Air Canada, Loblaw's Superstore and my Doctor, you are all Fired!

"Do people fire companies? Yes, they do!" -- Steve Chamberlain, Husqvarna
(from Outstanding! 47 ways to make your organization exceptional - by John G. Miller)

What is wrong with customer service today? Have companies forgotten that they serve their customers not the other way around. They believe they are entitled to treat people they way they want. These are three companies that have forgotten that they don't set the rules, their customers do. Until they remember that, I am firing them.

I got a call from a colleague the other day, telling me the story how Air Canada bumped him from his flight even though he is a frequent flyer, booked 2 weeks in advance and paid in full. Their explanation is that even though you paid for a seat, it doesn't mean you are guaranteed a seat.

Let's apply that logic another way: I drop my dry cleaning off to my local dry cleaner, and pick it up the next day. I get it back with the stain on the shirt, their answer "dropping your clothes off, doesn't guarantee they actually get cleaned."

Air Canada indicated that it is standard policy to over book flights and bump people as necessary. I have to wonder if they bumped him for a higher paying passenger who booked at the last minute (average revenue per seat increase). At the end of the conversation, he said he would not fly Air Canada again. In essence he fired them! They may wave off the indifference to their bottom line forgetting that in today's society one person can have a dramatic impact to the perception of the companies customer service. Think of "United Breaks Guitars" by Dave Carroll in July 2009. It had 3 million views in 10 days, and resulted in incalculable damage to their reputation.

What airlines need to be doing is publishing openly the odds that you will get bumped before you purchase the ticket.

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I was in our Loblaw's superstore today and was party to an interaction between a store employee and a customer. The customer asked if there was anymore broccoli in the back as she wasn't happy with the quality of what was in the produce section. The employee went to the back and checked, she came back out and said it was just coming off the truck and would be at least an hour before it was available. The customer asked if she could get a discount on what was on the shelf, the employee said no that wasn't possible. She didn't even call the manager to find out.

Here is what should have happened...

I'm sorry the broccoli on the shelf is not to your liking, let me see if there is some more in the back....The broccoli is coming off the truck now but will take about 1 hour to be ready, I will see what I can do...please give me a couple of minutes and I will page you from customer service. My name is *******. Let me talk to my manager to see what we can do for you; please bear with us while you finish your shopping."

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I was at my family doctor's office, I booked the first appointment in the morning (9:10am) to ensure my kids could get back to school and I could get to work promptly. I ended up waiting until 11:30 to see the doctor for a 5 minute visit. There was no apology for running late, no indication of wait time from the doctor and receptionist. They ask for common courtesy like not using cell phones in the waiting room, in fact there is a big sign up. After 20 minutes of waiting, I jumped on a conference call and made others calls. I was waiting for the receptionist to point at the sign and I would have responded with the suggestion that before she ask for courtesy and respect they show some first.

Wait times for hospital emergency rooms are measured and published (Ontario's is here). Yet no one checks or monitors the wait times in doctor's offices.

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In the end, these are but a few companies and people that have forgotten about serving their customers, and I say to them, Your fired!