Service @ 35000 Feet

Some times it makes us feel so small when we come across an amateur who just started her career displaying what is not expected, when unexpected scenarios surface that ‘demands’ definite amount of skills and experience to tackle.

I call this Human to Human (H2H) connect @ 35000 feet

During my stint with Corporate world spanning 20 years, I have worked with some of the finest leaders who has set high standards in customer service. They equally worked with me late nights to ensure the missing link is fixed, as good service means more captive business at a premium.

Given the fact, I am into sales right through my career, customer service is close to my heart, as I know what it takes to acquire a customer and how the same customer can vaporize into thin air only to condense with competition, if one fails on deliverable. When I became witness to Service @ 35000 Feet, I felt may be customer service needs to be redefined with this single isolated episode.

I was on a flight from Chennai to Hyd where we have to buy the food and beverage if one opts to. Its less than 50minutes flight and the crew started pushing the trollies for any takers. The lady sitting next to me appearing not to be a frequent flier, ordered for f&b in a generous way. On hearing the amount totaling to INR750/- she realized that its not a complimentary meal.

Caught between her ignorance and embarrassment, she was so uncomfortable to return the food. The youngest crew who is making the sale, realized the situation and did some thing that makes me realize that “it’s a human to human connect @ 35000 feet”

With a gentle smile and no traces of irritation, she took the snack back and said, “Madam, why don’t you have some water please” and she served the same making my co passenger comfortable.

After a while the same crew comes back to her and softly says, “If you need any thing, let me know as you are my special guest” and placed a short eat in her hand.