Customer Service and Domestic airlines
Customer Service is the biggest buzz word, the key differentiator in commoditized service business. It is the most profound thing to preach, so profound that it can only be discussed at board level. But the practice is sporadic , and very reluctantly done. The more money you pay, the more premium the service is supposed to be, the more reputed the brand is; the customer service is the casuality.
For example take the domestic airline services in the country. Is there any real difference in the experience ,if you travel by Air India, Jet or King Fisher. Though Air India get a lot of flak, the truth is that there is nothing much to differentiate at least while you are flying.
Take an aspect of customer service, how friendly are the cabin crew. Granted if you fly in Air India, you get nostalgic ; suddenly you are reminded of your school days. The hostesses strikingly resemble and act like those old School Misses or rather Ma'am. ( Still I do not know why lady teachers are called Miss ). They rarely smile at you. The words are polite, neither politeness nor warmth is reflected in either in the expression or the voice. You do not feel 'Good morning' It is the like the Ma'am wishing you Good morning and pasusing for the chorus of Good Mornings in return and then springing the surprise test on you. But in a way I am not disappointed, invariably the service remain a constant. The lady thrust the tray at you, rushes through the announcements, impassively go through the safety demo and the captain as usual mumbles something which no body understands.
Still I Like Air India, I know what to expect , at least they do not scream about customer service. They do not promise any thing , and they do not deliver either. But they fly you from otherwise inaccessible, remotest locations even with one passenger on board. They are the underdogs, but with out them, many of the sectors would not have connectivity and at least some of the airports may not have had even a single flight.
But look at the so called customer friendly private airline, is the story any different?
To continue..........................
For example take the domestic airline services in the country. Is there any real difference in the experience ,if you travel by Air India, Jet or King Fisher. Though Air India get a lot of flak, the truth is that there is nothing much to differentiate at least while you are flying.
Take an aspect of customer service, how friendly are the cabin crew. Granted if you fly in Air India, you get nostalgic ; suddenly you are reminded of your school days. The hostesses strikingly resemble and act like those old School Misses or rather Ma'am. ( Still I do not know why lady teachers are called Miss ). They rarely smile at you. The words are polite, neither politeness nor warmth is reflected in either in the expression or the voice. You do not feel 'Good morning' It is the like the Ma'am wishing you Good morning and pasusing for the chorus of Good Mornings in return and then springing the surprise test on you. But in a way I am not disappointed, invariably the service remain a constant. The lady thrust the tray at you, rushes through the announcements, impassively go through the safety demo and the captain as usual mumbles something which no body understands.
Still I Like Air India, I know what to expect , at least they do not scream about customer service. They do not promise any thing , and they do not deliver either. But they fly you from otherwise inaccessible, remotest locations even with one passenger on board. They are the underdogs, but with out them, many of the sectors would not have connectivity and at least some of the airports may not have had even a single flight.
But look at the so called customer friendly private airline, is the story any different?
To continue..........................
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