Asf farf asf thef staffingf andf cancellations.f If believef bothf situationsf aref justf asf important,f butf
iff theref isf nof nof stafff howf canf youf ensuref thef safetyf off thef passengersf onf thef flight?f
Eitherf youf canf limitf thef flightsf sof thatf stafff canf accommodatef thef passengers,f theyf couldf
conductf moref interviewsf orf makef cancellations.f makingf poorf choicesf inf thef businessf
meansf youf losef profits,f whenf thef pointf isf tof makef profitsf there’sf notf toof muchf roomf tof
mistakesf unlessf you’ref willingf tof learnf fromf themf andf improvef .Notf allf businessesf treatf
theirf customersf thisf way,f butf they’ref scenariosf wheref thingsf likef thisf havef happens.f Somef
businessesf startf offf satisfyingf customersf andf havingf greatf customerf servicef andf keepf itf
thatf wayf byf hiringf goodf andf determinedf employees.f Thenf there’sf thef companiesf whof nof
longerf caref off thef standardsf becausef theyf aref notf theref andf onlyf reapingf thef benefitsf off
othersf labor.f If dof notf believef thisf isf howf businessesf viewf theirf customers.f If definitelyf dof
notf believef thatf allf businessesf runf theirf companiesf thisf way.f Whatf Unitedf didf wasf veryf
uncalledf forf andf inappropriatef andf nof businessf shouldf runf thatf way.f If dof notf believef thatf
anf airline'sf needf tof stafff orf cancelf af flightf isf moref importantf thanf passengersf needsf tof
travelf tof theirf destinationf butf inf theirf casef howf theyf handledf thef situationf showsf thatf theyf
dof believef itf isf moref importantf tof stafff orf cancelf af flight.f If cannotf imaginef howf Dr.f Daof
feelf orf actuallyf experiencingf suchf af thingf hasf hadf af impactf onf him.f Iff anf airlinef makesf af
poorf choicef likef theyf didf inf Dr.f Dao'sf casef customersf wouldf notf wantf tof flyf withf themf
anymoref andf canf makef salesf andf ratingsf gof downf tremendously.f Stocksf willf moref thanf
likelyf mostf definitelyf gof downf af lotf If amf almostf certain.f Thisf isf suchf af tragicf thingf tof
havef someonef gof throughf whenf theyf aref justf tryingf tof getf tof theirf destination.f If don’tf
thinkf thatf allf businessesf runf thisf way.f If don’tf believef thatf Unitedf putf theirf customersf firstf
whichf isf thef onlyf wayf theyf havef af business.f If understandf theref aref sometimesf differentf
circumstancesf thatf canf putf customersf behindf thef well-beingf off theirf stafff butf inf thef
situationf If don’tf seef it.f Forf businessf aroundf smoothlyf theyf havef tof havef customersf thatf
keepf payingf them.f Iff af customerf isf nof longerf payingf thatf companyf thef companyf willf
eventuallyf gof under.f Iff wef treatf ourf customersf disrespectfulf orf cancelf theirf ordersf thisf willf
givef negativef feedbackf fromf customersf tof thef businessf thereforef internf havef af negativef
outlookf onf thef company.Notf onlyf dof youf havef tof worryf aboutf thef customersf youf havef tof
worryf aboutf thef stockholdersf andf thef shareholdersf thatf helpf keepf yourf businessf going.f Iff
theirf shareholdingf orf stocksf plummetf whatf makesf youf thinkf they’ref goingf tof continuef
payingf intof thef company.f If thinkf mostf businessesf gof byf thef approachf thatf customersf aref
alwaysf rightf evenf thoughf sometimesf theyf aren’t.f Afterf readingf thef examplef "Didf Unitedf
Sacrificef af Customer’sf Well-Beingf tof Itsf Ownf Needs",f If canf seef wheref businessesf suchf asf
bigf corporationsf likef Unitedf tof putf theirf employeesf andf needsf beforef customers.f Thisf isf
definitelyf notf thef firstf timef thatf unitedf hasf cancelledf af passengersf seatf orf rescheduledf af
flightf tof makef suref thatf theirf needsf aref metf first.f Theyf dof notf reallyf lookf atf thef
inconveniencef theyf causef passengersf andf willf usuallyf justf offerf flightf creditf orf somef typef
off payoutf asf anf apology.f Anf airline'sf needf tof stafff orf cancelf af flightf isf importantf butf notf
asf importantf asf thef needsf off thef passengers.f Theref isf alwaysf af secondf optionf whenf youf
aref tryingf tof figuref outf af solutionf tof af problemf andf unitedf shouldf havef triedf tof comef upf
withf af solutionf beforef forciblyf removingf af passengerf fromf theirf seat.f Iff af situationf suchf asf
thef onef inf thef examplef happensf thenf stockf plummetsf andf publicf opinionf off thef companyf
isf foreverf stained.f Theref wouldf definitelyf bef af decreasef inf salesf becausef customersf aref
scaredf itf couldf happenf tof them.f If dof notf thinkf thisf isf howf businessesf viewf theirf
customers.f If thinkf Unitedf wasf inf thef wrongf onef hundredf percent,f andf theirf apologyf wasf af
joke.f If getf thef needf tof stafff af flightf sof theyf neededf tof flyf severalf crewf membersf onf af
flight,f butf whatf iff Dr.f Dao'sf wasf inf thef samef position.f Whatf iff hef wasf flyingf tof Louisvillef
forf af workf relatedf manner,f andf needf tof bef theref byf af certainf time.f Theyf didf notf caref whatf
hef needed,f itf wasf whatf theyf needed.f Theref weref manyf otherf waysf tof gof aroundf whatf theyf
did.f Howf didf theyf decidedf hef neededf tof getf offf thef flightf sincef nof onef volunteered?f Whyf
him,f whatf didf hef dof orf sayf tof bef targeted?f Whyf wasf hef forciblyf draggedf offf thef planef
andf bloody?f Byf himf sayingf hef willf notf getf offf thef planef meansf hef needsf tof bef draggedf
offf andf bloody.f If don'tf caref howf badf youf needf someonef tof getf offf becausef itf wasf overf
bookedf andf youf needf spacef forf workers,f nof onef shouldf bef treatedf thatf way.f Whof wouldf
wantf tof flyf withf af companyf thatf doesf that,f thenf givef af fakef apologyf daysf later.f Iff theyf
weref sincere,f theyf wouldf off apologizedf rightf away,f andf somef howf madef itf upf tof him.f
Whenf anf airlinef makesf af poorf choicef andf nowf inf dayf whenf theref isf af recordingf off thef
incident,f af lotf canf happenf tof thef company.f Youf willf losef businessf forf one,f stocksf willf
tank,f andf importantf peoplef canf losef theirf jobsf andf orf thef companyf canf getf sued.f If seef thef
generalizationf off howf businessf viewf theirf customersf asf af broadf brushf stroke.f Mostf
businessesf startf withf thef bestf off intentions,f fillingf af nichef thatf oftenf timesf isf relatedf tof
customerf dissatisfactionf inf theirf givenf industry.f Asf thesef businessesf grow,f choicesf aref
made,f andf manyf timesf businessesf losef trackf off wheref theyf camef from.f Af greatf examplef
off thisf isf Wal-Mart,f asf itf wasf startedf tof givef accessf tof quality,f lowf costf goodsf tof thosef inf
ruralf locations.
Asf Wal-Martf expanded,f itf grewf fromf af ruralf departmentf store,f intof af regionalf andf
eventuallyf nationwidef competitor.f Tof gainf moref andf moref marketf share,f changesf beganf tof
evolve,f andf thef originalf visionf beginsf tof blur.f Thef fastf expansionf andf changesf internalf tof
Wal-Martf happenf aroundf whenf thef companyf turnsf public,f whichf If believef isf af veryf
commonf themef off wheref If believef wef seef markedf changesf inf mostf companiesf viewsf
towardsf customersf orf "profitf first."f If wouldf alsof sayf thatf thisf changef isf easyf tof seef whenf
af businessf isf bought,f orf af founderf passesf away,f If wouldf likef itf directlyf tof thef lossf off af
centralf visionf orf mission.Again,f anyf businessf canf makef thef choicef tof putf profitf overf
customersf atf anyf givenf time.f If amf fortunatef enoughf tof workf forf af multi-billionf dollarf
companyf thatf isf stillf familyf run,f despitef competingf inf manyf majorf cuttingf edgef marketsf inf
ourf givenf industry.f If wouldf likef tof thinkf thatf iff wef everf weref tof gof public,f ourf missionf
andf visionf hasf beenf sof solidlyf engrainedf fromf thef topf downf thatf wef wouldf transitionf veryf
easilyf andf unchanged,f butf afterf readingf thef examplef today,f If findf myselff havingf doubts.
Thef particularf examplef off today'sf lessonf hasf twof sides.f Onef sidef valuesf thef singlef
customer,f whof wouldf bef ablef tof travelf asf intended,f butf anf entiref flightf crewf wouldf bef
disrupted,f playingf havocf onf otherf travelersf plans.f Thef otherf sidef valuesf thef employeesf
travel,f andf makingf suref allf flightsf canf takef offf onf time,f whilef seriouslyf impactingf thef
attitude,f stress,f plans,f andf eventualf physicalf wellf beingf off af singlef passenger.
If believef thef airlinef industryf asf af wholef hasf greatlyf changed,f andf ratherf thanf thef luxuryf off
thef skies,f thef turnf towardsf profitsf hasf turnedf thef industryf intof glorifiedf busf rides,f andf thisf
mayf bef af largef factorf inf howf thef airlinef approachedf thisf situation.f Whenf wef viewf
customersf asf cattle,f itf isf easyf tof leadf themf tof thef slaughterhouse.f Examiningf thef situation,f
If believef Unitedf wasf rightf tof wantf tof makef suref thef additionalf flightsf weref notf impacted,f
however,f theyf weref veryf farf awayf fromf af properf solution.f Lookingf atf thef poorf choicef inf
thisf particularf example,f af muchf moref agreeablef solutionf mightf havef beenf tof payf forf
unitedf personnelf tof flyf onf af competitor'sf airline,f inf orderf tof ensuref bothf outcomesf aref metf
successfully.Asf forf thef examplesf fallf out,f thef impactf thatf poorf decisionsf havef isf immense,f
notf onlyf inf thatf relationship,f butf futuref onesf asf well.f Withf customersf unwillingf tof
purchasef tickets,f orf evenf shareholdersf sellingf theirf sharesf atf af discountf tof quicklyf getf outf
off investmentf inf thef business,f stockf pricesf willf fall.f Thef shortf sightedf returnsf aref lostf forf
muchf larger,f longf termf losses.f If dof notf feelf thatf mostf businessesf viewf theirf customersf likef
Unitedf Airlinesf didf tof theirf passenger,f Dr.f Davidf Daof inf 2017.f If feelf theref aref manyf
companiesf whof valuef theirf customers.f Theyf providef servicesf andf rewardsf tof thef customerf
whichf inf turn,f gainsf trustf withinf thef customer.f Customerf servicef isf criticalf forf businesses.f
Amazon,f forf example,f providesf excellentf customerf service.f Ordersf arrivef inf anf averagef off
3f days.f Youf canf nowf returnf af shipmentf atf storesf thatf Amazonf hasf partneredf withf insteadf
off mailingf itf back.f Theref aref manyf promotionsf andf rewardsf whenf youf becomef anf
Amazonf Primef member.
If understandf anf airlinef needsf enoughf stafff tof forf theirf flights.f Maybef thef companyf canf
lookf intof raisesf tof payf theirf stafff moref orf providef flexiblef schedules.f Thef companyf shouldf
inputf somef perksf tof theirf stafff tof hiref moref oftenf orf notf havef af turnoverf rate.f Af payingf
passenger'sf needf tof travelf shouldf alsof bef justf asf importantf tof thef airline.f Thef passengers,f
inf af way,f aref keepingf thef airlinef inf business.f Withoutf customersf buyingf flightf ticketsf andf
luggagef fees,f thef airlinef wouldf notf havef muchf incomef comingf in.
If understandf thatf itf isf easyf tof seef thef problemf fromf thef outside,f andf If understandf thatf
businessesf havef af lotf onf theirf platesf whilef tryingf tof keepf theirf doorsf open,f caref forf theirf
employees,f andf satisfyf theirf customers,f butf theref aref differentf waysf tof solvef problems,f
andf theyf didf notf pickf thef bestf one.f Unfortunately,f manyf businessesf viewf theirf clientsf inf
thisf lightf andf believef thatf leavingf onef disgruntledf customerf isf notf asf awfulf asf cancelingf
anotherf plane,f whichf couldf resultf inf manyf moref unhappyf consumers.Eachf personf hasf theirf
ownf wants,f andf thef airline'sf needsf aref vitalf asf well,f butf theyf mustf rememberf thatf theirf
businessf isf theirf CUSTOMERS,f andf thatf byf meetingf thef demandsf off theirf customers,f thef
airline'sf needsf willf bef met.f Whatf powersf dof theyf havef tof decidef whof willf flyf andf whof
willf not?f Myf airlinef changedf myf flightf schedule,f butf theyf offeredf somethingf tof
compensatef me,f andf If acceptedf it.f Theyf mayf losef somef moneyf withf me,f butf theirf
reputationf allowsf themf tof gainf moref thanf whatf theyf lost.
