Too busy to go myself, I promised a business associate a free ticket to Europe, which was great news, making me nothing short of a hero, a true sportsman, and a great guy.
Then US Airways informed me that my frequent flyer miles had expired and that I could not use or gift them.
My partner never recovered from the blow, nor did I, nor did US Airways, which went bankrupt.
Ever since I heard that bad news, I’ve vowed never to get on a US Airways flight again, and I fly a lot, earning top-tier status in three other airlines’ loyalty programs.
When a company acts in this stupid way, forcing a customer to give up a right, it provokes a powerful and permanent response:
“I give up,” the customer says, holding up his hands. “This is absurd.”
And then, he curses the offender, while praying for what he deserves.
This is the price companies pay for mindlessly enacting draconian policies, and it happens all the time. Customers don’t leave; They run.
Most customer satisfaction models don’t take into account the “One hit and you’re out!” customer mindset. Instead, they foolishly assume that all outcomes are incremental, both bad and good.
But deep wells of mistrust and dissatisfaction can grow and overflow like flash floods.
Review your customer service policies now, removing all absurd and overly punitive restrictions and requirements. It may not be too late to save many businesses, including mine!
