Customer Service - We know it when we see it

by Stewart Belsham

December 28, 2006 - While on a recent flight, I was chatting with a Southwest Airlines attendant and asked her "How do you all keep so upbeat about customer service when you're constantly seeing people at their worst?" I think that Southwest is the best run company in the USA and was curious how they do it. She then explained some key points:

• They have a probation period in which new employees not up to standards are weeded out by co-workers.
• They have zero tolerance for safety violations.
• They look after each other. An attendant who is a little brusque with a passenger will typically have another attendant follow behind to resolve the situation. Most of the time, I'm told, a simple "what is the matter with you today?" will be enough to snap the grouchy co-worker out of their mood.
• They never assume that some people are better at customer service than others.

I believe that there is good advice here for us. Currently, we are implementing a formal new-employee review process and asking you, our customers, to participate. As a learning, growing organization we need to be comfortable sharing good and bad news with each other. When we let someone down, we apologize and we make it right. As team members we are good at looking out for each other, but how inclined are we to excuse and ignore poor service? By looking honestly at our actions and taking criticism constructively, we can make Symbiosys a stronger, more-successful organization.