I was sitting in Chicago’s O’Hare International airport waiting for the last leg of a long trip back to Lansing recently, when the screen suddenly flashed a delay of 15 minutes.  The announcement said that they were waiting for a flight attendant. I should have realized that was just the beginning.

When the flight was cancelled, there was a big rush down the hall to customer service for rebooking; but it was a holiday weekend and most of the flights were already overbooked. I had not planned on spending the night in Chicago, but it looked like that was where I was headed. Unfortunately, it was only 6:00 p.m. and there wasn’t an available flight until 1:15 p.m. the next day.

I was frustrated, but that was minor compared to some of the other customers in line:

“This is ridiculous; when I book a flight, the airline is agreeing to a contract, and now they are breaking that contract. I bet that flight attendant is on another flight now. They should just find someone to work; cancelling the flight is absurd.”

I have a tendency to look at both sides, and I understand that the airlines can’t always afford to have extra flight attendants sitting around waiting for problems to occur. So what do you do when you can’t give the customers what they really want?

Well, actually they did give me what I needed. I needed a place to spend the night, food to eat and a safe flight home as soon as it was available. Since the problem was the fault of the airlines and not Mother Nature, they accepted the responsibility. Customer service rebooked me on the 1:15 p.m. flight the next day, gave me a voucher for a room at the Crown Plaza hotel nearby and a $15 voucher for meals. So what that $15 doesn’t go very far in Chicago—I didn’t starve!

I was disappointed in not getting home until the following day, but all my basic needs were met.  I know I was more fortunate than others on cancelled flights. I didn’t miss a wedding, or lose a business deal.  For me it was just an inconvenience.

As customers, we all hate the tight seating, high-cost ticket prices, limited availability and fees for checking luggage. If there is a lower priced airline in your area, then you might be able to “fire the company” and go with another vendor. But for many of us, those choices are limited, and we end up going back to the same airline that frustrated us the last time we flew. Besides, even though I don’t like the high prices, I also understand the increased fuel costs and the need for the airlines to make a profit if they want to stay in business.

The airline industry is not the only business segment that is struggling these days. So what can you do as a business to help your customers when you can’t give them what they want? Anyone who has been trained in handling dissatisfied customers could make a long list I am sure.  But for me there are four things that stand out for all businesses—not just the airline industry:

• Be prepared—have a plan in place. Cancelled flights will occur; wrong products will be shipped; a steak at a restaurant will be served overcooked.

• Listen, listen, listen. The unhappy customers may have similar stories, but you need to be willing to genuinely listen to what each customer’s concerns are.

• Apologize for what has occurred. The cancelled flight, the incorrect order, the overcooked steak may not be your fault personally, but apologize that the customer did not get what he or she wanted.

• Whenever possible give them what they need, and something extra to delight. The voucher for the hotel, the correct product shipped via express or a free dessert with a steak cooked as desired—all these things help the customer cope with disappointment, and hopefully be willing to try your business again in the future.

		Adrian Bass is a quality consultant and lifelong learner, who believes that learning is a prerequisite for quality improvement.  She is a board member and volunteer for Capital Quality and Innovation (CQI).