Create Fanatically Loyal Customers

[a320av8r]

Create Fanatically Loyal Customers

Gordon Bethune
Chairman and CEO, Continental Airlines

We're trying to reestablish the concept that if you pay more, you get more, which is kind of a novelty in our business. After 9/11, our competitors took food off the airplane, they took off pillows and magazines. We've done a pretty good job of giving you more.
Our industry is getting so impersonalized. It's like mass transit. At Continental we combat that by using technology to identify who our best customers are. The top 10 percent of revenue generators in our database are separately identified as "CO*," for "costars." We track them, we recognize them by name. They may be sitting in coach that day, but we give them attention and comp their drinks. Our software will actually tell us that you like Dewar's on the rocks. We put a special tag on your bag that says this is going to be the first bag off the plane.

Customer service starts with employee satisfaction. You can't deliver any kind of service if the employees don't like their work. I was an airplane mechanic, and do you know how much faster I could fix a plane if I really wanted to? Our employees are willing to do more because they enjoy working here.

But no matter whether we kiss your ass or not, if your plane doesn't leave on time, you're not coming back. At the end of the day, we've got to get to the end of the runway and find L.A. If we can't do that, we've got no business. This is real work, real value that we create. It's not about customer-relationship software. A software program can enhance what you do, let you do it more effectively. But you still have to want to start the engines, fly to L.A., and land there.


Business 2.0 December 2003

 

[linemech]

I thought Gordon was one of Siegals mentors at Continental, obviously he never passed on the notion that customer satisfaction starts with employee satisfaction,no matter how much management you have cracking the whip.

Customer satisfaction comes from the result of employees doing what it takes.
When there are more employees holding the whips than doing what it takes, no one gets to the end of the runway on time.

In a service industry, how can you keep taking away services and continue to keep customers satisfied ?

 

[robbedagain]

Is it possible for seigal to go back to his mentor and ask for a heck of a lot of training on what kind of service and what kind of employee-mgmt relationship should be!?

 

[dash8ter]

"Our employees are willing to do more because they enjoy working here. "

Be careful... this could be like Dave Siegel getting in front of a crowd of people and claiming that our restructuring was "labor friendly."

 

[ClueByFour]

Folks, don't get too excited about how Bethune treats his customers. (N)Onepass has been going downhill for years, and will begin putting the screws to their VFFs who have the nerve to buy the least expensive ticket available. Further, Gordo's BS line of "If I say it's $1900 to SFO tomorrow, and you need to be there, you are paying $1900" (as if $600 on LUV to OAK and a $200 limo ain't a better idea) needs some work.

Gordo does not want your loyalty unless you pay the top dollar all the time even when it's a waste of your money, your companies money, etc.

DM is a far better program than Nonepass, and US has much better frontline employees. I say this with status on both airlines.

 

[Art at ISP]

As one of the "fanatically loyal" US customers, I see the point here. The differences between US and CO are many. Most importantly the front line employees of US are by far better than CO or any other airline, PERIOD! The sad part is that management fails to see or acknowledge this fact. The weekly message from Gordon to the troops last Friday says volumes about how a good manager encourages and praises those who have done an outstanding job. You folks do an outstanding job ALL THE TIME, and I don't recall the last time this was acknowledged by management.

Instead Dave likes to rehash the bad news in an attempt to prepare the troops for more concessionary talk. This does wonders for morale. I am truly impressed at the job you folks do on the front lines despite the morale the way it is. There are cracks showing, but very few. I can only imagine how this airline would SHINE if management was supportive of you. You'd be unbeatable.

At this point it's a matter of no confidence. Something has to give, and it isn't going to be labor again. As you all know my tag line regarding fares, let me add a new one with my thanks and sincere appreciation to all of you:

IT'S THE EMPLOYEES STUPID!!!!!!!

Me best to you all....