products, to the phony charities who spring up each season, and to that little voice inside telling you to spend more, do more, ask more and ignore more so everyone can be happy.
• Retailers, if you’re advertising items, be sure you have enough of them in stock and that you have ready and trained staff to assist your customers. There is nothing more frustrating than unengaged, uneducated and uninterested staff when the store is busy.
• Buy local, to be sure, but if you do have to reach out online please check first and know whom you are dealing with and where they are located. There are so many rating and ranting services online that not having a real good idea of who you are spending money with is no longer an excuse. BBB Accredited Businesses will display the interactive BBB Torch Logo on their webpage, letting you know these are companies you can trust. Sites like Yelp! and Angie’s List offer feedback from other customers, and www.bbb.org will give you complaint and resolution information as well as a letter grade earned by each business for its marketplace conduct. Check before you send an unknown company your credit card number and save yourself a headache.
This year don’t let the frenzy take away the magic. The magic is still there, if you slow down and let it happen.