Customer Service Is Bad—and Getting Worse! - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 1999

When it comes to poor customer service, expect more bad experiences in the airline industry, warns Ramon A. Avila, professor of marketing and director of Ball State University's Professional Selling Institute, Muncie, Ind. Complaints are up 70% over the past two years due to confusing fares, crowded and oversold flights, delays, cancellations, missed connections, and job actions by airline employees.

"Expect rude treatment and expect companies to do the bare minimum because their bottom line is more important than a disappointed customer," he indicates. "We are witnessing the death of customer service in this country."

The airline industry has suffered extensive negative publicity in recent months. TWA had most of its flight attendants call in sick to protest labor negotiations. Northwest Airlines had to shut down its Detroit operations due to a snowstorm, causing delays for thousands of passengers. American Airlines suffered a pilot sick-out that stranded thousands more.

Because the airline industry has failed to police itself, it may take government intervention to improve customer relations. Vice Pres. Al Gore and members of Congress have threatened to step in unless the situation improves. The airline industry has been able to fend off passenger rights legislation so far, but Congress may force them to change, Avila states.

Good customer service is the keystone to retaining and attracting consumers, and many businesses are missing the point, argues Avila, who has worked with companies on developing good customer relations departments over the last 20 years. "One survey tells us that an angry customer will relate [a] negative experience to 72 people, while a truly happy customer will tell about 12 people. Six outstanding events have to take place just to break even against one bad customer service experience....

"The service in this country is terrible and corporate America knows it. And they refuse to do anything about it because it affects the bottom line negatively."