Good Customer Service Through Empowering Staff
Great read!! via E V E R Y T H I N G on Facebook. I am not sure if it is true or fact but I think it is a great illustration of appropriate customer handling.
I love that this employee was empowered enough to handle a tough situation.
Having 4 visits at international airports last week, I saw some great examples of this type of behaviour.
Retailers and business owners take note! Empowering your staff and ensuring the company culture is embodied in all behaviour will pay you in spades!
“It happened at a New York Airport. This is hilarious. I
wish I had the guts of this girl. An award should go to the United
Airlines gate agent in New York for being smart and funny, while
making her point, when confronted with a passenger who probably
deserved to fly as cargo. For all of you out there who have had to
deal with an irate customer, this one is for you.
A crowded United Airlines flight was cancelled. A
single agent was re-booking a long line of inconvenienced travellers.
Suddenly, an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket on the counter and said, “I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS.”
The agent replied, “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll be happy to try
to help you, but I’ve got to help these folks first; and then I’m
sure we’ll be able to work something out.”
The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that
the passengers behind him could hear, “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?”
Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her
public address microphone. “May I have your attention, please?”, she began, her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. “We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him with his identity, please come to Gate 14”.
With the folks behind him in line laughing hysterically,
the man glared at the United Airlines agent, gritted his teeth, and said, “F*** You!”
Without flinching, she smiled and said, “I’m sorry sir,
you’ll have to get in line for that, too.” “