Incompetence Erodes Confidence and More

(An Excellent Customer Service Lesson)

Today I was flying home from a speaking engagement. As I looked at the airport monitors to confirm my flight was on time, and the monitor indicated it was. Directly next to the departing flight schedule was the arriving flight schedule. On that monitor it indicated that the plane that we were going to be using for our flight was an hour late coming in. That would make us late.

I asked our gate agent which information I should believe. He knew I was joking and he laughed. We ended up being almost two hours delayed.

What intrigues me enough to write this short article is that everyone I asked about the flight said we were on time. No one knew – at least no one that I talked to from the airlines. I think it is incompetence. Not from the people I talked to, but from the people who inform, or are supposed to inform, the people I talked to.

These types of incidents on the airlines have been happening to me for years. And, it doesn’t matter which airline it is. They all seem to do it. So, I find myself always checking and double checking the information that some very nice people are willing to tell me. In other words, I lack confidence in them. It isn’t because these people are incompetent. However, the system which operates behind the scenes, and perhaps this is a bit harsh to say, is incompetent. Unfortunately, this reflects on the frontline personnel, are doing the best job they can.

At the end of the day, incompetence leads to lack of confidence. Lack of confidence erodes customer loyalty. And lack of loyalty works against the function of virtually any business, which is to get and keep your customers.

Shep Hyken, CSP is a professional speaker and author who works with companies who want to develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep's speaking programs, books, tapes and learning programs please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com – Web: www.hyken.com – Click here for information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs (www.TheCustomerFocus.com).