Google chat support shows how intelligence and stupidity can coexist

Google chat support shows how intelligence and stupidity can coexist

I used Google’s chat support. The result was infuriating, because the support person didn’t listen. Humans doing support need to listen and use context — and you’d think algorithms could help with that, especially at Google. Here’s what’s happening. I just set up a new web site for my nonprofit, wellnesscampaign.org. The next step is…

UPS and its customers are slaves of its technology

UPS and its customers are slaves of its technology

UPS has the information about customers, locations, and shipments to be an amazing leader in customer experience (CX). It has the people, devices, and bar codes to turn the Internet of Things — of packages — into an artificially intelligent engine for customer delight. But based on my experience, UPS is the slave, not the master,…

Happy passengers matter, even if an airline study couldn’t prove it

Happy passengers matter, even if an airline study couldn’t prove it

An International Air Transport Association study was unable to find a connection between passenger “happiness” and airline profitability. But that’s boring. So the travel news site Skift reported it as if happy passengers don’t matter. The lack of a finding, like a vacuum, sucked up the truth. Skift’s article, by Marisa Garcia, was titled “IATA Study Finds You…

United Airlines’ missed opportunity to move beyond platitudes

United Airlines’ missed opportunity to move beyond platitudes

There’s been a little trouble over at United Airlines. But new CEO Oscar Munoz’s platitudinous email to frequent flyers makes it sound like everything’s great. He missed the opportunity to transform the airline and tell the truth about it. United is the worst major U.S. airline, which, given the pathetic state of US air travel, is…

Improving the customer experience of the surgery waiting room

Improving the customer experience of the surgery waiting room

My son, who is 19, had surgery two days ago at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts. I was impressed with the ways in which Emerson improved the experience of waiting for a surgical patient. I also have a few suggestions. The surgery was successful and my son is recovering nicely. Everybody is fine. The surgical’s team’s number…

All customer service failures have one cause: broken promises
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All customer service failures have one cause: broken promises

All brands and businesses make promises. They promise low prices, fast service, or no hassles. Sometimes they fail to deliver on those promises. Customer service failure is about broken promises. When people get upset, it’s not because products or services are objectively bad. They get upset because of broken promises. Parents who buy their kids a $3.99…