We’ve all dissed airlines for losing our luggage. We’ve never marvelled at HOW they find it.
Here’s my story of how Jet Airways found (and returned) my bag – a bag that they had not even lost. When you lose your bag on an overnight trip, the first thing you get is separation anxiety from your travel toothbrush. It did hit me hard this time. However it is a longish story and the link is here if you want to amuse yourself a bit. (http://bit.ly/1Nvll0v)
But to give you a Twitter version, my bag was lost in a parking lot and simply because it had a Jet Airways tag on it, they made a special effort to return it to me. I’ve been talking of what most brands do wrong. Let me laud them for what they did right.
- TOOK OWNERSHIP
After spending several hours in some hold, my bag was sent off without much ceremony to the Lost and Found section of Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Because it had a Jet Airways tag the person there called someone from Jet Airways. The important thing to note here is that my bag was NOT lost by Jet Airways, nor was it lost in the airport premises. It was lost in the parking lot. And if you want to be picky, lost is not even the right word. Truth be told, it was simply ‘separated’ from us. If you chose to go by the rule book, someone at Jet Airways could shrug his shoulders and say, “Not our problem”. The fact that they didn’t do that, took ownership and returned it to me deserves a special mention.
2. TOOK RESPONSIBILITY
Once ownership of the bag was taken the airline personnel took it upon themselves to contact the passenger. Then there was no going back on who would take that step forward.
3. TOOK THE EFFORT
Was the bag marked with the address and phone number of the concerned person? No. But delve into the database and they found the number and took the effort of contacting him. Why is this important. It’s important because I was there for just one night. A phone call saved me and my (now legendary) toothbrush. They could have done one fo several things – written an email, sent a text message or waited till the next day. But no, they went the extra mile (even if it was on the ground) and made the necessary contact. And the two extra miles? When they walked right into the coffee shop to find me! And waited till all the formalities were over.
If there was one thing that they got right – it was keeping the customer focus razor sharp. All idioms and words, sayings and pithy statements about customer-centricity are no good when there is no action. This one act makes them all meaningful. And ladies and gentlemen, reuniting me with my travel toothbrush is what this Customer Experience is all about!
Thanks to these special people from Jet Airways :
