give exlanations to customers?

Trains were delay again last Thursday. I am taking 3 lines from my home to my company for commute. 2 of them were delayed on that day.

I recognized comments in trains of train conductors have changed a bit. A couple years ago, when trains were in delay, train conductors in the trains just announced for passengers that the train was delayed and the reason of the delay. But recently I realized that conductors have announced that not only trains are in delay and reason of the delay, but also of the status of recovery and expected recovery time.

I am wondering why train conductors did not announce such status or expected recovery time before?

I just remember my experience 3 years ago, when I traveled from New York City to Rochester. After doing my stuff in Rochester, I was supposed to fly back to NYC with US Airway 17:00 flight. But I knew NYC was being under heavy snow storm and some flights were already cancelled. As I was smart( ), I changed my flights from US Airways to Jet Blue. While US Airways staff did not give any information its passengers, JET Blue stuff regularly announced the status of what’s going on. Even 7 hours delay of the flight, I observed almost all passengers did not have complains to Jet Blue. They even looked to appreciate Jet Blue for its constant explanation to them (and some Pizza!). Anyway, I really felt it’s right decision to change.

I assume the train company expected that if passengers got too much information, they might react wrongly. The train company might assume the company only knew right action and even right information could cause just confusion. However, I think the train company considers such secret policy reason of customer dissatisfaction and increase frustration of them.

While I do know (or I have to study) how the train company educates its customers, this tactics seems to succeed so far. And I believe this policy is also benefit to customers.

km

expectation control

Colts won!

I expected Indianapolis would win, as I like Payton Manning. First, when I saw his play, I didn’t like it very much. He looked too cool, like the ice man. Of course, I recognized he was good, or great. I was more for Chad Pennington or McNabb Donovan.

But, when I saw TVCM of Master Card for Payton Manning, I changed the image of him. In the TVCM, he enjoyed his vacation with his team mates. He was relaxed, smiled and joking with his team mates.

I still do not know he is such humane guy, as the TVCM shows. Master Card might create such image artificially, for the CM. However, the CM was good for me enough to change my image of him.

Although the TVCM was made good, I think primarily reason for my changing is not this CM, but my original image of Manning. If the image of him is too low, anything could be a trigger for me to change the image. I mean important factor for such change is the first impression more than others. O the other hand, if the first impression is too good, there would be more likely negative factors.

The same thing can be said for service industry. If you fail to do expectation control of customers, it could be really retain the customers by continuing to provide good impression.

Anyway, I want to see Indianapolis playing at Super Bowel this year.

km

looks natural?

I had dinner at one of the Halekulani restaurant, Orchids, with my wife last month. It was really nice dinner, but I am telling not about restaurant, but about before dinner. When we entered into the lobby, the hotel was a bit larger than I thought. So, I asked one of the front desk clerks to show us the way to the restaurant, as we were already late for the appointment. For us, he came out from the front desk, and kindly walked for the restaurant with us to take us to the reception of Orchids. I was surprised as I expected he would just give us the direction. But what I was more impressed was his natural behavior, his natural smile and natural tone of voice. Even he didn’t give me professional impression, but show his hospitality.

I am wondering is he special, who can show such great impression, at Halekurani, or almost all staff members there can act like him? Unfortunately I do not have money enough to investigate, but I assume it’s coming from the combination of his hospitality mind and the hotel education, tradition. I mean the good servicing company has retained such talented person, and moreover, it could find such person with lots of hospitality.

From now, competition in service industry to get persons, who have servicing hospitality, may be getting more and more sever and difficult. I think personnel service firms focusing on such talented servicing persons will have huge opportunities, if they do their business well. I would like to talk this topic more in the near future.

km