“Customer is the king”, “Exceeding the expectations raised will result in customer experiencing delight”, “The company and its people exist for the customer” “we are not doing any favor to the customer by serving him rather he is doing us a favor by allowing us to serve him”. These adages are taught to us and we continue teaching them to all the sundry. But these in many cases remain only platitudes that we platter without meaning any of them. Sample the following experiences that I had in the recent past of shoddy service that could have been better.
GO Airlines: The day was Udagi the telugu new year day. I was flying from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad by GO airlines. The banner at the airport was wishing the Marathi’s Gudi Padwa (the Marathi New Year). There was no mention of the telugu new year especially as the flight was from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad (Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh and telugu is the official language of the state).
The next element of bad service took the cake. My luggage was overweight by 500 grams. I was not carrying any hand luggage. The ticket checker promptly told me to pay Rs 100/- as excess luggage. I have travelled all over the world and this came as a shocker. I protested to no avail. I was curtly told that I had to pay up. I asked for the supervisor. The supervisor told me on no certain terms that the airline would lose money if concessions were made. I paid the excess luggage (just to keep the record straight I gave feedback in the Go airlines compliant register and to date I have not received any response).
The next put-off is the behavior of the air-hostesses in the plane itself. They treat the customers (customers is a bad word the airlines calls them guests) like dirt. I shudder to think if this is the way they treat the visitors at their home, better not to go to their homes. They condescendingly might give you 100 ml of water but only for the first time. Ask water for the second time and they would serve you but with a look of “why can’t you buy water you cheapoo?” What I fail to understand is why the airline can’t serve a rudimentary snack of one samosa, two cookies, tea or coffee and water. I am sure this simple meal would not cost a bomb and bleed the airline companies to death!
KFC, New Delhi International Airport: Yesterday I was taking a flight from New Delhi to Hyderabad, Feeling hungry I went to the KFC counter and asked for 3 chicken wings costing Rs 49/-. I was billed Rs 60/-. This included VAT of Rs 6/- and a so called voluntary contribution of Rs 5/- to some social cause that KFC was supporting. what is voluntary about the contribution when the amount is added automatically to the bill and the customer has no say or option to accept or refuse the same?. Disappointing way to be socially responsible KFC!
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