Headaches in Frankfurt

I am on the road this week in Europe. With a brief stop in Scotland this weekend (the real Scotland) to see my granny and aunt/uncle/cousins I am now on my way to the International Supercomputer Conference in Heidelberg, well sort of.

I had originally planned to fly from Glasgow to London and then continue on to Stuttgart where I could meet up with some of my counterparts from Europe to make the drive to Heidelberg, a plan that was simple before you allowed British Airways to get involved. After 2 cancelled flights, they ended up getting me into Birmingham and then into Frankfurt. As you would expect, they managed to loose my luggage en route (corporate folks have been nice enough to help me round up replacements until they find my luggage).

I realize that airlines generally work and that their problems are occassional. With almost 150,000 miles flown last year alone.... stuff like this just happens. My only complaint is that a number of airlines seem to think that the last person to be "involved" should be the customer/passenger. For example, the BA counter folks in Glasgow thought that I should go take a seat rather than help them come up with additional options, and when I arrived in Frankfurt they provided me a telex from Birmingham noting that my luggage was still stuck in Glasgow. Once the counter folks allowed me to assist them, I was able to come up with an option that at least got me to Germany (rather than Paris as they suggested) and I could have procured additional clothing BEFORE I left the UK had they notified me as soon as they had the information (ever try shopping in Frankfurt after 10pm?).

This experience convinced me that I would rather fly on an airline that remembers I exist and wants my business. I have since switched my flights from BA to BMI, happily giving up the BA first class for an airline that wants my business. Coach is just fine for me if it helps an airline that wants me!


There is an interesting business lesson you can abstract from this. One way relationships between companies and customers just don't work for the long term. Communicating and collaborating with customers is the only way to win. Following your corporate procedure and "plans" will only work as long as you satisfy the needs of your customer. When companies move to follow procedures and policies without regard to the needs of the customer, they begin to loose touch with the very reason they exist as a company.

I will happily pay my money to any airline that wants to value and respect me. I don't care if they screw up, just make sure you keep your focus on ME. I am the one stuck in Frankfurt without any clothes (or excedrine -- remind me to blog on this tomorrow).