How Systems Thwart Service

January 22, 2010 · Comments

Southwest Airlines It’s totally my fault. I’ll start up front by admitting that. Southwest Airlines was kind enough to sponsor my flight to and from the Social Media Club Dallas event, and I’m grateful for that kindness. But it all got messed up in the end, oddly thwarted by not having the right piece of paper on hand when I got to the ticket counter.

The method is supposedly simple: if you receive a free voucher to fly as the guest of Southwest Airlines, they send you a paper ticket. You present this piece of paper to the ticket counter person when you check in, and then you receive a boarding pass.

I believe I have the ticket somewhere. It might even be in my suitcase. But it got a bit confusing to me, because I flew a different airline into Dallas, and so I thought everything was just kind of adjusted. (Assumption. See how I’m still showing you this is my fault?)

BUT (never forget that when someone says “but,” they’re kind of discounting everything that they just said. I try not to write sentences with “but” in them for this reason.

But, if the system knows I’m a guest of Southwest, if Southwest’s own social media star and I shared handshakes last night at an event in the heart of Southwest’s territory, then why was it so tricky to resolve this at the counter?

The detail in this, that somehow not having a piece of paper issued by a computer system was catastrophic to the actual service of moving me from one location to the next doesn’t add up to me. (And let me be clear: it was my fault. It was my fault. I didn’t have the piece of paper. I didn’t follow the rules they’ve set up, because I didn’t have the piece of paper.)

But if the system knows, if the fancy people know, why isn’t it just, “Welp, here’s a new ticket, sir. Get home safely to your son on his birthday! See you next trip!”

Instead, what’s in my head is this: “wow, I’m not smart enough to fly Southwest. If I lose a piece of paper, I’m out of the game. Hell, it took me two years to realize that if I checked in the night before, I’d get a better seat. Guess I’m just not the right guy for this airline, complementary flight or not.”

It’s okay. I’m not always thinking about the day-to-day things. Hell, I didn’t even know Southwest flew out of Love Field and not DFW, so I paid my cab driver $68.70 plus tip to correct that error.

But man. Just because of a paper ticket? Seems like a silly system if it gets in the way of service.

Oh, we complaining bloggers. We mess up the simple things. Hello from seat 10F.

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  • Hi Chris, this is an interesting blog post and highlights to me the challenge of dealing with organisational culture. It would appear that the front-line employees are not empowered to be able to deviate from set processes to deliver an exceptional customer experience (think Zappos.com) while there are others in the organisation who are willing to go out of their way to provide that excetional service.
    Change isn't easy and it can be difficult to change a well established organisational culture that isn't functioning as well as it could.
    I hope that Southwest Airlines can use this as an opportunity to look at what could be done to ensure that all passengers can receive a better customer experience should a similar situation arise again because they have a) changed their processes and b) empowered their front-line employees.
  • Chris,
    Just a follow up: Maybe it was the system the other night at Ruby Foos that discouraged your server, Jenna, from really trying to sell you that dessert? Maybe she had to type in Chocolate Molten Lava Cake, instead of just ask the Pastry Chef for two orders? It was easier to move on, than play by the system. Speaking from experience...I'm just sayin'.
  • Chris,
    I really agree on Systems Thwarting Service. I come from the hospitality industry (restaurant mgmt). It's simple...Take the order...cook the order...serve the order, right? If the system (computer, point of sale, cash register, whatever) didn't get in the way, it would be a simple world. I wish I could count the times...the kitchen printer jammed...the NO MAYO button didn't work...the STARCH DU JOUR was supposed to be Polenta not Mashed Potato, etc.You get the idea.
    Trying to keep it short- The worst is when you are able to sidestep all the challenges, satisfy the guest, only to have to tell them that your credit card terminal is down and YOU CAN'T TAKE THEIR MONEY...you are rebooting and it should only be a minute...and you are sorry that you are making them late for the show. This, of course, is after you have dazzled them with dinner and service only to send them away with the proverbial Bad Taste In Their Mouth. I don't miss it!
  • I freelance because I cant work in corporate environments. As a freelancer you very often get to flout the IT lock down for the reasons you listed above. In fact many is the time I have used my own private vpn and proxies to get around the dumb filters. Your post is spot on about what IT should be there to do. However it shouldn't be the assumption of all the departments that it is your job to be their data slave and work monkey as an excuse for not learning how to use the tools they want access to. We should be there to ensure the tools work and everyone can use them and then step out of the way.
  • I used to think that about sentences that had the word "but" in them...until a friend said to me, "I'm going to kill you, but pretend you didn't hear that." I cried I was laughing so hard. At any rate, while you shouldn't use them a lot, sometimes what comes before the "but" is just as important as what comes after it.
  • Hahaha that's awesome!

    If its okay with you, I'd like to put both the quote and the moral on
    my whiteboard--to be used whenever in whatever story it fits.
  • vera_sandarova
    At the end it was your fault Chris, remember those times when there were only paper tickets? See how quickly we got used to comfort of those e things that protect us from loss at all times? We never used to complain when we lost our paper ticket and paid the fee needed being responsible for this loss. Imagine if I got a free ticket, I would nurture it, take care of it and protect it just like my passport, as I doubt they would believe me it was me, even though, my photo, eye scan, and finger print is in the system. There are many things airlines need to deal with nowadays, and they are more important then a complaint of someone who got a free ticket and lost it!
  • Yeah, the whining angle has already been covered: http://disq.us/9jrvi

    Basically, I think you missed the point.

    And what's more important than fixing a broken system, and hurrying to
    do it for frequent fliers such as Chris?

    He's a smart guy and messed up. How many thousands of other fliers
    have messed up do you think? Especially since there are far more dumb
    people than smart ones, fixing the voucher program really should be
    their top priority!

    Think about it, Chris spoke up because he has a forum, but most
    frequent fliers probably just walk away, never to return.

    For any business, that cannot happen--if it can be helped, that is.
  • This is right on. Recently, we wanted to change the distribution of a magazine, but "couldn't" because the new way would mean our magazine didn't count toward the "non-daily" budget anymore.

    And that seems like a really stupid reason not to do something that's better for the magazine.

    Ei yi yi.
  • spinhead
    Wow. I think I'll write a post about airlines. Maybe I'll use the words 'airline' and 'guitar' in the same post.

    Understood entirely, by the way, that the post is about how a rigid system harshed on the niceness of the free. But, man, people sure love to hate airlines, huh?

    Just don't bash Aer Lingus . . .
  • wernsthink
    Sorry Chris I have to call you on this one

    Southwest gave you a free ticket and the only hoop you had to jump through is to remember to bring a piece of paper. OMG

    Bring out the sympathy vote by mentioning your kids birthday. Shameful

    I wonder how this post would fare to principle advocated in Trust Agents
  • Did you not have your enema today? Where did that vitriol come from?

    I'm sure you more than glanced at Chris's post, so I don't know why
    you're ignoring the 10+ times he says, "It was my fault." Heh, it's
    even a keyword!

    The point of this post was not to get justice, burn SWA, or complain
    in general. This was a good example of constructive critisism as there
    can be.

    SWA's free voucher system is "broken"--to use a Seth Godin term--and
    Chris is helping them fix it. In SWA replies to this post, we see they
    are already on it, if not fixed it by now.

    This post also helps a myriad of other companies too reexamine their
    business practices to find and fix the parts that are still "paper".

    As far as mentioning his son's bday, well, details make for good
    reading, (and of the many flights Chris takes in a year, of course it
    would be the time he's racing home for an important event that things
    get TARFU'd!)

    So wernsthink, reread the post, check yourself, or stick to blogs you
    can readily grasp--I think Seasame Street has one.
  • wernsthink
    Let me put this another way. 

    Put yourself in the shoes of SWA.  They had sponsored Chris' flight.  He turns arounds and publicizes a flaw in their operation.  I can quarantee you that while SWA may appreciate Chris' insight into their operations, they probable wish that he had expressed his concern in an email rather than a blog seen by his sizable audience. 

    Chris' blog seen to me to be a public whine, even with all of the "Its my fault".  The unsaid word was "but", which undermines "Its my fault", much like Mark McGuire's public apology.

    The point of the post was that Chris should know how his blog sounded to some people.  Chris's voice is too important to have it undermined by what appears as a self serving post.  I would hope that someone would do the same for me. 

    Apparently you have, so thanks.
  • “The point of the post was that Chris should know how his blog sounded to some people. Chris's voice is too important to have it undermined by what appears as a self serving post. I would hope that someone would do the same for me.

    Apparently you have, so thanks.”





    I have, and now I feel sheepish about it, (Seasame Street was below the belt, sorry).



    In any case, your point is much more clear. It would be a slap to give a free flight in exchange for a “bad” blog post. And yes, an email from Chris to his SWA pals would be a more genteel—and less public—way to handle things.



    However, if Chris didn’t do this post, no one would learn from SWA’s mistake. They wouldn’t look internally to see if there’s a “paper jam” (hahahaha) somewhere in their own processes and protocols. AND SWA wouldn’t have the chance to show the world how fast they can react to and fix a problem, let alone how they can improve themselves to be flexible and more adaptable despite their size.



    In fact, if all this had gone down behind the scenes through email, I hope someone clever at SWA would say, “Hey Chris, this would make a great blog post for you while making us look good at the same time!”



    Now that I think about it, maybe they did!



    (I’m KIDDING, Chris!)



    But as for a whine? I just don’t see it. This situation fits Chris’s blog perfectly and should have been shared whether it was his fault or not, whether it happened to him or not. I think he covers his culpability well while getting his point across.



    But aside from all that, Chris changed the policy and practices of one of the world’s largest airlines with just one post containing about 500 words…



    HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!
  • Hey Chris .. yes understand your frustration.You post something to a blog and your followers on twitter ,FB, Linkedin, Myspace etc know within a second of you posting what your up to, However ( a great substitute for "BUT" by the way !) a company promoting a Social Media event .. and flying you there doesn't know they invited you without a piece of paper, ....Not your fault mate, however I'm glad to see they are offering to compensate you for the misunderstanding.
  • It's just the way it is, Chris.
    Sometimes it seems a great burden to have common sense (which, by the way, isn't so common anymore). One would think that if the GOAL was to show value to a passenger, then the system for doing that might offer some built-in flexibility to ensure that this valued passenger isn't inconvenienced. Only sure way to combat this is to be sure WE don't drink the kool aid and act like processes are more important than people. Hope your son had a fun birthday!
  • jferry
    Must be nice to feel so important that an entire airline should operate for your convenience.

    Their system worked fine...you are the one who screwed it up. How long did it take them to resolve YOUR issue? Five minutes? 10 minutes? Should she have just taken your word for it and issued you a boarding pass in the interest of "customer service?'

    You got a free ticket. You made the plane. You made it home on time.

    Quit whining.
  • They didn't resolve the issue. I paid for the ticket.

    They didn't have to take my word for it. My info was in the system.

    Thanks just the same.
  • jferry
    From the tone of your reply (""Thanks just the same"), it seems as though you don't appreciate opposing points of view and don't take criticism -- the same thing you were dishing to SWA -- very well..
  • Hi Chris. I don't know if you read all your comments but I wanted to share some thoughts with you. You describe a choice I refer to as Customer Cost or Care?

    That one corporate decision pretty much informs everything about the level quality of service. Are you actually trying to provide care? or are you doing the show of customer service/support at the lowest possible cost?

    Once the cost/care decision is made there are three areas of investment to be decided in your service organization:

    1. Motivation
    2. Systems (what your piece is about)
    3. Authorization and training.

    Southwest, by strategy is in the low cost business. Motivation, training, and authority of the gate agent to solve your problem are simply not an investment southwest is willing to make to be THE low cost airline.

    My experience was on United where they lost my bag and I was home from my trip before the bag was delivered. During the search, they lied repeatedly about what ws being done. At one point in the process they said they needed to send someone a telex! perhaps a pigeon would have done as well....

    If you are interested I wrote on article on Cost or Care you can find here: http://www.azzarellogroup.com/blog/2009/5/8/cus...

    all the best,

    Patty
  • I do read all the comments, and thank you. I appreciate the information, and I agree with you on your perspective. Great post, by the way. I hope other folks check it out.
  • Thanks, Chris.

    I really like what you are doing to help companies use social media to provide genuine service, and your whole approach of building trust. There is not enough trust building on purpose in business.

    I would love to interview you someday on one of my webinars!

    all the best,
    Patty
  • julieannejones
    I love Southwest but (there's that word) I do agree with you. I fly a lot and I've seen it happen so many times that "the way we do things here" isn't going to solve the customer's (remember us - the reason you're in business?) problem. And the person behind the counter can't (or won't) get into solution -focused thinking because that's not their policy. Period.

    In my company, we have strong systems because that's important. And those systems go on hold if we have a customer who's not happy and needs a different solution. My number one goal in that case is to make sure that person walks away from their encounter with my company feeling valued, happy, and that they matter to us more than anything else.

    As you've proven with this post, Chris, which was read by how many thousands of people, one unhappy customer (particularly in today's lightning fast information age) can completely screw your reputation. Nothing's worth that to me. And one truly valued customer (and I've read those kinds of posts from you too) can shout your praises from every virtual rooftop. I'll take the latter, thanks, even if it costs me some refund money up front.
  • philsimonsystems
    Good stuff, Chris.

    Two things. Don't even get me started with similar issues recently with my cable and phone companies.

    Second, on a more serious note, I am a big believer that many organizations' systems are holding them back, "but" the problem is deeper. Management's commitment (or lack thereof) to customer service is the underlying cause. Someone up in the corner office doesn't quite recognize the need to make things easier.

    Disclaimer: I know a thing or two about airlines' systems. They are very complicated beasts. Let's just leave it at that.

    @philsimon
  • I know just how you feel! I've been going through the same kind of thing with Microsoft. I'm supposed to be a "partner." They change their program, send me disks, I call Support. They guy faxes me license #s. I ask if they work the same way as before, he says "yes." I install the software on all my computers. Oops! Only license for 1 on that particular package. The general public would pay $29 difference had they upgraded from my original software to the Ultimate version rather than Pro, but MS insists that a "partner" pay them $219 to upgrade one computer. I'm sure most people reading this blog have had similar experiences with big business. All of this leaves customers wondering where real people with brains and common sense have gone. It seems to me that ridiculous inefficiency, and mind-numbing lack of ability to act, have become the hallmark of "big" business. Some are just a tad better than others but they are all pretty awful. I am sad to hear SW has joined this class.
  • I think you experienced the flux of a specific company transitioning from one kind of communication to many others. Also figured in is the human element, which of course, is an inconsistent variable.

    In a personal anecdote, it reminds me of my ex-husband: A brilliant man who didn't open his mail for weeks, regardless of whether he was traveling or not. For him, paper in that form and for that purpose, did not register above the radar. You may as well have sent a Cro-Magnon man to our door, carrying a slab of granite & a chisel.

    You live, breathe and operate in ether, Chris. Southwest (among many other companies) is making the Queen Mary shift to the ether as well, but it's just taking them awhile.

    The great takeaway from all this is that thousands, if not millions, of people get to learn a lesson through your experience. The beauty of social media is the symbiotic transfer of knowledge from individual to business. Further, it's an opportunity for companies to speak to people where they are, and in the manner in which they wish to be spoken.

    I'm sorry you had to experience such a stressful event on what you'd probably hoped to be a fun day of celebration.

    Thanks again for being the frontman. Great post! Best, M.
  • Very interesting. I really like your thoughts on this, as I hadn't given it thought in that direction. I appreciate your take. : )
  • I fly a lot, and I can completely understand your mistake. Hey, I once forgot my layover was overnight in London... had to get an emergency hotel room. I'm also happy that Southwest reached out to you. I like flying on them, and if they hadn't reacted appropriately to this blog, I would be very sad.
  • bkjrecruiter
    Chris- This is a very interesting post....When you are traveling/touristing in Mexico, the "piece of paper" is like currency, you lose it, you dont go on the excursion, check into your hotel etc. That is not to say some places are up to speed, but...:)

    It amazes me how much SWE pays to to enter our sub-conscious mind (advertising/marketing) and they can't get your free ticket correct... bummed for you...

    I have a better idea... Travel very little for BIZ (if at all) and spend your time serving your Faith, Family and Friends, which is the space the truly matters... (just my view)

    Best, Brian-
  • davelutz
    Wow, you're giving me flash backs of my trip to/from Dallas last week. My misfortunes weren't due to process, but rather equipment or infrastructure failure. On the way to DFW, Cleveland airport closed because of a power outage. My airline delayed and eventually canceled my flight. Best they could do was fly me out 20 hours after originally scheduled even though I was going to their hub. They had other flights, just no seat for me. Had to buy another ticket to make it to my meeting on time.


    On the way back home, they delayed and then canceled my flight due to mechanical reasons. Again, the best they could do was get me on a flight 20 hours later. They had other flights, just no seats for me. In my case Southwest came to the rescue. I had to take a $45 cab to Love field, but did end up getting home16 hours after the journey began. I missed my nephews 6th bday party and am out about $550 plus a shit load of wasted time.

    The one thing I will say about Southwest, is that they are more reliable than the other major carriers. I'll take the paper process, just get me there.
  • Wow Dave! That's hell. That's utter hell. And yes, I think Southwest is a really good airline. I'm not upset with the organization, and I feel they execute well. I'm mostly just pointing out this one little silly detail. Truly, Southwest is a great org and is doing well against carriers who did that to you.
  • Great post, Chris. I don't fly much, so each time I go to the airport it's a new adventure. I'm usually worried that my carry-on will fit somewhere and I'm always trying to figure out how to get my shoes off and my stuff put through the x-ray machine. With all that distraction it's easy to forget about something like a paper ticket and heaven help you a passport. Thanks for sharing your grief. I'll be holding on to my ticket for dear life next time :-)
  • musingsofahousewife
    I appreciate that you made the point (over and over, lol) that you didn't have the ticket, but your point is a valid one, and it happens ALL THE TIME. I am so tired of systems getting in the way of good service. I know there have to be systems in place for things to run smoothly, and I know that if the systems aren't followed, things will ultimately not run smoothly. But all too often the people putting the systems into place aren't able to make an intelligent judgment call and know when to break protocol and when not to. And it most certainly gets in the way of good service and hurts a company's reputation.

    As an aside, I find flying Southwest to be highly aggravating, although I know many people love it. The convoluted way they line you up to board makes me crazy.
  • Me too, but I'm thinking it's just us. : )
  • clarabela
    I am sorry to hear you had so much drama on your return trip home. Airlines seem determined to make it impossible to have a pleasant traveling experience. And I can't believe the cabbie didn't ask you what airline you were flying. Those cab at The Fairmont do nothing but airport runs all day long.

    I hope this doesn't sour you on returning to Dallas.
  • Jeana Lawrence
    Odd. I can't decide how I feel about this ...

    On one hand, Southwest did give you complimentary tickets. If they are free, then how can one complain about the system?

    On the other hand, the paper-based system is old and antiquated. It was difficult to navigate it without one simple voucher.

    You write that it is your fault, but it still comes across as one big it's not my fault.

    Doesn't really sound like you.
  • I might have been a bit frustrated, given that this almost ruined my getting to see my son on his 4th birthday. That might be where some of the confusion lies.

    However, it was my fault. I stated it many times. What I feel should be different, however, is that I think the system is a bit silly and that the potential to fix it and alleviate the frustration I caused myself is an easy fix. Does that make sense?

    I'm not upset for me. I'm pointing out that this is (or at least seems like) a really simple customer service fix.
  • billgarber
    The smarter one is, the more likely a system will bite one. Take it as a complement. (I know, that is hard to do under the circumstances!)

    Even SWA apparently believes this guest ticket process is lame. And no doubt they want to replace it. And as the only airline to show profits 37 years in a row, I'll bet they will figure this out if it is going to make it more likely that they will make that 38 years in a row.

    May I offer my favorite airline a suggestion ... Since I can buy a ticket for a friend, by simply posing as them, using their name and email address and my credit card, my guess is that SWA starting tomorrow can/will resolve this craziness by simply asking a guest flyer to email them the necessary information, and then hand enter your name and email info into their website and buy you a ticket that will arrive like every other SWA ticket buyer's, right there in your email box ... just like mine arrives.

    As for guest flyers needing to check in, the SWA guest ticket buyer will have your confirmation number, and can set their outlook calendar to ding them to check you in, so it doesn't matter if you check in or not. I check flying family members in all the time--when I remember :(

    Oh, and because their guest flyers will likely be new to SWA, the gift giving employee will email you a reminder as to the specific airport where your ticket is valid.

    Now about you, for as much as you travel, man, you should be flying SWA all the time! You are definitely overpaying with those other guys and are missing some good humor along the way, to say nothing about more convenient airports just about everywhere.

    Think about it ... no charge for the first two checked bags, no charge to change your ticket, and lots of direct flights.

    And next time some airline offers a free ticket, just tell them, 'Actually, I'd like to buy my own and send you the copy of the ticket receipt and you can send me a check to cover my cost. Free tickets are a headache!' That's what I do at Sam's Club when they offer to scan my cart with the hand scanner while I'm in line--that process has uniformly failed to get it right for me, which really slows things up at the door! And when it comes to systems, Wal-Mart checkout is pretty darn legendary, or ought to be!

    Well, you have made the most of a bad situation to our communal pleasure ... good luck the next time you fly.
  • Sdjensen
    This was so funny--should have had you mom run it over to you--as an admin she probably knows where everything is! Have a good trip, Chris.
  • Oh believe me, my mom is much smarter than me. : )
  • Had a similar experience over Christmas with a "ticket" but this one was for a honey-baked ham... It's T minus 24 hrs til Christmas dinner - I zip into shop without my confirmation email (my fault - should have read fine print)... zip back home to get it, return with "ticket" 30 minutes later, wait another 20 minutes on line, only to be told they're out of hams. Felt like I was living a Seinfeld episode - why bother with the online reservation in the first place?

    Rules are important - they drive efficiencies and cost savings - but we gotta get better at coming up with Plan B options to rescue the transaction and restore customer satisfaction. So much time, effort, and dollars to win a new customer - it's a shame if we lose 'em in the final lap due to a technical fumble.

    Hope you're eating birthday cake and having fun with your son!
  • To me it's endemic of the challenge faced by communications technologies; as much as the cost of the transaction of communicating has been reduced, we've seen a corresponding increase in the number of technologies to communicate through...email, microblogs, mobiles, phone systems...

    The challenge for SouthWest is the same challenge faced by other large organizations - how do you create a system-wide set of communications protocols to ensure smooth communications, prioritization and the ability to connect with whom you need to connect when needed?

    Glad you got sorted. Glad you made your son's B-day.
  • Hey, they flew you to your destination in a big metal coffin with a rocket at the end and you arrived safely. Okay, it cost a few bucks. Buddy Holly wasn't so lucky.
  • In defense of Southwest - they are the best airline out there right now. I haven't flown any other airline in...at least 4 years, maybe 5. So, way to suck less than everyone else! Bags fly free! Yay Ding! fares! That's my little pitch :)
  • Ouch. I guess sometimes kindness can expose a lot of your weaknesses - as witnessed in this situation.
  • Yikes! What a long day... I saw Christi's comment and, as usual, SW has the best customer service ever - responding right away and trying to make it right. Even if they are working with a few antiqued practices, it's still my favorite airline. Check out the YouTube video I did on your visit: http://bit.ly/83XIQW Lighting stinks but it's amusing. Zane and Brian have cameos. Hope you ended up home safe and sound.
  • denisefernandez
    We'll be working over the weekend to launch the "Brogan button" on TripCase. It will automatically detect a less-than-knowledgeable cab driver and immediately alert you to avoid paying for an airport joy ride :)
    So sorry for your am troubles, but happy you'll be home soon to enjoy your son's birthday celebration.
    @denisefernandez @tripcase
  • If TripCase could make my traveling idiot-proof, I'd love it. But I'm quite the idiot. : )
  • Chris,
    Got your update on my RSS reader and the Google Ad that got plugged in was for Alaska Air. Gotta love contextual advertising. #ironic

    Happy birthday to your son - and I'm glad you got home safe.
  • I'm with the airline on this one,
    Without the paper ticket what's to stop me or anyone else from saying "I'm Chris Brogan and I have a free ticket" and then say "Sorry I forgot the ticket. Just check on your computer."

    Paperless systems are good but not perfect in every situation.

    And not everyone knows who famous bloggers are or what they look like..
  • ellagantz
    The question is this -- was the counter agent nice? I would much rather deal with an earnest ticket agent who may be befuddled but is trying to make it right than an intractable corporate cog who never embraces his our her own authority on behalf of customers. Attitude is everything. Really. Southwest is usually pretty good at the former. Great to see ya in Dallas!
  • She wasn't especially helpful. She was limited to her script, so to speak. So, it wasn't that she wasn't nice, but she wasn't effective.
  • ellagantz
    So, the question is this, Chris -- was the ticket counter agent nice? Attitude is everything, and in the realm of customer service, I would much rather deal with an earnest agent who is honestly befuddled and trying his or her best to make it right -- than some hard-nosed creep who is holding the corporate line. Southwest is usually pretty good at the former. Great having you in Big D!
  • sylviaseabolt
    Chris,

    I feel as if I was right there with you through this whole ordel...oh wait, I was. But, you situation taught me a few things. First of all, that cab fair was ridiculous for the distance between the 2 airports. Secondly, I have lived in Dallas my entire life and have been on more that 100 Southwest flights. In fact, I have 3 trips booked right now for the next month. I am astonished that Southwest even responded to your tweet. And, it kind of ticks me off. I have send messages to them, RT their posts and I get nothing. I guess you have to be someone to get a response from Southwest? And lastly, come on...a free flight and you have to have a piece of paper? If there are apps that store your store reward/loyalty cards, why not an app for your ticket? Just this week on the local news they reported that Southwest had record profits again. I am nothing more than a paying customer, but couldn't they use some of those profits to get with the 21st Century?
  • christiday
    Hey Sylvia -

    You don't have to "be someone" to get a response from Southwest. Check our stream, I respond to strangers all the time! Sorry if I haven't reached out to you directly, or if I made you feel like you don't matter. You, and every Southwest Customer, means the world to me. My cell phone number is above in my response to Chris - if I can ever do anything for you please call, tweet, email, Facebook, etc.

    I appreciate your honesty and your loyalty to Southwest,

    Christi Day
  • Wow, the fact that you are giving out your cell phone number is amazing (and crazy) in a good way. One more reason to love SWA!
  • Systems don't thwart service. Rigid, inflexible systems thwart service.

    Systems streamline service when everything goes as planned.

    A system that allows for some flex (with employees who are empowered) allows you to accommodate for the ifs and buts...especially when that but(t) is Chris Brogan.
  • susanbaze
    WOW...as a person weho has recieved complimentary tickets from Southwest...and remembered my ticket (Which was explained dutifly to me) and in a time of Terroristic activities I had absolutley NO problem with the travel OR with ticketing issue.
    Oh and the money you spent on the taxi would have been spent on BAGS at another airlines...
    Somehow you confused me, you KNOW it was your fault and apparetly you are making it back in time why do you feel a need to your complain?
  • My point wasn't to complain about what was free. I feel like you didn't read the post.

    My point was that their kindness was thwarted by systems that didn't make it easy to handle errors.
  • ...
  • Chris, I feel as though I've been in that type of situation a million times before. I've come to expect it. It just seems to happen a lot more frequently with the big box brands and a lot less and frequently with the the mom and pops. Frankly, I just go in expecting this kind of situation, knowing that it is in fact harder for large companies to be agile with respect to customer service. Sorry but I'm just speaking from personal experience (which does actually include good experiences with Southwest, by the way).
    Here's an example of what I like: Associated Sales & Leasing in Marshfield, Wisconsin: I will go there any day of the week to rent a car instead of _____, even if they are a bit pricier (which surprisingly they are not) because I'm treated like a human being not a human doing. I feel as if they are trying to understand me rather than expecting me to understand them. Big difference.
    By the way: Next time, use Amtrak. Rail is (ok, i admit, i'm just hoping, i realize it is probably not:) the transport of the future for the US. Slower, yes, pricier now, yes, but a lot calmer. :)
  • if i told you.. why i will NEVER fly southwest again... well.. let's just say.. they forgot.. that the bags aren't the important cargo.. people are..

    and with the dallas peeps u know.. Zane, Brian Clark.. etc.. you shouldn't be taking a cab, ever..

    glad u got on the plane..

    looking forward to reading your book.. =)
  • Chris!

    Your stint in Dallas should have been fully "hosted." If I had known you were on your own for the ride to the airport, I would have happily stepped up. I'm pretty sure a lot of people here would have. That's just how it should be.

    Not that it would not have alleviated the very frustrating "paperticketgate", I guess...but the domino effect of circumstance FAIL would have been slightly less painful...Not to mention the additional time you "might" have had to hassle w/ the ticket if you had just not embarked on an extended tour of the DFW metroplex Airports.

    I'm not even sure if I have a point..hahahaha...Well except for - YOUR peeps - We, YOUR peeps would have been happy to take care of you. I, for one, am very sorry that I missed out on the opportunity to help you simply because I DIDN'T ASK if I could help you. I also ASSUMED.

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAROLD!
  • Chris, I apologize for you heading to the wrong airport. I take full responsibility for it. When I offered to take you to the airport in the morning and you said you were ok with taking a cab, I just assumed the cab driver would ask you what airlines and take you to the right place. I should have insisted. It really wasn't a big deal. So sorry Chris.

    As for the ticket, I'm so grateful for Southwest for helping us out, but did have my concerns that I couldn't see anything validating the reservation online. That's why I had Nancy chat with your team.

    Next time I'm taking you to the airport and we'll ensure we get you checked in. Until next time.

    Mike
  • Not your fault. I just didn't know. You definitely offered and you were a great host the whole way through. My bad.
  • There's a saying: Everything before the word "but" is bullshit.
  • Chris, as I was reading I was reminded of a memorable scene in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles involving Steve Martin.

    I am glad you made it. Sometimes simple (a piece of paper) is too complex I guess.
  • Hey Chris,

    You're right that systems should never override customer service and it's great to read this an area Southwest is already working to change.

    However, for your readers, it might be worthwhile to mention that customers don't have to accept the system either. A call to your contact would have likely cleared everything up. Employees at many different companies don't often feel empowered to make such decisions on their own. Perhaps that was the real challenge in this case.

    All my best,
    Rich
  • katybeth
    My mom often says-- "i did not say it was your fault, I said I was going to blame you." If you really are like most of us, and were not sitting in 10F and did not make it home for your son's birthday you might have said it was your fault but you would have blamed Southwest for the taste in your mouth.

    Customers first. Its wonderful that Southwest "fixed it for you." But would they "fix" it for me?

    I'm glad you shared the rest of the story "I am on the plane, everything is going to turn out ok." Like @ amandamagee, I felt a certain investment in the story!

    Travel well,
    Katybeth
  • Really is kind of amazing how painful and difficult flying is. A paper ticket. I especially love how "e-ticket" is really shorthand for get-the-pieces-of-paper-at-the-airport-instead.

    But, as long as the airlines think it's acceptable to use the TSA as an excuse to provide terrible service instead of an opportunity to be better than the other guy, flying will be awful.
  • I know these things happen, and companies can always be better. And I know you went out of your way to say good things about Southwest. I'll just add that living in Phoenix, and traveling two to four times a month, I'll move heaven and earth to fly Southwest whenever I can. Hands down it's my favorite airline, especially now that I've been trained in the ways of Southwest. Have a good weekend with your son!
  • The beauty of it is that all your Boy will know is that Daddy is home.:) Safe travels.

    I fumbled an Amtrak ticket the other week and stood by the line, preparing to miss my train as I went through 8 pockets. All I could think is, "PAPER??? Seriously, Paper?"

    Good to hear Swest Air is working on it- now, Amtrak, whaddya say?:)
  • Hmh. A piece of paper. I am guessing that unintentionally they are affording their "guests" a little extra nuisance value that is not afforded to those who purchase tickets as they can print their boarding pass at check-in. One would think it would be the other way around. In the end the important part is that you are getting home for your son's birthday as little kid birthdays are the best! Happy Birthday to your son, another year old and new things to learn.
  • lucythorpe
    I really want to hear more about use of the word BUT. I write it all the time !
  • I really dislike flying... Not the act of flying... But the whole circus around it... Hopefully you can get a couple of cocktails and relax for the rest of the flight...
  • Sorry for the hassles bro... that sucks being thwarted by a piece of paper (and they obviously didn't know who they were dealing with expecting you to show up with a piece of paper ;-)

    As for the whole Love Field / DFW thing, Dallas folk will have to smile about that. That's such a much bigger issue than you know (google "Wright Amendment" - it's a crazy story).

    But in the meantime, anyone going to the airport in Dallas should tell the cab driver you're flying Southwest, so he can explain to you why you don't want to go to DFW. ;-)
  • Chris, This is a gracious and "kingly" response.

    I find myself torn at your predicament. On the one hand, I want to agree that this would be easy to fix by getting the counter agent to look into their system and find some kind of special notation by your name. It should work that way. On the other hand, I understand that strict security airline measures and process-people-through-quickly-and-profitably will make that kind of unique per-person service extremely challenging. (Not saying it can't be done, just thinking about both sides of the coin).

    Glad to see you're posting from 10F; presumably that's a good thing!
  • It's both great and challenging with Southwest. It's set up a very definitive system designed around its efficiency. It's made modifications to expand its target customer, but it very much manages customer behavior to its advantage, with the typical benefit of frequent, on-time flights at a reasonable cost. It does mean though that piece of paper's really important, unfortunately.
  • This is a good way to communicate critisism, keeping it polite, not blaming, but clearly marking a point. No surprise Southwestair already replied to the threat - also in a very positive way.
  • Chris,

    Hope you finally made it home safely and as a former road warrior I couldn't agree more than systems like that need to be simplified for the revenue savings they could bring a company via the back end improvement in customer service (ahem, hat tip to you who mentioned that very point at #smcdallas last night with @southwestair people in attendance) but also for the simple savings of automating the process.

    I realize that in business that the internal workings of a company sometimes making getting such things done more difficult than it seems to us consumers but given how much SWA apparently loves my bags, I would expect them not to overlook a potential customer service snafu like that every time someone needs a piece of paper to fly. (I mean really? Paper?)

    Besides, how much does it cost to issue a paper ticket and keep track of all of that garbage?
  • As a pilot for another airline, so sorry for the travel mishap. It is hard to believe that in the era of e-tickets that such an outdated system would be in place! Especially for their special guests. Not fun, and someone along the way should have mentioned that DFW is not where you need to go when you fly SWA into Dallas. Unfortunately, the industry is such that the employees at the gates are really more like checkout clerks. Their responsibilities lie with on-time departures.

    Perhaps a SWA "Guest Card" like the SBUX card should be implemented. It is easy to store in a wallet or purse. If anyone can find a solution, it's you!

    p.s. Have a wonderful weekend and know that I am a big fan of SWA!
  • A card would be good, but isn't that a plastic piece of paper, but one you ALWAYS have to carry in the already overstuffed wallet?

    Why not have a mini-keyboard at the counter for us to sign into our airline account? Or better yet, a mini-laptop--for those of us who have to click the "forgot my password" link. Then all we'd have to carry is our ID.

    That way, all that flight info past and present--and future--lands in a place with context.

    "I see you've flown a lot with us, Mr Brogan, and here is your flight voucher. Oh, and several of our airline execs have said nice things on your profile. And looks like the SWA tweet-search column has found many of your nice tweets about us, thank you!"

    And why not get all that good bonding with the SWA execs in front of the low level employee? Then he's no longer just a customer, he's a known friend.
  • I was following your travails on Twitter and was also surprised a simple piece of paper could derail your flight, in this day and age.

    Wasn't there a way to present a boarding pass via your smartphone or the like?

    (by the way, it should be complimentary*)
  • christiday
    Hey Chris -

    Sorry for the mishap today. Honestly, I could've driven a ticket over to Love Field or even swung by DFW...(it's on my way to work) to pick you up and get you to the right gate. Trust me, we know paper tickets are a thing of the past. Our technology/online team is furiously working to change that, to make 100% of our ticket paperless.

    In the future, feel free to call me (817) 808-5321 - like I said in my tweet to you this morning, we can refund the ticket you purchased to get home today.

    Christi Day
    @Southwestair
  • Thanks for the kindness, Christi, and as I said, it's my mistake. But think about what you just said, too. DRIVE A TICKET OVER? Yipes.

    Your outreach is commendable. I really appreciate YOU. I realize this is a system change. In essence, I'm highlighting it and/or underscoring it, and/or wondering how it was ever the right way to do things (paper-only) since the world started trying to be paperless from the 1990s forward.

    Again, not mad. Really really really aware that it was my fault. Just pointing to a system thing.
  • Airlines are there to make other industries look good. Haven't flown with any airline that didn't try hard to ruin the experience. Glad you managed to get on board.
  • Ok, I find myself as oddly invested in this story as I used to with Casey Kasem's long distance dedications. Does "Seat 10F" mean you are on your way home? On Southwest? Heading to your birthday boy? If so, after all the worry, seems kind of exciting and knight on white horse(ish).

    Good luck!
  • I'm on the plane. Everything's going to turn out okay. : )
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